If a creator exists, why worship it?

[jonathan180iq]

When I raise points like this to hard-line believers, I am told that "we can't expect to define God's relationships in the same way we define humans relations to one another." and that using God in analogies to "human fatherhood", is therefore not possible. I always like to use the analogy that if I were to bear a deaf child, I would do all I could within my power to make sure I learned a form of communicating with my child - sign language, for instance - because I would love them. But that, as I feel I was "born deaf to God", He does not seem to take the same interest in learning ways to communicate with me sufficiently that I can "hear" Him.

These same people telling me I can't properly make such analogies because God works differently, then go on in their sermons to say what a "great father" God is, and use Him in all manner of positive analogies to human fatherhood. That street apparently only runs one way.

Ha. That's the way it goes for most theistic arguments. When the analogy fits their preconceived ideas, it's a valuable resource for understanding the nature of their faith. When the analogy is critically analyzed, however, it's deemed not a fair analogy...

I'm not contradictory to the idea of faith. In fact I've spent the majority of my thinking life pondering the possibility of deity, and at every single turn I've found that there is nothing to support the idea unless I stop analyzing and reasoning. If I allow myself to rest on my laurels, or to stop learning or questioning, then I find that accepting a stagnant belief system seems plausible. I imagine that most theists have done the same. The only way that these intelligent people can rationalize their faith is simply to stop asking questions and to give into the popular opinion of their peer group (church). The latter side of that faith, namely apologetics, relies on either ignorance or dishonesty to defend the stagnant belief. It's quite sad really, because outside of this realm most theists are quite pleasurable to be around.

 

[Desert Snake]

-Why not
-people pray for things, ie sports cars etc.
-fear

 

[Skwim]

One explanation

"We were made to worship. On every page of the Bible is the idea of worshiping God. And the essence of worship can be found in the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me.” This actually means “no other gods before, after, or alongside Me.”

People ask, “Who is this God exactly? And what kind of God needs and wants to be worshiped as the only God? It sounds as though He might be very proud—even arrogant and self-absorbed. Or maybe all this desire for praise reveals God as insecure. Why would He need affirmation from us if He’s God?”

If you find yourself thinking along those lines, realize those are kindergarten thoughts about God. It’s time to grow up into Him. What you’re confusing is this: God is not a human being and He doesn’t function like one. We will not understand Him by extending human behavior and attaching it to Him.

We think it’s arrogant for one human being to want the adulation of another because we recognize that most people are not qualitatively very different from one another. But God is not some exalted human being at the top of the mankind pyramid—He’s in an entirely different category, where He is the only member. He is ineffable glory and dwells in unapproachable light.

The amazing thing is not that God invites our worship, but that He accepts from us what He does not need. The more we study God’s Word, the more we begin to understand He is leading us to the attitude of worshiping Him, because in His presence is where we rightly belong. Whether we realize it or not, we need to worship—and God wants our worship because He wants what’s best for us."
source​

A pretty poor explanation if you ask me, but then a lot of the explanations of the Christian faith come up short.

 

[sojourner]

One explanation

"We were made to worship. On every page of the Bible is the idea of worshiping God. And the essence of worship can be found in the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me.” This actually means “no other gods before, after, or alongside Me.”

People ask, “Who is this God exactly? And what kind of God needs and wants to be worshiped as the only God? It sounds as though He might be very proud—even arrogant and self-absorbed. Or maybe all this desire for praise reveals God as insecure. Why would He need affirmation from us if He’s God?”

If you find yourself thinking along those lines, realize those are kindergarten thoughts about God. It’s time to grow up into Him. What you’re confusing is this: God is not a human being and He doesn’t function like one. We will not understand Him by extending human behavior and attaching it to Him.

We think it’s arrogant for one human being to want the adulation of another because we recognize that most people are not qualitatively very different from one another. But God is not some exalted human being at the top of the mankind pyramid—He’s in an entirely different category, where He is the only member. He is ineffable glory and dwells in unapproachable light.

The amazing thing is not that God invites our worship, but that He accepts from us what He does not need. The more we study God’s Word, the more we begin to understand He is leading us to the attitude of worshiping Him, because in His presence is where we rightly belong. Whether we realize it or not, we need to worship—and God wants our worship because He wants what’s best for us."
source​

A pretty poor explanation if you ask me, but then a lot of the explanations of the Christian faith come up short.

