# How egotistical must an entity be to need to be worshiped **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778 "2019-05-10T14:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/1 "2019-05-10T14:57:17Z")
To paraphrase James Tiberius Kirk, “What does God need with a world full of worshipers?” When you are all-powerful, why would you need your ego boosted by lesser beings telling you what you already know. In fact, how could a being that powerful even have an ego to boo? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/2 "2019-05-10T16:18:14Z")
Because there is no God. A manmade creation has human failings. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/3 "2019-05-10T16:23:32Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Because there is no God. A manmade creation has human failings. I’m sort of hoping that those who worship explain the need for/purpose of it. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/4 "2019-05-10T16:26:15Z")
Because the deific species feed on directed mental energy. If they stop getting prayers, the concentration of assembling sacrifices, etc. then they starve and die off. Baby gods come from the minds of schizophrenics. If the schizophrenic manages to convince others to worship the voices in his head, a god is born. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/5 "2019-05-10T16:32:05Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Because the deific species feed on directed mental energy. If they stop getting prayers, the concentration of assembling sacrifices, etc. then they starve and die off. Baby gods come from the minds of schizophrenics. If the schizophrenic manages to convince others to worship the voices in his head, a god is born. Gods come from belief, but I think you have it wrong. According to [my sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Gods), gods originate from rather mundane sorts of superstition – a shepherd finds his wayward lamb in a clearing in the forest, and lays an offering to give “thanks” to the spirits that kept his lamb safe. If he continues these offerings, and others join in, then the local spirits can sort of coalesce into an actual little deity, which gains strength and power from the number and vehemence of their worshippers’ adoration. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/6 "2019-05-10T16:40:42Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Gods come from belief, but I think you have it wrong. According to [my sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Gods), gods originate from rather mundane sorts of superstition – a shepherd finds his wayward lamb in a clearing in the forest, and lays an offering to give “thanks” to the spirits that kept his lamb safe. If he continues these offerings, and others join in, then the local spirits can sort of coalesce into an actual little deity, which gains strength and power from the number and vehemence of their worshippers’ adoration. OK, so schizos & solitary mushroom eaters. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/7 "2019-05-10T16:45:52Z")
You are now touching on a specific sore spot in my family history. Wife, kids and I are a firm atheists. My family is traditionally Catholic, wife’s family Lutheran. One year my SIL asked us to join them for Easter services, because her husband was playing music. So we attended, and later met for dinner. SIL kept asking, “How did you like the services?” Over and over. Honestly, we thought them disgusting. Yeah, I know Easter Sunday is not representational of the whole year, but (in short) nothing was said to help people in THIS life. Instead, I was wondering why any god worth worshipping would want all these people in this big expensive building singing “Alleluia”, instead of - say - DOING something to actually help people or make the world better. So we kept just saying, “The music was nice.” “The church was pretty.” Etc. When she kept asking about the service itself, I thought I politically asked, “Why does God need to be worshipped?” Stupid me - I thought I was politely asking a legitimate question of someone who expressly asked my opinion. I thought she might explain some aspect of her theology which I could consider. Instead, she was irate that I would even ask such a question in front of her middle-school aged children, and did not speak to her sister or me for several years! (Which, when she finally started speaking to us again - we realized wasn’t entirely bad! ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/8 "2019-05-10T16:48:55Z")
From the thread title, I thought this was going to be about why people have dogs. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/9 "2019-05-10T16:49:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m sort of hoping that those who worship explain the need for/purpose of it. When you get the answer, be sure to ask if they know which are the correct set of sacrifices and propitiations. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/10 "2019-05-10T16:49:57Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Because there is no God. A manmade creation has human failings. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m sort of hoping that those who worship explain the need for/purpose of it. I think it is an explanation. As you pointed out in the OP, an actual all-powerful all-knowing deity wouldn’t feel the need to be worshiped by lesser beings like us. But we don’t see things from a divine perspective. We see things from a human perspective. And we’d like to be worshiped. So we project our human feelings on to a divine being and feel that he would like the same things we would like. This holds true regardless of whether or not God exists. We have to realize that the being we’re worshiping is not God; we’re worshiping our image of God. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/11 "2019-05-10T16:50:56Z")
1. This thread isn’t about where gods come from, and 2. I would _really_ like to hear from those who worship, so 3. It would nice if y’all didn’t make them feel as unwelcome as a fire-ant infested tampon by calling them names. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/12 "2019-05-10T16:54:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. This thread isn’t about where gods come from, and > 2. I would _really_ like to hear from those who worship, so > 3. It would nice if y’all didn’t make them feel as unwelcome as a fire-ant infested tampon by calling them names. You know, many of your thread topics would benefit from a more suitable _nom de plume_. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/13 "2019-05-10T16:56:42Z")
It is a desire in us to worship God - once we get to know God, it’s not a need of God to be worshipped. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/14 "2019-05-10T16:58:09Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > It is a desire in us to worship God - once we get to know God, it’s not a need of God to be worshipped. So the god you worship doesn’t require said worship at all? ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/15 "2019-05-10T17:03:17Z")
There are so many people who worship so many false gods. So when God’s followers are worshiping him they’re alleviating some of this disparity. [Isaiah 42:8](https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=T67VXM6DLqeyggeYkYCoDA&q=isaiah+42%3A8&oq=isaiah+42%3A8&gs_l=psy-ab.12...216.3325..4009...0.0..0.792.3242.4j2j0j2j0j1j2......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0.ymgU32QH6z4) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/16 "2019-05-10T17:04:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. This thread isn’t about where gods come from, and > 2. I would _really_ like to hear from those who worship, so > 3. It would nice if y’all didn’t make them feel as unwelcome as a fire-ant infested tampon by calling them names. Well, I think you poisoned the well a bit in the OP, when you framed it in terms of God/gods being egotistical. Some will say that, when people worship God, it’s for their benefit/sake, not God’s. But maybe being worshiped does make God feel good, in a way that’s analogous to what we humans feel when someone expresses their love or praise or appreciation of us. That’s not (necessarily) egotism. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/17 "2019-05-10T17:04:33Z")
Worship? A real god would have you doubt him every day. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/18 "2019-05-10T17:07:59Z")
> [@Covfefe](#): > > There are so many people who worship so many false gods. So when God’s followers are worshiping him they’re alleviating some of this disparity. [Isaiah 42:8](https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=T67VXM6DLqeyggeYkYCoDA&q=isaiah+42%3A8&oq=isaiah+42%3A8&gs_l=psy-ab.12...216.3325..4009...0.0..0.792.3242.4j2j0j2j0j1j2......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0.ymgU32QH6z4) Yes, we are aware that he is a jealous and needy god. Questions is, why? I mean, it’s not like he has to worry about competition, being the one true god and all. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/19 "2019-05-10T17:08:57Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Because the deific species feed on directed mental energy. If they stop getting prayers, the concentration of assembling sacrifices, etc. then they starve and die off. This is the approach taken in the 2003 real-time strategy game _Age of Mythology_. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778/20 "2019-05-10T17:13:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. This thread isn’t about where gods come from, and > 2. I would _really_ like to hear from those who worship, so > 3. It would nice if y’all didn’t make them feel as unwelcome as a fire-ant infested tampon by calling them names. I think the believers’ explanation would be that they worship God because he told them to and because he deserves it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-egotistical-must-an-entity-be-to-need-to-be-worshiped/833778.md?page=2)