I have a question about religion

[broguemum]

Why does God need to be worshipped? Actually, I have two questions. Why do people need to worship something/one?

I really don't understand.

Caveat - I am an atheist but I do genuinely want to understand this as I have an ongoing debate in RL with my aunt and she can't answer me.

Also, sorry to post and run but I have builders in today and can't spend much time at the computer.

Thanks to anyone to answers.

God doesn't need our worship. However it is part of an ongoing relationship with our Creator. Think of someone very important in your life, and then think how less important they would seem if you never spoke to them or never thought of them.

Cynics might say that He never speaks to us, but I believe he does, and that is part of the ongoing relationship too.

I don't just worship, I talk to him as a friend, father, and guide in my life also.

I'd agree that God doesn't need our worship - people worship in response to their experience of God as something/someone worthy of worship. But I don't believe that God needs it or demands it.

I think it's pretty much a normal part of human nature to look up to someone or something that we believe to be good and powerful, and who sets a good example - and that's what worship is. That might be a sportsperson or a leader, but if you believe that God exists, made the world, and works for the benefit of humanity, then it seems reasonable to want to worshiip God.

Thanks for your answers. I have always had the impression that God demands worship as part of the whole deal IYSWIM. This is based on memories of RE at school and conversations with some Christian friends /relatives of mine. I think I struggle with anyone worshipping anyone else / anything as I don't like the connotations of blind obediance, loss of individuality and self determination that go hand in hand with worship. Respect for someone or something I understand. Worshipping it or them I don't.

I am an atheist too and have never quite understood this.

I think it also ties in with the whole vengeful angry god/loving compassionate god, I never really got that either

I think that is how we were brought up as children, but as I revisited and returned to faith, I spent a fair amount of time thinking about why I went to church, and that was the answer I came up with. And it wasn't because God wanted worship.

As for blind obedience, I think if you have complete and absolute trust that God knows what is best for you, as I TRY to do (although its not always easy), then obedience naturally follows (whether its "blind" or not I don't know, blind isn't a word I'd like to use after I heard an inspirational speaker who was blind, give us all a good "going over" for using the word blind in a negative context). Its like if you're lost and you phone someone who has a map, you have to trust them completely to tell you how to get somewhere, and as a consequence, obey the directions they give you to get there.

I do not necessarily think that it is Him who needs us worshiping His incredible powers, I do believe it is something that has to be connected with the church as an institution.

I am of the opinion that He himself does just need our prayers and our belief. God does not need affirmation or anything like that. He needs us believing in Him and His powers and will and that is all we do aren't we?
We are not worshiping His authority as if we were blind puppies following someone. We love Him, don't we?

God does not need our worship but we need to worship God. It depends what you mean by worship though.

If worship to you means going to church then that is fine. If worship means private prayer and reading a religious text that is also fine for you.

For me though it is a bit different. I do not technically believe in a God in the normal religious sense but do believe in a supreme being, a power beyond us and all human understanding and my worship is what I do in my daily life. I try to live well, try to be good to my wife and family, try to do someting useful with my life, try to be grateful for all the good things in my life and finally try to be respectful and thankful to other people I come into contact with. It is hard doing all that though and sometimes I fail. I just have to keep trying though every day and that is my worship.

I guess I would say that i freely worship God because I want to give Him thanks for all that He has done. I am not sure where this idea of worship comes from or what it means, because for me, in church and in my private life, worship in the kind of 'adolation' style is only a very small part of my faith. A much bigger part is prayer, where I not only give thanks but also try to develop my relationship with God through meditation etc, so that I feel more close to God and more receptive to his guidance. I think that God would like us all to develop our relationship with Him, and only a small part of that is worship, which, I agree, is more to do with our need to express our thanks than his need to hear it. I also agree with the previous poster that a large part of 'worship', for me, is about trying to live as God would want me to - through actions as well as through private prayer. Rambling now, hope it makes sense!

I need to worship God and give him thanks for all he has done for me - I feel so blessed.

When I am worshipping in church I feel close to God but also when I pray alone. I particularly love worshipping through music.

It just seems the natural thing to do. I never, ever thought of it in terms of God needing my worship.

My goddess is like my family, although I choose to worship her she is present whether I worship her or not. Her presence is always in my life and occasionaly I remember that and thank her for it.