It's certainly a lot more apologetic than theological. It doesn't explain worship or its function, or what the worship process is supposed to do for us.

 

[dust1n]

So if humanity was created by a "god" would it want our worship? Is this "god" if it exists even worthy of worship since it doesn't interfere in our daily lives for good or ill?

Humans just like group activities and fitting in at all.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

In Christianity, it's not so much constantly praising "just because", it's an exchange of love. You love God because He loved you first. He loved you so much that He died for you.

 

[psychoslice]

No one had to die for me, I'm big enough to look after myself, and I will be the only one in my life dying when my time is up.

 

[Augustus]

What are the benefits that the worshiper gets specifically?

Depends on what religion you follow. Should be pointed out that these benefits are not unique to religion and can be gained from other places, it's just that religion also provides them and gives people a motivation to do actions that provide them.

Potential benefits involve community, reflection, being thankful for what you have, discipline, restraint, abstinence, meditation, singing and dancing, etc.

Many people in the West are troubled by social isolation, stress, discontent, etc. issues that religion usually aims to mitigate.

 

[leibowde84]

Depends on what religion you follow. Should be pointed out that these benefits are not unique to religion and can be gained from other places, it's just that religion also provides them and gives people a motivation to do actions that provide them.

Potential benefits involve community, reflection, being thankful for what you have, discipline, restraint, abstinence, meditation, singing and dancing, etc.

Many people in the West are troubled by social isolation, stress, discontent, etc. issues that religion usually aims to mitigate.

I understand what you are saying, but this doesn't answer my question at all. You kind of changed the subject on me. I asked what you were referring to specifically when you claimed that the benefits of the act of WORSHIPING GOD (not religion or religious beliefs in general) were for the worshiper, not God. I know that religious communities can provide a great deal of societal and individual positives, but I fail to see how, specifically, the act of worshiping God benefits the worshiper.

 

[Augustus]

I understand what you are saying, but this doesn't answer my question at all. You kind of changed the subject on me. I asked what you were referring to specifically when you claimed that the benefits of the act of WORSHIPING GOD (not religion or religious beliefs in general) were for the worshiper, not God. I know that religious communities can provide a great deal of societal and individual positives, but I fail to see how, specifically, the act of worshiping God benefits the worshiper.

all of those relate to the act of worship.

 

[leibowde84]

all of those relate to the act of worship.

That is ridiculously vague. So, why is worship necessary? What does worship provide than nothing else can?

In short, what are the specific benefits you mentioned before that can be attributed to worshiping God? It seems that you are saying that there really are no specific benefits, as all the ones that you mention can come from other aspects of religion or secular life.

 

[sojourner]

That is ridiculously vague. So, why is worship necessary? What does worship provide than nothing else can?

In short, what are the specific benefits you mentioned before that can be attributed to worshiping God? It seems that you are saying that there really are no specific benefits, as all the ones that you mention can come from other aspects of religion or secular life.

In worship, people are "created with" by God, in a communal way. They "become" the body of Christ, of which every person is a part. Through the intentional forms of worship, the people are moved together through several "stances" before God and with God -- praise, contrition, thanksgiving, etc. It is the movement together through these specific, intentional acts, through which God works to move and change people, and create true Godly community. You just can't get that through other aspects of religion or secular life, because no other aspect of religion or secular activity brings people together in so specific a way.

 

[Augustus]

Depends on what religion you follow. Should be pointed out that these benefits are not unique to religion and can be gained from other places, it's just that religion also provides them and gives people a motivation to do actions that provide them.

Potential benefits involve community, reflection, being thankful for what you have, discipline, restraint, abstinence, meditation, singing and dancing, etc.

Many people in the West are troubled by social isolation, stress, discontent, etc. issues that religion usually aims to mitigate.

That is ridiculously vague. So, why is worship necessary? What does worship provide than nothing else can?

In short, what are the specific benefits you mentioned before that can be attributed to worshiping God? It seems that you are saying that there really are no specific benefits, as all the ones that you mention can come from other aspects of religion or secular life.

