What is the point of worshipping God?

[PJM]

"Bear_Claw:

, post:40, topic:174161"]
So, just to get this straight…Are you implying that Atheists are all unhappy people and Agnostics are indifferent people and chirstians are happy people?

It seems to be an awful generalization and one that’s completely inaccurate. There was a thread on this not too long ago and there the common consensus were, rightly so, that happiness is not related to your religious preference (Or lack thereof).
I know many atheists (myself included) that are very happy with tieir lives right now and on a continual basis.

Just to clarify your point a bit

Friend, may I noise in?

In describing “informed, practicing Catholics and and Christians”, “inner-peace” might be a better discription than “happy.” Indeed Christ makes the cross heavier for those who love and follow Him.

I would however expect those none believers, and skeptics to find a far greater degree of “hapiness” in this life as you alone are judge and able to do what ever suits your appetites, that can be supported by your wallet. God loves you enough to at least allow you to experience joy and physical pleasures in this life so yo can better appreciate what a JUST God has in store for in the next life.

Denying reality and truth does not change it. It just means your in for one heck of a surprise when you die Why do you think you have a mind, intellgent and freewill, which by the way are all SPIRITUAL THINGS and thus have to orginate from a Spiritual source?

So work on out there friend, enjoy it while you can! The clock is running:thumbsup:

Oh, and as for your final statement. Science has had 2000 years, to disprove miracles, what’s your guess another 10 to 20 thousand years, just to find out science is still trying to figure it out:shrug:

Love an prayers,

 

[Bear_Claw]

Friend, may I noise in?

of course!

In describing “informed, practicing Catholics and and Christians”, “inner-peace” might be a better discription than “happy.”

I still think that my post applies even in that…I definitely have inner peace…I’m in no turmoil at all.

Indeed Christ makes the cross heavier for those who love and follow Him.

Now that just doesn’t seem fair or nice, now does it? :shakes head:

I would however expect those none believers, and skeptics to find a far greater degree of “hapiness” in this life as you alone are judge and able to do what ever suits your appetites, that can be supported by your wallet. God loves you enough to at least allow you to experience joy and physical pleasures in this life so yo can better appreciate what a JUST God has in store for in the next life.

Sure….that’s your opinion…if you believe in a “next life”

Denying reality and truth does not change it. It just means your in for one heck of a surprise when you die

It’s quite funny to read a statement like that…”denying reality and truth”…that’s quite the subjective statement and goes towards the one question that it always boil down to….how can you be sure that the “truth” you subscribe to is real? It’s how all these threads end up as…and then it goes further to start debating the existence of god…no one can know…most likely you would be the one having the surprise when you die…but then there is nothing after this life anyway, so the element of surprise will be lost on you.

Why do you think you have a mind, intellgent and freewill, which by the way are all SPIRITUAL THINGS and thus have to orginate from a Spiritual source?

The mind and intelligence is the product of evolution and natural selection, minds became more intelligent as time progressed and ended up where we are today. No need to insert god into the equation.

So work on out there friend, enjoy it while you can! The clock is running:thumbsup:

I intend to enjoy life, with my happiness and inner peace intact. It’s the only life there is…after this there’s blackness. So, yeah, same to you…enjoy while it you can.

 

[crazzeto]

From the Antiquities of Josephus:

Antiquities 18.3.3 Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.

Full text:
sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-20.htm

Specific analysis of the reliability of Josephus, who died a Jew
tektonics.org/jesusexist/josephus.html

 

[PJM]

"Bear_Claw:

, post:42, topic:174161"]
of course!

I still think that my post applies even in that…I definitely have inner peace…I’m in no turmoil at all.

**
Please don’t take this personally** but that just proves that “ignorance is bliss”

Now that just doesn’t seem fair or nice, now does it? :shakes head:

Actually it is very fair on two levels. First, what we indure willingly now in atonement for our sins we won’t have to pay for later. Second, The more crosses we are given the more willingly we accept them, the more evidence we give God of our love for Him.

By the way, do you acknowledge good and evil exist?

Sure….that’s your opinion…if you believe in a “next life”

I do because humanity is too complex, to awesome to think that this life is all there is.

The mind and intelligence is the product of evolution and natural selection, minds became more intelligent as time progressed and ended up where we are today. No need to insert god into the equation.

Your into science. Consider these facts.

A single “Atom” is as complex as a human person. How can that be?

A human person consist of an estimated “ten-thousand TRILLION” individual cells. What holds them togeather? What makes them work and keep working?

