Is it possible to worship something/someone without knowing you are doing it? Or does worship imply consent?

Question

For example:

Someone might say that sports fanatics actually worship their favorite team since they spend so much time on it.

or

Someone might say that Catholics worship Mary even though they say that they do not.

or

Someone might say that Evolutionists worship evolution.



(I have heard all of these examples stated in real life.)

Answer 1

The word "worship" means totally different from the words "admiration" and "veneration."

People who believe in God "worship" God and "venerate" (not worship) the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Fanatics "admire" their heroes in sports as well as artists in motion picture.

Sometimes people use the word "worship" to express their "extreme" admiration and veneration to others.

For as long as you understand the differences in those words, it's ok to listen to people use those words in the same way.

Take care. Happy jolidays.

Answer 2

Worship is an odd word. Usually used in reference to a Deity, it can be used for any regard involving reverent love and devotion. It comes from the same root as a the word "worthy."

Can a human feel or be affected by reverent love and devotion without knowing it? Sure, it happens every day. Conscious awareness is just a small part of the human mind.

How many Americans are truly worshiping material goods under the mistaken idea that they are appreciating their personal bounty? Is this not another Golden Cow?

Can some Atheists become so involved with intelligence and logical thought that their every waking moment is wrapped up in devotion to this? Is this not worship?

At what point does the reverent love and devotion to religious scripture cross the line and replace Divinity with the importance of words? Is this not replacing the Spirit of the Law with the Letter of the Law? Is it worship?

Answer 3

To the truest form of the definition I would have to answer yes. You worship that which you put first in your life. For example: An addict worships that which is their vice, weather it is alcohol, sex, sports, drugs, etc... Do they think that they worship these items?!? No as they see it as just their thing.

Does worship involve a conscience effort or is it an action of life? To me it is an action of life lest it just be lip service. So to me yes someone can worship unknowingly.

I hope this has shined some light on your dilemma. HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Answer 4

Wow, great question. I think it is possible to do the things associated with worship for things that are not worthy of worship.

For example you buy a new car and spend every night in the garage waxing it and talking to it and rubbing the dash, etc. You call in sick to work because you don't want rain to get on the wax job, etc. This is an extreme case but I'm just using it for an example. You're worshiping that car, but not in the sense that you believe it is an all-powerful being. You are worshiping it in the sense that you have placed it in an unnaturally high status in your life, above other things.

Alcoholics, for another example, are said to "worship" the bottle. Does that mean they pray to alcohol, of course not. It means they have placed alcohol above everything else in their life, it has become their primary focus.

So back to your question at hand - does the alcoholic consent to allow alcohol to destroy/rule his or her life? In a way, yes, but not in a conscience way. No one sets out to build an idol for themselves. Again, great question, I hope you get more responses.