Is being a 'servant of god' a form of slavery?

Question

If you don't serve him by choice you are punished like a disobedient slave?
Is that really a choice then?

Answer 1

Aloha Hypno Toad,

Most definitely being a servant of god is a form of slavery. But it's the most insidious kind because the enslaved doesn't even know they are imprisoned, nor that they possess the key to their liberation. In their search for salvation, they have willing traded their free will for the bonds of servility.

Freud said: "Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility."

Kierkegaard expressed a similar sentiment: "Christianity demands the crucifixion of the intellect."

The man who has no mind of his own lends it to the priests.
— George Meredith, (1828-1909)

"Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him afterward, and you have hooked a fish, a mental slave."
— Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945

The piety of "having a personal relationship with Christ" ... is alien to the New Testament... [but] evangelicals elevate it to the shibboleth of salvation! Unless you have a personal relationship with Jesus, buster, one day you will be boiling in Hell. Sheesh! Talk about the fury of a personal savior scorned!
— Robert M. Price

There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.
— Anne Nicol Gaylor

Illusions die hard and it is painful to yield to the insight that a grown-up can be no man's disciple.
— Sheldon B. Kopp

No Gods -- No Masters.
— Margaret Sanger's motto (1914)

Answer 2

well, you actually said a truth in a way.

We are servants of God or servants of our senses.
God allows us to be either one.

But we punish ourselves... we create our own bad karma, and we suffer according to our deeds... God would never send you to eternal hell... This is the part that is incorrect.

God is all merciful. He does not force us to love Him of course, and has created this material universe for us to make believe that we are Gods ourselves.

We do so much here, I'm sure sometimes the illusion is so strong, and we are so caught up in trying to inundate the senses with sense objects, that we think we are happy separately. (and it's our choice)

But we will only be truly happy when we regain our connection with the Supreme being.

Just like leaves cannot find nourishment when they are disconnected from the tree, so we will never be TRULY happy and fulfilled without connection/relationship with our source.

:-)

Answer 3

to declare that there is greater suitable than one god is unlikely against scripture in any respect. particularly, it does not contradict Isaiah 40 3. The Bible itself speaks of alternative gods. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) mentiones 3 of them: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so as that they can't see the sunshine of the gospel of the know of Christ, who's clone of God." KJV reads this way: "In whom the god of this international hath blinded the minds of them that have faith not, lest the sunshine of the surprising gospel of Christ, who's clone of God, might desire to shine unto them." Now right here Christ is stated with the aid of call (it particularly is to declare his call of the Anointed) however the 1st god and the final god are actually not stated with the aid of call. In the two situations, the Greek word rendered 'god' is theos. Now this typical god (theos), is obviously devil. And this final god (theos) is God Almighty. And Christ is clone of the final god, in accordance to this verse. Now if we reason that there is in undemanding terms one God and no others have been formed and no others exist, we'd might desire to end that this typical god (theos), it particularly is devil, is an identical because of the fact the final god (theos), it particularly is God Almighty. Are we particular that this typical god (theos) is devil? Matthew Henry's Concise fact, the 1599 Geneva learn Bible, the human beings's New testomony, Jamieson Fausset Brown's fact and nevertheless others all renowned that the 1st god stated right here, the single that is blinding the minds, is none different than devil. So, lower back, with the aid of your line of reasoning, we'd desire to attain the top that devil is God Almighty and Christ, being clone of God, is himself clone of devil. Do professed Christians have faith this? under no circumstances might that be! Isaiah 40 3:10 won't be in a position for use to help this manner of syllogism. this may well be like asserting, cows are mammals, women are mammals, consequently women are cows. it particularly is a syllogism and an misguided one. and that i might desire to desire that no person subscribes to such. Isaiah does not tutor that Yahweh is the only god in existence. Hannah J Paul

Answer 4

Sort of but my feelings are that a slave would be one who is forced to follow and do the will of someone else.

A servant is paid to do the work that they are hired to do and they receive benefits.

Answer 5

No, but God does say that you can't serve serve two masters.
You are in servitude to something,, whether it be self, God or sin. There will be something that you just can't live without, kind of like a drug. You will need it and crave i no matter what you do. If it is cheeseburgers from that fast food place down the road or your kids or God, there will be something you are a slave to. But, with God, you have the choice to walk away, but with the soda fountain and the cheeseburger, you will always be drawn back to it AGAINST your will. God only wants what you are WILLING to give.

Answer 6

You nailed it.
The Invisible Sky Pixie reputedly says things like:
Be my slave or I'll send you to hell for all eternity.
Y'all had better suck up to me or I'll send you to hell for all eternity.

Free will doesn't come into this deal.
Either there is a god and NO free will or there is NO god and it's all free will.

Answer 7

yes
but since they installed a electronic transmitter/receiver in your head, you can't stop the voices until you take over the airwaves. would be a good reason for world war, wouldn't it seem?
i beleive it's already happened, these wires. its the real reason children suffer so much ear infections. the body has to get used to the foreign device.
sounds like a horror story, but it will/already happen and who can fight that unarmed? Its the reason many kill people, because of the futility. its like being in a roman catholic hitlers concentration camp.

Answer 8

Yes. We are all slaves to something though. I used to be a slave to sin, now I am a slave to God. He is a much more loving master.

Answer 9

No, He has adopted me as a brother of Christ and so a son who will inherit all things with Jesus.

There ARE some who call themselves Christians who are still under the Law and not of God's grace. Their lives are much like slaves ; doing good to seek rewards from God and trying to avoid His wrath.

Rom 8:14-17
4 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
(from New International Version)

Gal 4:4-7
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
(from New International Version)

I am LED by God's Spirit within me .....and not driven by fear of punishment.

Answer 10

Only if you if you don't want to be his servant. If you love God realize all he does for you and gives to you and want to serve him back because you want to be as devoted to him as he is to you. Then your servanthood is a blessing to both God and you.
I am very much a free spirit in every aspect of my being. If I choose to serve God willingly and happily it is still my free will choosing to do so.