If you were God, would you demand worship?

Hispan · Jul 30, 2011

If you were God, would you demand worship?

This is one of the reasons I lost my faith. If I was God, I would never demand anyone to worship me. If I, a human being, can think like this, why would a supernatural being require worship?

oi_antz · Jul 30, 2011

I happen to understand God's reason for demanding worship so I have to say "yes". However, if the world was as I would ideally like it to be, and I as God had no enemy to contend with then no, I predict I would receive worship freely without even mentioning the expectation. As it is though, we either worship God, one of His enemies, or our self (which logically, if we don't honor God then we too are one of His enemies). The world is His afterall, it doesn't belong to us, we as a species are just so self-serving that our sinful nature just prefers to cut Him out of the picture (2 votes to 1 at this stage proves that is a fact ).

Incariol · Jul 30, 2011

Hispan said:
If you were God, would you demand worship?

This is one of the reasons I lost my faith. If I was God, I would never demand anyone to worship me. If I, a human being, can think like this, why would a supernatural being require worship?

God isn't "demanding" worship. We have the freedom to choose to do so or not.

oi_antz · Jul 30, 2011

.. double post ..

oi_antz · Jul 30, 2011

Incariol said:
God isn't "demanding" worship. We have the freedom to choose to do so or not.

Quite true - I must say that I was confusing the meaning of the first commandment to "have no other gods before Him" - that is somewhat different from commanding us to worship Him. In fact the fourth commandment comes closer - keep the Sabbath day holy.

MetanoiaHeart · Jul 30, 2011

Incariol said:
God isn't "demanding" worship. We have the freedom to choose to do so or not.

This.

I did choose 'yes' on the poll, though, because I'm not perfect, and I probably would demand it. Good thing I'm not God.

drich0150 · Jul 30, 2011

Hispan said:
If you were God, would you demand worship?

This is one of the reasons I lost my faith. If I was God, I would never demand anyone to worship me. If I, a human being, can think like this, why would a supernatural being require worship?

The fact that you no longer worship God proves that He does not demand worship.

God only wants to be loved by those who wish to love Him.

bsd31 · Jul 30, 2011

Please point me to the scripture where God demands worship. Thank you.

talitha · Jul 30, 2011

To worship God is really to acknowledge who he is - his identity, his character, his authority. It would be impossible to love him without acknowledging who he is. I concur with those who have stated that God does not "demand" worship, though I can understand how you might think He does. There are several scriptures that say that we should worship only the Lord God (Yahweh, as opposed to other so-called gods). The thing is, humans do worship - it is part of who we are - we are going to worship. God asks that it be exclusive to him; it's a covenant relationship, not unlike marriage.

SkyWriting · Jul 30, 2011

oi_antz said:
I happen to understand God's reason for demanding worship so I have to say "yes".

There is no "demand". There is a "call" to worship the true God.
Some do not have that calling. As in any "Call to Worship", people
can walk away instead. As a youth, I did this a lot.

Hispan · Jul 30, 2011

Why is it so hard to understand? If you don't worship the God of the bible, you go to hell. Thus, you have no choice. It is an obligation, a demand. If the demand is not met, you will suffer grave consequences.

It saddens me that some people voted yes.

solarwave · Jul 30, 2011

Hispan said:
If you were God, would you demand worship?

This is one of the reasons I lost my faith. If I was God, I would never demand anyone to worship me. If I, a human being, can think like this, why would a supernatural being require worship?

I think this problem comes from thinking God is more like a human than He really is. The way I see it, God isn't just a very powerful man in the sky, He is the foundations of reality and very much tied up with the meaning of life and goodness. Worship is the proper response the source of goodness and purpose. So its not as if God is a good guy who is telling us to worship Him because He is so good. God IS goodness and IS existence.

Hakan101 · Jul 30, 2011

Hispan said:
Why is it so hard to understand? If you don't worship the God of the bible, you go to hell. Thus, you have no choice. It is an obligation, a demand. If the demand is not met, you will suffer grave consequences.

It saddens me that some people voted yes.

A little incorrect here. If you don't accept Christ as your savior, you go to Hell. You aren't saved by worship, worship is something you do because you're saved by the grace of God alone.

As for going to Hell, C.S. Lewis put it this way, "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell."

I have often seen this remark from Atheists or Agnostics. "Why would God want us to worship him?" But what is not even crossing there minds (perhaps they do not yet know) is everything God has done for us, and what he has promised to do. You shouldn't be asking why God wants worship, but why God is worthy of worship.

Hakan101 · Jul 30, 2011

Arcademus said:
That's a nice quote there, but sadly not true. I doubt most people would willingly choose Hell over Heaven, it's God who chooses to send people to Hell for not believing in him.

You've misinterpreted the quote. The point is some people choose themselves as their own Lord rather than God, and consequently, Hell over Heaven. I vaguely recall a quote of someone saying they would rather reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. Well that's exactly what God allows you to do. Hell is your own path of self-centeredness going on into eternity. Consider this other quote by C.S. Lewis.

