We’re made to worship God, it’s pretty clear from human tendencies/the Bible.
As someone who struggles with the fandom/other sinful things taking precedence over God, I will tell you this:
It doesn’t fill that empty hole in their lives left by rejecting God. The godless try to fill that empty spot in their lives, but end up more miserable, because their souls are still crying out for that fulfilling love only God provides.
One of the questions that bothers me, as a practicing Christian, regards the 'God shaped hole' you've talked about.
How do you differentiate a real need from God from a developmental deficit-- one which results from an adult wishing that a parental (or surrogate for parental) authority would tell them what to do, thus absolving them of the hard decisions that come from adulthood? Isn't belief in God simply a use of Reified Authority in the form of a Heavenly Father to slake this same thirst?
It's one of those haunting questions.
Even Atheist communities talk about 'deconversion' being necessary to prevent other fervors from sitting in the place once reserved for God. The majority of Atheists and Antitheists never deconvert entirely, so wind up devoted to another belief system.
Hmmm, I’m admittedly not the best Christian (see above comment) but I’ll try to answer. I don’t want to rely completely on my own human knowledge so I’ll mainly use Bible chunks.
I think the need to worship comes from God wanting us to have His love front and center in our lives. By having other things take precedence, it’s not really a developmental issue (I despise secular terms, so I’m going to drop this now) it’s more of an issue of idolatry.
Your life and morals are going to revolve around whatever you worship, it’s one of the reasons we have all these “No objective truth” (God) mindsets whose lives are chaotic. I wouldn’t even say God is my first object of worship (I’m working on it), otherwise I’d abandon these boards for good. God knows that we’re going to worship and mold otherselves along those lines:
“And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Exodus 20:1-7.
God is jealous because he only wants the best for us and knows if we worship anything but Him, we’re going to start destroying ourselves by following base desires. By welcoming God and Jesus into your heart, you are transformed according to God’s will and order. Your life may be turned upside down from His will, but it will ultimately be more fulfilling and healthy in the long run.
As Paul says:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If Jesus looked into your body (the temple) would he find a house of prayer or a den of thieves (worldly topics/desires; video games, maybe?). Your conduct will be structured around that topic.
So the “hole” isn’t really a matter of trying to have a higher authority absolve you if your misdeeds, it’s about being filled by a guiding love to improve yourself and then spread the salvation God has granted you (and the trials as well, for they will come).
I hope that at least answered some of your question or helped you in some way.
We’re made to worship God, it’s pretty clear from human tendencies/the Bible.
As someone who struggles with the fandom/other sinful things taking precedence over God, I will tell you this:
It doesn’t fill that empty hole in their lives left by rejecting God. The godless try to fill that empty spot in their lives, but end up more miserable, because their souls are still crying out for that fulfilling love only God provides.
I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here.
One of the questions that bothers me, as a practicing Christian, regards the 'God shaped hole' you've talked about.
How do you differentiate a real need from God from a developmental deficit-- one which results from an adult wishing that a parental (or surrogate for parental) authority would tell them what to do, thus absolving them of the hard decisions that come from adulthood? Isn't belief in God simply a use of Reified Authority in the form of a Heavenly Father to slake this same thirst?
It's one of those haunting questions.
Even Atheist communities talk about 'deconversion' being necessary to prevent other fervors from sitting in the place once reserved for God. The majority of Atheists and Antitheists never deconvert entirely, so wind up devoted to another belief system.
Hmmm, I’m admittedly not the best Christian (see above comment) but I’ll try to answer. I don’t want to rely completely on my own human knowledge so I’ll mainly use Bible chunks.
I think the need to worship comes from God wanting us to have His love front and center in our lives. By having other things take precedence, it’s not really a developmental issue (I despise secular terms, so I’m going to drop this now) it’s more of an issue of idolatry.
Your life and morals are going to revolve around whatever you worship, it’s one of the reasons we have all these “No objective truth” (God) mindsets whose lives are chaotic. I wouldn’t even say God is my first object of worship (I’m working on it), otherwise I’d abandon these boards for good. God knows that we’re going to worship and mold otherselves along those lines:
“And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Exodus 20:1-7.
God is jealous because he only wants the best for us and knows if we worship anything but Him, we’re going to start destroying ourselves by following base desires. By welcoming God and Jesus into your heart, you are transformed according to God’s will and order. Your life may be turned upside down from His will, but it will ultimately be more fulfilling and healthy in the long run.
As Paul says:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If Jesus looked into your body (the temple) would he find a house of prayer or a den of thieves (worldly topics/desires; video games, maybe?). Your conduct will be structured around that topic.
So the “hole” isn’t really a matter of trying to have a higher authority absolve you if your misdeeds, it’s about being filled by a guiding love to improve yourself and then spread the salvation God has granted you (and the trials as well, for they will come).
I hope that at least answered some of your question or helped you in some way.
God bless!