Worshipping (ritual, atheist, spiritual, divine)

[Lightkeeper]

Do we all worship someone of something even if we don't believe in a Higher Power?

[Sunstone]

It might be true that we all worship something, if you define "worship" loosely enough. But I don't think that it is true unless you define worship pretty loosely.

It is true, however, that some people who don't worship a deity behave as if they worship something like money, status, power, etc. That's only some people, and not all.

[john313]

Depends on which definition of worship you use. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary
1 : to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
Many people worship money and possessions according to #2. I believe there are some who may not worship anything, like some hermits and bums possibly. But i suppose even they may worship their own life.

[andyjamal]

We all gravitate spiritually in some direction or the other; some of us towards God, some towards the ego, some towards material existence (generally, we all fluctuate to some degree or another). If we make conscious efforts to reach a specific sphere of influence as part of a predetermined goal, this could be considered worship (maybe?).

[cardero]

I wouldn't mind it if we all worshipped each other.

[anders]

Originally Posted by john313

Depends on which definition of worship you use. ...
1 : to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
Many people worship money and possessions according to #2. I believe there are some who may not worship anything, like some hermits and bums possibly. But i suppose even they may worship their own life.

1 is out for me. Apart from subatomic physics, I don't believe in any supernatural phenomena.
2 could to some degree relate to my feelings towards my mother (88). (My father was a sea-captain, seldom at home.) She taught me compassion and tolerance, and to not unquestioningly accept the views of other people.

I most certainly don't worship money and possessions. Most of you wouldn't want to be seen even close to my car, and I've got just enough money to stay alive. I don't qualify as a hermit or bum either (I rent a home, and my disabilty pension arrives regularily, and I'm farly well groomed and clad, and my university credits accumulate at a more than acceptable rate for an old fogey like me.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Do we all worship someone of something even if we don't believe in a Higher Power?

I know that my atheist son does not worship anyone or anything.
Thinking about it, with the two meanings of 'Worship', I guess I know quite a few people who worship money.

[Halcyon]

We all respect and/or revere someone or something at some time in our lives, so i guess we all are guilty of worshipping in some form.

In a religious context i've never seen the point of praying to God just to say "wow you're great!", which is how i usually think of worshipping. God already knows its great (how can there be anything greater?) why would it need to be told?

[Feathers in Hair]

Originally Posted by carrdero

I wouldn't mind it if we all worshipped each other.

Same here. There are so many virtues and wonders I find in my fellow RFers alone that one could form an entire pantheon.