fewwillfindit wrote:Wood-Man wrote:fewwillfindit wrote:Wood-Man wrote:So, God created us just to glorify him? Does he really need our approval? Why would a glorious God create a bunch of creatures just for for them to worship him? Is he really that egocentric? Doesn't such a motive for creation actually make him rather non-glorious? This perspective really seems to demote God to the level of a pharaoh or an emperor!
For that answer, you'll have to do a thorough study on the subject. If you are interested, the scriptures above would be a good start.
I really don't accept those scriptures as authoritative, so they'd have to be logically persuasive. The likelihood of that is very low.
I can understand that. But you were asking specifically about the God of the Bible, and from a Christian perspective, since I gave New Testament scriptures too. The answers, whether authoritative and persuasive or whether nothing more than a fairy tale, are in the Bible. That's all I'm saying.
OK, fair enough. The God of the Bible is indeed an unsavory character. From my knowledge of the Bible, this understanding of his motive for creating Man fits right in with his other characteristics. It's reassuring to me that the Bible has so many internal inconsistencies and inaccuracies compared to verifiable knowledge. It would be depressing if I thought it really described reality. If it does, then something went wrong when God was creating me, because in fact I don't endorse or accept my purpose as being to glorify God. I've vetoed that. So, it's not
my purpose. I don't see why anyone would voluntarily go along with that. My motives for having my beagle are more noble than this interpretation of the Biblical God's motive for having Man!
The interesting thing about scriptures is that their failure to paint a truly coherent picture allows - even requires - people to interpret them. This interpretive activity (exegesis) becomes a mechanism for people to find a purpose and goal. In that regard, scripture (and religion overall) is useful, like a fertile ground that can grow a variety of different purposes and visions. It's inspired many people to find a purpose furthering humanity. Unfortunately, the converse is also true, as it is the individual who plants and harvests their own life purpose.
Generally, we don't like the idea that we have to originate our own purpose in life. That's anxiety-provoking. Sartre called this particular profound anxiety "nausea." So, we are strongly attracted to the idea of receiving our purpose from outside ourselves, but that's a choice itself. We're still really in charge.