Our Planet Earth is one of over ONE BILLION stars/planets in our Galaxy. Each as big or bigger than earth. Traveling at the speed of light [nearly 1,900 miles per SECOND] it would take 47,000 years to travel from one end of our galaxy to the opposite end. And there are BILLIONS of galaxies! All by accident I supose? And they maintain orbit, why? And where does gravity come from? Did it too evolve?

Faith is a gift composed of individual gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment, and while offered in some manner, to some degree to everyone, it remains obvious that not everyone accepts these gifts. That friend is a funtion of ones “freewill.”

But not having faith for what ever reason, does not excuse right use of the spiritual gifts you seem to make light of? Mind and Intellect.

What is …IS
What is not …IS NOT
Something can only be what it is
Something cannot be what it is not
Something can only share what it has
Something cannot shre what it does not have… agreeed?

So if mind and intellect [putting freewill aside for the moment] are SPIRITUAL THINGS how can they “evolve?” And where do they come from? Certainly not our physical bodies! Physical from physical and spiritual from spiritual. This cannot be disproven!

And so the universe came into existence from “the BIG BANG?” So where did the stuff that went BANG come from? That darn pesky “first cause” thing.

Can you quantify for me your mind? Not brain which is physical, but your mind. How big, how wide, deep, high, what color is it, and what shape? You can’t because minds are SPIRITUAL things, not physical, as are freewill and intellects.

It is the very presence of these spiritual gifts that raise humanity above every other created thing. It is these gifts that allow humanity to love and be loved, found in no other from of creation. For love is not an instinct, it is a conscious decision.

It’s quite funny to read a statement like that…”denying reality and truth”…that’s quite the subjective statement and goes towards the one question that it always boil down to….how can you be sure that the “truth” you subscribe to is real? It’s how all these threads end up as…and then it goes further to start debating the existence of god…no one can know…most likely you would be the one having the surprise when you die…but then there is nothing after this life anyway, so the element of surprise will be lost on you.

I am, I continue to be and I can chose to love. That friend is darn solid and completely OBJECTIVE truth

I intend to enjoy life, with my happiness and inner peace intact. It’s the only life there is…after this there’s blackness. So, yeah, same to you…enjoy while it you can.

With that understanding, I don’t supose to waste too much time sleeping. Get it [what ever “it” is] while you can.

Logic tells me you really can’t have inner peace if you actually believe what you claim. You don’t worry about dying. Man, you’re incredible.

Love and prayers friend,
Pat

 

[HopeInChrist]

Hi all,

I haven’t read through all of your posts here, but I’d like to answer the OPs question. (I apologize if I repeat what has already been said.)

What is the point of worshipping God? God is the reason we are here. God made us, and God loves us. I find no greater happiness or peace than when I am in conversation with God. I tend to pray more to Mary as I am a new mother and need her intercession and guidance, but I also pray to God the Father and Jesus the Son.

Now, I can make no argument to convince you one way or the other. It’s a personal choice that must be made in your own heart. I live with a lapsed Catholic who is a die-hard cynic. She has an answer for every reason I can give to believe. I don’t care. Her salvation is ultimately in her hands.

I know that for me, coming to the Father to give thanks, ask for intercession, or to simply be is the greatest comfort I can experience in this life. It is a wonderful to just sit at the feet of the Father and tell him what’s on my heart. I may not always get the answers I’m looking for, but ultimately what happens is for the good.

You can come back with tons of arguments and philosophy to say that what I’m experiencing is a placebo effect, but I don’t care. The more I experience God and the power of His Mother’s Rosary, the more I know the Truth. That’s it. We worshop God because it is what our hearts are called to do.

If you aren’t thusly called, that’s so sad for you.

May you one day find God’s peace again.

Hope

 

[NoWhereMan]

If one were to believe God existed, what purpose would it serve to worship him? I don’t see the need to go to church, or pray, or put hope in anything related to religion, people live life fine without God, and certainly many people have different Gods and they seem to live life fine too. One does not need to be Christian to be moral, in fact many Buddhists and Hindus have very similar ideologies in certain sects regarding abortion, contraception, violence etc.

I used to live a pretty ****** life when I used to be religious, it was more in the fact that whatever I hoped or prayed for never really came true, people might say God works in mysterious ways bla bla, but when I stopped going to church, stopped praying, that’s when I started to do things the way I saw fit, instead of thinking what would God do, or praying about it, and I got what I wanted, I got results, I’m no longer worrying as much, I still feel sad, unhappy, etc. at times like everyone else does, but I feel different, more in control of my own life.

