Where's God?

[POI]

Does he pop up in my dreams? Is he the one whom produces my goose-bumps? Is He the one giving me my "moral compass"? Is he only experienced during deep meditation? If I have enough faith, will he appear to me? But seriously. Where is he? I was a Christian for decades. I earnestly prayed for him to reach me, to no avail.

For debate: Why have I not felt his presence?

A) I never tried hard enough; lack faith
B) He does not want to reveal Himself to me (yet)
C) Evil is blocking the request(s)
D) I'm too dumb to realize he's reaching me
E) He's not really there at all <- Current conclusion

Do not answer yet. This topic has spawned from another unrelated topic. I decided to devote this large topic to itself. Below are some premises:

P1) does god exist? (dunno)
P2) does god want a relationship with all, especially the ones who seek him (apparently so)
P3) is god capable of communicating (apparently so)
P4) can god communicate his message in a way in which the recipient could no longer deny (apparently so)
P5) have I asked for this communication earnestly and repetitively (YES)
P6) does the Bible state god answers the call to all who seek him (YES)

At best, god has opted not to contact me YET. And this would be after decades of actively seeking him. Without any emotion, I'm logically left with 2 options.

A) God is not really there <- Current conclusion.
B) God is not adhering to his promise (yet).

[brunumb]

Finding God is your work, not his.

Right, I know. He's great at playing hide-and-go-seek.

When an omnipotent being plays hide-and-seek with a mere human being, we already know who is going to win that one.

[brunumb]

You should try to find some faith and pray that God renews in you a new mind and heart. Ask him to help you have some faith. Try to have some faith that maybe God is real. Truly believe that God is possible, because he is. It is not like there is some good argument showing how God is impossible.

Self-indoctrination of adults is much harder than childhood indoctrination of vulnerable and impressionable minds. Funny how God only shows himself to the True Believer™ rather than anyone else. If he doesn't reveal himself to you even if you have been a dyed-in-the-wool Christian for decades, then you were never really a believer (from The Great Omnibus of Christian Loopholes).

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to POI in post #4]

Before we continue can you support p6, please? You claim it is correct, so argue for it being correct. I showed why it is incorrect.

I showed why it is correct.

Show it again, please. I didn't see any argument or an interpretation of some bible verses.

[POI]

[Replying to POI in post #4]

Before we continue can you support p6, please? You claim it is correct, so argue for it being correct. I showed why it is incorrect.

I showed why it is correct.

Show it again, please. I didn't see any argument or an interpretation of some bible verses.

Post #4

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to POI in post #4]

Before we continue can you support p6, please? You claim it is correct, so argue for it being correct. I showed why it is incorrect.

I showed why it is correct.

Show it again, please. I didn't see any argument or an interpretation of some bible verses.

Post #4

You must have missed what I said in post #3. Here it is again.

And read the following in context. He is talking to believers that have some faith in God to work in their lives.

Matt 7: 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.


7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

[POI]

[Replying to POI in post #4]

Before we continue can you support p6, please? You claim it is correct, so argue for it being correct. I showed why it is incorrect.

I showed why it is correct.

Show it again, please. I didn't see any argument or an interpretation of some bible verses.

Post #4

You must have missed what I said in post #3. Here it is again.

And read the following in context. He is talking to believers that have some faith in God to work in their lives.

Matt 7: 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.


7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

No. I saw what you wrote. I'm sticking with P6), as it is. If you do not want to engage, I do not blame you.

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to POI in post #4]

Before we continue can you support p6, please? You claim it is correct, so argue for it being correct. I showed why it is incorrect.

I showed why it is correct.

Show it again, please. I didn't see any argument or an interpretation of some bible verses.

Post #4

You must have missed what I said in post #3. Here it is again.

And read the following in context. He is talking to believers that have some faith in God to work in their lives.

Matt 7: 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.


7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

No. I saw what you wrote. I'm sticking with P6), as it is. If you do not want to engage, I do not blame you.

I already showed you are wrong, which is why you will not address the verses I posted showing you such. Also, who is Jesus talking to in Matt 7? Scroll up a few verses. Does he tell unbelievers, some atheists "Do not give dogs what is holy"? Would it make sense he said that to some atheists? No. He is talking to believers.

[POI]

I already showed you are wrong

No you did not.

which is why you will not address the verses I posted showing you such. Also, who is Jesus talking to in Matt 7? Scroll up a few verses. Does he tell unbelievers, some atheists "Do not give dogs what is holy"? Would it make sense he said that to some atheists? No. He is talking to believers.

I did not address the verses because they are not relevant to my plight. I was not an atheist. Get it? I thought Jesus rose from the grave to save me, and that there was too much evidence to deny this claim. I then tried my darndest to have him communicate with me. It took decades to have doubt. I already told you all of this. So if you wish to bow out, on a technicality, go for it.... But I find it most convenient.

[PolytheistWitch]

[Replying to brunumb in post #12]

If he doesn't reveal himself to you even if you have been a dyed-in-the-wool Christian for decades, then you were never really a believer (from The Great Omnibus of Christian Loopholes)

It's not just Christians. People don't work with deities because their name came up in a search or something. They work with them cuz they've had some kind of experience. Not sure why you would go through life never having any sort of religious experience but call yourself a theist.

[brunumb]

[Replying to brunumb in post #12]

If he doesn't reveal himself to you even if you have been a dyed-in-the-wool Christian for decades, then you were never really a believer (from The Great Omnibus of Christian Loopholes)

It's not just Christians. People don't work with deities because their name came up in a search or something. They work with them cuz they've had some kind of experience. Not sure why you would go through life never having any sort of religious experience but call yourself a theist.

Are you suggesting that one can't be a believer without having a personal revelation from God? As far as I am concerned the majority of believers don't have personal religious experiences and only those with sufficient ego or hubris make such claims.