Would you sacrifice yourself if your deity asked you to?

[Mindmaster]

In the spirit, of @Taylor Seraphim's post -- I have been left with a more important question. Would you take yourself out of your deity asked you to?

I mean, technically this would be the ultimate self-sacrifice. Wouldn't you think?

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

In the spirit, of @Taylor Seraphim's post -- I have been left with a more important question. Would you take yourself out of your deity asked you to?

I mean, technically this would be the ultimate self-sacrifice. Wouldn't you think?

What should people who do not believe in deities put?

 

[Quintessence]

In the sense that you probably mean? No. Nice thing about being a polytheist is that you don't have "a" deity, you have deities, and they can (and will) convey contradicting information to you which you can then heed or disregard as you will. Seeing as how I'm not suicidal, I wouldn't choose to listen to the gods of death and destruction at the moment.

In the sense that I think matters more to me, however? Yes, but that necessitates explanation. All biology dies. Which, in the context of my theology (where all the stuff most people just call natural phenomena are gods), means that the gods "ask" us all to die. They don't really "ask" per se - the laws of nature (aka, the gods) are simply such that all biology dies. I will be sacrificed to be decomposed in the great cycles... then the bits that were "me" will become parts of other things. And technically, this sacrifice is going on right now. I forget the exact cycle, but all cells in my body replace themselves over a period of time - the ones that die are sacrifices that become part of other things in the world.

I know, I'm weird.

 

[Mindmaster]

What should people who do not believe in deities put?

Fixed for you! Check vote area.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

In the sense that you probably mean? No. Nice thing about being a polytheist is that you don't have "a" deity, you have deities, and they can (and will) convey contradicting information to you which you can then heed or disregard as you will. Seeing as how I'm not suicidal, I wouldn't choose to listen to the gods of death and destruction at the moment.

In the sense that I think matters more to me, however? Yes, but that necessitates explanation. All biology dies. Which, in the context of my theology (where all the stuff most people just call natural phenomena are gods), means that the gods "ask" us all to die. They don't really "ask" per se - the laws of nature (aka, the gods) are simply such that all biology dies. I will be sacrificed to be decomposed in the great cycles... then the bits that were "me" will become parts of other things. And technically, this sacrifice is going on right now. I forget the exact cycle, but all cells in my body replace themselves over a period of time - the ones that die are sacrifices that become part of other things in the world.

I know, I'm weird.

I like weird people, we bring a new perspective.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Fixed for you! Check vote area.

Thank you.

In all seriousness if I did believe in a deity, I would not.

 

[Erebus]

In the spirit, of @Taylor Seraphim's post -- I have been left with a more important question. Would you take yourself out of your deity asked you to?

I mean, technically this would be the ultimate self-sacrifice. Wouldn't you think?

Nope.

If, hypothetically, one of my deities told me to kill myself then my first instinct would be to get myself to a doctor.That's a pretty classic and very dangerous hallucination to have.

If, hypothetically, one of my deities told me to kill myself and I knew for a fact it was definitely a deity ... well that would raise some serious questions about how I view deities. That aside, I'd probably assume it was some kind of test and to kill myself would be to fail it.

I mean, let's think this through. If I was a god looking for followers and I wanted to test their mental acumen, I might offer a similar test.

Me: "Hey, prove yourself to me by sticking your head in a beehive."

Mortal: "Duh, OK boss." *plunk*

Me: "Well, that guy's no use to me. Next!"

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

If, hypothetically, one of my deities told me to kill myself then my first instinct would be to get myself to a doctor.That's a pretty classic and very dangerous hallucination to have.

Sorry to be that guy....erm.......shim....

But it is only a hallucination if it is a dangerous one?

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

In the spirit, of @Taylor Seraphim's post -- I have been left with a more important question. Would you take yourself out of your deity asked you to?

I mean, technically this would be the ultimate self-sacrifice. Wouldn't you think?

