True God would not seek praise nor worship from us

by elbib 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Cold Steel

  Elbib» Fall is not a one-time event nor a universal event. It happens with many, and it does not happen with many. Feeling more important than others is the fall and this is the root cause of all problems. If one refuses to feel more important than others, he would remain as firm as a mountain against fall. And refusal to feel more important than others is very much possible "if one wants to" even now.

  Fine, but you're approaching a very complex topic very superficially. According to Christian theology, if you're subject to death, you're burdened by the fall (as are we all). So if we're to discuss it, we must first define our terms. I don't feel more important than others, nor do many people I know. We try to use Jesus as our guide, and he, in the view of most Christians, was Yahweh in premortality. Yet he never snubbed anyone. He operated under the saying he gave his followers, namely, that the greatest of all is the servant of all. One of my favorite New Testament stories is the one of Jesus and the woman at the well. It was, as far as we know, the first announcement by Jesus of his identity as the Messiah.

  The law given by God to Israel was very detailed and doesn't at all smack of self importance on God's part at all. Because the people had rejected God, even refusing to see him in his glory, and because they returned to the gods of the Egyptians, the law became a curriculum for a more primitive people; however, it directed people to love each other, to care for their animals and the poor. There were no other gods or theologies before or after, East or West, North or South, that were as compassionate, thoughtful or beneficial to the people than the God of Israel. The gods created by men either served men's lusts or greed or they were only distantly associated with their creations. The God of Israel sought to make people better; to make them conscious of the needs of other. It wasn't perfect, because the people weren't perfect, but it shouldn't be underappreciated. It was never based on the self importance of God but on lifting people up, making them more better and ultimately bringing them back into his presence.

  
  
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  Tenacious

  That is an interesting perspective.
  
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  elbib

  Cold Steel,

  Matter is not complicated; it is human writers who made it complicated. Jesus made it very simple: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mathew 5:48) He was talking to people who knew very well that they would die some day in the future. Hence death is not something that makes you imperfect. According to Jesus, if you imitate our Heavenly Father in His unconditional love, you are perfect. This is what the preceding verses of Mat 5:48 imply. And when you manifest unconditional love, you are the beneficiary—you feel you are already in heaven; and you never look for gratitude from the recipient of your unconditional love. You continue to feel good even when recipient of your unconditional love turns against you with ingratitude.
  
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  Vidiot

  Can't speak for everybody, but if I were God, I don't think I'd feel an overwhelming need to be worshipped.

  In fact, the only kind of people I've ever met who wanted that kind of attention were assholes.

  Add that to the list of "things that make you go 'hmm'".
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  Cold Steel

  Giving without expectation is one of the great teachings of Christianity when people deal with one another. My wife is not Christian, and she always keeps track of whether people reciprocate with dinners, or whether thank you notes are received at appropriate times. Over the years she has vastly improved, but I see no worth in such expectations of gratitude, although I think they make societies better. God, however, is a different matter. Throughout the ages, He has reached out to man, either to bless or curse. We begin our relationship to Him as servants, not "slaves" (a disagreeable term I wish the JWs would drop). As we develop and grow we become "sons," a familial term. After that, we become "friends." But our relationship is based on mutual respect and agreements called covenants. We keep our end and He's bound. As provider He can impart blessings or cursings. In every instance in the past, we've been the transgressors (often being identified as whores). There's also the "other guy" in the mix, and we're not given the choice of not taking sides. If we reject God, the Adversary gains power over us and leads us to do abominable things. This brings hunger, poverty, sorrow, disease and war. If we choose God and prove ourselves, we gain knowledge, prosperity, happiness and peace. And one of the greatest of these is knowledge. And because God is our divine parent, He feels completely free to school us in such things as gratitude. There's nothing self-serving about it. But it's His role as parent that causes Him to do it, not a need to be praised by the likes of us. And because He is God, and our Creator, He determines our moral code and what's right and wrong.
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  Crazyguy

  If God really needs worship all He would have to do is fix some of the problems of the world and billions of people would instantly show thier gratitude.