‎"In the long run the answer to those who reject the doctrine of Hell is itself a question: what are you asking God to do? To wipe out past sins and at all costs give them a fresh start? He did, on Calvary. Forgive them? But they don't ask for forgiveness. To leave them alone? That's what Hell is."

drich0150 · Jul 30, 2011

Hispan said:
Why is it so hard to understand?

I was wondering the same thing.

If you don't worship the God of the bible, you go to hell.

Actually.. Worship does not buy you a place in Heaven. Christ makes a point to highlight the works and worship of some and point out that they still goto Hell.

Thus, you have no choice. It is an obligation, a demand. If the demand is not met, you will suffer grave consequences.

It seems you misunderstand what the body of believers is.

It saddens me that some people voted yes.

Moo Ha Ha Ha! It's a good thing I am not God!

Annoula · Jul 30, 2011

a church father says in his writings that God created man because He wanted to share the creation with someone.
this is so loving...

this sharing can be done through man's worship. worship is thanking God and glorifying Him through our every day lives and through the church's sacraments (i believe in sacraments) which are exactly that, glorification of God.

by saying "thank you God for the food you gave me today, for the patience to overcome my problems", and also by saying "Glory to God for i have a car to go to my work, Glory to God for the beauty my eyes see in nature", we think and talk about God and this is sharing with Him, our lives and the whole creation.

think a little about sharing in the human level. it feels so nice to share something nice with someone else.
we have a saying in greek "if you share happiness it gets doubled, and if you share sorrow it gets half" (if i translate it correctly)

so God, in His loving nature created us with the will to share with Him (=worship Him). He also allowed us to choose if we wanted to worship Him or not.
Hell is a place far away of the Light of God, while Heaven is a place full of the Light of God.
so being in the Light of God or not is our own choice.
we shouldn't blame God for allowing us to choose.

Hakan101 · Jul 30, 2011

Arcademus said:
And who was it who decided that Hell is the consequence of not choosing God?
Exactly.

It's simply a natural consequence of not choosing God. If you don't choose to spend eternity with God, there is nothing else for God to do but to leave you on your own selfish path. And that's Hell.

Or maybe they're just asking to not have to be punished simply because they didn't choose to believe a supposedly a loving God who shows no proof of his existence.

This is addressed in the quote already. I suggest you read the first chapter of Romans to understand this better. Paul specifically talks about this.

We can't really ask God anything because, well, we don't really believe he even exists. The point was that an argument that says a God who claims to be loving and merciful but throws people into Hell simply for not believing in him because he deliberately chooses to not show himself at all out of love, makes me wonder if the people who espouse it are even trying to make sense at all.

Again read Romans. Trust me it's not that long.

It's not relevant that you don't believe God exists when considering the quote. What's relevant is that you seem to resent the very idea of God existing, and everything it implies. At least that's the vibe I'm getting. Please correct me if this is not true.

God doesn't throw people into Hell. If you've got the impression of God tossing people into a fiery pit while they plead for mercy, you're not thinking of Hell. All who go to Hell choose it. They would all rather be in Hell than serve God in heaven, miserable as they are.

You claim you have no evidence even though we show it to you. Whatever you do know about the Good News, you reject.

s_s · Jul 30, 2011

Arcademus said:
And who was it who decided that Hell is the consequence of not choosing God?

Exactly.

There's a train coming. Your stuck in glue on the rails. There's a bridge above you, and this really ancient old guy looks over and sees you. he can't reach you, so he gets his son, holds him by the ankles and lowers him over the side. Do you grab his hand and get pulled free, or do you say, &%*$ off, and wait while the train mows you down?

And then you blame the old guy on the bridge, "HE decided that the train would hit me if I didn't let them rescue me".
EVEN IF the old guy built the train, it's still not his fault your stuck in the mud on the rails. EVEN IF he put the mud there, and EVEN IF it's not your fault you got stuck in it, it IS still your own fault you get run over when there is a hand of help trying to reach you.

Your argument is repugnant.

Hispan · Jul 30, 2011

Some of these comments are truly disturbing. It seems that some of you are completely convinced that hell exists. If hell does exist, then mark my words, most if not all of your family members will end up in hell. Most Christians are entertained by the idea of heaven simply because they expect to see their beloved ones. Yet the odds that three thirds of their family members will end up in hell is astounding. This is even supported by the bible which states that few will be saved. How could someone be happy in heaven knowing that their mother is in agony? Or their son? Daughter? This is outrageous when you really think about it. As a former Christian, I have no idea how I used to believe in such an absurd idea. Of course, if that was my main reason for my disbelief, I'd be foolish. This is just something to think about.

johnd1987 · Jul 30, 2011

I think God deserves worship. God gave us some commandments that we need to follow for our benefit. Adultery hurts, murder hurts, they are all to our benefit. Its a huge slap in the face to worship Satan when god loves you and does only things for your benefit. Satan destroys, and causes so much pain. People who are into the occult and wicca etc are cheating on God and causing loads of suffering for everyone else.

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