why worship god?

[kılıç_mehmet]

No, we are not "ought" to bend over for his every whim and fancy.

Well, he might just make you bend over if he wants to. Whether you want to or not. He can make you want to bend over for him. He is God. You are ought to worship him at his request.

[Ace Otana]

No, we are not "ought" to bend over for his every whim and fancy.

Well, he might just make you bend over if he wants to. Whether you want to or not. He can make you want to bend over for him. He is God. You are ought to worship him at his request.

Not if god doesn't exist.

[Erinome]

From a psychological standpoint, people worship gods for many different reasons. Children have a mechanism built into their psyche for survival purposes, and therefore they trust and believe in whatever the people the trust/depend upon most tell them to believe. That's usually how it starts.

That's what makes religion so heinous: it targets helpless, unsuspecting and innocent children. Try telling my kids that there's a magical, invisible sky man, who watches their every move when they're 20 years old. They're gonna laugh in your face... but tell them that from the very beginning of their lives, and they'd probably believe it.

Once indoctrinated to believe harmful and repugnant fairy tales, the belief in deities will continue for other reasons. Fear is the main reason. Fearful people are the easiest to control and manipulate. Yes, it is a con, and the "believers" often begin life as victims, only to grow up and victimize more children. Widespread belief is the mark of a weak and easy society. Those whom do not conform to any such beliefs in a religious society are "dangerous", because nothing is more fearful than "danger". They have to label nonbelievers in such a way because the word "faith" is a lie, and in modern times, it's hard to ignore things like facts. Faith is believing in something despite the evidence to the contrary, or lack thereof. It's, by design, the shield of insecurity, and didn't even exist before science started providing plausible answers for things once explained by supernatural phenomenon. Before that, faith wasn't necessary, because everything was explained by people who just made shit up when they didn't know the answers.

[Ace Otana]

What reasons can you think of for or against this? because I'm at a dead end in terms of the intrinsic value of God, even if it were to exist. Thanks

There is no reason for worship. It's utterly pointless. Especially for an all powerful, loving and all knowing god. Only man desires to be worshipped which highlights the fact that this god they describe seems to have the same desires and personality as the believer.
Perhaps the real god is nothing like they describe. That he doesn't send anyone to heaven or hell. Perhaps he does decide who goes to heaven or hell but judges your actions in life and not through belief or lack of. Which means many believers will be judged on their actions and not belief and so judged fairly like everybody else.
Who knows?

Personally I don't really deal in 'what ifs', I like to stick to what's known and work my way up from there. The sensible and rational way.

[genkaus]

Well, he might just make you bend over if he wants to. Whether you want to or not. He can make you want to bend over for him. He is God. You are ought to worship him at his request.

I'd expect nothing less from a cowardly sycophant. Go ahead, bend over. I prefer to maintain my integrity and self-respect.

[kılıç_mehmet]

Well, he might just make you bend over if he wants to. Whether you want to or not. He can make you want to bend over for him. He is God. You are ought to worship him at his request.

Not if god doesn't exist.

Certainly. But if he does?

I'd expect nothing less from a cowardly sycophant. Go ahead, bend over. I prefer to maintain my integrity and self-respect.

You can't maintain anything if God doesn't want you to maintain it. If he wanted you to bend over, you would want to bend over, even if you didn't want to bend over a second ago.
I guess this is the least that can be expected from God, if a mortal illusionist can do this by means of hypnosis.

---

Besides, I'll warn you once more on who you're calling a coward. Best to watch your words in the future when talking to people in real life.

[Ace Otana]

Not if god doesn't exist.

Certainly. But if he does?

If it's the immature, malevolent, corrupt dictator of a god that Christians/Muslims describe, then we are royally fucked.
Thank fuck it's just a crazy religious belief eh? Otherwise I'd be concerned for the well being of not just myself but for the many good people out there.

[kılıç_mehmet]

Certainly. But if he does?

If it's the immature, malevolent, corrupt dictator of a god that Christians/Muslims describe, then we are royally fucked.
Thank fuck it's just a crazy religious belief eh? Otherwise I'd be concerned for the well being of not just myself but for the many good people out there.

Well, if he just requires your faith, and your worship, would you oblige him, or face his eternal wrath?
If I were hundred percent convinced, I would not dare to anger any God.
Besides, it's fair to say if we exist due to the whim of any God, we are equally replacable. Our goodness or evil deeds are completely irrelevant in the face of this universe. If God requires us to worship him, what relevance do good deeds hold if they are not done in the name of God, but in the name of others?
This is the form of thinking I was taught at a Qur'an school. One starts something by saying "Bismillah", or extended, "Bismillahirahmanirrahiym", meaning "In the name of God; The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."
Meaning, whatever you start out to do, like eating, drinking, or work, you start with the name of God, in order to indicate that you do this for yourself out of doing it for God.

I think I'm kinda getting somewhere here.
Or when someone asks you how you're doing, you say "Elhamdülillah" instead of "I'm fine". "Hamd" means, praise, "in all praise to God", I am fine, is the word that most elderly, or devout people would say.
It's not about being good, or evil. It's about being good or evil due to your devotion to God. If you are about to do goodness, you do this out of your devotion to God. Else, if you do this due to your devotion to the people, it's all moot. At least, this is what I have been told. I myself have done mostly the quite opposite. Due to being a nationalist, I have to overlook any and all religious boundaries when my own people are in question.
However, when like...giving out "alms", you do so out of your devotion to God. Other than that, you can also give alms that are not a part of a religious commandment, out of your own pleasure and discretion.

[Ace Otana]

Well, if he just requires your faith, and your worship, would you oblige him, or face his eternal wrath?

If he's that pathetic, corrupt and immoral then he can fuck himself. He doesn't deserve respect, let alone worship. Like I said, thank fuck it's just a crazy religious belief.
Not something worth worrying about.....at all!

If I were hundred percent convinced, I would not dare to anger any God.

I don't try to anger any made up character (not really possible). I just live my life how I wish to live it. And I have no interest in paying the religious the slightest bit of attention.

This is the form of thinking I was taught at a Qur'an school.

Sound like brainwashing. Strong indoctrination. Schools over here tried to sway me into religion, but they failed.

If you are about to do goodness, you do this out of your devotion to God. Else, if you do this due to your devotion to the people, it's all moot.

If I do good, I do it for the sake of doing good and not because of some made up god. If others think it's all moot, then fine. I'm not about to change for their sake.

[kılıç_mehmet]

If he's that pathetic, corrupt and immoral then he can fuck himself. He doesn't deserve respect, let alone worship. Like I said, thank fuck it's just a crazy religious belief.
Not something worth worrying about.....at all!

Well, you can talk all you want if you are convinced of his non-existence.

I don't try to anger any made up character (not really possible). I just live my life how I wish to live it. And I have no interest in paying the religious the slightest bit of attention.

As I said. If you don't believe that he exists, all is good. But those who do, are doing just what they have to do in that regard. Believing in God, while trying to anger him is really like shooting at your own leg.

Sound like brainwashing. Strong indoctrination. Schools over here tried to sway me into religion, but they failed.

Well, you could hear this from your grandmother too. I have received my knowledge on the moslem religion mostly from my grandmother. I've only learned to read basic level arabic at the Qur'an school. My grandmother was a better teacher than the Imam, in how well she treated me.

f I do good, I do it for the sake of doing good and not because of some made up god. If others think it's all moot, then fine. I'm not about to change for their sake.

Well, others are not relevant, but God is. If God simply expects you to do good, than it's all fine.