trashy Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 It seems to me that God, the one worshipped by such diverse groups as Christians, Jews and Muslims, has a problem. Not only have all of his followers spent the better part of the last three to four thousand years killing each other, but a growing percentage of the world's population don't believe in him at all! The solution, however, is simple. Even a brief perusal of their scriptures shows that God's followers have always been the most faithful for the period of time after close encounters with him. Adam and Eve never strayed again after God talked to them in the garden and clothed them. Moses had only one small issue after his encounter and faithfully led the followers through forty years in the wilderness. Jesus' apostles (not counting Judas) remained faithful to the cause until their deaths. Saul/Paul likewise. But there's the rub. God has been ever so reticent to actually appear to people, and never in his Godly form, and never in large groups in open spaces. Especially since his followers came up with ways to quickly spread news, things like printing presses and telegraph wires. And please, can we drop that canard about how what God supposedly wants with regards to faith? Jesus said "Blessed is he who has not seen, and yet believes." But the result of that policy is billions of genuinely earnest people going to hell due to the massive confusion God's followers have caused. And again, God could very easily clear up all of that confusion. Just appear! Walk again in the garden with a CNN camera crew (or Fox if you prefer). Instant worldwide coverage. Do something God-like. Wipe out a disease or two. Reverse global warming. Clear up the confusion regarding Jesus and Mohammed and maybe clarify a few things regarding predestination and free will, and snake-handling. Oh, and evolution. Voila, the unbelievers would convert! Churches (or synagogues or mosques) would brim with money, and there would be layoffs in hell for lack of new souls to torture. Alas, until then, I will have to remain an ex-follower. It's not that I'm unwilling to exercise faith, I just hate exercising it incorrectly and wasting any more years, and the choices spread before me are so myriad and contradictory that I am forced to make the one remaining alternate choice. Yes, that one, the one where I come to the conclusion that the myriad religions and sects are simply evidence that God doesn't exist at all outside of the human mind. Of course he could read this and make an appearance just to me, although that seems a bit wasteful and goes counter to my suggestions. But just in case: God, if you do decide to make your holy self known to me, can you please come up with something better than a faint resemblance on a piece of toast? Please? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Indeed! Instead of writing notes on billboards, or even sending notes to courtrooms (witnessed by Michael or not), why not take the equally trivial amount of effort to change the laws of physics again like he apparently did in Genesis. Or any hoax resistant miracle that doesn't come off like a parlor trick (no "bleeding" statues or reflections in windows or over churches, thank you very much). It's just like all the "healing miracles" I know about. I suppose if god did any verifiable healings, if he started growing back missing limbs for all to see instead of healing colds and unverifiable heart problems, and spawning urban legends it wouldn't test our faith. If he did start doing verifiable miracles, I'd still have to come to grips that this vengeful god depicted in the bible was really the True God, but at least I'd have the proof and be able to believe that he exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Here's the proof text: God will not be mocked. God is mocked plenty on these forums and he has yet to let it be known that he objects. The only "objections" we get are from puny humans who have this weird idea that an almighty God needs to be defended. An almighty God is quite capable of taking care of and defending himself. And he doesn't bother. Why not, given that he does not tolerate mockery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxic Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Clear up the confusion regarding Jesus and Mohammed and maybe clarify a few things regarding predestination and free will, and snake-handling. Oh, and evolution. Not to mention wether or not women should cover their heads, wether or not we're allowed to consume alcohol, should men be circumcised, can we eat pork and shellfish or not, is the sabbath Saturday or Sunday, is masturbation ever permissable, etc. . But just in case: God, if you do decide to make your holy self known to me, can you please come up with something better than a faint resemblance on a piece of toast? Please? Thanks. and something better than a faint resemblance on a pork scratching or a pattern on a pain of glass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldjew Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 The only "objections" we get are from puny humans who have this weird idea that an almighty God needs to be defended. An almighty God is quite capable of taking care of and defending himself. And he doesn't bother. Why not, given that he does not tolerate mockery? And that is really puzzling to me that so many people defend God daily as if God can not defend himself. That alone makes one wonder just how mighty God is that a puny human has to defend him. And when people say "God is my witness if I am lying let him strike me dead" and you know they are lying but they are not struck dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Even if he proved that he was real, he'd have to prove that hell did not exist, nor anything like it, and that there was no discrimination against people whom fundamentalists discriminate, before I even considered worshipping him. I will not worship a deity who is so horribly cruel as the Abrahamic god. Fear, perhaps. But not worship. It's a principle thing. I don't bow down to tyrants willingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbobrob Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Not even the promise of a beer valcano and stripper factory could get me to become a follower (ie slave) to God as He is discribed in the Bible. Some other deity, with a more universally accepting and inclusive regime might garner my skeptical loyalty, but if God Almighty showed up, in person, and told me the Bible is true, and folllow Him or else.....I'd still tell Him, "No" and willing accept the consequences for maintaining my free actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Nobody heard from God yet??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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