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If, it was proven beyond all doubt that a god existed. Would you worship it?

Muffled

Jesus in me
Depends on which God. The God of the Bible? Certainly not. A more benign God or Goddess? Possibly.

I believe a benign god must be one that allows evil all the time instead of just part of the time. So for the terrorists and torturers this benign god just sits and twiddles her thumbs.
 

suncowiam

Well-Known Member
To worship a God that says I have free will but will condemn me to hell for not following his rules?

Yeah well, I guess I'm going to worship him then by "choice."
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.

What has God done for me lately?
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.

No. Worship, to me, is honoring and giving gratitude to someone you know and care for throughout your lifetime. This person would have made a difference in your life to where friendship or relationship would be two sided. When you have an online friend, you only know so much about that friend. You haven't seen her. You haven't met. All you know are words on a screen. If you are strangers and you guys meet, why would you expect to have a loving reaction you'd give to a friend you known for years or even a family member?

If anything, my automatic and unintentional response would be fear. Why? Because there is so much built up over this god and humans tend to be afraid of the unknown; so, fear/withdrawal or fight response is normal.

Outside of fear, no. I haven't got to know god well-enough to worship him with a generous heart above other people.
 

Phantasman

Well-Known Member
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.
Man is born with a void. All have it and find something to fill it. Christianity (it's faith and hope) is a filling of that void. Others place faith and hope in other things, usually of the flesh (physical). It's all about what you see best for yourself.

I have a much more productive and satisfying life in what I work towards now (in Christian gnosis and understanding) that I ever had before I discovered it. It's a choice.
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Man is born with a void.
I would argue that that so-called void are latent desires that have not been acted on. Many people like to pretend that they have managed to fill this void with their imagined god(s) but it could simply be none other than the placebo effect at play. The very nature of our confirmation bias reinforces our choices everyday as we see affirmation after affirmation that the choices we have made are the 'correct' ones. Likewise, we deftly ignore anything that does not match our expectations.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
I don't know what I would feel -- especially whether I would feel sufficient awe and gratitude necessary for genuine worship. If I did, then I'd naturally worship it. If I didn't, then I might say something like, "You're a god? That's great! I play a god on an internet forum!" I probably wouldn't last very long after that.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.
I used to think the idea of worship seemed pretty weird...before I knew the love of God. Now I know that it is the greatest form of love in response to the greatest love ever shown, the greatest love I've ever known. It's not about ritualistically getting on one's knees ( I rarely do that) or just saying thanks. It is so much more and yet so simple, as simple as freely and open being able to relate to One who knows you inside and out and still loves you with a love that is always there now and forever.
 

Father Heathen

Veteran Member
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.

No, because it makes no sense that such an entity would require it. Why would a real god have such a frail, needy ego that requires constant reassurance?
 
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A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
Worship seems awfully excessive. I would first need to trust the god, and know for sure that it had our species best interests at heart in its actions. If this were not proven to be the case, then I wouldn't even foster a relationship with this god, let alone "worship" it.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Anyone who demands worship does not deserve to be worshiped.

To be fair, I don't think that a genuine god, if one existed, would demand worship. That seems to be something humans naturally do in response to something that inspires them with overwhelming awe and gratitude -- they worship it, or at least show it reverence. Yet, the notion that the gods actually demand to be worshiped -- let alone pay attention to it -- strikes me as a heresy of the clergy, who tend to benefit greatly if they can get people to even so much as fake worshiping their deities.

It's almost impossible to over-estimate how much popular religious ideas are cultivations of the clergy.
 

David T

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
As an atheist I think this is highly unlikely but for this thought experiment, let's assume that a god has revealed themselves to the world.

Now would you worship it?

I couldn't bring myself to do so; I'd be happy to say thanks for what I have but regularly get on my knees and give thanks, NO!

Thoughts.
The question does not understand the topic because if it did it would not have been asked as it was. It's like asking "if gravity ceased to exist what would be your favorite fruit."
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Anyone who demands worship does not deserve to be worshiped.

Why? Is there some logic or reasoning behind this? Is this an emotional argument? Just trying to follow how you got here.


I'm also curious - the OP doesn't mention the god demands worship. Is there a reason you interpreted the OP in this fashion?
 
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