Vending Machine God

I was re-watching OMG with my friends last night, which is one of my favorite Indian movies. (I don’t agree with its whole message but I think it brings up some great points and speaks of a faith larger than we usually experience day to day). Anyway, there’s a point where Sri Krishna says that people are always trying to make bargains with him: If I get the job, I will shave my head. If I get pregnant I will go to temple five Mondays in a row, etc. That kind of thing.

And it reminded me of many times when I’ve done that sort of thing and how I’ve seen it in people of all faiths.

I think in Christianity it tends to be reversed, the sacrifice is performed in the hopes it will sway God. Instead of “If my desire happens, then I will offer you something” it becomes “If I offer you something, then you’ll make my desire happen, right?”

I agree with the movie that this way of treating God like a vending machine doesn’t really make sense. But the fact that I see it in people of all different faiths makes me think there’s a deeper human instinct at play here. There’s something about these bargains that feel very natural to us.

My theory is that it allows us to feel a sense of control in a situation where we have none.

For example, my infertility. I’m doing everything for it that I can medically and scientifically but there’s still no guarantees. I can’t know for certain that I will get pregnant. And so I turn to prayers and rituals to make me feel like I’m doing something proactive towards that desire. Please, please, please, please,please, I beg God. Is there something I can do for You that will make you indebted to me and want to help me?

What do you think? What makes people want to bargain with God?