I see people crying and praying for jobs, for health, for spouses, bla bla and it’s one of the things that I used to pray for, no sooner did I stop all that religious stuff did I really manage to reason out what to do. This is not to suggest all religious people are like this, but to demonstrate that you really don’t need God or religion to help yourself, or others.

People say praying to God helped me achieve a certain thing, well guess waht there are millions who didn’t believe in God and also achieved that same thing, people say God led me to my perfect spouse, oh well guess what there are millions who met their soulmate without having to pray and hope, in a sense, what you achieve is up to you purely, if God exists, he has nothing to do with it, if you claim that God had a hand in it, then it would have to be such an incredibly independent example that has happened to no such other person.

And no I’m not worried about hell, so I won’t be praying and being religious just in case I die and hey…hell pops up.

The worst reasoning in the world is where people say believe in Jesus and pray for it, and nothing will be impossible for you, and quoting some random segment of the Bible, then someone comes here and cries about how it all didn’t happen to them, and the responses are don’t worry God has a better plan for you, go figure

I agree with a lot of what You are saying, sometimes we can pray till the cows come home, but things never change, sometimes they get worse, I once knew a Girl who said, that she kind of thought God left the world to take care of itself, she may have had a good point, God has no need of us, we have need of him to sustain our lives, He Gives Life & he takes it away when our work on earth is done, we all go kicking & screaming , we run from doctor to doctor to save us, but alas, the Doctor dies too. I Believe there is a God, this world could not have made itself, the perfect balance of nature, The Miracle of Birth & Death, there is a lot of evidence to prove there is a God. They say God doesnt give us more than we can handle, But we sometimes wonder, Make no mistake, we all have doubts!! I worship God as the creator & His Son Our redeemer, as one of the other posters on here said, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, It was Done By Our savious Jesus, who died for the sins of all mankind, . Also, God knows that man cannot walk around with a halo around his head & his hands clasped in prayer, as Humans, we will sin up until the day we die all of us, either in thought word or deed or doubt. Thats why God sent his Son as a redemer for all man kind, not just catholics

 

[Bear_Claw]

That friend is darn solid and completely OBJECTIVE truth

Your whole first section shows the “God of the Gaps” mentality pretty darn well…if we can’t explain it, then “goddidit”. If we don’t understand it, It’s gotta be god right?

Yeah…and the more we find out how everything works, the smaller that gap becomes that people try to shove god into. In the beginning they explained that god made the rainbow…now we know it’s the prism-effect that sunlight have on airborne water drops…and so the gap will continue to close…

Logic tells me you really can’t have inner peace if you actually believe what you claim. You don’t worry about dying. Man, you’re incredible.

Why thank you…I tend to think so too!
And now that you mention it, why worry about dying? It’s inevitable…it’ll happen to us all at some point…at least live your life before that point and live it well.

 

[teachccd]

Your whole first section shows the “God of the Gaps” mentality pretty darn well…if we can’t explain it, then “goddidit”. If we don’t understand it, It’s gotta be god right?

Yeah…and the more we find out how everything works, the smaller that gap becomes that people try to shove god into. In the beginning they explained that god made the rainbow…now we know it’s the prism-effect that sunlight have on airborne water drops…and so the gap will continue to close…

Why thank you…I tend to think so too!
And now that you mention it, why worry about dying? It’s inevitable…it’ll happen to us all at some point…at least live your life before that point and live it well.

It behooves me to think that I might spend so much time on a site disproving the existence of unicorns. I appreciate the interest that atheists have on this forum but I often wonder what the real reason is for your presence here. Do you really think that we are going to believe that your “something came from nothing” theories are going to have us in your corner? O.K. so you don’t believe in God. We find the evidence for His existence overwhelming. Do you think that we are going to say, “WOW!! I didn’t know that science discovered all these things! By golly there is no God” ??

You explained the rainbow quite well. Because we now know that it is sunlight reflecting on water does the former statement become false? God made the rainbow still remains absolute fact. Just because we discover the “How” things are done does not remove the “who” did it. We could know how every minute detail of this universe works and we still have a God. Why? Because without Him nothing could have started to work. Try to regress as far as you can and where do you end up? Is it matter the size of your fist? Where did that come from? Keep going…

If this life is all there is then you have just proven to me that not only is this writing on a forum the most ridiculous waste of time but so is every breath we take. Why? Because someday the world will cease to exist and that last person would have done good for no one but himself and those around him who all perish. Now that’s fulfilling…The End

---

 

[Bear_Claw]

God made the rainbow still remains absolute fact.

