Does Jesus/God require worship?

[_truth dancer]

On another thread, (Milk before Mean), Liz stated,

This, by far, is what I find most sacred about ALL Christian religions. I personally believe that when it comes down to it, Christ doesn't really care where we worship Him, as long as we do.

It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshipped?

I don't see it but who knows?

When I was a believer, in the depths of my soul, I felt that this was a "man" made concept... through prayer and pondering, my "holy" experiences convinced me that the Divine was unconcerned with glory or worship or adulation... that the Divine was not jealous, mad, angry, or any such thing that we commonly find in the human. In my mind and heart I felt that these sorts of issues were quite primitive and remnants of once again, a few men creating God in their image.

I did (and do), think there is great benefit to living in gratitude, appreciating the good, reveling in awe, contemplating the wonders of life, and holding to the positive but I could never wrap my mind around the idea that God would require, command, demand, or even appreciate worship. It just all sounded so much like a nasty, cruel, King who was all about his subjects praising him to boost his ego.

But, of course I could be wrong! :-)

If there is a God person up in space, I'm hoping that God's concern is more about how we treat others than it is about how much we worship God.

~td~

[_Nightlion]

On another thread, (Milk before Mean), Liz stated,

This, by far, is what I find most sacred about ALL Christian religions. I personally believe that when it comes down to it, Christ doesn't really care where we worship Him, as long as we do.

It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshipped?

I don't see it but who knows?

When I was a believer, in the depths of my soul, I felt that this was a "man" made concept... through prayer and pondering, my "holy" experiences convinced me that the Divine was unconcerned with glory or worship or adulation... that the Divine was not jealous, mad, angry, or any such thing that we commonly find in the human. In my mind and heart I felt that these sorts of issues were quite primitive and remnants of once again, a few men creating God in their image.

I did (and do), think there is great benefit to living in gratitude, appreciating the good, reveling in awe, contemplating the wonders of life, and holding to the positive but I could never wrap my mind around the idea that God would require, command, demand, or even appreciate worship. It just all sounded so much like a nasty, cruel, King who was all about his subjects praising him to boost his ego.

But, of course I could be wrong! :-)

If there is a God person up in space, I'm hoping that God's concern is more about how we treat others than it is about how much we worship God.

~td~

Man is God's best friend.
The worship of God is the celebration of KNOWING God.

Take a moment and consider what atheist cannot allow. That there is a being responsible for all things. How incomprehensible! How glorious! How could we not stand before the concept with unbounded and reverent awe?

A crude analogy is how come dogs love us so much. It is because dogs study us and know us better than any other animal. This knowledge causes them great joy.

It is for us that God is worshiped, to give us an outlet for all our joy. Man is that he might have joy. If you have created anything you know that the creation is its own reward. You do NEED anyone to fawn over you and celebrate your genius.
God does not need us to worship him. We need to worship him because he is.....................GOD!

LDS recreational, unthinking and unexplored theology makes God too common and brings him down to our own level. He is higher than us and his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. Stupid drunken LaDieS.

EXCELLENT
HOW EXCELLENT
PRAISE THE LORD
HOW EXCELLENT

[_Uncle Dale]

...
It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshiped?
...

Why did ancient emperors demand worship? In some cases because of their
enormous egos, I suppose -- but in other cases, perhaps because such a requisite
devotion from their subjects tended to unite the nation and establish an order
in society, whereby the people were more easily governed. The worship of a
great leader, simply because he was the topmost leader, also helped make the
society more stable when the emperor died and a new emperor was put in
place. Such procedure generally worked out better than in those cases where
the topmost leader was admired/beloved because of his personal characteristics --
which were not necessarily the same characteristics of his successor.

I was not there to witness such scenes, but I believe some of the old oriental
emperors were paid homage on earth, as though they were the God of heavens.

Against this social backdrop we can go back in time and re-create the rise of
the biblical religion -- the religion of people who were accustomed to the idea
of treating the Pharaoh of Egypt (or, later, the Emperor of Rome) as though
he were God on earth.

I think that a great deal of the imagery and ceremony associated with ancient
religion developed out of king-worship and the conduct of affairs in the court
of those old god-kings.

The Israelites (eventually) traded emperor-worship for the worship of an
invisible "One True God," who could hear the supplications and praise of
worshipers no matter their location -- no matter if they had come to the
royal court -- the holy temple -- or not.

