Maybe ‘houses of worship’ were/are actually divinely meant for the parishioners — intended to be for the soul/spirit what health clinics/spas, even hospitals, are for the body and mind. And maybe the Ten Commandments were not meant to ‘obey’ in order to appease/please God but rather intended for humans’ benefit, to directly or indirectly keep people safe and healthy.
I also don't perceive God as being in singular humanoid form, let alone with gender. Nor does God need or desire to be worshipped (or perhaps even thanked) — which, at least to me, are much more traits of frail, shallow human nature.
As for Jesus, he was/is largely meant to show to people that there really was/is hope for the many — especially for young people living in today’s physical, mental and spiritual turmoil — seeing hopelessness in a fire-and-brimstone angry-God-condemnation creator requiring literal pain-filled penance/payment for sinful human behavior.
Also, maybe the Biblical books' content are more revelatory of the writers' perceptions of (their) God's nature than a fully accurate portrayal of God's actual nature?
Maybe ‘houses of worship’ were/are actually divinely meant for the parishioners — intended to be for the soul/spirit what health clinics/spas, even hospitals, are for the body and mind. And maybe the Ten Commandments were not meant to ‘obey’ in order to appease/please God but rather intended for humans’ benefit, to directly or indirectly keep people safe and healthy.
I also don't perceive God as being in singular humanoid form, let alone with gender. Nor does God need or desire to be worshipped (or perhaps even thanked) — which, at least to me, are much more traits of frail, shallow human nature.
As for Jesus, he was/is largely meant to show to people that there really was/is hope for the many — especially for young people living in today’s physical, mental and spiritual turmoil — seeing hopelessness in a fire-and-brimstone angry-God-condemnation creator requiring literal pain-filled penance/payment for sinful human behavior.
Also, maybe the Biblical books' content are more revelatory of the writers' perceptions of (their) God's nature than a fully accurate portrayal of God's actual nature?