What is inaccurate with those communities who bring offerings to a sculpture?

[sovietchild]

What is incorrect with those communities who bring offerings to a sculpture?

In order to get something, you need to invest in something. What kind of investment is bringing an offering to a sculpture? What kind of a profit will they have in return? Is it a game of skill or is it a game of stupidity – lottery?

“Your trash is someone else’s treasure.” Those communities might as well give it to 3rd world countries, if they have it so much. The Prophet Muhammad said, Allah said: “Spend [on charity] O son of Adam, And I shall spend on you.”

I grow up in Ukraine. When I was a kid we didn’t have much food on the table. Sometimes I had to go to the neighbors back yards just to collect some apples and cherries because we did not have any food at the house. My mother would make some pancakes to sell it on the streets just to survive another day. Why do those communities investing ‘energy’ in sculptures when they could instead invest it in 3rd world countries? What are they doing? There is much greater profit if those communities would collect all the food that they don't need, and then give it to the others who are in need.

“Those who spend in charity will be richly rewarded.” Quran 57:7

 

[Tumah]

What is incorrect with...

Really? Is that how you fixed it?

 

[buddhist]

What is incorrect with those communities who bring offerings to a sculpture?

In order to get something, you need to invest in something. What kind of investment is bringing an offering to a sculpture? What kind of a profit will they have in return? Is it a game of skill or is it a game of stupidity – lottery?

Nothing is incorrect about it, if done skillfully. If it changes and uplifts them spiritually, mentally, or emotionally, then such a ritual can be said to be useful.

I bow to my statue of the Buddha, not because that piece of wood can give anything to me, but because such a ritual comforts and concentrates my mind, and helps transforms me into a better person.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

They're bringing offerings to what the statue represents, not the actual statue. That's just a location to do the observence, no different than a temple or alter.
The only thing I find wrong with it is I don't believe there's any conscious entity that's listening to their observances. But I believe that's as much true of Muslim and Christian prayers as Shinto and Hindu offerings.

 

[Vinayaka]

Why dies a farmer offer water to a tree?

 

[Quintessence]

They're bringing offerings to what the statue represents, not the actual statue.

Yes, explaining this has been attempted previously. To no avail. And I'm not in the mood to try again, so this is on the rest of you.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Yes, explaining this has been attempted previously. To no avail. And I'm not in the mood to try again, so this is on the rest of you.

Haha well, you can lead a horse to water...

 

[Nietzsche]

What is incorrect with those communities who bring offerings to a sculpture?

In order to get something, you need to invest in something. What kind of investment is bringing an offering to a sculpture? What kind of a profit will they have in return? Is it a game of skill or is it a game of stupidity – lottery?

“Your trash is someone else’s treasure.” Those communities might as well give it to 3rd world countries, if they have it so much. The Prophet Muhammad said, Allah said: “Spend [on charity] O son of Adam, And I shall spend on you.”

I grow up in Ukraine. When I was a kid we didn’t have much food on the table. Sometimes I had to go to the neighbors back yards just to collect some apples and cherries because we did not have any food at the house. My mother would make some pancakes to sell it on the streets just to survive another day. Why do those communities investing ‘energy’ in sculptures when they could instead invest it in 3rd world countries? What are they doing? There is much greater profit if those communities would collect all the food that they don't need, and then give it to the others who are in need. Those sculptures are useless, they have no profit. Those communities are not deceiving no buddy but themselves.

“Those who spend in charity will be richly rewarded.” Quran 57:7

Why do you pray towards a city in the middle of a desert? Are you worshiping the city?

Your answer here is the same as the answer to offering things to statues. You're not. The city is just a place that means something more than the brick and mortar its constructed of.

This message has been brought to you by Captain Obvious. My work here is done.

 

[sovietchild]

Why do you pray towards a city in the middle of a desert? Are you worshiping the city?

Your answer here is the same as the answer to offering things to statues. You're not. The city is just a place that means something more than the brick and mortar its constructed of.

This message has been brought to you by Captain Obvious. My work here is done.

We don't bring any offerings to a city. Other then visa and food cost.

 

[Kirran]

We don't bring any offerings to a city. Other then visa and food cost.

