God

[blondiefreak890]

Ive heard many valued opinions of my friends and ppl ive met.They all have very different opinions.Some say god is really others say he's something ppl made up just to turn to for guidence when thier confused.Now i want to kno the truth is there really god?If so what is the proof?

[meeble]

It is good to doubt. There's nothing wrong with it. Some people claim to gain a greater understanding and stronger relationship with their god through doubt and questioning. If that's where it leads you, then that's fine.

Doesn't that counter what you said earlier about the belief in God not being a decision and that doubt, if there is any, is always there, therefore preventing a person from being a true believer?

I don't see how it is a contradiction. I'm no expert on faith, having none myself, but I've heard faith in God described as a "constant struggle," in which one allows God to win over doubt. Doing so does not make one any less of a true believer. This, at least, is my understanding. (I'm hoping someone here can point me to the right passage in Scripture, or the Biblical character that most exemplifies this - Abraham?)

If this is the case then which would you perceive as being more important? Being a 'true' believer or using doubt and questioning in order to gain a greater understanding and stronger relationship with God?

Again, a false dichotomy, from my understanding. If you're defining a True Believer as someone with zero doubt about God's existence, I would venture to say there is no such thing.

I tend to think the latter is more likely and it seems preferable to me. I'm not convinced that thinking your way or deciding to believe in God necessarily makes you any less a believer

Ah, I see what you're getting at. The emphasis in my statement was on the reason for deciding. I'm assuming the Christian God wants "committed" believers. Becoming a believer "just in case" doesn't sound much more committed than flipping a coin. However, if you decide to believe in God because he satisfies some positive emotional need, your more likely to not just believe, but become dedicated to him, love him, etc. I don't think simply taking up Pascal gives one the level of dedication God is looking for, and hence, might even backfire. That was the essence of my message.

Ah right. I see where you're coming from. Nice reply. I agree. If I was defending my faith I reckon I'd only ever use Pascal's Wager as a flippant and sarcastic argument. I hope I never become that desperate.

Cheers:)

[weird7]

Ive heard many valued opinions of my friends and ppl ive met.They all have very different opinions.Some say god is really others say he's something ppl made up just to turn to for guidence when thier confused.Now i want to kno the truth is there really god?If so what is the proof?

There is no scientific proof that God does or does not exist. If there was proof that God does exist, no one could sanely consider themselves to be an atheist and there would be no need for this ageless debate. Furthermore, I do not believe that there ever could be scientific proof that there is a Christian God (at least not until the Lord comes again). It would destroy one of the very foundations of his word - faith. If there was proof of the existence of a Christian God, faith would not be required.

I will say this, God has proven himself to me and there is nothing that can be said in this forum that can ever make me believe otherwise. But first, I had to have faith.

[Angry_Pacifist]

I do not believe in a god, but that does not mean i rule out the possibility of one existing. I think that if god is going to punish me for not believing in him, surely he would have made some effort to convince me of his existence!!! When he shows himself, ill admit my mistake.

[McCulloch]

There is no scientific proof that God does or does not exist. If there was proof that God does exist, no one could sanely consider themselves to be an atheist and there would be no need for this ageless debate. Furthermore, I do not believe that there ever could be scientific proof that there is a Christian God (at least not until the Lord comes again). It would destroy one of the very foundations of his word - faith. If there was proof of the existence of a Christian God, faith would not be required.

I will say this, God has proven himself to me and there is nothing that can be said in this forum that can ever make me believe otherwise. But first, I had to have faith.

So it all boils down to, "I believe because I believe." ?

[weird7]

I'm not sure I would put it that way but if your waiting for proof in order to have faith, well then it wouldn't be faith now would it. I grew up listening to the preached word of God. I didn't begin to believe it because it all makes sense or the fact they somebody convinced me. In fact, many of you make compelling arguments that it doesn't make sense.

Some say "God spoke to me." or "God spoke to my heart." I didn't literally hear voices in my head but one day in church I had an overwhelming feeling that something was wrong in my life. I didn't know what it was at the time. It was a feeling. I can't explain it. I can't describe it. I'm not sure it would be God if I could. My mom, who was sitting beside me, saw that I was troubled. I'm not sure how she knew or what I was doing that may have given it away but she asked me if God was dealing with my heart.

