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Originally posted by Holden
I don't think you can worship God or a demon without knowing you're doing it.
Originally posted by saint4God
Actually you can. In fact, most of us do in our daily lives. Worshipping money, adultery in our hearts when we're already married, anger/hate towards our neighbors or enemies...who is our god in these incidences?
Originally posted by thelibra
My belief is that intent is 90% of worship. The other 10% is ritual. Without either, how can one justify the idea that we worship false idols?
Thus from the consideration of ourselves, and what we infallibly find in our own constitutions, our reason leads us to the knowledge of this certain and evident truth, that there is an eternal, most powerful, and most knowing being; which whether any one will please to call God, it matters not. The thing is evident, and from this idea duly considered, will easily be deduced all those other attributes which we ought to ascribe to this eternal being.
Originally posted by thelibra
The Question is: Can you unconsciously worship something you'd otherwise oppose?
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic I can see how some might think that unconscious 'worship' is possible, what with the lengths some people go to to obtain wealth, power and possessions. But I think that's merely placing value on these items, not necessarily 'worship'.
value (1) relative worth, merit or importance (2) monetary or material worth (3) the worth of something in terms of the amount of other things for which it can be exchanged...etc.
worship (1) reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred (2) formal, or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage...etc.
worship: The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object.
Originally posted by blackholebrain
worship: The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object.
Worship is not just sitting in a pew and kneeling in front of something while murmuring prayers... worship is loving and devoting one's time and energy to be in the presence of something, whatever it may be.
So -- to keep with the television scenario -- even if you're not consciously saying to yourself "I'm going to worship television now" when you turn on the tube and veg-out everyday, I believe we (if we are honest) do actually *love* something IF we consciously choose to do it on a daily basis.
'Unconsicous worship' is evil because in it we consciously choose to neglect -- and withhold our time, energy, attention, money, etc. from -- other things we know to be important and meaningful.
Originally posted by masqua
Worship is an act. We consciously worship and, imo, cannot do so unconsciously.
If we worship a thing, we do so purposely and never unwittingly...and most surely in order to accomplish a desired result.