What's the point of worship?

[NJOK]

I don't mean to be controversial but this genuinely baffles me.

If God (of whatever religion) is wise and all-powerful and all-knowing and generally good, why does he reward people who go to church (or the synagogue or mosque or whereever), and proclaim how great he is?

It just strikes me as vanity on his part.

If he's deciding who to let into heaven, shouldn't he be rewarding those who lead good lives, live by his rules, and aren't sinful, rather than those who, to put it bluntly, spend their time kissing his a*se?

It just seems that with all his wisdom, he'd rather see us spending an hour on sunday helping others, rather than sitting in church telling him how great he is.

It'd be like a parole officer releasing a prisoner not because of his behaviour on the inside but because he makes complimentary remarks about the parole officer's hair.

Sorry to sound flippant. But I really am interested in a religious person's view on this...

[naomi24]

Mmmm .... especially as god is supposed to know the secrets of all hearts, so would know if someone was just trying to get into his good books anyway.

[jake-the-peg]

Because Our God is involved in an interdimentional universe competition with lots of other Gods.

They've all created their best Universes and the one that praises it's creator the most wins a red ribbon and a bottle of Asti-spumante

Oh sorry you wanted a sensible answer - I'll get me coat!

[luna-tic]

By the very nature of some religious groups methods to acquire followers should undoubtedly remove their free pass to heaven.

[naomi24]

Still - makes them feel holy though. Poor NJOK - he wanted answers from religious people, and what's he got? Jake, Luna and me!! Sorry NJOK - wait for me Jake!

[Llamatron]

Maybe he was bullied at god school and has low self esteem.

[RATTER15]

Its all a load of BOLLOKS!!!!!!!!!!

[Llamatron]

So very true Ratter.

[jackthehat]

My Mother-in-Law (?) is a church-goer and has been recently considering changing her place of worship. I have no idea what form the services take but at the end they are informed that as the collection plate is passed round "This will be a silent collection".............church-speak for "NO COINS" therefore minimum deposit �5..........

Crikey. It's a bit of a cheek............not only has she got to spend two hours banging on about how great her God is, she has to pay for the privilege, too.

"Thy God is a jealous God.........(and a little bit hard-up at the minute, mate, I don't suppose you could...........)"

[luna-tic]

Are they sure money is the root of all evil?

[pugwashjw]

Worship is like saying...Thank you.

[pugwashjw]

It is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil...not just money itself.
(1 Timothy 6:10) For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

(2 Timothy 3:2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal,

Greed for money is the problem
(Ecclesiastes 7:12) For wisdom is for a protection [the same as] money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners.

Ordinary money is a protection.

[naomi24]

Pugwashjw, How much money is ordinary money?