If the Christian God were real could you worship him?

[Bagger_Vance]

Atheism as I understand it is a rejection in the belief of a god. This is true of all ideas of god including the christian version but there is something more at work. I could become a theist without worshipping god. That is to say that if real solid evidence proved that the god of the christian bible was real then I would be forced by reason to believe in his existence but I would never worship the fellow. There would be no point in trying to fool him into thinking that I loved him when in reality I think he is disgusting for his actions in the bible.

The question is could any of you guys worship the god of the christian bible even if you knew he existed? Now I'm not asking if you could go through the perfunctory motions but rather could you really love and worship him? This also goes for other Abrahamic religions or any religion in general. I've yet to find many religions that offer a god pleasant enough to be worshipped.

[Jimmy Higgins]

Atheism as I understand it is a rejection in the belief of a god.

Is it? I'd see atheism as the status quo, while belief in theism would require an additional step. As an atheist, I don't not believe in god. As an atheist, the issue doesn't even arise.

That is to say that if real solid evidence proved that the god of the christian bible was real then I would be forced by reason to believe in his existence but I would never worship the fellow. There would be no point in trying to fool him into thinking that I loved him when in reality I think he is disgusting for his actions in the bible.

What particular actions would you be speaking of? Even if the Christian god did exist, this doesn't mean everything in the Bible happened in the real world.

The question is could any of you guys worship the god of the christian bible even if you knew he existed? Now I'm not asking if you could go through the perfunctory motions but rather could you really love and worship him? This also goes for other Abrahamic religions or any religion in general. I've yet to find many religions that offer a god pleasant enough to be worshipped.

An interesting hypothetical. How many gods have been ones that were pleasent? Being the head deity typically involves doing stuff to punish bad actions. It'd be hard to judge the god without knowing the "heart" of what he/she was trying to accomplish.

[Bagger_Vance]

Is it? I'd see atheism as the status quo, while belief in theism would require an additional step. As an atheist, I don't not believe in god. As an atheist, the issue doesn't even arise.

Well that would be correct in a world of tabula rasa but in the real world many people like me have been indoctrinated, bullied, and terrified into believing in a god before we were old enough to make rational choices. So for me it is a matter of starting out with god as the status quo. Perhaps it was different for you and if so point taken.

What particular actions would you be speaking of? Even if the Christian god did exist, this doesn't mean everything in the Bible happened in the real world.

Well really his actions, while tragic are not the only problems that arise. His selfishness, arrogance, jealousy, and annoying need to be worshipped at all times makes him quite distateful as well. But I was assuming that the god of the bible is real as is his book.

An interesting hypothetical. How many gods have been ones that were pleasent? Being the head deity typically involves doing stuff to punish bad actions. It'd be hard to judge the god without knowing the "heart" of what he/she was trying to accomplish.

I would suggest that gods aren't pleasant because the people making them up weren't pleasant and couldn't dream of any being with ultimate power that wouldn't abuse it.

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well that would be correct in a world of tabula rasa but in the real world many people like me have been indoctrinated, bullied, and terrified into believing in a god before we were old enough to make rational choices. So for me it is a matter of starting out with god as the status quo. Perhaps it was different for you and if so point taken.

I understand what you are saying. Usually you need to switch off the theism because that is what we are taught as children. But to me, it's a bunch easier to accept atheism than theism. Many fewer "arbitrary necessities".

Well really his actions, while tragic are not the only problems that arise. His selfishness, arrogance, jealousy, and annoying need to be worshipped at all times makes him quite distateful as well. But I was assuming that the god of the bible is real as is his book.

But global flood real or just all the stuff from Abraham on real?

Sure, god can be whiny in the Bible. His position did make with the changing, especially during captivity. And he'd just change people's names, like Sarai to Sarah. Dude, what's up with that? Maybe that'd explain Prince?

I would suggest that gods aren't pleasant because the people making them up weren't pleasant and couldn't dream of any being with ultimate power that wouldn't abuse it.

Not abuse it, defeat the people who are naughty. Because all those foreign people are arbitrarily naughty, so their god must have the power to smite them.

[Griggsy]

Jimmy, that is the position of Ockham's razor- ad hoc assumptions that natualism does not have to make as it fits the bill.Theology is one series of guesses about God and surrounding mysteries posing as explanation, yet being nothing more than God did it, so vacuous as ignosticism notes!

