Why worship a "god" that threatens you?

[OpiatefortheMasses]

I'm reasonably sure that to extort something from someone else would constitute a sin of some kind according to most Christians but why is it OK when the very religion itself employs it? Most of the Christians I've talked to over the years would describe their "god" as fair, just, loving etc. but extortion (among other things) really strikes me as cruel and manipulative. Is this a "god" that's truly worthy of a person's worship or adoration?

[1robin]

We all have a great excuse for not understanding the things of God …[/color]

We have no excuse...we have a great excuse.

Do you see anything wrong with your logic? Does anything at all jump out at you?

Where is this quote from? If it was from me it was a typo or maybe your paraphraseing two individual points I made.1. I understand how it is hard to have faith personally, however I am no ones judge. 2. God said, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
- 1769 Oxford King James Bible "Authorized Version"

These are from two different sources and #2 trumps #1 if they are in conflict. You may understand or sympathize with a particular person who killed someone but you would understand that the court will find him guilty anyway.

[1robin]

We all have a great excuse for not understanding the things of God …[/color]

We have no excuse...we have a great excuse.

Do you see anything wrong with your logic? Does anything at all jump out at you?

Your sarcasm jumps out. Where is this quote from? If it was from me it was a typo or maybe your paraphraseing two individual points I made.1. I understand how it is hard to have faith personally, however I am no ones judge. 2. God said, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
- 1769 Oxford King James Bible "Authorized Version"

These are from two different sources and #2 trumps #1 if they are in conflict. You may understand or sympathize with a particular person who killed someone but you would understand that the court will find him guilty anyway.

Sorry for the duplication.

[connermt]

One reason is becase fear and guilt are taught in an effort to overcome the common sense approach of "why worship such a deity".
Without the promise of heaven/hell, most people wouldn't need a deity/savior.

It is also because, as Lennox says, without hell & heaven there is no justice. If there is no justice in this life, there ought to be some in the afterlife. If one cannot deal with that they prefer something that deals justice. Yet on the other hand they also prefer gods with certain characteristics over others and combine it into something that is probably bound to become somewhat inconsistent.

Some people confuse justice with revenge as well.
I wonder though, why would such a grand, all powerful/knowing deity like the christian god have the NEED for justice at all? It seems like, if he can transcend time and space and physics (etc) he could also transcend the human constraint of justice...

[LES]

The father said to his little daughter, Don't go out into the street, if you do you will get a spanking (knowing full well that she could be hurt or killed if she went into the street). Is that extortion?

[Goat]

The father said to his little daughter, Don't go out into the street, if you do you will get a spanking (knowing full well that she could be hurt or killed if she went into the street). Is that extortion?

Bad analogy. The better analogy is to tell a businessman 'Give me 10% of your profits, or your building will burn forever'.

[dusk]

@LES That analogy is missing some points.
i.e. the father in Christianity actually is responsible for the danger on the street too at or else he could have done better in his creation.
The father threatens with spanking and demand worship and love. Now why should the child love him or worship him for such a behavior, with not even giving good reasons for why the danger is out there. It seems also odd that he has to threaten with spanking if there are much kinder methodes like actually explaining the danger and/or locking the door.

In short your analogy may not be extortion in this situation but the situation doesn't map well to the question at hand.

[Morphine]

The father said to his little daughter, Don't go out into the street, if you do you will get a spanking (knowing full well that she could be hurt or killed if she went into the street). Is that extortion?

Nah. In that scenario, the spanking is given to the child as a punishment in order to deter them from repeating the same action in the future that endangers her life. The goal here is to protect the child. Operate conditioning.

A more accurate analogy would be if the father said to his daughter, "go mow the lawn or I will kill you. Your choice..."
That would be extortion or coercion.

[The Nice Centurion]

I'm reasonably sure that to extort something from someone else would constitute a sin of some kind according to most Christians but why is it OK when the very religion itself employs it? Most of the Christians I've talked to over the years would describe their "god" as fair, just, loving etc. but extortion (among other things) really strikes me as cruel and manipulative. Is this a "god" that's truly worthy of a person's worship or adoration?

Excellent points, Nick. If someone holds a gun to your head and demands that you love him, you may say "I love you" to this person, but would such "love" be real? Of course not, it would simply be obedience under duress. It's pure self-preservation rather than any sort of meaningful love.

Yes, but surely there are people out there that emphatic that could feel kind of sxmpathetic affection to someone who demands love at gunpoint.
Rather not out of fear, but exactly because out of compassion for that he is such a sick desperate creature to demand love at gunpoint.

Perhaps theology wants us to worship Christ/christian god because he is such a sick desperate creature and so weak that he needs worshipping?