theosophical rambings

[thedarkproject]

While waiting in the Chinese takeaway for my Sunday dinner, I couldn't help but notice that they had Songs Of Praise on the tv in the corner. It was enjoyable in a way, because watching it used to remind me of Sundays back home, when I had no worries such as bills or women or employment. Yet even back then the programme bored me, as I was never one for singing or religion. Now, however, it worries me somewhat, to watch these people of all ages and colours joining together to fervently sing some quite odd songs. Organised worship seems to be quite a mistake.

If God does exist, and is as benevolent as the Christian church claims, then I doubt he is so petty as to reject an otherwise good person merely because they didn't give up one day in seven to stand around in a pretty building and sing about him. He wouldn't need reminding just how omnipotent he is all the time, especially since he's omniscient as well. Surely he would prefer his subjects to spend that spare time doing something useful for others.

If on the other hand, God exists and is more ambivalent, or even malevolent, then although periodic worship may well guarantee you a place in heaven by satisfying his narcissistic whim, heaven is unlikely to be the idyllic place alluded to in the scriptures. This would therefore mean worship is not as useful as thought, and besides which this God is not as deserving of such worship anyway. Is life truly so bad that you'd dedicate it to trying to earn a place in a selfish and fickle deity's heaven?

And if God doesn't exist, then it's all a hopeless waste of time anyway.

Possibly the worst case scenario is that there is a god, but it's not the one that most people believe in. I can half imagine Odin getting angry at the billions of foolish mortals that switched sides due to Jehovah having the best preachers, and condemning them all to Hel out of irritation.

Comments

[fiendil.livejournal.com]

"Heaven for the weather, hell for the company" to paraphrase Mark Twain.

[fiendil.livejournal.com]

And of course, if you got to heaven, the only people there are the ones who did nothing with their lives, and the hardcore god botherers.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

Most all of us would be condemned to Hel regardless of whether we worship the Nordic gods or not, as everyone that dies goes to Hel except those that die in battle, and I don't think many Ásatrúar are dying in battle these days.

[thedarkproject]

Perhaps if Odin had been more popular, there would be more honourable deaths in battle. :)

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

And more hack-and-slash..?

[erishkigal.livejournal.com]

"While waiting in the Chinese takeaway for my Sunday dinner"
Damn, am I jealous!
Yeah, I always kinda wondered if there was actually a God, just some really obscure one that we'd not really paid any attention to. I dont want to provoke its fury by worshipping a false idol afterall :O

[ironlord.livejournal.com]

He wouldn't need reminding just how omnipotent he is all the time, especially since he's omniscient as well.

And he'd make a crap guitarist.

[njaard.livejournal.com]

Amen, brother!

[nostalgiaplatz.livejournal.com]

What if people just like singing songs about god, not because they're brown-nosing their way into heaven, but because... I don't know... that's what they do instead of alphebetizing their cd collection or fighting organised crime.

[njaard.livejournal.com]

Can you rephrase that in the style of "TV-Preacher"?

[thedarkproject]

You didn't see the gleam in their eyes...

[dodgygothbint.livejournal.com]

Hehe - I was on Songs of Praise when I was 7! Little blonde Anja in her NHS glasses and mint green anorak freezing on Gorleston seafront at the front of a big choir...
Don't actually remember anyone enjoying themselves!

[vokzal.livejournal.com]

It isn't a waste of time if you personally get someting out of it. A straight ride to heaven is not that thing.

Organized religious groups are willing to step into world hot spots that others aren't. Granted, some of them are bigoted, but the better ones aren't.

[thedarkproject]

I was thinking more of organised worship rather than organised religion - the actual act of worship seems pretty pointless and contrary to what a real God would require.

As for the hot spots thing... it's likely that many of those would not exist if it wasn't for religion in the first place! ;)