Why worship gods?

[Zzyzx]

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Simple question: Why worship gods?

[theophile]

Etymology: Old English weorthscipe ‘worthiness, acknowledgment of worth'

So the question really is, why would any god be worthy? Or why would we acknowledge any god as such?

I think that takes us to values. Some people value power. Hence we get these ridiculous views of omnipotent gods as the only possibly worthy god. Some people value knowledge. Same again.

Result of all this is the caricature omnipotent, omniscient, etc, etc, god that, for instance, 90% of folks on this site refuse to think outside the box of.

The truth is that the only god that we could possibly acknowledge as worthy doesn't have any of these qualities necessarily. The only quality that matters is that the god stands for what is right.

That is the only reason why we should acknowledge the worth of a god.

[DanieltheDragon]

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Simple question: Why worship gods?

It makes some people comfortable. Take authoritarian personality types it is comfortable for them to follow some who projects authority. Some people just have a need to follow something.

[Divine Insight]

The truth is that the only god that we could possibly acknowledge as worthy doesn't have any of these qualities necessarily. The only quality that matters is that the god stands for what is right.

That is the only reason why we should acknowledge the worth of a god.

I would totally agree with this. This would be the only reason to acknowledge the worth of a God IMHO.

However, there is a caveat here. If we are among those who feel that "what is right" is of such great importance, then we would automatically be as "worthy" as the God that we are imagining to stand for what is right.

After all, if I'm giving my "thumbs up" in approval of a God who stands for "what is right", then I must stand for what is right too. Otherwise why should I give a hoot about anyone being for "what it right"?

Therefore if we consider God to be worthy because he stands for what is right, and this is important to us as an individual, then we must also be just as worthy as the God we are imagining to fulfill our hopes and dreams that things could always be right.

In other words, all this would amount to is us giving God our approval that he stands for what we already approve of.

[Tired of the Nonsense]

Etymology: Old English weorthscipe ‘worthiness, acknowledgment of worth'

So the question really is, why would any god be worthy? Or why would we acknowledge any god as such?

I think that takes us to values. Some people value power. Hence we get these ridiculous views of omnipotent gods as the only possibly worthy god. Some people value knowledge. Same again.

Result of all this is the caricature omnipotent, omniscient, etc, etc, god that, for instance, 90% of folks on this site refuse to think outside the box of.

The truth is that the only god that we could possibly acknowledge as worthy doesn't have any of these qualities necessarily. The only quality that matters is that the god stands for what is right.

That is the only reason why we should acknowledge the worth of a god.

Please explain then how a God who orders children and babies to be hacked to death with swords can possibly "stand for what is right?" Because if there are times when hacking children and babies to death can be "right," the concept of right and wrong has no meaning at all.

[Elijah John]

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Simple question: Why worship gods?

All "gods" are not the same. So allow me to rephrase just a bit, from my Monotheistic perspective.

Why worship the Living God?

Love.

Jews, Christians, Muslims and some others believe God is good, and the source of all that is good. That inspires love.

This is in contrast to pagan motivation to worship their "gods" which seems to be mostly fear and appeasement, (modern Wiccans and neopagans excepted.)

Atheists, of course, have no motivation to worship something or someone whom they don't believe exists.

[Bust Nak]

Because there are carrots for you if you worship gods, and sticks if you don't.

[theophile]

[Replying to Divine Insight]

However, there is a caveat here. If we are among those who feel that "what is right" is of such great importance, then we would automatically be as "worthy" as the God that we are imagining to stand for what is right.

Maybe this is why a certain God-candidate creates us in God's image and calls us to be like God...

100% agree.

Now the only other caveats to all this is having an open mind (since standing for what is right requires that) and the prickly issue of discerning right from wrong...

[KenRU]

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Simple question: Why worship gods?

You shouldn't.

No being should be given that kind of deference without being fully understood first and be fully worthy of worship second.

-all the best

[theophile]

[Replying to post 5 by Tired of the Nonsense]

Please explain then how a God who orders children and babies to be hacked to death with swords can possibly "stand for what is right?" Because if there are times when hacking children and babies to death can be "right," the concept of right and wrong has no meaning at all.

Woah, slow down. I was speaking in general, not of any particular God-candidate...

Again, for me to call any god "God," then what I said must be true. That god must stand for what is right in order for me to acknowledge the worthiness of that god and call them "God."

Now, if I wanted to defend the particular God-candidate that you are clearly referring to here:

(1) I would need a clearer reference, i.e., biblical citations.

(2) I would make a few general remarks: namely, that standing for what is right does not mean that God is always right... I would be willing to bend on this so long as the God-candidate strives always to do what is right, and sets the example of doing so, even when it means making the hard, terrible decisions that I think righteousness sometimes demands. Even when it means doing something incredibly hard and against all of one's own interests... Even when it means completely having ones mind changed, being open to the views of others on what rightness demands...

When I say that God stands for what is right I do not mean that God is perfect in righteousness. But rather perfect in seeking out what is right and doing what needs to be done, no matter what it is, when it is the right thing to do. Being upright and unyielding in the pursuit and execution of what is right.

Now whether "hacking children and babies to death" could ever be right, that's a toughy.

I can see how one could mistakenly believe that. But can we acknowledge the worthiness of a God-candidate that would make such a mistake? ... It certainly feels disqualifying, doesn't it.

Again, we need biblical citations here. Because we often have people in the bible acting on what they believe is right and speaking in the bible as if that is what the biblical God demands. But as many have cited on this site in a particular powerful verse that I forget (I believe it is in Jeremiah), sometimes those so called "prophets" and "scribes" speak nothing but lies...


Hence we need to be real careful, and why we need citations, to see who is really commanding such actions as this... And doing so "in God's name."

Is it really God? Or are they one of the liars that Jeremiah would have us guard against?