[neonmagek]

I would not worship him. I would not worship anything, I find it condescending. God as depicted in the Bible is not even worthy of my respect (should it exist). This diety has had an infinit amount of time to contemplate things and he can't even get a good set of ethics going?

[Mr_C]

I would have a hard time getting over my general attitude towards him. I would look at him sort of like an adolescent boy might look at a severely retarded adult man. You know you're supposed to respect him because he's you're elder, but he's not coherent enough to carry on a simple conversation.

[familyof6]

Hmmmm...

I don't understand why a god who was truely ominpotent and all-powerful would even require worship from us. I do not expect, nor want, my children to worship me. What a serious ego trip. It's difficult for me to answer this question because I don't believe that if there is an all-mighty powerful god; that this god would even want worship from us. It seems ridiculous to me.

[Bagger_Vance]

Hmmmm...

I don't understand why a god who was truely ominpotent and all-powerful would even require worship from us. I do not expect, nor want, my children to worship me. What a serious ego trip. It's difficult for me to answer this question because I don't believe that if there is an all-mighty powerful god; that this god would even want worship from us. It seems ridiculous to me.

I agree but assuming that the christian god is the one we are talking about apparently worship is the main concern of his existence.

[Mr_C]

I agree but assuming that the christian god is the one we are talking about apparently worship is the main concern of his existence.

That, and securing land for certain factions/groups. War gods are very into that stuff.

[Tickle Me Mercury]

Atheism as I understand it is a rejection in the belief of a god. This is true of all ideas of god including the christian version but there is something more at work. I could become a theist without worshipping god. That is to say that if real solid evidence proved that the god of the christian bible was real then I would be forced by reason to believe in his existence but I would never worship the fellow. There would be no point in trying to fool him into thinking that I loved him when in reality I think he is disgusting for his actions in the bible.

The question is could any of you guys worship the god of the christian bible even if you knew he existed? Now I'm not asking if you could go through the perfunctory motions but rather could you really love and worship him? This also goes for other Abrahamic religions or any religion in general. I've yet to find many religions that offer a god pleasant enough to be worshipped.

Hmm, well, I would disagree with your definition of "atheism" a bit. I think the best way to describe the three "cardinal" positions are that Theism and atheism are opposite metaphysical statements: "there exists a being(s) that fit the definition of God in some fashion" and "there does not exist a being that fits such a definition." Agnosticism is an epistemological statement: "the existence of a being that fits such a definition cannot be known." But that's neither here nor there, I guess.

To answer your question, no. Would it be necessary, really? The Christian God, as described, is infinitely magnificent, why would he need creatures as lowly as us to grovel at his feet? The best analogy I can think of is a human demanding tribute and praise from a colony of bacteria.

Could I love him? Possibly. I'd at the very least be grateful for this wonderful thing we call the Universe, as well as for creating us with free-will. In lieu of insulting Him by trying to "worship" Him, I'd probably try to seek out some sort of relationship.

As for His actions in the Bible, eh. Belief in the Christian God doesn't have to assume a literal reading of the Bible, so I couldn't make a judgment in that area.

[nickcopernicus]

...
The question is could any of you guys worship the god of the christian bible even if you knew he existed? Now I'm not asking if you could go through the perfunctory motions but rather could you really love and worship him? This also goes for other Abrahamic religions or any religion in general. I've yet to find many religions that offer a god pleasant enough to be worshipped.

Nick:

The answer is "No."

I don't worship dudes. That's gay, and I'm not.


Cheers,

Nick

[Zeluvia]

Nick:

The answer is "No."

I don't worship dudes. That's gay, and I'm not.


Cheers,

Nick

Ha !! But would you worship a mean old woman? = P

Or are you just a "Girls Gone Wild" kind of worshipper? = )

[nickcopernicus]

Ha !! But would you worship a mean old woman? = P

Or are you just a "Girls Gone Wild" kind of worshipper? = )

Nick:

Heck yeah I'd worship a cantankerous,sarcastic old biddy. I love mean old laddies. My grandmother helped my mother raise us. She was a mean Christian woman. But I still love her to death. Even if she does beleive in god.

But I'd worship a good looking girl who has "gone wild" as well.

[electronicmaji]

If the christian God existed I rather burn in hell than have to be on tippytoes trying to be perfect then failing and being ridiculed by all the perfect "christians" around me.