Isn't pantheism safer?

[chakka35]

Someone suggested (it might have been Dawkins) that those who believe in God might discover, when they reach the hereafter, that the Bloke-in-Charge is actually some other deity and that they have therefore been worshipping the wrong one all the time. I can just picture the scene:

Theland and I are sitting together at Afterlife Reception waiting to be interviewed, classified and sent to our fates. An official calls out "All rise! Your god approaches!" and into the room walks�Zeus!

Zeus is cross with me for having refused to believe in any god, including him. But he is absolutely livid with Theland for having worshipped a false deity called "God" all his life. So I am grudgingly given second-class accommodation in heaven and poor old Theland is consigned to the other place.

So, Theland and others, isn't monotheism risky? Wouldn't it be better to embrace pantheism � covering all possibilities, just in case?

[China Doll]

My dog is currently chasing her tail and growling at it.... that seems as good a way forward as any Octavius.

[Octavius]

I just tried it. Its harder than it looks you know. A bit like that self-cleaning thing male dogs do.

[XL]

I think our 'monotheistic' religions are tenuously labelled as such.

Jesus, Mary, Mohamed, apposles, prophets and saints are all worshipped, prayed to and acknowledged as devine - sounding suspiciously like gods to me...

[Theland]

In Catholicism they are all worshipped, but Biblically, only God, and His Son, Jesus Christ are worthy of worship.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Mohammed is worshipped in Catholicism?

Has anyone told Octavius?

[China Doll]

I was raised a catholic, are you sure?

[Theland]

Mohammed? No. But give it time. This pope is as ecumenical as they come, and judging by the guests at the Assissi conferences, the Vatican is trying to get everybody under its wing, from muslims to African snake charmers.
If it moves, worship it, and if it doesn't move, well, worship it anyway!

[mibn2cweus]

If it moves, worship it, and if it doesn't move, well, worship it anyway!

If worship is anything like what I'm thinkin' . . . a few people I have known are a shoe in!

[naomi24]

Mib, would that be in a mysterious way?

[Theland]

"shoe in?"

[China Doll]

That had better not be pop at my shoe obsession darling Mibs! ;0P

[Theland]

foot in the door maybe?

[China Doll]

Mibs is most likely doing his enigmatic, tortured genius thing...I bet he thinks it makes girls fancy him.

(My chances of Mibs leaving me a pretty link have just dropped greatly I think!)

[Theland]

I might try that myself. Might get a click.

[China Doll]

Chuckles

You never know!

Right, I need to go visit the depths of North London (yuck) so I'd better go brush my hair and attempt presentability. Have a good day!

[Theland]

By the time you come back I will have changed my hairstyle to the wild grey frizz of Einstein, wearing a pair of pince nez, and a frock coat covered in pigeon droppings.
I can tell you I'm getting excited!

[China Doll]

Wonders how she'll tell Mib's and Theland apart in future

[Theland]

Mibs has a credit card, I only have a Tesco club card.
Oh yes, Mibs wears socks.

[styley]

It would be really annoying if someone who rose through the ranks to become the be all and end all God, turned out to be such an a/hole that he would judge you on your beliefs rather than your deeds.

[naomi24]

But that's the point, Styley. Apparently he does judge us on our beliefs rather than on our deeds. If we don't believe then we've had our chips, and all the good deeds in the world won't change that. There are many truly good people who don't happen to be Christian - but where are they going to end up? Yep, you've guessed it.

It's all about 'worship' and dire threats isn't it? It's tyrannical really. Do as I say or else! I can't help wondering why this almighty feels the need to be so adored and lauded continually. After all, we can all see how clever and powerful he is by what he tells us he created, and it's pretty impressive, so why does he need to keep pushing the point? Can't get cleverer than that. If he were human, we'd say he had a bit of a problem and send him to a psychiatrist. Pathetic!