Help: How do I know that your God is the one, true God?

[Kir Komrik]

Hi all,
I'm new here and have just read up on the policies and finished my signature, etc. I hope I've done everything correctly so far.
I would like to believe in an almighty power but the problem is that in my research I've found so many gods out there. Coming from a family that has been explicitly atheist for generations, I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions.
I am sincerely curious to know how would I know, for instance, that your god is the one, true God?
Thank you.

[ttruscott]

Hi all,
I'm new here and have just read up on the policies and finished my signature, etc. I hope I've done everything correctly so far.
I would like to believe in an almighty power but the problem is that in my research I've found so many gods out there. Coming from a family that has been explicitly atheist for generations, I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions.
I am sincerely curious to know how would I know, for instance, that your god is the one, true God?
Thank you.

HE has promised to reveal HIMself to all who sincerly seek HIM. Daily prayer with daily Bible study...confessing and repenting of your sins is a good start too but not as necessary as daily prayer.

Peace, Ted

[Kir Komrik]

that question is best answered by God himself in his book quran,

In my opinion, you are arguing in circles. So, this question is answered by ... what god? How would I know which god to ask? Again, how do I know which god is the one, true god?

[Kir Komrik]

HE has promised to reveal HIMself to all who sincerly seek HIM. Daily prayer with daily Bible study...confessing and repenting of your sins is a good start too but not as necessary as daily prayer.

Okay, but what if someone comes to me and says, "I sincerely sought god but he did not reveal himself to me".
Who should I believe? You or them? How would I know which to believe?

[Divine Insight]

I would like to believe in an almighty power but the problem is that in my research I've found so many gods out there. Coming from a family that has been explicitly atheist for generations, I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions.
I am sincerely curious to know how would I know, for instance, that your god is the one, true God?
Thank you.

Ok, let me start over from your Opening Post and perhaps I can make this a little easier.

Let's start with Faith

You say, "I would like to believe in an almighty power".

That's the first and most crucial step, because all religions are indeed faith-based. So before any of them can make any sense to you, you must have a desire to believe in them.

If you are seeking proof you're wasting your time. No one has proof of any God in spite of what they might claim.

So the best way to choose a religion is to choose one that you'd like to place your faith in. It would be rather silly to place your faith in a religion that you'd prefer isn't true would it not?

So the first thing I would suggest is to meditate, or simple focus on the concept of faith, and more importantly on the issue of why faith is important to you.

As you said, "I would like to believe in an almighty power".

So ask yourself why? Why would you like to believe this?

I can offer some possible reasons why some people might wish to believe in a higher power.

1. They fear death and are simply hoping that life may be spiritually eternal.
2. They don't necessarily fear death, but they still find the prospect of eternal spiritual life inviting.
3. They hope that if a higher power exists it may actually be able to help them in this life.
4. They simply instinctively feel that there is a spiritual essence to life, and thus they have innate faith that life is spiritual.
5. They believe that some particular doctrine might be true and so they choose to have faith lest they be punished for not having faith.

There may be other reasons to have faith, I merely listed a few that came to mind for me.

Of the above, my faith in a spiritual essence of life stems solely from #4. Maybe toss in a little bit of #2, because it does seem to me that to just barely get a taste of life and then it's gone just seems like such a waste.

So for me my faith stems from #2 and #4.

Because of this, I think have a guide of which religion(s) I might potentially be willing to place my faith in. For me, this came down to Buddhism, Taoism, and Wicca. Those are the only religions that I find satisfying enough to even bother placing my faith in. And they all agree with my own innate intuitive idea of what spirituality means to me.

So that's my guide to religion based on faith. You're path may different based entirely on what drives your desire to have faith.


Now consider this: Religion does not equal God

You say, "I've found so many gods out there.".

All religions and spiritual philosophies don't necessarily have a "God", especially in the form of an egotistical human-like Godhead. Some religions and spiritual philosophies view the concept of God far more mystically, and for this reason they are often referred to as "Mysticism".

The Mystical philosophies and religions don't define what God is like precisely, but they do offer vague and abstract ideas to ponder of what God might be like.

