Why Does God Require Worship?

[Laudate_Dominum]

what about my post?

[carrdero]

Laudate_Dominum writes: what about my post?

Sorry Laudate_Dominum I had forgotten that I did not respond to the rest of your post. I think that I have moved a section of your post and answered it in the HOW DOES GOD UNDERSTAND DEATH thread because I thought it would be more appropriate for that thread.

Laudate_Dominum writes: And it in no way demeans the human person or takes away from his dignity, rather it fulfills it because that "higher power" toward which we owe our very being, is in fact the source, cause, and sole fulfillment of that being.

carrdero writes: I know a few African-Americans who may disagree with you on this point.

Laudate_Dominum writes: I know sure what you are talking about here. How might these African-Americans disagree? Why does it matter that they are African-Americans? I wonder if you correctly interpret the point I was making there.

In the latter part of the 19th Century there were white southerners who had brought men and women over from Africa to submit to their “higher power”. These white Americans taught that these slaves should submit their lives, yes their very BEings, in fulfilling their cause for their masters. This as we K(NOW) was very demeaning to the Africans and took away not only their dignity but deaden their spirit as well. There are other examples in history where other “higher powers” thought they had the best intentions for their people but I guess the moral remains that we shouldn’t submit to higher powers and GOD certainly never did ask me to submit to him.

Laudate_Dominum writes: First of all I believe that God loves us no matter what we do, no matter how much we sin. But, this does not mean that there are no consequences for sins.

Yes, you can hold up a liquor store if you wanted to, but are you prepared to go to jail if you get caught? There are consequences for every action that you decide. Many people don’t figure in all the many possibilities before they say or do something. The reason that I do not hold up a liquor store is because I do not think that is considerate, it is disrespectful to the store owner and I do not want to go to jail. It is not because I am worried about my relationship with GOD or that GOD will not LOVE me or I am afraid GOD will punish me, in fact there are many people who are not considering the GOD factor before they commit a crime. There are many people who don’t consider any of the other consequences when they commit a crime. Some people feel they will never get caught.
What I am trying to say is that there are many good reasons not to commit “sins” in this physical existence then to start believing that those consequences will be observed and judged by a SUPREME BEING. Also the moral obligation should be recognize as our own, there is no understanding of actions and consequence if we continue to believe that GOD’s wrath is just hanging overhead. I believe that this is what GOD wants us to understand. That we can make the difference on this planet if we just consider the consequences of our actions.