A reader of my blog has asked whether or why God needs or wants to be worshipped (ie. loved). But I have not said anything like that. Why should anyone assume that God, as Creator of all that exists, is like we humans and our faithful pets? Or, did we, contradictorily, create him in our image (= of our nature)? Who came first?
Then, do our pets assume that we, their masters, want or need to be loved? May be they do! But, did not humans domesticate wild dogs or wolves; and get them to serve us (perhaps with love)? We will need to leave cats, fish, hamsters, and other pets out of this discussion, for purposes of simplicity.
Yet another question asked of me is who created God (the Creator). Some might say that we humans did; but this does not make sense. A philosopher will probably define this question as semantically meaningless. The Creator is the cause of all causes. Definitionally, one cannot have a precursor to God, the Creator.
Let us go further. What if God, as Creator, has neither form nor substance? That is why Hindus pray to objectified emanations of the amorphous essence that is the Creator (and which/who is also said to be immanent in all things created). Further, what if this God set up the ‘machinery’ of existence that is the Cosmos and all its components, such that everything operates autonomously, perhaps with a degree of ‘free will,’ to unpredictable ends?
With such a concept of God, there should surely be no place for emotions like fear or love – only prayer or communion, floating on faith. Faith is all. Offer love, if you will.
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 