That kind of makes it seem like a cosmic game of peek-a-boo. Whether or not we are acknowledging their existence, I believe they would still be there.<br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Charlotte Blackwood <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:charlotte.blackwood@gmail.com">charlotte.blackwood@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">At the risk of exposing my Trekkie-ness, I recall an old-school<br>episode that addressed this very question. The episode's writer<br>
seemed to believe that gods need worship in order to exist, that they<br>need the adoration similarly to what we need. My personally opinion<br>is that this is an anthromorphication (sp?). I don't personally<br>believe that gods NEED us to worship them, more of a "if you don't<br>
exist for me I don't exist for you"/ perception forming reality thing.<br> If you acknowledge them and honor them, you've opened a portal/<br>connection and therefore have started a dialog of sorts, to which each<br>
side has the opportunity to communicate w/ the other. Otherwise, the<br>portal is closed for good or for bad.<br>
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<div class="h5"><br>On 11/15/11, Sebastian <<a href="mailto:jsburns@gmail.com">jsburns@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>> In order to answer this question I admit that I checked the dicitonary for<br>> a specific definition of "worship" to understand the nuances of that term.<br>
> There is the obvious connotation of prostrating before the gods which seems<br>> to be why many pagans cringe at the term. However, there is one possible<br>> definition that seems to answer this question of "what do you mean by<br>
> worship?" in my own perspective. "formal or ceremonious rendering of [...]<br>> honor and homage". Now, on to the bigger question of need. If we aproach<br>> need as the idea that without our worship of them that they would fall into<br>
> disrepair or that they are so proud that they require veneration for<br>> sustenance, I would say no. My answer would come from the perspective of<br>> building a relationship as you would with another person. In order to build<br>
> a healthy relationship with another human, there is an amount of give and<br>> take, and this is where the "need" comes in to play. I wish to build a<br>> strong, healthy relationship with the gods and ancestors and my half of the<br>
> give and take comes in the form of tanks, offerings, veneration and plain<br>> "good ole fashion'd conversation". So, in short, if you desire not to have<br>> a relationship with the gods, then no, they do not need worship.<br>
><br>> ~Sebastian<br>><br>> On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 9:48 AM, Norman <<a href="mailto:planner1968@yahoo.com">planner1968@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:<br>><br>>> I am on the jump to run my day today but here are a few cent of my<br>
>> thoughts on it. I do think that every deity needs attention. How does that<br>>> look and what is considered worship/ attention? If I ask my deity for<br>>> something and that's it, that in my opinion is not attention or worship or<br>
>> however you call it. It's more about paying more attention about the<br>>> happenings,signs and communications in your life and how you engage with<br>>> them. You thank your deities, maybe even write a little thank you note for<br>
>> a start. Just as you do with the people. Get into a dialog. At a later<br>>> point I will write more but now on my way into the world conquering my<br>>> kingdom:-)<br>>><br>>> Sent from my iPhone<br>
>><br>>> On Nov 15, 2011, at 9:31 AM, Chris and Kelley <<br>>> <a href="mailto:chris.n.kelley@astronomytower.net">chris.n.kelley@astronomytower.net</a>> wrote:<br>>><br>>> > In the interest of getting more discussion going on this list, we're<br>
>> going to start posting some topics for talk.<br>>> ><br>>> > Our first topic: Do the Gods need worship?<br>>> ><br>>> > This is not just a yes or no answer; there are lot of questions in this<br>
>> one question. Consider: Which Gods are we talking about? What do we mean<br>>> by "need"? What do we mean by "worship"?<br>>> ><br>>> > Have at it.<br>>> ><br>
>> > -- Chris and Kelley.<br>>> ><br>>> > _______________________________________________<br>>> > Community mailing list<br>>> > <a href="mailto:Community@crodreoilin.org">Community@crodreoilin.org</a><br>
>> > <a href="http://crodreoilin.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/community" target="_blank">http://crodreoilin.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/community</a><br>>><br>>> _______________________________________________<br>
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