True, worship is pointless and anything wanting to be worshipped is nothing but a powermonger for its own sake. Emulate or example is probably a better word.
It seems however folk go to church to worship God and indeed a church is regarded as "a house of worship". Worship seems central to religion. You could wonder why an all powerful entity would let all this worship continue. Alex
Well, church is also a gathering of people for socialization, moral support, confirmation of beliefs, values and to further dispense this knowledge but the 'worship' aspect such as singing adulations to god etc seems to be just a form of devotee. But worship strictly is rather lame as in a god needing or wanting recognition, love, praise but especially sycophantic subservience which is the root of what worship is, as if god is a narcisisstic asshole who wants ego strokes. Its like saying i want ants beneath my feet to worship me in awe. ridiculous as they have their own lives to lead and worry about.
[Standard atheist disclaimer here...] There is no precedent or postcedent by which it is possible to judge what is characteristic of a God, or what a God ought to behave like. To presume so is to anthropomorphize God.
I've often wondered that, and it could be that because we as humans set up kingdoms, bowing down to people in other countries, and the concept of ''royalty,'' we apply that human quality to a god. If we as humans think that other humans should be exalted, how much more should God be exalted, is where I think it might have all began.
Ultimately, I'd say God concept is a projecton of the parent concept. We are born to look to a wiser authority. Whether it exists or not.
I don't look down on anyone nor do I look up to anyone. But there those that do and delight in ranking...pity Alex
I think you make a reasonable observation. Many humans demand respect as a given due to their status but that respect should be earnt and paid for. Respect for a stranger or someone of little social or economic import should be extended as their human right in my view. And so to respect and or worship an entity who is apparently responsible for all we have and all we endure, that entity should be held to the highest standard and expectation of all and so I find worship very strange even within a historical context. We expect so much from our political leaders yet expect nothing from the entity who supposedly created everything and believers would not demand better control or organisation, to get horrible things fixed like cruelty and greed. Alex
There is one thing I noticed about this universe: It lacks mercy and it's a cruel place. In fact, there are so many ways the universe can destroy us without giving any warning. http://www.cracked.com/article_19117_7-horrible-ways-universe-can-destroy-us-without-warning.html http://zidbits.com/2010/12/top-ten-ways-the-universe-can-kill-us-all/ I accepted a long time ago that the universe is an evil place that lacks mercy.
Well, considering that a] the universe is not a living thing and thus cannot be evil, unmerciful or cruel, and b] evil, mercy and cruelty are all entirely human inventions anyway that should not have been a great leap of deduction.
It is in our own self interest to worship God, the self being different to the mind and body. God is the source of the self. Jan.
People need some excuse / reason for assembling regularly to maintain and ritually reinforce their sub-cultural identity (as a tribe with mutual interests and ideological commonality). To socially mingle and learn, practice that system and make plans for whatever "good" and services they want to do for the community. So worshiping a deity is as adequate a traditional motive for convening as any, and for centering their prescriptive concepts around (morality, worldviews, politics, etc). Ancient societies reified their abstract ideas and cognitive distinctions as personhood objects which the working classes could better relate to (god of war, goddess of harvest, etc). When science fiction fans gather at a convention dressed-up as various characters from novels, stories, comic books, TV shows and movies... That too is a kind of light worship of components in a recreational brand of mythos.
Yes and you do remind me of all the wonderful things that flow from a church. Charity work, counselling, the support of hospitals and many decent things. I have determined to focus on the positive rather than the hypocrites I have personally encountered. Alex
