If God exists, is there a problem with offerings to other gods?

[thomas t]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

This is at least my stance on the matter.

My neighbors have a shrine. I don't know what god that is, however, I see it occupies:
- 1 m² of their location
- electricity, since there is constanly some light on it
- candles or similar
- there is even fruit on it - but I guess that they still eat it themselves, though, I might be wrong here.
- time. They diligently make this shrine look beautiful.
- time, as they need to go get the ingredients for that shrine.

So these are all resources stemming from the creator getting used for venerating some other god.

 

[danieldemol]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

This is at least my stance on the matter.

My neighbors have a shrine. I don't know what god that is, however, I see it occupies:
- 1 m² of their location
- electricity, since there is constanly some light on it
- candles or similar
- there is even fruit on it - but I guess that they still eat it themselves, though, I might be wrong here.
- time. They diligently make this shrine look beautiful.
- time, as they need to go get the ingredients for that shrine.

So these are all resources stemming from the creator getting used for venerating some other god.

If the God of the Bible exists there is a problem because it is jealous, petty and vindictive.

 

[thomas t]

If the God of the Bible exists there is a problem because it is jealous, petty and vindictive.

When you give a gift to somebody out of love and they use it to burn it to your enemy, how would you feel?
For instance, if you have a girl friend and you sit down pondering about what might please her... coming up with a beautiful bracelet.
How would you feel if she burns it to please another guy, your competitor, who is into burning things?

Being angry is just a natural reaction in this case. There is nothing vindictive about it.

Lets further assume your girl friend calls you vindictive for criticising her, how would you feel?

 

[darkskies]

When you give a gift to somebody out of love and they use it to burn it to your enemy, how would you feel?
For instance, if you have a girl friend and you sit down pondering about what might please her... coming up with a beautiful bracelet.
How would you feel if she burns it to please another guy, your competitor, who is into burning things?

Being angry is just a natural reaction in this case. There is nothing vindictive about it.

Lets further assume your girl friend calls you vindictive for criticising her, how would you feel?

That sounds like a creepy one-sided relationship where I call her my girlfriend and she doesn't even know I exist.

 

[thomas t]

That sounds like a creepy one-sided relationship where I call her my girlfriend and she doesn't even know I exist.

lets assume for a while she would have been able to know.

Thank you for your post.

 

[danieldemol]

When you give a gift to somebody out of love and they use it to burn it to your enemy, how would you feel?
For instance, if you have a girl friend and you sit down pondering about what might please her... coming up with a beautiful bracelet.
How would you feel if she burns it to please another guy, your competitor, who is into burning things?

Being angry is just a natural reaction in this case. There is nothing vindictive about it.

Lets further assume your girl friend calls you vindictive for criticising her, how would you feel?

Aren't burnt offerings more of a Jewish thing?

 

[darkskies]

lets assume for a while she would have been able to know.

Thank you for your post.

So did she always know since the start?

If she did, then there'd be no reason to burn my gifts. In that case she'd be wrong.

If she did not, it's understandable to let her do what she wants with it.
Old habits die hard.

 

[HonestJoe]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

If there is a monotheistic god who has a real issue with this, they'd be capable of doing something about it.

Of course, your premise could be wrong and the god your neighbours worship could actually exist instead. In that scenario, all the time, effort and resources you commit to worshipping the Biblical God would be the problem.

 

[thomas t]

Aren't burnt offerings more of a Jewish thing?

Honestly, I don't know, I just wrote about it.

If she did not, it's understandable to let her do what she wants with it.
Old habits die hard.

but lets assume she would have been able to know... it would have taken her some time thinking about it.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Let’s go with an analogous premise that my parents are real. Parents who are a part of their child’s life as outlined in Leave it to Beaver.

They created me. They gave me the capacity to love others and to share what is mine. Is there a problem with my having my friend’s parents over for Christmas dinner? Am I wasting the capacities and resources my parents gave me on them?