So again, this comes down to your own personal innate intuition. What do you feel God is like? Perhaps that intuition can help you decide which religion most closely matches your innate feelings of what God might be like.

You say, "I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions. ".

If this is true, then you definitely want to stop thinking just in terms of "Gods".

And now for: The One True God

You say, "I am sincerely curious to know how would I know, for instance, that your god is the one, true God?".

I'm personally neither in the business of owning God, nor selling God. But if you'd like to know why I feel that the spiritual philosophies I've chosen are most likely to represent The One True God, I'll be glad to tell you.

I start with Taoism because the truth of Taoism is undeniable. Taoism really does nothing more than point out the obvious fact that everything is interconnected and that the entire universe in which we live is ultimately inseparable and the boundaries between things are artificial.

I saw that you had mentioned quantum physics in one of your posts. Well, Taoism was stating from a spiritually philosophical point of view what quantum physicists have discovered to be the physical truth of reality. So Taoism wins points in being perfectly compatible with scientific knowledge and observations, and it had arrived at these conclusions eons ago from pure philosophy.

You might say that Taoism accurately describes the nature of "God". Whether or not you care to place the term "God" onto that description is your semantic choice. But Taoism has been recognized as a spiritual philosophy for millenniums, so that's all I can offer there.

So I personally see Taoism as speaking pure truth that cannot be denied. And thus I personally embrace it as a viable spiritual philosophy.

From there I have moved onward to Buddhism. There are many different forms of Buddhism and I have only selected the parts of Buddhism that ring true for me personally. This would mainly be Tantra Buddhism, for me personally.

From there I have moved onward to Wicca as an archetypal paradigm. Wicca does have a God and Goddess, as well as other archetypal entities. But all of these entities are archetypes, not actual living deities in a physical sense.

I might also add that in my travels from Taoism to Buddhism to Wicca, I did not keep dropping one religion for another. All three of these religions are perfectly compatible with each other in the way that I personally view them. So for me, they are just extension of each other.

They all represent the "One True God" as far as I'm concerned.

Does this mean that this is how you should view God?

No.

Does this mean that if you view God in a different way that your view of God is not also "The One True God"?

No.

The only way that your God cannot be my God is if you limit your God and put your God in a finite limited box, like the Christians and Muslims do.

Otherwise, as long as you allow God to be FREE and UNLIMITED, then there's no conflict between "My God" and "Your God".

It's only when God is belittled by placing God in a box (or a book of dogma) that God's true nature is destroyed.

Hope this helps.

[ttruscott]

...

but there is only Allah who sent books and prophets to humankind, i have never seen any other god sending books and prophets to humankind.

I'm curious why you hate JHWH so much so as to deny HE sent ALL the prophets of GOD and all the books of scripture?

Jehovah is not Allah: see chart at http://www.windmillministries.org/frames/CH32-2A.htm

Peace, Ted

[Divine Insight]

How to decide if a book cant be from God is if there is errors in it.

God says:

4:82 Will they not think about this Quran? If it had been from anyone other than God, they would have found many contradictions in it.

It is a well-established fact that the Qur'an is riddled with contradictions, errors, and inconsistencies.

Contradictions in the Qur'an

There are endless examples on the Internet of contradictions in the Qur'an. And you can look in the Qur'an yourself and verify that they are indeed in there.

So you've just proven why the Qur'an cannot be the word of any God.

[otseng]

No, your lack of sincerity is transparent.

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[Kir Komrik]

Ok, let me start over from your Opening Post and perhaps I can make this a little easier.

Let's start with Faith

But that’s my point, right? If its based on faith then is it not a little conspicuously specious that every single religion relies on faith to arrogate its position as the religion of the one, true god?
So, I don’t see how faith can go anywhere in this discussion; at least not until we resolve my question above.

If you are seeking proof you're wasting your time. No one has proof of any God in spite of what they might claim.

I’m not asking for proof, or evidence … that a god exists, per se and at this point. I’m asking, is there reasonable evidence to tell me - is it clear and convincing - which god is the one, true god?

