[Cro Dreoilin] Up for Discussion: Do the Gods need worship?

[Norman]

Still on the run...:-). Not having taken the time to find a better two cents I do think that Charlotte and Sebastian have both explained it in a better and more detailed way. Until I am able to ponder on the topic more I agree/ like your views/ angles on this:-)

Norman

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 15, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Charlotte Blackwood <charlotte.blackwood at gmail.com> wrote:

> At the risk of exposing my Trekkie-ness, I recall an old-school
> episode that addressed this very question.  The episode's writer
> seemed to believe that gods need worship in order to exist, that they
> need the adoration similarly to what we need.  My personally opinion
> is that this is an anthromorphication (sp?).  I don't personally
> believe that gods NEED us to worship them, more of a "if you don't
> exist for me I don't exist for you"/ perception forming reality thing.
> If you acknowledge them and honor them, you've opened a portal/
> connection and therefore have started a dialog of sorts, to which each
> side has the opportunity to communicate w/ the other.  Otherwise, the
> portal is closed for good or for bad.
> 
> On 11/15/11, Sebastian <jsburns at gmail.com> wrote:
>> In order to answer this question I admit that I checked the dicitonary for
>> a specific definition of "worship" to understand the nuances of that term.
>> There is the obvious connotation of prostrating before the gods which seems
>> to be why many pagans cringe at the term. However, there is one possible
>> definition that seems to answer this question of "what do you mean by
>> worship?" in my own perspective. "formal or ceremonious rendering of [...]
>> honor and homage". Now, on to the bigger question of need. If we aproach
>> need as the idea that without our worship of them that they would fall into
>> disrepair or that they are so proud that they require veneration for
>> sustenance, I would say no. My answer would come from the perspective of
>> building a relationship as you would with another person. In order to build
>> a healthy relationship with another human, there is an amount of give and
>> take, and this is where the "need" comes in to play. I wish to build a
>> strong, healthy relationship with the gods and ancestors and my half of the
>> give and take comes in the form of tanks, offerings, veneration and plain
>> "good ole fashion'd conversation". So, in short, if you desire not to have
>> a relationship with the gods, then no, they do not need worship.
>> 
>> ~Sebastian
>> 
>> On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 9:48 AM, Norman <planner1968 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> I am on the jump to run my day today but here are a few cent of my
>>> thoughts on it. I do think that every deity needs attention. How does that
>>> look and what is considered worship/ attention? If I ask my deity for
>>> something and that's it, that in my opinion is not attention or worship or
>>> however you call it. It's more about paying more attention about the
>>> happenings,signs and communications in your life and how you engage with
>>> them. You thank your deities, maybe even write a little thank you note for
>>> a start. Just as you do with the people. Get into a dialog. At a later
>>> point I will write more but now on my way into the world conquering my
>>> kingdom:-)
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>> On Nov 15, 2011, at 9:31 AM, Chris and Kelley <
>>> chris.n.kelley at astronomytower.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> In the interest of getting more discussion going on this list, we're
>>> going to start posting some topics for talk.
>>>> 
>>>> Our first topic: Do the Gods need worship?
>>>> 
>>>> This is not just a yes or no answer; there are lot of questions in this
>>> one question. Consider:  Which Gods are we talking about? What do we mean
>>> by "need"? What do we mean by "worship"?
>>>> 
>>>> Have at it.
>>>> 
>>>> -- Chris and Kelley.
>>>> 
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>> 
> 
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