Realy…?giggle

Just because we discover the “How” things are done does not remove the “who” did it. We could know how every minute detail of this universe works and we still have a God. Why? Because without Him nothing could have started to work. Try to regress as far as you can and where do you end up? Is it matter the size of your fist? Where did that come from? Keep going…

There’s that “god of the gaps” thinking again…that need to ascribe things that don’t have immediate answers to god is just overpowering, isn’t it?

If this life is all there is then you have just proven to me that not only is this writing on a forum the most ridiculous waste of time but so is every breath we take. Why? Because someday the world will cease to exist and that last person would have done good for no one but himself and those around him who all perish. Now that’s fulfilling…The End

---

There is another thing I can think of that is a waste of time…

We need to make the most of this life…it’s all we’ll have. Maybe my posts here seem like a waste of time for you…I enjoy to speak to people about their points of view…

Anyway, I’m heading home now, so take care, untill later!

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

If one were to believe God existed, what purpose would it serve to worship him?

…

As God is God, we need to. That is how created things - including, & especially, humans, are designed.​

That is what nature does - the sun worships its Creator, in the way proper to it, by “rising” & “setting”. Grass does so, by growing as it does. BTW, I’m well aware of headaches like the Ichneumon wasp - reading people like C. M. Joad (d.1951) is a good way to come across objections to Christianity made by an intelligent author in an intelligent way. He mentions a lot of problems with Christianity, and quotes all sorts of objections made after WW1. For atoms to move round their nuclei, is how they acknowledge their Creator.

Man is a bit different: he is the only animal designed to share in God’s own Life, which - in retrospect - can be seen to be a reason for his being created in God’s image. Not for himself, primarily, but primarily for God as revealed in Christ.

That is the short answer, with most of the explanation left out.

 

[Darryl1958]

So, just to get this straight…Are you implying that Atheists are all unhappy people and Agnostics are indifferent people and chirstians are happy people?

 

[teachccd]

Realy…?giggle

What’s so funny? is it that you can’t spell “really” or that you can’t bring yourself to believe that God made rainbows? Should I giggle that you think that they made themselves?

There’s that “god of the gaps” thinking again…that need to ascribe things that don’t have immediate answers to god is just overpowering, isn’t it?

Not any more overpowering than your need to ascribe a huge nothing when asked who made the first substance or who started things in motion. Call it “god of the gaps” or “nothing of the gaps”. Either way there remains that gap with you holding it and no answer.

There is another thing I can think of that is a waste of time…

Only one? Why I can think of a few. But none of them would include the notion that creation needs a Creator.

We need to make the most of this life…it’s all we’ll have. Maybe my posts here seem like a waste of time for you…I enjoy to speak to people about their points of view…

Anyway, I’m heading home now, so take care, untill later!

Yes, the big black hole of death. So much meaning for our existence. But as long as you have this message board you have meaning…later…teachccd

 

[Bear_Claw]

What’s so funny? is it that you can’t spell “really” or that you can’t bring yourself to believe that God made rainbows? Should I giggle that you think that they made themselves?

When you start being as childish as making fun of a typo, I know I’ve hit a nerve….grow up bud.

Not any more overpowering than your need to ascribe a huge nothing when asked who made the first substance or who started things in motion. Call it “god of the gaps” or “nothing of the gaps”. Either way there remains that gap with you holding it and no answer.

Ah…see, you just don’t get it. I have no need to ascribe anything to it…that’s the Christian way. Goddidit….I chose to wait and see what the actual explanation is…until then we just don’t’ know…you don’t get that we chose not to fill that gap with unproven hearsay and subjective points of view…

 

[4EverHis]

We worship God when we understand that He loves us, and our response is to love Him back. Many people see God simply as a “higher power” or a “spirit” but that’s very abstract… He is a Person who loves us and wants us to know Him, wants to share in all our joys and sorrows, in our whole lives… when we understand that, when we get to know Him, we can’t help but worship it’s a natural response… (and it’s by grace). I think that this is how we were made. Our hearts were created to worship God… and if we don’t find Him, we’ll end up worshipping something else instead, (even if it’s ourselves), but there will always be an emptiness in that… God created us for Himself and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Him (St Augustine)

God bless

 

[teachccd]

When you start being as childish as making fun of a typo, I know I’ve hit a nerve….grow up bud.

