God and ego (agnostic, Islamic, Muslims, techniques)
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Does God have an ego that requires he be stroked, praised, worshiped and adored by his followers?
Or is this a projection from those that believe that's what God wants and needs?
Projections are our own thoughts and feelings that we displace or attribute to others.
Many years ago, I also thought it was a bit uncomfortable that God is said to have an endless need to be worshipped. Eventually while in heaven, it would seem rather stressful to find new ways to tell him how wonderful he is. He is also quoted to have admitted that he is a jealous god. Again, seems odd that an all-powerful entity would have these primitive emotions being projected at a frail human population.
Allaah(God)(swt) has no human attributes nor any needs. It is us that have the need to worship, adore and praise him. He has no need for anything we can provide. I am not capable of understanding the attributes of Allaah(swt), he is far beyond my concepts.
I do not worship Allaah(swt) because he needs me to. I worship because I need to. It is the only means of communication with God(Allaah)(swt) that I know how to do.
I beg to differ that God has no personality, no human attributes. Of course He does. Doesn't it say somewhere in the holy books of religions that we were created in his image? Is He not referred to as "the Holy Father?" Man depicts God (and all the other Gods) in all his artwork as a being, a persona........... sometimes a bit strange but always recognizable with human like parts (heads, arms, legs, torso, etc.). Never is He depicted as a blur of energy, a wind or some other faceless phenomena.
All these depictions are projections of the human mind, the psyche which portrays an image of what someone thinks the "strongest and most powerful Father figure" should represent. Back then, in the early history of mankind, people were ruled by kings and others of power who demanded the utmost reverence and respect from their subjects. It is little wonder then that these sorts of attributes were projected on their God/Gods. In today's world, where we are not required to worship our leaders, this kind of thing does not fly very well.
I beg to differ that God has no personality, no human attributes. Of course He does. Doesn't it say somewhere in the holy books of religions that we were created in his image? Is He not referred to as "the Holy Father?" Man depicts God (and all the other Gods) in all his artwork as a being, a persona........... sometimes a bit strange but always recognizable with human like parts (heads, arms, legs, torso, etc.). Never is He depicted as a blur of energy, a wind or some other faceless phenomena.
All these depictions are projections of the human mind, the psyche which portrays an image of what someone thinks the "strongest and most powerful Father figure" should represent. Back then, in the early history of mankind, people were ruled by kings and others of power who demanded the utmost reverence and respect from their subjects. It is little wonder then that these sorts of attributes were projected on their God/Gods. In today's world, where we are not required to worship our leaders, this kind of thing does not fly very well.
Those are the concepts of some Christians. Not all Theists are Christian.
In Islam we do not assign any form to Allaah(swt) as he is beyond and not part of the physical universe. He is beyond all physical attributes.
The way he is portrayed by some of us theists it would appear he does have the need to.
But I find that to be a human error of attempting to give God(swt) human Attributes. People do attempt to project their own thoughts and feelings to God(swt)
Allaah(God)(swt) has no human attributes nor any needs. It is us that have the need to worship, adore and praise him. He has no need for anything we can provide. I am not capable of understanding the attributes of Allaah(swt), he is far beyond my concepts.
I do not worship Allaah(swt) because he needs me to. I worship because I need to. It is the only means of communication with God(Allaah)(swt) that I know how to do.
I couldn't rep you and I had to say that your post is so on target. I see God as the "Father", kind of like a regular father, you respect and acknowledge. I certainly don't think that God is a narcissist which is sort of the description that I thought the OP had in mind.
There were a few years in the last 40 that I didn't meditate everyday.
I sit for hours...motionless, almost breathless (esoteric yogic techniques)...
By saying this maybe all of you will not think I am so odd when I say I have experienced God
Up close and personal....(not all of "Him")...what I have experienced about "Him" is He
is nothing if not pure feelings.
He has compassion that is unquenchable, burning and deep.
He has this forgiveness that is unimaginable for the worst of us.
His love is something that even now my mouth drops thinking about it in awe.
It is childlike, womanly, soft, tender, passionate, mothering, beaming...and He waits...waits...
longs for that one human heart to crack open for even a nanosecond....and feel and recogonize ..
H-i-m.
He waits to be loved and known...He swoons like any lover at the first touch, even a
brushing up against Him.
This is the God I know intimately...
this is why I sit for hours
...basking in Him.
I have no religion, btw...there is just my Creater God, period.
I don't need to worship and adore Him....or project anything onto Him....
I just am still and wait for what He gives me next...I grovel inside for His Grace.
I wait, silently, still like an empty cup to be filled.
Like Sunbathing on the beach...I drink in His radiant love.
Does this sound corny to those that have no idea what this could be like, sure.
Do I care, oh my gosh, not in the least...I wish this experience of the Creator on everyone here
I beg to differ that God has no personality, no human attributes. Of course He does. Doesn't it say somewhere in the holy books of religions that we were created in his image? Is He not referred to as "the Holy Father?" Man depicts God (and all the other Gods) in all his artwork as a being, a persona........... sometimes a bit strange but always recognizable with human like parts (heads, arms, legs, torso, etc.). Never is He depicted as a blur of energy, a wind or some other faceless phenomena.
All these depictions are projections of the human mind, the psyche which portrays an image of what someone thinks the "strongest and most powerful Father figure" should represent. Back then, in the early history of mankind, people were ruled by kings and others of power who demanded the utmost reverence and respect from their subjects. It is little wonder then that these sorts of attributes were projected on their God/Gods. In today's world, where we are not required to worship our leaders, this kind of thing does not fly very well.
To clarify further. In Islam there are no physical descriptions of Allaah(swt) no pictures, no statues no written physical description. We do not believe he takes on any physical form and can not be seen.
Woodrow, you are fast becoming my favorite Theist on this forum.
I am glad the OP Brought this up because I have talked about this with many people in the past.
I think more than anything, it goes back to the fact that IF a such an entity existed who was omnipotent and perfect, then such a being would be free from the flaws of egotism and jealousy, and thus the need to be worshiped.
Egotism is something human. And I think it goes back to the Bible, written by humans who projected an ego onto their god because the only comparison they had in their mind and language by which to compare their deity was a tribal chief or king. No concept existed outside of egotism, and jealousy, especially in Old Testament writings. Then in the New Testament, most of it was written by one egotistical individual, Paul, who wrote more about himself and his beliefs and experiences than about the supposed god incarnate which was said to be controlling him !
When we look to the Buddhist philosophy, we see struggles to overcome ego and greed which includes traits such as jealousy and the need to be worshiped and admired. People who need admiration of others, who need constant stroking of their ego, lack self esteem and self confidence. Kind of like the Biblical god. AS mentioned earlier, it would suck to have an afterlife where this egotist constantly wants those he (supposedly) created to spend every day worshiping him and kissing his holy hiney at every turn. What's he going to do if people refuse, send a flood and kill everyone in a fit of rage?
Not a good god. But a reflection on the socio-cultural experience of the times. A life filled with wars, tribal disputes, rampant crime and disease, superstition, and egotistical kings and rulers. What else would the early Bible writers know? How could they NOT have projected their cultural fears onto their deity? Kings and rulers of the era demanded worship and sacrifice, why then would god not as well?
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Beautifully said.
