Re: [OT] Question for ASC Judaism scholars...

Mickey <Mickey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:2pmr84dh4eeijgnf14c6a6jjo4hip48cfd@xxxxxxx:


As much as it pains me to do so, I have to go with Misc on this one.

I feel for you.


The simple act of bowing your head does not constitute worshiping
another God. I also don't think God would be "confused" as to my
intent, either.

The original question was "worship" but "bow down." If I walk
into a mosque and everyone is bowing their heads, I could
ask them why. The reply would probably be "to show respect
to God." If I copy them, then why am I doing it? Either
I'm showing respect to their god (which I'm forbidden to do)
or I'm a hypocrit.

The OT story of Shadrach and Co. shows the standard, which I'm
sure a reasonably orthodox Jew holds himself. The king makes
an idol and commands everyone to bow down. Shadrach and friends
refuse. They could have been "polite" and told themselves
"I'm not worshipping, I'm just showing respect for the king's
feelings." But it sure seems like convoluted sophistry to me.
They were pitched into a fiery furnace for their resistance,
but they didn't die, which can only be taken as a sign that
God approved of their impoliteness.


I believe there is only one God, and there are many ways of
worshipping him and showing Him the respect that He's due.

Pagan worship is "giving god his due". Christian worship
works the other way around. In Christian worship, God
serves man (as in washes our feet, gives His body and blood
for remission of sin, re-iterates His promises, etc.) We
don't serve God in worship, He serves us.

And yes, your view is the view of the American National
Religion. It's the "other" view. Most people like that
view because it avoids much discomfort. I don't like
it because it's the facade of tolerance over vicious
intolerance. People in the "all paths lead to the same
god" camp absolutely can't stand those of us who dare
suggest otherwise. I'm supposed to be able to practice
my religion freely in America, but the "all roads" people
have won the battle. In my religion, we teach that
women shouldn't be pastors and we give them concientious
objector status because we don't think they should be
forced to join the Army (should that occasion arise.)
We also teach that homosexuality is a sin. These views
are not all that PC, and getting more un-PC everyday.

A time is coming in the very near future where the US
will pass intolerant laws saying that any religion that
preaches intolerance can't have the tax-exempt status
enjoyed by the churches of "all roads."

Notice how the original issue of bowing came down
to "being rude." The "all roads" church believes
so firmly in its fundamental tenet, that the only
spin they can put on the not-bowing is "rude". It's
such an intolerant church that it can't see that there
might be another valid viewpoint here: Namely, that
not all gods are the same guy and the real God might
be pissed of you equate Him with His competition.

Indeed, the church of "all roads" has no basis for
its tenets except human intuition. When God has bothered
to reveal Himself, He says He doesn't like the "all roads"
doctrine. If the Jewish God was an "all roads" guy,
why would His first revelation say "I the Lord God am
a Jealous God" and "Have no other gods"?

It doesn't bother me a bit if you or anyone disagrees with
me. We're just shootin' the shit here. But as always,
my curiosity isn't "what you believe", but "why you
believe it." I believe what I believe because I read
it in the Bible. I don't know where the all-roads church
gets their ideas.


Faith comes from God, religion comes from man.

Religion is the means by which God gives faith.

B.

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.
.

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