Who cares if they are special, unique benefits? The point was benefits...

Worship provides benefits which I imagine could be scientifically verified. Disagree?

 

[leibowde84]

Who cares if they are special, unique benefits? The point was benefits...

Worship provides benefits which I imagine could be scientifically verified. Disagree?

I'm sure there are benefits that could be scientifically measured. But, I think we could come up with better ways of gaining those benefits without submitting ourselves to worshiping another entity above all else. That very idea scares the crap out of me.

 

[OurCreed]

Every human being in this world is already worshiping something. If it's not your Creator, then it is some materialistic thing, or a personal thing, whatever it is.

Just look. There are people worshiping money, their own egos, or some person, an idol, a statue, metaphorically or literally. You're all worshiping something, you all adore something, you all love something so much you will give your life for it.

All you have to do now is realize, is it worth it to worship these things that you are worshiping? Is it worth worshiping money? Your egos? A special person in your life?

No matter what you worship and adore in this life, in this world, NOTHING is deserving of that worship. Money won't save you everytime, your ego will consume you in your own fire, a special person in your life will not be there for you all the time, that singer won't be singing for the rest of their life, that statue cannot even hear or see you. NOTHING that you worship in this world will benefit you in either way.

So that means, the ONLY thing worthy of worshiping is The One who created you. The One who created you, your family, your friends, your success, your abilities, every aspect of your life. The One who determines whether good comes to you or bad comes to you. The One who knows your past, present, and future.

Tell me, is there anyone else who compares to The Creator? Is there anyone else worthy of worship?

It all starts by self realizing that you as a human already worship something. Once you figure that out, then understand if that thing is worthy of your worship. You will know that everything in the universe worships the Creator, and that the Creator is the only one deserving of worship and adoration, and nothing else.

 

[Mycroft]

Plenty of evidence that worshipping benefits people though. Which is the answer to your question...

And plenty more that this is psychologically vicarious and harmful to thinking.

 

[raph]

Every human being in this world is already worshiping something. If it's not your Creator, then it is some materialistic thing, or a personal thing, whatever it is.

This!

God doesn't need our worship. We need to worship him and only him, because whenever we worship creation, perishable dust, we will suffer. At the latest when we die, we will lose everything besides God and will suffer greatly, whenever we lose stuff, be it in time of death or while we are living. It is impossible for humans to not worship anything, that is why we need to worship God, or we will suffer greatly. God is the abiding and worthy of worship, everything else is perishable dust that we will lose. The funny thing is, that you don't even need to believe in God, to worship him Its completely irrelevant, if God exists or not. He is the only one worthy of worship, even if He didn't exist.

 

[JustWondering]

It's kind of strange to speculate, but I think if bring anything to sentience (besides a computer) it probably be an existing species. That's just an odd hunch. But anyway, no, they shouldn't worship us. But at the same time what are we creating? We aren't immortal untouchable gods that something else couldn't harm us, in which case, we'd have to trust whatever we are creating, even if it is far more intelligent than us, not to enslave us and reign over the world. Anyway, it seems your question is hard to compute.

If they were sentient sims living in a virtual environment that we could manipulate at will that would make us god from their perspective. If we were the sims would worshipping our creator make sense?

 

[JustWondering]

God doesn't need us to worship him, God is Self Sufficient. However it is us who require God and so we draw closer to him by worshiping him. This helps us in following the right path and makes it easier for us.

That is briefly speaking.

So your god doesn't need worship but demands it anyway. The Abrahamic god seems mostly concerned with our obedience and being worshipped than what is right. Such a concept of "god" seems limited, petty, and cruel to me. However, considering the state of the world we live in "god" may be a petty and cruel creature if it exists.

 

[Awoon]

If the human race created a new sentient species in the future (doesn't really matter how in this scenario) would it make sense for us to have this new species worship us? I personally think that would be a bit odd and blatantly narcissistic.

So if humanity was created by a "god" would it want our worship? Is this "god" if it exists even worthy of worship since it doesn't interfere in our daily lives for good or ill?

"Worship" is a human form of control over other humans. Just look at the historical record of societies, their leaders, their Gods, their wars, their land boarders. Maybe I should say Ours instead of Theirs?