When someone tells you..

[wxtornado]

When I pray for non-believers, I pray for God to make Himself real to them in an unmistakable way.

This is why some of us are non-believers. If your God ever reveals himself to me in an unmistakable way, I'll believe. I won't hold my breath tho.....

 

[camily]

This is why some of us are non-believers. If your God ever reveals himself to me in an unmistakable way, I'll believe. I won't hold my breath tho.....

What is an unmistakable way? What would it take?

 

[itsbob]

I take it that it's a way for them to say.. "Look at me, I'm a Christian." Just another way for them to get religion into a conversation, and make it a point to show everyone how great they are by being more christian then others..

But it depends on the circumstances.. if they fit it into conversation any chance they can get, then the above applies.. but if I lost a loved one, or something similar, and someone says it, I would think and hope that it comes form the heart, and they only mean it compassionately, and I can't fault anyone for that..

 

[rack'm]

I say "thanks" :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

What is an unmistakable way? What would it take?

Something that cannot be explained by any other means.

For example, my girlfriend thinks that it's a miracle from God when she's 15 minutes late getting out the door and manages to avoid a fatal accident because she wasn't where she normally would have been at that time. That, to me, is not a miracle because what about the guy who DID die? Where was his miracle?

And it can't be that God just appears and says, "Hey! Here I am!" because many have tried that and nobody believed them, either.

I hope there is no God because I have a hard time with a diety that trifles in the day-to-day piddliness of individual humans, yet lets whole nations full of children starve to death and be tortured by some dictator's goon squad.

 

[vraiblonde]

You know what would be funny? If all the people who have claimed to be the Second Coming actually WERE the reincarnation of Christ...and they were snubbed and jailed by Christian skeptics.

 

[rack'm]

I hope there is no God because I have a hard time with a diety that trifles in the day-to-day piddliness of individual humans, yet lets whole nations full of children starve to death and be tortured by some dictator's goon squad.

You're just jealous that you weren't chosen to be one of the 72 virgins.

 

[vraiblonde]

You're just jealous that you weren't chosen to be one of the 72 virgins.

Yeah, that's just what I always wanted - to be a concubine for a grubby Muslim suicide bomber

 

[rack'm]

Yeah, that's just what I always wanted - to be a concubine for a grubby Muslim suicide bomber

So, now the name calling starts.........:shakingheadruefully:

 

[wxtornado]

What is an unmistakable way? What would it take?

Anything at all would be quite easy for an omnipotent diety. Something simple, like tap me on the shoulder and say "Hi, I am God and Jesus is my son." Simple.

 

[camily]

Anything at all would be quite easy for an omnipotent diety. Something simple, like tap me on the shoulder and say "Hi, I am God and Jesus is my son." Simple.

As Vrai stated, that has been done. No one believed.

 

[wxtornado]

I hope there is no God because I have a hard time with a diety that trifles in the day-to-day piddliness of individual humans, yet lets whole nations full of children starve to death and be tortured by some dictator's goon squad.

Since God created all things, he also created evil - it IS rather crazy to worship such a being, isn't it?

 

[wxtornado]

As Vrai stated, that has been done. No one believed.

I don't recall that ever happening to me, even when I was a christian.

 

[vraiblonde]

I don't recall that ever happening to me, even when I was a christian.

There's a guy that hangs out in Herald Square in NYC that says he's Jesus. My daughter was like, "What a nut!" And I said, "How do you know he's not?"

Her reply?

"..."

 

[itsbob]

As Vrai stated, that has been done. No one believed.

People (gullible people) believe everyday.. they want so much to believe what they've been told that we end up with groups like the Davidians.. people like David Koresh see how to take advantage of someone's beliefs, and how gullible they can be if you say the right things.. and you don't need to convince 10% of the popluation, not even 1%.. if you can get 100 people to believer thay can make you rich..

There are THOUSANDS of these mini cults all over the US.. people giving up their children to who they believe is the savior.. giving up all their worldly possessions becuase HE commanded it, and they must do as he says to receive eternal life etc etc etc..

 

[wxtornado]

There's a guy that hangs out in Herald Square in NYC that says he's Jesus. My daughter was like, "What a nut!" And I said, "How do you know he's not?"

Her reply?

"..."

Lol, you actually asked her a valid question!

 

[camily]

Since God created all things, he also created evil - it IS rather crazy to worship such a being, isn't it?

You cannot have good without evil, health without sickness, life without death. They would be meaningless since you would have nothing to compare it to.

 

[wxtornado]

You cannot have good without evil, health without sickness, life without death. They would be meaningless since you would have nothing to compare it to.

I think the problem with the argument comes from the very question itself: Evil is not incompatible with God's existence, but it is incompatible with the claim God is omnibenevolent. But a God who is not omnibenevolent would be totally capable of creating elements of evil. Indeed, as the creator of Satan, God is directly responsible for evil's existence. The problem is, this makes him -- by definition -- no longer "all good" -- and people balk at the idea of worshipping a God with demonstrably evil characteristics.

 

[camily]

I think the problem with the argument comes from the very question itself: Evil is not incompatible with God's existence, but it is incompatible with the claim God is omnibenevolent. But a God who is not omnibenevolent would be totally capable of creating elements of evil. Indeed, as the creator of Satan, God is directly responsible for evil's existence. The problem is, this makes him -- by definition -- no longer "all good" -- and people balk at the idea of worshipping a God with demonstrably evil characteristics.

Where's 2A when I need him? I know what I believe but suck at expressing it. I'm still in the learning phase but 2A has been at it for a while. Satan was an Archangel (Lucifer) who believed his God given power entitled him to more. He was cast out of Heaven when his rebellion failed.
I like this explanation.
http://www.liberty.edu/wwwadmin/inc...rtowns.cfm?Searched=&AID=385&DisplayResults=1

 

[vraiblonde]

You cannot have good without evil, health without sickness, life without death. They would be meaningless since you would have nothing to compare it to.

Why do you need something to compare it to? Why can't it just be?