My questions about God

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I am a christian. This is a religious forum. If you are Atheist, to answer these questions you must be willing to, for the sake of discussion, presuppose God's existence. If you are not, answer away.

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

2. What good does worship do for a God?

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

4. If angels do not have free will, how did some rebel?

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

and no, I don't think questioning God is wrong for a christian, so let's dispense with that.

 

[Norsefire]

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

What else to do?

2. What good does worship do for a God?

Ego

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

A display of devotion?

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

How can we know that?

 

[John99]

I am a christian. This is a religious forum. To answer these questions you must be willing to, for the sake of discussion, presuppose God's existence.

...nevermind

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

I am a christian. This is a religious forum. To answer these questions you must be willing to, for the sake of discussion, presuppose God's existence.

...nevermind

Mr. Hamtastic, I do believe John99 is correct, the prelude suggests that the questions are only directed at atheists. I would like to hear the Christian response, might be more interesting.

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I was trying to make it open for all, just with a bit of supposition if you did not believe in God. As a christian, I just kind of assumed inclusion of theists in general. I did not want this to be a debate about the existence of God or somesuch. More of an If/Then statement discussion. Should I edit the OP?

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

I was going to say how else would He know and then realized He knew beforehand.

2. What good does worship do for a God?

It does no good whatsoever. No God worth His salt should ever desire such nonsense. It suggests that the God in question is a lesser God and may, if He exists, be somewhat infantile as far as Gods go.

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

Because we are dumb as stumps. It wouldn't be for God's benefit, all that whining and begging, but it may give people hope or keep them from jumping off a cliff.

4. If angels do not have free will, how did some rebel?

Because having rebelling angels gives God something to pin His inadequacies on. The all everything God could easily orchestrate a rebellion anywhere in the universe. Angels like us are a creation, free will is impossible as long as God is around.

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

No, but believers do.

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

I was trying to make it open for all, just with a bit of supposition if you did not believe in God. As a christian, I just kind of assumed inclusion of theists in general. I did not want this to be a debate about the existence of God or somesuch. More of an If/Then statement discussion. Should I edit the OP?

Might clear up a misunderstanding, can't hurt.

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

PsychoticEpisode-I agree with your statements, which is awkward as a christian.

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

check the OP now

 

[w1z4rd]

I dont get the whole whorship concept 'creating us' thing. I can not reconcile in my mind that something as vast as the concept of God would create humans just so it can be worshipped. I can not reconcile in my mind something as advanced as God.. is that petty or narcissistic.

Though if I do have to think of a reason for life ( I say life, because in my mind, humans are equal with the rest of life and its evolution).. I thought, whats the point of the existence of the universe without life? There is none, If I had to think along those lines in the concept of God, I would have to say, perhaps God is able to experience what its like to be God through the morality of life..

What the point of the universe with no life? And whats the point of life with no universe?

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

PsychoticEpisode-I agree with your statements, which is awkward as a christian.

If only you really knew me. My internet persona is a tactic.

To say I haven't been in your position would be a lie. When I first started to question God I wasn't really what you could call a believer but I had had the first stages of indoctrination.

That little bit of enlightenment scared the hell out of me. I felt myself being torn away, giving up logic and reason, two things I cherish. During my first foray into questioning the validity of religion I couldn't help but think I was being watched by some unseen supernatural force. It took a little doing but by using my head I managed to overcome this false installed fear. I am so extremely happy that I wiggled out from underneath religion's oppresive thumb.

I understand what's going on even though I come across as an overbearing prick at times. You can tell by various posts that I'm toying with religion. I don't think religion is beneficial despite what some say.

 

[Hapsburg]

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

This is why I don't believe in monotheism.
To me, the gods (plural) are not all-powerful, though they are incredibly powerful. And, IMO, they didn't "create" us, they simply influence the physical universe.
To me, though they are indeed gods, they still must work within the physical confines of this universe, and so their influence is felt less tangibly than they would in their natural state, which in my opinion, exists outside of this universe, and between the other universes (presupposing the concept of multiple simultaneous universes).
And if by "lesser beings", you can include certain spiritual entities such as angeloi, numina, genii locii, etc. then I think that those were created to streamline the gods intangible, subtle influence on the world.