I can't really imagine a scenario where God just talks to me and says "Kill yourself."

Though I suppose He could speak to me in other ways to do much the same. For example, if a mass shooter came around town wanting to kill Christians, or any faith for that matter, I hope I'd have the courage to stand up for what I believe in.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

I can't really imagine a scenario where God just talks to me and says "Kill yourself."

Though I suppose He could speak to me in other ways to do much the same. For example, if a mass shooter came around town wanting to kill Christians, or any faith for that matter, I hope I'd have the courage to stand up for what I believe in.

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

 

[George-ananda]

In the spirit, of @Taylor Seraphim's post -- I have been left with a more important question. Would you take yourself out of your deity asked you to?

I mean, technically this would be the ultimate self-sacrifice. Wouldn't you think?

I am a non-dual Hindu (God and creation are not-two) so the poll does not apply to all theists. There is no 'external' God to order such commands.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

Then maybe I'm not educated. I'm being asked to imagine God doing something against His own character, without any real reason, and where I can't be sure if I'm hallucinating or not, as my only sure source of God's revelation is in the Bible, not any voices I may hear in my head.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

I am a non-dual Hindu (God and creation are not-two) so the poll does not apply to all theists. There is no 'external' God to order such commands.

#Pantheism

 

[Mindmaster]

In the sense that you probably mean? No. Nice thing about being a polytheist is that you don't have "a" deity, you have deities, and they can (and will) convey contradicting information to you which you can then heed or disregard as you will. Seeing as how I'm not suicidal, I wouldn't choose to listen to the gods of death and destruction at the moment.

Polytheists kinda get a buy on this question -- some of their gods could favor the offering some would not so it is safer not to listen to any of them on such extreme positions. However, classically... To be ritually sacrificed was an extremely high honor and at least as a spiritual practice I don't think it is exactly any less of a gesture of dedication now.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Then maybe I'm not educated. I'm being asked to imagine God doing something against His own character, without any real reason, and where I can't be sure if I'm hallucinating or not, as my only sure source of God's revelation is in the Bible, not any voices I may hear in my head.

What about the story of Isaac?

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Ever see the movie "The Cabin in the Woods"? If not, I recommend it. The events at the end of the movie feel somewhat pertinent to the question. And I agree with the decisions made by the [protagonist?/antagonist?] in the end. So though I don't believe in deities, if "something" were to approach me and ask me to snuff myself out for whatever reason, I believe I'd likely tell that something to go to hell.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Polytheists kinda get a buy on this question -- some of their gods could favor the offering some would not so it is safer not to listen to any of them on such extreme positions. However, classically... To be ritually sacrificed was an extremely high honor and at least as a spiritual practice I don't think it is exactly any less of a gesture of dedication now.

Rely depends on the religion, though there are some accounts (though biased) of druids sacrificing people, but it is not enough to consider that practice to be factual.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

What about the story of Isaac?

Abraham was a man who walked with God his whole life and heard Him speak frequently, not to mention God worked a miracle for Isaac to even exist in the first place, making Sarah's barren womb not so barren anymore.

I have not heard God's voice physically, and if I did I don't know how I would differentiate it from a hallucination.

I suppose God could reveal Himself in His glory and I would be beyond convinced and flat on my face. But I'm no great Old Testament saint though, it would still be puzzling to get a command like that, especially considering everything I've read in the Bible, it doesn't seem like that's how God operates with His Church. Maybe He's testing me but then I'd expect Him to stop me at the last moment, haha.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Maybe He's testing me but then I'd expect Him to stop me at the last moment, haha.

If he is the god of your religion, I think he would know if you where just pretending to go through with it.

 

[George-ananda]

#Pantheism

Yes, it can be called that but I see two distinct types of pantheism on RF.

1) Matter is primary and consciousness is a production of matter

2) Consciousness is primary and matter is a production of consciousness

I am a type 2) pantheist.