"Worship: the emotional reverence for someone or something."
I kinda think that in a similar manner, 'veneration' is an emotional reverence for a person or a place.
As in, mormons worship ghawd and venerate the modern prophets.
I assume that Exmos do NOT venerate the modern prophets, but some unknown percentage do worship 'ghawd'.
Now the nitty-gritty: "emotional reverence"... Do I feel this towards someone or something (other than myself [HA!])? And I tend to want to exclude the notion of romantic love, or pair-bonding, because the nature (definition) of romantic love is not absolutely something we'd all agree on...
Who/what do I worship? Answer this question for yourself; some of you, I think the answers might startle the readership.
En fin, where am I, where are you, on the the (supposed) sliding scale of 'worship'? On the scale of '1' (...eh, hit the snooze button again...) to '100' (dynamite-vested fanatic), where are you?
People who worship apparently get off on grouping together, for support and approbation I suppose. Are you into 'grouping'?
People who worship probably want to 'grow' their ability to worship (in order to be recognized?) so they may seek people under whom to study... Are you oriented towards one or more gurus?
Muse along with me; apparently Halloween is going to be canceled, so you've got the time!
It's still too soon for me to think about worshipping anything. My personal relationship with a god/Heavenly Father is tied so heavily still with the programming I have gotten since youth. As I break down my trust and belief in the LDS church, it is hard to still cling to the crumbling picture of deity or to separate something good from it. Maybe when I am done processing the grief and trauma of losing this faith, once the dust has settled, I'll be able to rebuild an idea of something. Right now and until then, I am frightened of handing over my faith to anything.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2020 12:13PM by thegoodman.
I hope you can find a way to spend time with yourself, evaluating what is important to you. You might rebuild a sense of awe in nature, star dust, and the beauty of self study.
I suggest you step back from the whole faith/god/religion thing for a while and focus on things that bring you joy. Maybe you have a hobby or want to spend more time with family or serving others in a meaningful way. Maybe you want to reach some physical goal or read great books.
You don't need to hand over faith. Just Follow Your Bliss to quote Joseph Campbell. Eventually you will find what is important to you for your life's purpose and the faith question will resolve itself.
Catholics use the term "venerate" in the same way that you would use "deep respect." They worship God, but venerate the saints.
I don't worship anyone or anything. I feel more of a sense of deep appreciation for the creation, the creator (if any,) life in general, my life in particular, my family, etc. The concept of spending time in a dedicated building to express that appreciation is rather foreign to me at present. I'd rather be out in nature, with family and friends, and so on.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2020 12:41PM by summer.
Definitely an introvert. I prefer most of my time to myself except my dogs.
I would say I do worship my dogs. They have saved my life in so many ways and helped my kids so much. I worship my kids. I can honestly say those are the things I worship.
A pervasive evil of this magnitude must be cleansed as a scourge upon the earth.
Cleansed by fire! The spirit of god like a FIRE is burining.
Let nobody be injured, but let an act of god take a temple to be burned as stubble. Please god? Can you take just a few of false gods temples? Just for Kicks?
I worship no one ever. I am a fan of no one. I may be in awe to the point of possessing a burning bosom for a great performance by a pianist or singer or artist but my admiration ends with the last note played and lives only in the memory of that.
My veneration is temporary. It lands here and there like a butterfly, like happiness does, and then is gone in a flutter until brilliance demands its presence once again.
I will read a page over and over because of the brilliance and inventiveness of twisted words or exploratory intellect, but that all ends on page 375 with the epilogue and then is savored for a while like a fine wine before---on to the next!
Grouping is an illness in my book. Aligning yourself with anything or anyone excessively inhibits growth and leaves one aping and mimicking rather than kicking the slats of your cage.
And gurus. Always learn from many, not from one. Can there ever be enough input?
Maybe I'm codependent on my dogs (or they are codependent on me). I get them knowing I'll have to tell them good-bye too soon. It nearly kills me every time. But I choose to go out and get another one as they give me something that nobody and nothing else ever has. I decided a few dogs ago that I would adopt as then I was doing something for them and not just for myself. My adopted dogs obviously KNOW that I saved them. I can tell the difference. I've had 2 dogs that were bred. So, yep, I know the difference.
My kids. Need I say more. Am I codependent? My daughter has lived in Alaska for 12 summers. I've never stopped her. Told her to go. I don't call them. I let them call me. When they need me, they call. I do hover. I worry about them. I have a son going through a lot right now and he has been through a lot. Probably bipolar. I've known for a long time, but when he didn't live here, I didn't go visit him and his roommates. I always know they'll contact me should they need me. My siblings who feel like I'm their mother the same. I let them call me.
I do worship my children and my dogs. Without them, I would have checked out long ago. They are a part of me.
In regards to group dynamics of worship even mega churches with thousands in attendance will settle into smaller groups of around 50, each with its own matriarch and group history. On a more formal basis this happens with long lived adult sunday school classes as well.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2020 11:10AM by siobhan.
Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou Heavenly Father you are so wonderful and wise and loving thankyou thank you thank you.
What has bothered me the most about the way that people worship their various gods is the thought of a being who not only can tolerate, but craves, constant praise.
Imagine billions of people groveling and kissing your ass every single day. Sniveling sycophants bootlicking. We're supposed to believe this highly advanced being is into that? It's absolutely sick.
Yeah, who would want that? If I created this beautiful planet, I would want people to get out and enjoy it, not lock themselves up in some dusty building singing my praises.