Maybe God has no need or desire to be worshipped
By Letter to the Editor on December 29, 2021.
Editor:
Re:Â “Everything is happening as prophesized in Bible,” Letters to the Editor, Dec.15
Over decades, I’ve found that too many monotheists have unwittingly created God’s nature in their own characteristically fallible and angry, vengeful image. I sometimes wonder whether the general human need for retributive justice can be intrinsically linked to the same terribly flawed aspect of humankind that enables the most horrible acts of violent cruelty to readily occur on this planet, perhaps not all of which we learn about.
 On a theological/theistic level, regardless of one’s belief or disbelief in the Almighty requiring literal blood and pain ‘payment’ for humankind’s sinfulness, it’s known factually that the animal creation have had their blood literally shed and bodies eaten in mindboggling quantities by people.Â
Maybe the figurative forbidden fruit of Eden eaten by Adam and Eve was actually the Divine’s four-legged creation. One can see that really angering Him/Her/It – far, far more than the couple’s eating non-sentient, non-living, non-bloodied fruit. I’ve noticed that mainstream Christianity doesn’t speak up much at all about what we, collectively, have done to animals for so long.Â
 For me, Jesus’ washing his disciples’ feet was/is the most profound and hopeful example of the humility of the Creator, who, through Jesus, joined humankind in our miseries, joys and everything in between.
(Personally, I picture Jesus as being one who’d enjoy a belly-shaking laugh over a good, albeit clean, joke with his disciples, now and then.)
In fact, the washing of others’ feet is typically so incredibly humbling for any person – let alone the Almighty – that my critical/doubtful mental ‘voice’ briefly has me questioning its actuality. Briefly.Â
Furthermore, for me, Jesus coming to serve, rather than to be served is also most profound and hope-inducing. … As bold as it may sound, I believe that God may not need or desire to be worshipped; and that “houses of worship” may actually have been meant for the parishioners, divinely intended to be for the soul what health clinics/spas, even hospitals, are for the body and mind.
Also, perhaps the Ten Commandments were/are not meant to obey in order to appease God but rather intended for His human creation’s benefit, to keep people safe and healthy. …
There likely are many other Believers out there holding similar thoughts, but they may fear openly questioning the strict-Biblical-interpretation teachings of (what I term) institutionalized Christianity, thus risk angering their Maker.Â
Frank Sterle Jr.
White Rock, B.C.
-1
Refreshingly “well put” sir.
John Van Liere, Edna Mackenzie et al, please take note of this letter’s content.
But you’re ignoring the reality of religion, that just like ANY text, it’s “holy book” is entirely subject to individual interpretation, which is why it’s so often cited as the source and/or the inspiration for the most vile of human behaviours. A revealing variation on “the devil made me do it” i.e. The letter writer interprets the character Jesus as a good-natured sort because that’s probably how he sees himself, so arbitrariness and randomness reign when it comes to religion, making it far from chuckly or benign. Quite the contrary.
For example, the Catholic nuns and priests in the residential schools (and anywhere else they confidently and righteously wield their handy God’s proxy power) have simply followed this “sacred” text. So while appearing to defer mightily to this/His power as bona fide believers what they actually have paid most attention to is that they are “made in God’s image,” so even the worst impulses of human nature can have “His” sanction.
So plainly, believers have made “God” in THEIR image, not the other way around.
Certainly not ignoring the reality of religion. The reality of Jesus to my mind is that he did walk this earth and was quite the contrarian for his day. As with other such persons wandering our planet from time to time , they inspired much goodness with inspirational words and deeds. Sadly such attributes have been hijacked by multiple religious brotherhoods world wide. “Jesus coming to serve not be served” says quite a bit about the writers personal views. That Jesus’s messages have been adulterated over the years does not change the fact that the person on whom Christianity was founded , was indeed in my opinion , someone worthy and whose words meant something. (That he was a Jew suggests to myself and others, that the entire Christian concept of his life and death is mostly fiction, distorted by multiple gospel writers. Heck even the Old Testament has some historical foundation but both testaments taken literally, is where the details fall apart. I think that is what the writer meant by “institutionalize Christianity”.)
Whether Jesus actually lived at one point is highly irrelevant, but the assumption that he is the son of a GOD is obviously the issue here.
For the sake of all of us, and particularly those who have been so unkindly and thoroughly indoctrinated with SUCH a big lie (not just coincidentally the phrase currently applicable in the almost fully theocratic U.S.) de-programming truly needs to start.
In real time as our democracy teeters and an alarming number of people deny facts, even science itself, our emissary of truth, we are seeing why we truly can no longer relegate it out of some warped respect for this massive delusion. The movie “Don’t Look Up” applies.
And the “messages” of religion are basically the same ones any decent human advocates, despite religion so arrogantly appropriating them.
Although a non believer myself , I respect another’s choice to “worship” whoever they choose. Some, whether you like it or not, do gain comfort from such a belief. Indeed our ancient ancestors worshiped for example some deity or other be it a volcano, the sun or a stone idol. All have had and do have a place. Not for me or you but we differ in your criticism of anyone exercising their right to worship whoever or whatever they please . Freedom to worship is different from freedom to condemn all other religions or non believers or attempts at conversion to avoid being denied entry to some fairy tail cosmic paradise. Or indeed the freedom to worship defying pandemic health orders.
You apparently have no regard for another’s personal beliefs. I try and accept others perceptions of the present and the afterlife but draw a line against any attempts either through the verbal or written word to convert or condemn. Patronizing attempts through some letters irk and display an awful naivety.
Religion throughout history has been a source of inspiration alongside bloodthirsty conquests, genocide, subjugation and judgements – on that I think we can agree.
I have no regard for delusion, period, and see your muddled stance as just another attempt to “out-tolerate” everyone. You find it ALL acceptable, even “the afterlife” unless they try and force it on others eh? So what do you think is happening when evangelical conservatives are in government like they currently are?
We have to praise and worship God every day ,that is what God expect from us ,we are created in the image of God. We will live forever ,animals do not.
Why would an all knowing, all powerful entity require that they be worshipped?
The only type of entities that would demand to be worshipped, would be entities that are arrogant, insecure, or both.
Oh please.
Keep on preaching if you must.
(Still awaiting a reply to my question re the age of the earth from yesterday and a multitude of other such questions that you refuse to actually answer.)
This “God” you constantly refer to, if he/she “expects” “us” to “worship” and “praise” every day, is clearly a demanding entity not far removed from the “idols” of old that you clearly reject.
True Christians and other great religions including so called “pagans” , do not believe in this malevolent being.
Ah, the wellspring of religion; that we mortals will live forever. The stunning arrogance of placing our species above nature may well be what does us in. Christian humility eh?
agreed. however, i am curious as to how such a perspective accepts and reconciles the torture and consequent wicked suffering of an endless and vast number of creatures in the name of human vanity (cosmetics), and so as to try and prolong a human life (pharma and synthetic “medicines”).
Really reaching here aren’t you, to justify your absurd refusal to be vaccinated during a pandemic? You know perfectly well what I’m talking about when I say “above nature.”
Never quite took you for a nutbar extremist I must say….