If God exists, is there a problem with offerings to other gods?

[Muffled]

Being angry is a human reaction that comes from ego. I would hope any god would be above such pettiness.

I believe anger can be derived from having to bear evil.

 

[Colt]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

This is at least my stance on the matter.

My neighbors have a shrine. I don't know what god that is, however, I see it occupies:
- 1 m² of their location
- electricity, since there is constanly some light on it
- candles or similar
- there is even fruit on it - but I guess that they still eat it themselves, though, I might be wrong here.
- time. They diligently make this shrine look beautiful.
- time, as they need to go get the ingredients for that shrine.

So these are all resources stemming from the creator getting used for venerating some other god.

The true God knows all sincere offerings and worship are directed at him so it’s all good.

The chosen people arrogance is just that.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

This isn't childish, @A Vestigial Mote.
God invested and invested, the Israelites promised they would follow him, it didn't work out, and God was jealous. That's totally fine.

I can somewhat see your point. If they entered into an "agreement" of sorts, and then broke the terms of the agreement, I would expect some amount of displeasure at this sort of turn of events.

However, I believe there is good reason that the emotion "jealousy" is given a pretty bad wrap in most situations. It isn't a virtuous emotion. And, in fact, one of the only times I ever hear jealousy used in a positive context is when women (or men) are talking about how they like it when their partner gets jealous, because it is thought to show strong romantic intent toward the person the jealousy is about. Otherwise, can you think of a single time the word "jealousy" is used in a positive context? Perhaps you think this usage with God is a positive thing. I don't happen to be of the same opinion. Perhaps if it weren't a relatively petty human emotion, I might think differently.

 

[stvdv]

Yeah. There is no need to dance at all.

But you made a false claim, so when asked to substantiate it, saying "I dont have to dance" is no good.

Cheers.

I did not make even a claim

You must have missed my first line:
IMO

And my last line
IMHO

Note: IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

 

[stvdv]

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love.

Bible God means that there is only 1 God

My neighbors have a shrine. I don't know what god that is

IF above is TRUE
THEN how come you still see different god?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

This is at least my stance on the matter.

My neighbors have a shrine. I don't know what god that is, however, I see it occupies:
- 1 m² of their location
- electricity, since there is constanly some light on it
- candles or similar
- there is even fruit on it - but I guess that they still eat it themselves, though, I might be wrong here.
- time. They diligently make this shrine look beautiful.
- time, as they need to go get the ingredients for that shrine.

So these are all resources stemming from the creator getting used for venerating some other god.

Usually when we say God with a capital G we are referring to the God of Abraham. In the Tanakh the LORD says that he is God and beside him there is no other.

That means that basicaly if you are worshiping a god there are only three possibilities.
1. You are knowingly worshiping the God of Abraham
2. You are unknowingly worshiping the God of Abraham, perhaps using a different name.
3. You are wasting your time by worshiping a god that does not exist.

When we deal with polytheism, regardless of which pantheon we are discussing, the option is #3. The reason is because in the best of all possible interpretations, a polytheistic god can only represent a part of god, or be one of many mere masks of God, and not actually be God himself. Usually polytheistic gods are symbols for natural forces, or abstractions such as love and war, which are not God.

For Jews, it is forbidden to us to make offerings to anyone but God. There is disagreement over whether it is unlawful for non-Jews to have idols. But lets say it is not unlawful for the sake of argument. At best it would be wasted effort, and kind of foolish.

But what can you say? People have their own beliefs. To them, that god is real, and that offering is legitimate.

 

[thomas t]

So God is just "normal", like the rest of us, subject to things like mistakes, dishonesty and sin? If that were the case, why would he be more worthy or worship than anyone else?

no, he was a normal guy, he used to have natural emotions, and yet sinless.

 

[thomas t]

Assuming God is abusive...that would just make the gaslighting and love bombing worse...because He's capable of such gifts. I am not saying God is abusive or likely to be like a husband beating his wife and likely to hurt his creation but picturing an abusive God who love bombs is very worrying... That kind of thinking is why I left Christianity in the first place.The idea that God was abusive got stuck in my head...I no longer see Him as such but I can't believe you decided that was the route you'll take in this argument. But go ahead lets see where this goes...good luck. Ima sit out and watch. Perhaps you could persuade me to see it the way you do. I doubt it but could be wrong

any judiciary system that's working is not abusive.
A working judiciary system also has prisons and I don't see where it loves their prisons, fines and so on. And yet it's working.
Same with God, nothing abusive there.
He is entitled to punish, in my view.

Do you also hate referees in sports? Try a world cup woithout a referee then. It won't work.

 

[VoidCat]

any judiciary system that's working is not abusive.
A working judiciary system also has prisons and I don't see where it loves their prisons, fines and so on. And yet it's working.
Same with God, nothing abusive there.
He is entitled to punish, in my view.

Do you also hate referees in sports? Try a world cup woithout a referee then. It won't work.

See...you could've started with something like that. Instead of you know...going along with the comparison with Him being like an abusive husband. Thats a more reasonable argument.

 

[thomas t]

We're supposed to emulate God as good behaviors. Yet, we put people in prison for the same things? Beating is good, if you're God, but bad if you do the same thing as not-God?

hw's it in sports? Can a player send another player off the pitch? A referee can. YOu couls ask the same questions here: sending people off the pitch is good of you're a referee but bad if you're a player?