So the best way to choose a religion is to choose one that you'd like to place your faith in. It would be rather silly to place your faith in a religion that you'd prefer isn't true would it not?

Right, but see my question above. This does not advance the conversation at all.

So ask yourself why? Why would you like to believe this?

So I can live forever, presumably as you will, and not suffer the wrath or punishment of a god displeased with my failure to follow him/her/it.

Now consider this: Religion does not equal God

Whether religion equates to God or not does not advance the conversation, or address the question I’ve posed, which is, how do I know that your god is the one, true god?

So again, this comes down to your own personal innate intuition.

But what if my intuition tells me that the one, true god is not your god … or gods … or your liberal, pluralistic view of gods?

What do you feel God is like? Perhaps that intuition can help you decide which religion most closely matches your innate feelings of what God might be like.

No, because I have no “feeling� about what a “god� would be like. But more importantly and on topic is the point supra; that is, what if my intuition tells me that your god is not the one, true god? Then which is it?

You say, "I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions. ".

If this is true, then you definitely want to stop thinking just in terms of "Gods".

That seems backward to me. If I were openly examining the field wouldn’t I be looking at hundreds of gods?

And now for: The One True God

Hope this helps.

I read all you wrote very carefully. My difficulty I have with it is that any adherent could say these kinds of things … there’s nothing in your characterization that uniquely identifies a god or gods as being the one, true god, and that is the issue. And it is absolutely crucial that I get it right, correct? Now, if, as you say, it isn’t about being hemmed in to one god, that doesn’t change the dilemma: suggesting that we take a liberal view of the identity of god doesn’t help as there are any number of religions that argue the opposite; that is, that god is uniquely and concretely identified as one entity. So which view is correct; that is, which view is consistent with the one, true god? In my opinion, and wittingly or not, the answers so far are just semantics games that are avoiding the core question.

[moment_of_faith]

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth [l]in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident [m]within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Jesus says you are without excuse for not knowing him. That's everyone in the world

[Divine Insight]

But that’s my point, right? If its based on faith then is it not a little conspicuously specious that every single religion relies on faith to arrogate its position as the religion of the one, true god?
So, I don’t see how faith can go anywhere in this discussion; at least not until we resolve my question above.

If you quite trying to define "God" and simply embrace your creator, you can't go wrong.

The only way you could be wrong is if "God" isn't your creator, but that would violate what God is supposed to be.

So you can't go wrong by embracing your creator as I have suggested.

I’m not asking for proof, or evidence … that a god exists, per se and at this point. I’m asking, is there reasonable evidence to tell me - is it clear and convincing - which god is the one, true god?

You're away too hung up on this "One True God" thing.

If you have a creator, that creator is the one true God. Right?

Therefore if you sincerely and intuitively embrace your creator, you can't be wrong.

How much simpler can I make that for you?

So ask yourself why? Why would you like to believe this?

So I can live forever, presumably as you will, and not suffer the wrath or punishment of a god displeased with my failure to follow him/her/it.

How can you follow a God that you've never seen or heard?

I suggest that the only way to do that is via your own intuition.

Surely if a conscious intelligent being had created you, that being could indeed commune with you via your own feelings, don't you think?

Whether religion equates to God or not does not advance the conversation, or address the question I’ve posed, which is, how do I know that your god is the one, true god?

Because I consider only the creator of this universe.

In order for me to be wrong, God could not be the creator of this universe.

Therefore I can't be wrong in terms of embracing the wrong God.

That would be impossible.

But what if my intuition tells me that the one, true god is not your god … or gods … or your liberal, pluralistic view of gods?

I don't have a pluralistic view of gods, so I would suggest that before you compare your intuition to my beliefs, you need to better understand my beliefs.

What do you feel God is like? Perhaps that intuition can help you decide which religion most closely matches your innate feelings of what God might be like.

No, because I have no “feeling� about what a “god� would be like. But more importantly and on topic is the point supra; that is, what if my intuition tells me that your god is not the one, true god? Then which is it?

Like I say, before attempting to compare your intuition with what you think I believe, I would suggest that you would need to better understand what I actually believe. But that is highly unlikely to ever occur via mere correspondence on these forms.

