Why I Don't Worship God

He's Not Worth It

Published on April 10, 2005 By Ionolast In Philosophy

He admits he's jealous. "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God." So either jealousy is not a fault, or he is not perfect. Also, in that same statement, he admits that there are other gods. He allows tragedies to kill people. When a tragedy claims lives, some people pray. I think they're stupid. At least misguided. If God cares enough to comfort people, and if he has the power to do something about it, why did he allow people to die in the tragedy in the first place? He is responsible for the tragedy and the deaths. Did he allow them to die so that some people would worship him or worship him even more? What an immature, egotistical asshole he must be. Religious people say he tests us. Isn't he ever satisfied? If he kills people to punish them for their sins, he made us who we are. It's his fault we sin. Therefore, he is the one who should be punished.

Comments (Page 1)

Dr Guy

on Apr 10, 2005

First, you do have to ask yourself if you believe in God.

But once that is established and I gather it has been, you have to take into account several mitigating factors.

#1: Your jealous quote is OT. I see you point, but he is not a jealous one in the NT, but a loving one.

#2: God gave man Free Will. and let us chart our own course. We are bound to make mistakes, and bound to hit road blocks. He cannot interfere due to His (her) Prime Directive. free Will.

#3: So when catastrophe hits, we must do what is best for ourselves and our brothers. If he were to interfere, then we would be just puppets on a string (much like the angels). Man, according to the JCI God, is alone amoung the heirachy in being able to do good as an act of free will, and bad, for the same reason.

In the end, we are being tested. We may be found wanting, but then it is Man's decision in that regard, not God's.

Your not worshipping him is just another nail in the coffin of man. But there are many reasons that man will be saved and one of the greatest just died this past week. Each man and woman has the capacity for good and evil within themselves. The end result is how many choose each.

If you choose good, then you are in your own way, praising him and doing his work. period.

AngelaMarie88

on Apr 10, 2005

Well said, Dr. Guy.

Ionolast

on Apr 10, 2005

God gave man Free Will.

Which is why he's responsible. He made us who we are.

He cannot interfere due to His (her) Prime Directive

Then why pray to him?

Moderateman

on Apr 10, 2005

boy oh boy I would not want to be in your spiritual shoes when you face God. But be not afraid I will send icewater.

Ionolast

on Apr 10, 2005

I will send icewater

Won't the ice melt?

Dr Guy

on Apr 10, 2005

Then why pray to him?

Dont. Just do good. Good deeds are worth far more than false praise. Period.

Ionolast

on Apr 10, 2005

Dont. Just do good. Good deeds are worth far more than false praise. Period.

I wasn't referring to myself, I was reffering to people who pray after their loved ones have been killed.

MarcieMoo

on Apr 10, 2005

Why wouldn't He be jealous? If He really is the One True God of all Creation as He claims He is...why would He want someone to worship a God other than Himself?

And I've got a story for you:

I was 17 and a senior in high school when my father was diagnosed with cancer. He had surgery to remove his cancerous kidney and did treatment until July. I went off to college thinking everything would be peachy. In November of my freshman year at college, my dad relapsed. The cancer had spread throughout his body. My dad tried every treatment available for his type of cancer. Nothing worked. He died in our home on July 4, 1999.

I'm not going to tell you that I was okay. I wasn't. I was pissed at God...I quit going to church. I considered doing things that I never would have otherwise. I'm not going to tell you that I don't miss my dad or that I'm glad he died. BUT...I will tell you this: Unless my dad had died, I would have missed out on a lot of spiritual growth, and so would lots of my family. God used my dad's death to bring us closer to Him... It took a long time, and lots of prayers...but healing did happen...and its still happening.

I don't think God "tests" us. I think he allows those hurtful things to happen because He's got stuff to teach us. I don't think it makes Him egotistical...and if it did...He's got every right to be that way. No...I think it makes Him a good teacher. Are you an asshole because you let your kid fall of his bike a few times and get hurt before he gets the hang of it? Are you an asshole because your kid broke her arm on the playground doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing? Are you an asshole because your teenage daughter gets knocked up on her second date? No. All those things are part of life...they're lessons learned...and things that *need* to happen in order for us to grow.

I'm not saying that it doesn't blow the proverbial goat...it does...but I think you're putting blame where it doesn't belong.

Ionolast

on Apr 10, 2005

Why wouldn't He be jealous? If He really is the One True God of all Creation as He claims He is...why would He want someone to worship a God other than Himself?

He's very insecure and immature.

God used my dad's death to bring us closer to Him

Your father didn't die in a disaster. My father died of emphysema and I don't blame God for it. My father (and yours too, I suppose) chose to smoke. People who die in disasters don't choose it.

MarcieMoo

on Apr 10, 2005

Your father didn't die in a disaster. My father died of emphysema and I don't blame God for it. My father (and yours too, I suppose) chose to smoke. People who die in disasters don't choose it.

Nope. My dad didn't smoke...well...he did...about 30 years prior to his death, for about 4 years while he was in the armed forces. The doctors never could pinpoint the cause of his cancer...it just happened.

So...my dad didn't "choose" his fate by smoking...and in all reality, his death WAS a disaster to us anyway.

God hasn't "killed" anyone for their sins since before Christ. Even then...people chose their fate. They knew the rules that God set down for them, but they chose to disobey. They had plenty of fair warning, and second, third, fourth, etc., etc. chances...