I had to have faith that this was the God that I had heard preached about, the one the Bible talks about. He was letting me to know that I was lost and needed to be saved. I had to have faith that if I sincerly confessed my sins and gave my life to him that he could and would save me from a devil's hell. Of course there was doubt but I put my faith in the Lord and he saved me. That's when he cleared away all doubt. That's when he made me to know without a doubt that he his God. That's when the Holy Bible began to make since to me.

1 Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

The Bible is spiritually discerned. It doesn't make since to those who do not have the spirit. They are trying to understand it with their minds when it must be understood with the spirit. I'm not saying that I can understand everything in the Bible, only what the spirit of God reveals unto me.

I'm glad I serve a God that isn't bound by the laws of science or logic. He can do things that are unimaginable to the minds of man. He can do things that are impossible to the minds of man. I suppose that is why the scientific arguments against God/Christianity don't phase Christians. And I assume, by the same token, why Christian arguments don't phase non-believers. Some of you say, "if God created everything, where did God come from? Who made God?" God always was and always will be. You say that doesn't make sense. I say that's why he's God. I can't understand how all three, the son, the father, and the holy ghost can be one. But that's why he's God. His understanding is beyond our reach. I'm glad I serve a God that is all powerful. I'm glad I serve a God that is above and beyond the imagination and understanding of man.

[McCulloch]

Some say "God spoke to me." or "God spoke to my heart." I didn't literally hear voices in my head but one day in church I had an overwhelming feeling that something was wrong in my life. I didn't know what it was at the time. It was a feeling. I can't explain it. I can't describe it. I'm not sure it would be God if I could. My mom, who was sitting beside me, saw that I was troubled. I'm not sure how she knew or what I was doing that may have given it away but she asked me if God was dealing with my heart.

I'm sure that those who hold to other religions also have that unexplained assurance that what they have come to believe is true and insightful.

That's when he cleared away all doubt. That's when he made me to know without a doubt that he his God.

So your lack of doubt is based on a feeling?

I'm glad I serve a God that isn't bound by the laws of science or logic. He can do things that are unimaginable to the minds of man. He can do things that are impossible to the minds of man. I suppose that is why the scientific arguments against God/Christianity don't phase Christians.

This is what rational people call non falsifiable.

[/quote]

[weird7]

I'm sure that those who hold to other religions also have that unexplained assurance that what they have come to believe is true and insightful.

I'm not sure but I'm willing to hear their testimony.

So your lack of doubt is based on a feeling?

For lack of a better word, yes.

This is what rational people call non falsifiable.

Yes it is.

[McCulloch]

This is what rational people call non falsifiable.

Yes it is.

I am quite willing to agree with you that belief in God is irrational. It is a shame that so many of your co-religionists do not.

[AClockWorkOrange]

If god is supernaturl, then he doesnt matter...

supernatural literaly means "does not exists in the natural (real) universe"

so, if god is supernatural, a few axioms come into play.

1.) if god is supernatural
2.) he gets bunched into everything else that exists outside of nature
3.) he is equated to unicorns, pixies, and effective Reganomics

another little gem, is that god is supernatural, the existance of him is literally unfathomable, much like how the actual existance of a real unicorn is unfathomable and only the idea of a unicorn can be held.

so, if gods existance is literally not understandable, he really shouldnt matter.

[Greatest I Am]

Yes.
God is real.

God makes Himself seen through the spirit.
Many of the writers of the Bible were "in the spirit" when revelation came to them.
I call "in the spirit" telepathic communication.
I had one only experience like this.
I am sane and tend to speak the truth. In the anonymity of this place I have no reason to mislead. No gain.
If anecdotal experiences can be believed, you have found at least one for a ya in your question.

I have done my own little survey and search for other people who even describe telepathy the way I would and have not found any. Telepathy may be rare indeed but I do have a witness who would testify that I can I have done telepathy, my wife. The only other time I did what I did was with her at about the same time.
If they ever hook up lie detectors to the Internet it would be helpful in the revue of statements, no.

Regards
DL