 

[darkskies]

but lets assume she would have been able to know... it would have taken her some time thinking about it.

Alright.

 

[danieldemol]

Honestly, I don't know, I just wrote about it.

Ok so here is the scenario; I have a petty jealous love of a girl and give her a gift such as a bracelet.

She loves another guy and offers him the bracelet.

I want to toss her in a lake of fire for doing so.

She calls that vindictive.

I'm not seeing any wrong doing on her behalf here.

 

[SalixIncendium]

When you give a gift to somebody out of love and they use it to burn it to your enemy, how would you feel?
For instance, if you have a girl friend and you sit down pondering about what might please her... coming up with a beautiful bracelet.
How would you feel if she burns it to please another guy, your competitor, who is into burning things?

Being angry is just a natural reaction in this case. There is nothing vindictive about it.

Lets further assume your girl friend calls you vindictive for criticising her, how would you feel?

Being angry is a human reaction that comes from ego. I would hope any god would be above such pettiness.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Aren't burnt offerings more of a Jewish thing?

I don’t know what religion burnt offerings came from, but it was the first scary movie I ever watched as a child.

Burnt Offerings (film) - Wikipedia

 

[stvdv]

I think there is one.

This post is under the premise that God is real - I mean the Creator God as outlined in the Bible.
God gives ressources to a population out of love. If they use it for offerings to some gods that did not provide these things, it's wasting them, which would be impolite towards the (real) creator.

If God exists, is there a problem with offerings to other gods?

IMO:
How I read the Bible there is no problem to make offerings to other Gods. I found quite a few verses that confirm this

 

[ChristineM]

If God exists, is there a problem with offerings to other gods?

There have been somewhat more than 3800 creator gods worshiped through history, several of which claimed as the one god. What makes any of these any less worthy in the mind of the believer than the abrahamic god?

When you give a gift to somebody out of love and they use it to burn it to your enemy, how would you feel?

I guess it depends of if said god gave his said creation free will? Personally i consider a gift to me to be mine to do with what i want. If the giver commited genocide because they didn't like what i did with it i would call that vindictive, wouldn't you?

It would certainly be someone i do not want to associate with

 

[VoidCat]

they use it to burn it to your enemy

why assume they are enemies?

 

[ChristineM]

why assume they are enemies?

Jealousy perhaps?

 

[VoidCat]

Here is a question: if you are in any type relationship with someone...say they kept you from having or staying friends with other people...or from hanging out with other people even...that would be wrong and abusive would it not be? And you could say to you that your relationship with God is special that you shouldnt have a similar relationship with other deities. But your God knows I am a polytheist and already in a relationship with other deities...so if He were to reveal Himself to me He would know I am not gonna stop being friends with those deities just because of Him. It wouldn't be fair to my gods for me to do so as they were there first in my life. He would know I am not gonna change my beliefs just because of Him that I see my gods just as powerful as Him and in some cases perhaps more powerful. So if He were to pursue a relationship with me He would have to keep this in mind.

 

[VoidCat]

How would you feel if she burns it to please another guy, your competitor, who is into burning things?

Bad question to ask me since I am polyamorous and ok with my partner engaging in ethical nonmonogamy..this question assumes monogamy.I wouldnt care as long as everyone involve is ok with the multiple relationships in fact I would be happy that both me and my girlfriend's boyfriend make her happy. My actual ex girlfriend and the person who was her boyfriend at the time of dating the two of them could tell you this. I wouldn't be jealous in the slightest. But I see where you are coming from and what you mean. If your god is not ok with multiple deity- follower relationships and insists on only them being worshipped then having a relationship with another deity would be wrong should you seek to have a relationship with said god.

Note: yes I am asexual. No I am not aromantic. I am biromantic. Just cuz I am asexual doesnt me I cant have a nonsexual romantic relationship. Pointing this out cuz I know I told you I am asexual but never clarified that I am not aromantic.