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My problem: the people who make the above argument, that we shouldn't expect God to just reveal his existence to us because that would remove the need for faith:
Yet they immediately jump on any possible good fortune as evidence of God. This demonstrates that the "God is hiding" excuse is a petty rationalization that religious people abandon at the first possible instant whenever anything evenly remotely indicating God's presence (ie. Shroud of Turin) comes their way. Then, when not discussing these supposedly miraculous events, they come back to claiming that God is hiding his presence. WTF?
To those who look at the above and claim "oh, God is just leaving clues for his existence", I respond "for what purpose?" To test your deductive skills? A very crappy test, then, given that atheists tend to be more intelligent that religious people by a multitude of reputable studies; the questionably accurate, man-made SAT is orders of magnitude better designed than God's silly exams. To test your faith? It does precisely the opposite to add more evidence into the fold, since faith is predicated on a lack of evidence.
They admit that belief in God requires faith. Faith is by definition the suspension of critical thinking skills to believe in something in the absence of sufficient evidence. I can have all the faith I want that I cannot be killed by a car - this does not mean that I can jump headlong into a steam roller and not die. And for all of your faith in your religion, there are billions of others with just as much faith in other entirely incompatible religious dogmas. That your brain strongly believes in your particular faith has no relevance to whether or not it is actually true.
Well, as I have said before....I don't "believe" (?) In faith or blind faith.
When you have had a direct, earth stopping experience of God's Spirit,
even once...
faith is no longer there, it disappears; it's like,"Gulp, ok....I get it"
God is a Lover, not a tester, btw...nor wrathful or mean or a murderer.
But, don't believe me ! Please, find out for yourselves...please.
Do I mention this a lot? About having a direct experience of this God? Yes.
Maybe it will get into one person's head and heart and they will open to having one...
One can try....
God doesn't hide his existence from me. There are tests of faith that those believe go through but I don't think that has anything to do with God "hiding his existence". You don't find God, God finds you or not.
Well, as I have said before....I don't "believe" (?) In faith or blind faith.
When you have had a direct, earth stopping experience of God's Spirit,
even once...
faith is no longer there, it disappears; it's like,"Gulp, ok....I get it"
God is a Lover, not a tester, btw...nor wrathful or mean or a murderer.
But, don't believe me ! Please, find out for yourselves...please.
Do I mention this a lot? About having a direct experience of this God? Yes.
Maybe it will get into one person's head and heart and they will open to having one...
One can try....
But, you must have faith that what you are experiencing is a god. Personal experiences do not necessarily lead to truth.
Whatever religious experiences you may feel that you have are much more concisely explained through neuroscience than some divine influence, given that Hindus, Muslims and believers in the ancient Greek pantheon also have religious experiences just as convincing as yours. What makes you think your own are the real ones?
He created the universe and it testifies to his existence. In times of old he spoke to man through prophets. He gave us 66 books collected into a Bible. His church is alive and well today.
He created the universe and it testifies to his existence. In times of old he spoke to man through prophets. He gave us 66 books collected into a Bible. His church is alive and well today.
What more do you want?
That would be the Catholics who gave you the 66 books. Why would he speak through men instead of directly like Mystic and Miss Hepburn claim?
That would be the Catholics who gave you the 66 books. Why would he speak through men instead of directly like Mystic and Miss Hepburn claim?
Actually, it was God working through different people--the canon would be here without the Catholic church.
Now, to answer your second question. I know the Bible is inspired. I trust it. I don't know who a couple of internet message board posters are in real life, and I don't know why I should believe them. They are welcome to tell me what God has been revealing to them, but if it contradicts the Bible, they are wrong.
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