"praise"

Religious people "praise" God. Something in the modern heart is revolted by the notion of a being who approaches people so He can be praised by them. The modern mind confuses recognizing the primordial, surpassing excellence of He Who is Responsible For All That is Excellent, with abasing one's self ("We're not WOORthy!") and pretending one has not been built with any redeeming qualities or merit whatsoever (WHO made us again? WHAT quality of work does He do?) "How big is God's ego?" it wonders. "Why does He need the validation of others?" it continues. It's not like that. The praising of God is like (unto) a girl with gorgeous breasts, who is alone with a man she cares about and who is seriously commited to her. She opens her shirt and removes her bra, and the man touches her eagerly and lovingly and says over and over how beautiful he sees that they are (and she, of which they form only a part, truly is). A strong connection between the two is formed. It's like that. God = girl with gorgeous breasts. Praise is what the man is doing. What is she doing? What God does. It's not a question of "How big is her ego that she needs validation like that?" Is it weird to compare God to a beautiful, partly naked girl? No. The beautiful, partly naked girl is perfect for understanding God. God put a part of His own position and essential nature into that girl. To appreciate her is to see God's signature on and in her flesh. The bible more than once uses this kind of comparison. (the bible is full of things about "breasts like clusters of grapes" "breasts like towers" and other such talk) Because, the males in the room "get" what that means. It is close to their hearts, to their psyches. I think the girls get it too, albeit more from God's side of things. Or, it's like God is Tobey McGuire. Tobey is tired, he wants a smoke, and he doesn't want to do it at first, but there is a room packed full of excited children and teenagers who will, if they get to see "Spider-man" in the flesh, talk about it for the rest of their lives every time celebrity, comic books or movie actors are mentioned. So Tobey presents himself, and they freak out and are in ecstasy, and he's glad to be able to make them feel that way. It isn't (though it can be) an ego thing. It can be just about making people happy because you can. The praising of God isn't something done because God demands it. It is done because, given that God is not only the Coolest Thing In The Whole of Existance, but also the Source Of Everything That Is Or Ever Was Excellent and of Value, any true grasping of what it means to have Him taking steps to make us happy will result in Him getting what He wants, which is us getting happy like that. God doesn't always get to make us happy, any more than parents always get to give their kids whatever the kids want. Praise is when God and people who seek Him both get what they want.