Yes, ol’ wise man. Looks like your nerve took a hit here as well.

Ah…see, you just don’t get it. I have no need to ascribe anything to it…that’s the Christian way. Goddidit….I chose to wait and see what the actual explanation is…until then we just don’t’ know…you don’t get that we chose not to fill that gap with unproven hearsay and subjective points of view…

You keep waiting and hoping that someday someone can explain to you how something came from nothing. I’ll choose God since He did reveal Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. There are plenty who have shed their blood proclaiming Christ. I’ll take the martyr’s blood over some “Super Atheist’s” waiting game anyday…teachccd

 

[Stylites]

“What is the point of worshipping God?” you ask?

Love. Justice.

 

[PursuingLogos20]

The point of worshipping God?

Hmm…Count perhaps what those who worship God with all their hearts have done, the saints, the prophets, etc., what they espouse, all their deeds…charitable acts, compassion for the poor, sick, elderly, and dying…

Take then, too, those who have turned from God. What have they to offer us? Death, macabre opinions of the world, beliefs in the “cult of death”-abortion, euthanasia, “good feeling” policy, promotion of selfishness, sin…

Who causes more good? It is obvious.

If you stand with God, you cannot be counted among the wicked and none of your actions are for naught. But if you turn, to what type of people do you belong?

To follow God’s will and be counted among his faithful is to be good and bring meaning to life, for God makes meaning of our lives. Without God, we are nothing. We are dust in the wind. This is why we follow God.

Do your best to follow God, however, for as you know God is a loving God but he is strict. Trust is hard to build after the first betrayal among humans, but not with God, who is all merciful even on the deathbed. But do not think our God is foolish, he knows when you wish to reconcile and when you don’t. Pray honestly for God’s mercy. Like a wise woman, all he’ll ask for is honest commitment. Mistakes can be forgiven.

 

[PJM]

=teachccd;5880026]It behooves me to think that I might spend so much time on a site disproving the existence of unicorns. I appreciate the interest that atheists have on this forum but I often wonder what the real reason is for your presence here. Do you really think that we are going to believe that your “something came from nothing” theories are going to have us in your corner? O.K. so you don’t believe in God. We find the evidence for His existence overwhelming. Do you think that we are going to say, “WOW!! I didn’t know that science discovered all these things! By golly there is no God” ??

You explained the rainbow quite well. Because we now know that it is sunlight reflecting on water does the former statement become false? God made the rainbow still remains absolute fact. Just because we discover the “How” things are done does not remove the “who” did it. We could know how every minute detail of this universe works and we still have a God. Why? Because without Him nothing could have started to work. Try to regress as far as you can and where do you end up? Is it matter the size of your fist? Where did that come from? Keep going…

If this life is all there is then you have just proven to me that not only is this writing on a forum the most ridiculous waste of time but so is every breath we take. Why? Because someday the world will cease to exist and that last person would have done good for no one but himself and those around him who all perish. Now that’s fulfilling…The End

---

Very well done. Thank you!

 

[Stylites]

I appreciate the interest that atheists have on this forum but I often wonder what the real reason is for your presence here.

Certainly there’s the envy aspect, jealousy at other people’s happiness. Misery loves company, as the saying goes.

Then there’s their chemical-induced anger at the electron-caused thought of a bunch of other material bags of stupid, mushy, walking chemicals feeling so genuinely sorry for their self-inflicted chemical misery while they themselves are supposedly so obviously far superior material bags of mushy, walking chemicals. These obviously superior bags of rationalistic chemicals, of course, take it on faith that periodic elements even exist, since they’ve never actually seen one. Hence atheism is a religion, albeit with very few true and honest adherents. Only the phoney wannabe ones visit theist websites.

 

[teachccd]

Certainly there’s the envy aspect, jealousy at other people’s happiness. Misery loves company, as the saying goes.

Then there’s their chemical-induced anger at the electron-caused thought of a bunch of other material bags of stupid, mushy, walking chemicals feeling so genuinely sorry for their self-inflicted chemical misery while they themselves are supposedly so obviously far superior material bags of mushy, walking chemicals. These obviously superior bags of rationalistic chemicals, of course, take it on faith that periodic elements even exist, since they’ve never actually seen one. Hence atheism is a religion, albeit with very few true and honest adherents. Only the phoney wannabe ones visit theist websites.

Yes, they are indeed in need of our prayers…teachccd