2. What good does worship do for a God?

Probably nothing, but then again, it's not the gods' decision that we worship them. Those that do choose to worship the gods do so of their own free will, by deciding on their own whether or not the gods are deserving of respect enough to be venerated and actively worked with.

The other questions presuppose the Christian god, and so they cover ground that my religion does not cover. So, I can only give opinion relating to those two.

 

[(Q)]

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

God didn't create lesser beings, he wanted to create perfect beings, like himself. But, he realized he made a huge error and had to send a flood to wipe everyone out so he could start over.

He realized he wasn't perfect, after all.

2. What good does worship do for a God?

Unfortunately, God lost a lot of popularity with the flood move and had no choice but to force us to worship him, or burn in hellfire for an eternity. There simply is no other alternative.

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

He might know what's about to happen, but that doesn't mean he needs to intervene, unless asked to. And even then, it's a crapshoot.

4. If angels do not have free will, how did some rebel?

Another error on Gods part, he didn't realize that when he created brains, they would get used.

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

He doesn't. But, the homeless might find some use for them.

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

this is actually pretty entertaining. I found wicca interesting, but hard to follow when I experienced it.

 

[greenberg]

and no, I don't think questioning God is wrong for a christian, so let's dispense with that.

This is odd. I imagine it is even against Christianity to hold that "questioning God is not wrong for a Christian" - "Thou shalt not tempt God and thou shalt not be the doubting Thomas".

 

[Crunchy Cat]

I am a christian. This is a religious forum. If you are Atheist, to answer these questions you must be willing to, for the sake of discussion, presuppose God's existence. If you are not, answer away.

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

2. What good does worship do for a God?

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

4. If angels do not have free will, how did some rebel?

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

and no, I don't think questioning God is wrong for a christian, so let's dispense with that.

Answer to all: I have no freakin' idea.

 

[Hapsburg]

this is actually pretty entertaining. I found wicca interesting, but hard to follow when I experienced it.

Yeah, it does have a few weird spots. The important thing to remember about Wiccan mythology: they're myths, not literal descriptions of the gods. The true nature of the gods and goddesses are left to the individual practitioner to determine.

 

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Hapsburg-do you get into the whole cape-wearing/sex magic thing? I found those rituals a bit disturbing. Rituals skyclad could also be a little cold.

 

[Hapsburg]

Nah. Most of those kinds of rituals are, IMO, more associated with British Traditional Wicca, and the foundations laid by Gardner. I mean, I think that sex magic and the concept of sex in ritual is very important, because it represents the pairing of the Lord and Lady. But I don't think it has to be literal sex, necessarily; it can be symbolic, i.e the oft-used idea of the Great Rite performed with a chalice and athame.

Since I am a Solitary and eclectic practitioner, and not a very active one at that, I haven't done many rituals or magic workings for religious purposes. I, insofar, have only done small rituals only on Sabbats, and they're not very elaborate. I am far more of a theorist of Wicca than an active ritualist and practitioner, though I am taking steps to more actively perform rituals.

 

[Adstar]

I am a christian. This is a religious forum. If you are Atheist, to answer these questions you must be willing to, for the sake of discussion, presuppose God's existence. If you are not, answer away.

1. God is Omniscient, Omniprescient, Omnipotent, and perfect. Why create lesser beings at all?

He had a purpose for them. He needed something done and this is the way He has gone about to do it. We can speculate endlessly why. I am sure the reason will eventually become self-evident.

2. What good does worship do for a God?

Worship is for our benefit, it puts our attention towards God and things of God.

3. If God is all-knowing, why "pray"?

Once again it is to our benefit to pray to God. When we communicate with God we ponder on His will. We think about Him. And that is good. Also God wants us to pray, trusting in God is a part of all the answers to these questions.

4. If angels do not have free will, how did some rebel?

Of course Angels have free will. Where in the bible does it say they do not?

Please quote the passage.

5. Does God need all these fancy buildings and such?

No.



All Praise The Ancient Of Days