And like I say, you appear to be totally hung-up on this concept of "One True God". The importance of that concept stems from the "jealous God religions" started by the ancient Hebrews, and then popularize specifically through Christianity and Islam.

You're not understanding me at all.

I consider and embrace the creator of this universe.

Therefore, if the jealous God of the Hebrews was indeed the creator of this universe, then that's the God I acknowledge and embrace.

So again, I can't be wrong. It's impossible for me to be wrong.

Moreover, consider this:

If the ancient God of the Hebrews was indeed the One True God, and that religion has deteriorated and has become the extremely divisive religions of Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, and the myriad of protesting Protestantisms, then clearly those religions cannot possible correctly describe the One True God.

My approach from the perspective of Taoism, Buddhism, and Wicca is far more likely to be a far better picture of the One True God.

So like I say, it is extremely important to recognize the difference between religions and God.

Otherwise you aren't really asking what is the "One True God", but instead you are asking what is the "One True Religion".

And my answer to that question is quite simple: There is no "One True Religion". Period.

So you see, it changes the question entirely.

You say, "I'm starting from scratch and am looking at all religions. ".

If this is true, then you definitely want to stop thinking just in terms of "Gods".

That seems backward to me. If I were openly examining the field wouldn’t I be looking at hundreds of gods?

What field?

The field of Gods? Or the field of Religion?

There may be hundreds of religions, but that doesn't automatically equate to hundreds of Gods.

Just as I've pointed out, Judaism, Islam, and all the Christianities, are all based on a single God. These are just different religions that made different claims about that same foundational God.

So in all the Abrahamic religions you're really just speaking about ONE GOD, and that would be the God of Abraham. And as the Jews point out, that VERY SAME GOD may have appeared to other cultures in a totally different form. Therefore the Wanka Tanka of the North American Indians may very well be the SAME GOD that appeared to the Abraham. And so on.

In this way all religion could potentially have been inspired by the SAME GOD.

Assuming that they were inspired by God at all.

I read all you wrote very carefully. My difficulty I have with it is that any adherent could say these kinds of things … there’s nothing in your characterization that uniquely identifies a god or gods as being the one, true god, and that is the issue. And it is absolutely crucial that I get it right, correct? Now, if, as you say, it isn’t about being hemmed in to one god, that doesn’t change the dilemma: suggesting that we take a liberal view of the identity of god doesn’t help as there are any number of religions that argue the opposite; that is, that god is uniquely and concretely identified as one entity. So which view is correct; that is, which view is consistent with the one, true god? In my opinion, and wittingly or not, the answers so far are just semantics games that are avoiding the core question.

You say, "And it is absolutely crucial that I get it right, correct?"

Why is it absolutely crucial that you get it right?

Again, you're placing too much emphasis on the "jealous God" religions of the Abrahamic religions. But they all represent a SINGLE GOD, they all just claim to have different books that represent "His Word". That's not a case where they are claiming to have "The One True God". On the contrary, it's a case where they are claiming to have "The One True Dogma".

That's a Big Difference, IMHO.

Those religions are driven by ego, and unfortunately are representative of religious authoritarian who over the centuries tried to "Own The Copyrights to God".

If you are truly interested in a genuine spiritual essence to reality why bother with the petty egotists who proclaim to own the copyrights on God? Even within their very own dogma is is proclaimed that you can see them coming a mile away by their rotten fruit.

Perhaps God actually did put that part in there to give a heads-up to the wise to steer clear of those egotistical religions.

Who knows?

But when you ask, "And it is absolutely crucial that I get it right, correct?"

What's the problem? Just don't worship a religious dogma. Even in those religious dogma warn against such idol worship.

If you simply respect the your creator, you can't be wrong.

For the only way you could be wrong is if your creator turned out to not be your creator. But that's impossible, right?

So I can't be wrong. I acknowledge and embrace the One True God, and I can't be wrong. Period.

There's no possibility of being wrong.

You simply can't go wrong by embracing your creator.

How much more clear can I make that?