Thus, we are the inheritors of a great deal of that old religious baggage --
some of which is not far removed from emperor-worship.

Does God need/require worship? I think not.
Do we, as struggling, developing human beings need to express worship?
Perhaps so.

Pharaoh is long gone -- his throne stands empty -- his images have fallen.
But we still worship him (whether we realize it or not).

Why?
Perhaps because that is our communal pathway out of self-centered egotism.

UD

[_huckelberry]

Praising him, God, to boost his ego?

Pretty rediculous image. I certainly do not think God is interested in this sort of thing. What on earth for? Now have heard people ridicule faith by saying this is what God wants. Its is , inadvertantly, the Satan version of religion. Or if you are uncomfortable with that sort of symbol speak, its an evil version of faith.

The Christian version of faith is loving your neighbor as youself. I think there is something to the suggest above that people have some need of doing worshipful type actions. God has no need of them. It can be a reminder of the things Dancer suggests we should care about, wonder, gratitude hope etc.

I went to church this morning,Protestant. I cannot think of anything which happen there which would suggest stroking the ego of God. I cannot think of anything we did at all like that.

One positive benefit of Gods shining upon us is that God frees us from that tyranny.

The atheist here, though they have reasons for their understanding do not convince me they have the same bulwark against tyranny. I do not mean they are defenseless but I wish they could speak why individuals must have the respect from power that is contained in the words, I am created in the image of God.

[_MsJack]

Well, truth dancer, here's how I think of it.

Religion without worship is a lot like marriage without sex.

It can technically exist, but it's not nearly as satisfying.

[_Gazelam]

Dancer,

It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshipped?

I don't see it but who knows?

Joseph Smith revealed anew some of the writings of John, writings which explained how Christ himself had worked out his own salvation, finally receiving all power in heaven and on earth - and then he said:
" I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness." (D&C 93:19)

True worship presupposes a knowledge of the truth about God and his laws. It's in the understanding and practice of true religion that we enter the real school that worship is. The prayers, songs, sermons, covenants, sacrifices, rituals, ceremonies, and our worship through thought, word and deed instruct us in who God is. The most perfect form of worship comes from those who first believe the gospel, participate in its outward forms, and who finally keep the standards of personal righteousness that appertain to it.

Obedience is the true measure of true worship. It is important to understand that obedience is not simply a requirement of a capricious God who wants us to jump hurdles for the entertainment of a royal court. It is really the pleading of a loving Father for you and me to discover, as quickly as we can, that there are key concepts and principles that will bring happiness in a planned but otherwise cold universe.

Ahead in eternity there may be "narrow passages" yet to be navigated, passages which are unknown to us now. Strict obedience will still be essential. Otherwise we would not really be equipped to live in such a universe, which, for all we know, will require not only our obedience but also spiritual daring in order for us to come safely through.

Obedience is not a mindless shifting of our personal responsibility. Instead, it is tying ourselves to a living God who will introduce us - as soon as we are ready - to new and heavier responsibilities involving situations of high adventure. Obedience, therefore, is not evasion; it is an invasion - one that takes us deep into the realm of our possibilities.

[_Tchild]

It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshipped?
~td~

If God is a perfect being, then the necessity of needing, requiring or wanting something would make God not perfect, not complete. It would make God in need of something; our worship. Imagine how horrible it would have to be to arrive at Godhood, and find you need mortal beings infested with all sorts of viral organisms and bacterium and skin mites and the rest, to worship you lest you not be complete.

If there is some sort of God, that God is already whole and complete and needs or wants absolutely nothing from us.

Does the sun need human adoration, obedience, rules or rituals to shine its warming life giving light on our planet? Of course, I think I know where you stand TD on the subject and my comments are made in a generalized fashion.

[_Some Schmo]

It makes me wonder, does God (if one exists), actually care about being worshipped?

This is one of the main things that convince me that god was made in man's image. Only man is this ridiculously insecure.

[_Brackite]

Hi Truth Dancer,

I decided to bring back up this former Thread. I wanted to comment on this Thread here. I believe that the best way that we as human beings can worship and serve Jesus/God is to serve and care for other fellow human beings. Here is Matthew Chapter 25, verses 34 through 40, within the New Testament:

Matthew 25:34-40: (New King James Version):

34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

And here is Mosiah Chapter Two, verse 17, within the Book of Mormon:

Mosiah 2:17:

[17] And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.