But you bow in the direction of a city right? In the direction of a building which was formerly a pagan temple, more accurately? Are you worshipping the Kaaba? Of course not.

In my own case, I worship God as manifest in idols, and make offerings to God in those forms, because I am an evil mashrik as described in the Qur'an

 

[Nietzsche]

We don't bring any offerings to a city. Other then visa and food cost.

And nor do people bring offerings to a statue. It's to what the statue represents. You're not going to Mecca because it's a city. It could just as easily be a hole in the ground and retain the same meaning.

 

[sovietchild]

But you bow in the direction of a city right? In the direction of a building which was formerly a pagan temple, more accurately? Are you worshipping the Kaaba? Of course not.

In my own case, I worship God as manifest in idols, and make offerings to God in those forms, because I am an evil mashrik as described in the Qur'an

Don't you think it's better if you don't offer anything to idols and instead offer something to a needy one?

 

[David1967]

Really? Is that how you fixed it?

Well, it is less offensive than "whats wrong with".

 

[Kirran]

Don't you think it's better if you don't offer anything to idols and instead offer something to a needy one?

Well the statue is God, so it's offered to God.

And actually the food isn't left to waste.

For example, I attend a monastery with three temples. Lots of people come to visit as pilgrims (about 30,000 a year) and offer food at the temples - rice, lentils, pasta, potatoes, cooking oil, all sorts. That food, having been offered at the temples, is used by the monks and nuns to cook for themselves and for all these thousands of visitors. That takes up about 10% of the offerings. The remaining 90% goes off to various charities which need food, in particular local mental health charities and international NGOs which provide food to refugees.

This monastery, as a result of the food people offer to God there, is the biggest provider to food banks in Europe, in addition to all the food that goes beyond Europe to refugees in Sierra Leone, South Asia etc.

 

[Quintessence]

Don't you think it's better if you don't offer anything to idols and instead offer something to a needy one?

Honoring one's gods (yes, gods, not "idols") does not prohibit one from supporting other humanitarian or environmental causes. In other words, there is no "instead" - one can do both of these things. That, and calling something "better" or "worse" is an expression of your own values that others need not share.

 

[sovietchild]

Well the statue is God, so it's offered to God.

And actually the food isn't left to waste.

For example, I attend a monastery with three temples. Lots of people come to visit as pilgrims (about 30,000 a year) and offer food at the temples - rice, lentils, pasta, potatoes, cooking oil, all sorts. That food, having been offered at the temples, is used by the monks and nuns to cook for themselves and for all these thousands of visitors. That takes up about 10% of the offerings. The remaining 90% goes off to various charities which need food, in particular local mental health charities and international NGOs which provide food to refugees.

This monastery, as a result of the food people offer to God there, is the biggest provider to food banks in Europe, in addition to all the food that goes beyond Europe to refugees in Sierra Leone, South Asia etc.

Why would you want to give food (energy) to God? God does not eat.

 

[Kirran]

Why would you want to give food (energy) to God? God does not eat.

God is in all things. So God, manifest as the pilgrims, as poor people in need of food, as animals etc, certainly benefits from the food. This is all service of God.

As for why specifically offering up in the temple before distributing to people in need, it's about surrendering to God, acknowledging that this all comes from God by His grace, and receiving God's blessings upon the food so that it carries that divine energy.

 

[sovietchild]

Honoring one's gods (yes, gods, not "idols") does not prohibit one from supporting other humanitarian or environmental causes. In other words, there is no "instead" - one can do both of these things. That, and calling something "better" or "worse" is an expression of your own values that others need not share.

A bit greedy don't you think? Giving something to a statue but not to the needy one. I'v seen it before, the food gets rotten or gets eaten by birds.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Why would you want to give food (energy) to God? God does not eat.

It's a symbolic offering - as symbolic as when Muslims pay the zakat. It's making a sacrifice. One could just as easily ask "why would you want to give money to God? God does not spend money." and doing so would equally miss the point.

 

[Kirran]

A bit greedy don't you think? Giving something to a statue but not to the needy one. I'v seen it before, the food gets rotten or gets eaten by birds.

Where have you seen that? Who does that? I am someone who makes offerings up to God in the form of idols of Shiva, Ganesha, Durga etc, and I have never seen it left to rot.