If god is perfect, why does he need worship?

Question

In the first testament he comes across as pretty jealous and proud, giving peple various tests to prove their love to him eg: sacrifces. Why does he feel the need to be worshipped? Isn't that a little egotistical? If he was perfect then he wouldn't need to be adored by everyone.

Stevie: Perfect health? Pah!

Answer 1

Well, if "Religion" really knew who or what "God" was, maybe they'd know the answer.

it's all about "willing suspension of disbelief" and all that kind of thing, don't you know?

Cheers!

ST

Answer 2

God doesn't need worshiped, he DESERVES it. It was also instituted for man, to keep people centered on the true God. Look at all the religions that were created when man left the worship of God and then tried to come back on their own terms. They worship cows, statues and in some big churches today even riches.

Answer 3

I can't answer your question. To say I could would be a lie. But I love God. I want to worship Him. He FREED me (although I doubt many Churches would admit it). Maybe he was preparing the way for the Messiah, who would free us from the rules and sin of society and give us one commandment: love. 1 Corinthians 13:3 tells us love is the only commandment. The one thing God wants is love, and He loves all of His sheep. The tests then might prove as inspiration now. You can say you love God, but would you give up your only son for Him (like Abraham [was that the guy?] almost did)?

Answer 4

Actually God never needs anything as God is and has everything. Really the worship is for the benefit of the worshiper. Man has an ego that thinks it created itself. Man is ignorant of his Oneness with God. We are part and parcel of God. However, it is our ego that keeps us separate from God.

In the process of worshipping, of being humble and bowing down to God, we are infact submitting our ego thus opening our hearts and minds to God.

Our minds easily attach and hold onto whatever it focuses on. It easily attaches to materialistic desires. During worship, it helps our minds focus more on God. It is very effective for us when we do this. In the process of worshipping God, we then become closer and feeling God more when we have submitted our ego.

On the surface it looks egoistic, but hidden it is really very beneficial for us. We are given many tools to aid our worship: songs/hymns/bhajans/music, scripture, images, and churches/temples. All of these things help our minds attach to God more rather than sinful activities. A sin is anything that keeps us separate from God, trapped in the physical and materialistic world. Sin means ignorance. Ignorant of our Oneness with God.

I'm only speaking from the Hindu perspective.

Answer 5

Worshipping God is to show our delight in Him for His mercy and goodness to us and for being our Father. Worship is not a chore but a celebration. The sacrifices in the Old Testament were required for the redemption of sins committed by the people for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Answer 6

The God is always perfect. The worship is required for a man to be perfect. Man has many engagments, thinking in his mind and get disturbed with all thses ones. To have piece the neutral thinking like worship is required. To sleep lying in bed is required, similarly physical procedure of going to church, mandir, masjid and offering prayer etc. worshp are necessay

Answer 7

I believe that the concept of God we have was created by humans. If God were truly as magnificently loving and good as people say why wouldn't the love be unconditional? Why would he condemn people who led otherwise good lives to hell for not following a certain religion, worshiping God, or worshiping and believing a certain way? Doesn't make sense. What kind of free will is that really as well? Like someone sticking a gun to someone's head and saying you are perfectly free to not bow down to me and do as I say but of course if you don't I will pull this trigger. This God is either not real and created by us or a petty tyrant not worthy of a worthwhile person's worship.

In Christianity worship and accepting Christ as your savior are prerequisites to not going to Christian hell. Read the Bible it is pretty clear, God requires and demands worship and condemns those who do not. Why would a good loving God require bloodshed to forgive sin?

Answer 8

The purpose of Worship unto God,is ultimately for the benefit of the believer rather than to supply some sort of emotional need of God. It is a conduit to bring one into deeper covenant and intimacy with God. Being that the benefits of worship are spiritually discerned and therefore, a subjective experience,it is difficult,at best to present an adequate description.

EDIT While on earth, worship, obedience and faith are keys in building relationship with God. God desires relationship,more than anything.

"Searcher"..has a very good answer..check it out.

Answer 9

That's a great question. Only needy people with low self esteem want to hear compliments all the time. A being so vastly superior to humans should be apathetic about getting praise. I think that the whole singing and praying praises thing is a way for theists to impress their gods and get brownie points for their afterlife.

Answer 10

The word 'worship' has it's roots in the word 'work'. Translated from the original language through the Greek and into English it has come to mean vocal supplication to God. But if you stick to the original root word then it makes a lot more sense. People had to 'work' to remain in God's favor. They had to 'work' to accept that He is the only true God and one way of doing that was to 'talk' to Him...so they can learn. In reverence they bowed their heads and 'talked' with God, they 'worked' to communicate with Him.

But through the ages and manipulations of controlling religious leaders the word 'worship' took on a different meaning.

Answer 11

God doesn't just come across as jealous - it's written somewhere in the Bible 'But the Lord Thy God is a jealous God' - can't be bothered to Google it - it's there somewhere - Dot Cotton would know.
Deuteronomy 5