Is God a Megalomaniac?

I'm gonna warn ya, this one's long.

Yesterday my friend posted a link to a Christian blog, where the topic was this question. I was intrigued and killing some time in the airport so I thought I'd give it a little read. It was an interesting question to say the least, but I felt like his explanation had a few holes so I thought I'd give my own rebuttal :)

Before I start I want to lay a foundation of a few basic principles that may seem common knowledge to you with LDS backgrounds. However, to others, it may not be, and they are what I felt Piper was lacking in his post, and what I'll be basing mine on.

1. The Godhead consists of 3 entirely separate beings. They are one in purpose and in works, but physically there is God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost - a personage of Spirit.

2. God is literally the Father of our Spirits, and loves us as such - comlpetely unconditionally.

3. He, as an infinitely loving being, wants nothing more than to have us live with Him again. This is actually what He lives for. His purpose is to bring to pass our immortality.


So now my answer to our question: Is God a megalomaniac? No. In fact, I believe He is quite the opposite. I believe that He is never actually glorifying Himself. But He is only asking us to glorify Him. If this is the case some could still argue that He is feeding His own ego. Through all of Piper's jumping around in his post I feel like the essence of his question lies in his opening sentence

"Why [is] God’s relentless self-exaltation in all that he does is the most loving way for him to be?"

Well, I spent the greater portion of my 5 hr flight pondering and studying this out, and I feel a lot of his questions are answered with an understanding that Christ and God are separate, and when gloriying each other, are not actually glorifying themselves (I actually have a couple other theories involving word definitions and such, but we'll save that for a later date). But as to why God asks us to glorify Him, here are my thoughts:


Our Heavenly Father is just that, our Father. He wants us to come home to Him, and in order to do that we must be pure and clean, but we are fallen beings. As humans we make mistakes, no matter how much we try. Therefore, a plan had to be laid so that we could become clean. A sacrifice, an infinite sacrifice, had to be made on our behalf. God loved you and me so much that He was willing to sacrifice the only perfect Son that He would ever have, so that all of His children who wanted to return to Him, could become clean. If we never show gratitude for this sacrifice, for the Atonement, how will we ever be able to fully utilize it and understand what it has done, and can continue to do for us? If we don't wake up each morning and thank the Lord for His sacrifice, and recommit ourselves to trying just a little bit harder that day, how will we ever become pure? Is it possible for us, as imperfect beings to fully appreciate and understand something without ever experiencing it? And is it possible for us to remember and feel something so deeply if we never remind ourselves or share with others what it means to us? No, it's not.

This is why our Heavenly Father asks us to glorify Him, to thank Him, and to pray in the name of the Savior - so that we remember this ultimate sacrifice. He knows us so well that He knows we would forget, and as we forgot we would slip away from Him eternally. And the only thing in this universe the Lord wants is us back in His arms. Therefore, the more we remember and glorify Him, the closer we are to Him. And what parent doesn't want to be close to their children?

I'm sorry this is so long, but if anything I hope you all leave knowing that I know the Atonement is real. Christ is my Savior. He died so that I can make it back to my Father in Heaven, and I know that the more I pray and thank the Lord for His sacrifice, the closer I feel Him in my life.

Oops

The texting conversation of my morning:

Aubree: Whatchya doing for lunch?

Me: Nothing. Wanna go out?

My Boss: Are texting personal messages at work?

That's correct. My phone thought it would be funny to ask my boss out this morning. Thank you phone.