If you're talking tsunamis...maybe it is an awakening for the people in that region of the world. I don't know. God "allowed" the tsunamis to happen...and I guess I don't know what's going on in His head in regards to it...I can't read the mind of God. All I know is that the Bible tells me that He loved all of those who died in the catastrophe and He loves the survivors and wants, more than anything, for them to have relationships with Him. Maybe He did use it to wake up the world, I don't know.

But plenty of people, much like you I suspect, go on living in anger without realizing their need for Him.

Ziggystyles

on Apr 11, 2005

"He admits he's jealous. "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God." So either jealousy is not a fault, or he is not perfect. "
Jealousy is a part of the vocabulary of love. The jealousy of God demands exclusive devotion to himself and delivers judgement to all who oppose him. Its not a fault and a sign of him being imperfect...its a sign that God wants you to worship him. Imagine creating everything and everyone...and someone decides to do their own thing and worship a tree instead of chosing eternity with you. Youd get kinda torked.

"Also, in that same statement, he admits that there are other gods."
Buddha is a God to some...Mohammed is a God to some. They are dead and have not risen. Christianity is the only religion in which someone died for you and rose, promising eternal life to those who follow. There are lots of Gods out there...only one exists. God.

" He allows tragedies to kill people"
Allows, not causes. I bet you would really like it if everything was nice and nothing bad happened, ever...to anyone. Wouldnt that make you feel all warm and tingly on the inside? Just like a nice cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. mmm

" When a tragedy claims lives, some people pray. I think they're stupid. At least misguided."
Tragedy is what is needed sometimes to bring people closer to God. Sometimes God needs to cause something big to happen...a life changing event in order to bring you back to him...make you open your eyes and say "hey....wake up...get back to me, I want you to come to me" People dont quit drinkign just for the fun...its usually after they have a heart attack. People dont stop smoking (usually) unless something really spooks them out. Severly obese people dont care about their health until they are told they wont live longer at that current state of health. So you say people are misguided when something bad happens and they seek out help?

"If God cares enough to comfort people, and if he has the power to do something about it, why did he allow people to die in the tragedy in the first place?"
mmmm about time to refil that cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, isnt it? Dont want to lose that warm and fuzzy feeling. Ok so you dont want people to die in a tragedy? When is a good time for people to die?

"He is responsible for the tragedy and the deaths."
He didnt cause the deaths. He allows things to take place that, in some cases, ends peoples lives. So now you want people to not die? Run for that Hot Chocolate! get some extra marshmallows!!!

"Did he allow them to die so that some people would worship him or worship him even more"
Nope...he allowed them to die. What people do after the fact is up to them, not him.

"What an immature, egotistical asshole he must be."
Yeah...man...What a stupid God he is if he lets us do what we want. Prick.

"Religious people say he tests us. Isn't he ever satisfied?"
Kinda hard to satisfy God. He allows things to test you. He knows you and how you are and how you will do when he tests you. The thing is...he knows the answer of the tests. You dont know until you take them. Maybe God will allow something to happen that will change your life. Will you grow stronger spritiually as a result or will you turn away from him? Only two ways to go. How have you done so far? Sounds like you havent done so well. He keeps giving you chances to change your life but everyday, you seem to refuse. That will only work so long. God knocks at the door. He isnt pushing in....you have to let him in. He is a servant as well...wanting to work for you...help you out.

" If he kills people to punish them for their sins"
nope...doesnt do that. If he did that...well youd be dead already. Allows people to die. Big difference.

"he made us who we are. It's his fault we sin. Therefore, he is the one who should be punished."
God should be punished because we live on our own and make our own decisions? God doesnt want you to love him out of Force. He isnt going to make you love him. He gave you a free will. That means, you choose. We sin because we make our own decisions which go against God. This is where people like to start qeustioning God. They say taht since he is supposedly all knowing...he would know how we act and therfore he isnt all knowing because of that. Well thats just silly reasoning to make some people feel....yep...you got it...warm and fuzzy. God knew from the beginning of time everything that would happen throughout eternity. God wanted to create people to follow him, out of choice. People to love him out of free will. But people couldnt go to Heaven because it is too perfect. Eden was going to be a place like this...until man messed it up. God sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we can enter heaven when we die. Only through recognizing that we are sinners and accepting what God died for and asking for forgiveness...can we enter heaven. He didnt want to create people to love him. He wanted people to choose to love him. Imagine having a wife. You have two choices...one who is forced to love you...and one who loves you out of their own choosing. Which would you want?

kingbee

on Apr 11, 2005

Imagine having a wife. You have two choices...one who is forced to love you...and one who loves you out of their own choosing. Which would you want?

imagine your wife chooses not to love you. so you punish her for making that choice. what kinda love is that?

kingbee

on Apr 11, 2005

I'm not saying that it doesn't blow the proverbial goat

reminds me of that inspiring kumbaya-esque folksong, 'michael blow the goat some more':

the river jordan is chilly and wide
hallelujah
lots of arabs on the other side
hallelujah

Dr Guy

on Apr 11, 2005

Then why pray to him?

He gave us free will, but did not make us omniscience. We can always use his advice.

dharmagrl

on Apr 11, 2005

Buddha is a God to some...

Again, the Buddha is not a god. People seem to have Buddhism confused with Hindusim.
We don't worship the Buddha, we respect him because he was enlightened.....just as we show respect to any enlightened being. We don't worship him.

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