Now you want equal rights for all? You can't have referees then. The first thing many sprtsmen would do is sending the referee off the pitch. You can't have a working world cup then.

------

Isn't this like an abusive father teaching his child that abuse is what he shouldn't do? "Don't ever hit women," the father says to his son as he slaps his wife in front of him, knocking her to the floor.

You want equal rights with God? Here you go:
lets grant equal rights to humans in my comparison: every human that creates other humans and ensures their afterlife after their death... can go ahead and claim the same rights as his creator!

 

[thomas t]

Food offerings are never wasted by Hindus. They're considered sanctified after ritual and are eaten as holy food.

But wasting time ... some folks could say we're all wasting time and resources by being on a discussion forum, or thinking about what our ungodly neighbours are up to.

I don't say anything against Hinduism here.
This thread started off by assuming the Bible God is real. That was the premise of this thread. I wanted to see where this leads us.
So under this premise, it's wasted food of course.

Again under this premise taking part on a discussion board makes great sense, I think.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

no, he was a normal guy, he used to have natural emotions, and yet sinless.

If he is a normal guy, then he also makes mistakes and sins.

 

[thomas t]

Its not lying if she believes it to be true that the other guy is her Lord. You are ascribing knowledge to her in this metaphor that she does not have.

so it's spreading rumors then.
Also, she could have known better.
It's like spreading rumors about Covid during Covid crisis.
Rumor spreading can be very harmful in politics, too.

 

[thomas t]

Otherwise, can you think of a single time the word "jealousy" is used in a positive context?

I believe it's ok up to a certain degree within a strong partnership in a couple.

I don't have one, though.

But I hear people say "I want to be desired", which implies some sort of disappointment when the person goes or would go to another lover.

 

[thomas t]

If I understand right, these two posts are the same

The true God knows all sincere offerings and worship are directed at him so it’s all good.

The chosen people arrogance is just that.

Bible God means that there is only 1 God


IF above is TRUE
THEN how come you still see different god?

Let me cite the Golden Calf then.
In the Bible, for God it was just as bad as idolatry.
However, it was a sincere prayer to Yahweh himself. Yahweh detested it.

 

[HonestJoe]

no, he was a normal guy, he used to have natural emotions, and yet sinless.

We're talking about God here, not Jesus.

Regardless, I don't see how any being with flaws and emotions could be deemed sinless. This is really just an extension of the core issue I'm highlighting, in that you're trying to have it both ways depicting God as sinless and perfect but at the same time subject to flaws, limitations and emotion.

 

[thomas t]

We're talking about God here, not Jesus.

Regardless, I don't see how any being with flaws and emotions could be deemed sinless. This is really just an extension of the core issue I'm highlighting, in that you're trying to have it both ways depicting God as sinless and perfect but at the same time subject to flaws, limitations and emotion.

He did have emotions, normal ones... but no flaws. (this may count as a reply to you @IndigoChild5559 , too)
Emotions are not to be put into the same category as flaws, I think.
Limitations should not be put into the same category as flaws, either, I think.
Emotions and limitations yes. Flaws no.
This is how I see Jesus... God's incarnation, as I believe.

 

[stvdv]

If I understand right, these two posts are the same

Let me cite the Golden Calf then.
In the Bible, for God it was just as bad as idolatry.
However, it was a sincere prayer to Yahweh himself. Yahweh detested it.

Bad example in reply to my post, I was talking about God, not about Golden Calf; you totally missed my point, and ignored what I said

However nice you bring in the Golden Calf (I use it to explain better). Let me first tell you then, how I interpret this Golden Calf; that might shed some more 'light' on what I said

Gold stands for desire
Desire is the number 1 wedge between man and God

More obvious example God could not have provided to teach us to give up all sense desires IF you want God

This gold statue has nothing to do with a God who created/sustains the whole Universe.

Another Vedic Teaching applies here:
Accept Truth even if uttered by Fool
Reject Untruth even if uttered by God
@stvdvRF

 

[thomas t]

Actually I did not ignore anything that you have said.

But I might have missed your point.

Another Vedic Teaching applies here:
Accept Truth even if uttered by Fool
Reject Untruth even if uttered by God

Before I ascribe untruth to the Bible God I mean untruth to what the Bible teaches, I tend to mistrust my own feelings instead.

This gold statue has nothing to do with a God who created/sustains the whole Universe.

they meant it to have something to do with that one. So in their imagination it did. It even represented Him.
This is at least my interpretation of Exodus 32:5.

Edited to add last sentence and some clarification.

 

[danieldemol]

so it's spreading rumors then.

Nope, and it is sad that you have reached a guilty verdict prior to consideration of the facts in my opinion.

Also, she could have known better.

Not necessarily, there is no proof or even evidence for God in my opinion, faith is a gift from God that is not given to everyone. If she hasn't been given the gift and there is no evidence how is she to know better?
In my opinion.

Rumor spreading can be very harmful in politics, too.

Coming from someone so keen to spread rumours about polytheists that they are liars and rumour spreaders just because their faith is different to yours I find ironic in my opinion.