Does God really love us?

[Cieza]

The evangelical church teaches today that God has an overwhelming all-encompassing love for us, greater than we can even imagine. That God also values human life above everything, and at a level so high, incomprehensible to us. Yet evidence doesn't support this. We see reckless savage loss of human life in many many areas, that could easily be avoided by an all-powerful god. We see many lives lived without ever having a chance to choose Jesus as their path to God, as a result of cultural ethnicity, geographic location, family influence, or years lived.


What this shows is:
- access to God is much broader than what the evangelical church teaches today.
- the life we should live as good followers of God has many many more varieties/methods/paths than what the modern evangelical church suggests to it's followers today.
- or perhaps there is no god as is defined by the masses today.

 

[pinkputter]

We live in a fallen world...

 

[GrayAngel]

Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

There's a reason why the word "love" appears in some form over 550 times in the Bible.

 

[razeontherock]

The evangelical church teaches today that God has an overwhelming all-encompassing love for us

Your word choice, attempting to whittle this down to an "evangelical" issue, is telling. Divide and conquer is a known tactic of satan. Is that really the company you wish to keep?

 

[drich0150]

The evangelical church teaches today that God has an overwhelming all-encompassing love for us, greater than we can even imagine. That God also values human life above everything, and at a level so high, incomprehensible to us. Yet evidence doesn't support this. We see reckless savage loss of human life in many many areas, that could easily be avoided by an all-powerful god. We see many lives lived without ever having a chance to choose Jesus as their path to God, as a result of cultural ethnicity, geographic location, family influence, or years lived.


What this shows is:
- access to God is much broader than what the evangelical church teaches today.
- the life we should live as good followers of God has many many more varieties/methods/paths than what the modern evangelical church suggests to it's followers today.
- or perhaps there is no god as is defined by the masses today.

Can you provide "proof" to your claims about these brothers beliefs?

 

[DamianWarS]

The evangelical church teaches today that God has an overwhelming all-encompassing love for us, greater than we can even imagine. That God also values human life above everything, and at a level so high, incomprehensible to us. Yet evidence doesn't support this. We see reckless savage loss of human life in many many areas, that could easily be avoided by an all-powerful god. We see many lives lived without ever having a chance to choose Jesus as their path to God, as a result of cultural ethnicity, geographic location, family influence, or years lived.


What this shows is:
- access to God is much broader than what the evangelical church teaches today.
- the life we should live as good followers of God has many many more varieties/methods/paths than what the modern evangelical church suggests to it's followers today.
- or perhaps there is no god as is defined by the masses today.

the world is in a fallen state which means that "human life" is at the mercy of the corruption of sin. The influence that sin has on us extends far beyond the spiritual and it impacts the physical as well. Because of sin we see very real physical effects that God does not desire upon his creation such as pain and suffering and in the end death. No person can escape the effects of sin.

If sin is about death than God is about life and just like sin God's grace goes beyond the spiritual as well and also extends to the physical. Yet we need to be aware that "human life" as we know it does not represent the desire God has for humanity and it is inevitably corrupted by sin and will always bare its mark until sin can no longer enslave us. What God values is human life not dominated by sin and for the moment that is not the circumstance the world is in. If sin is a part of the world then its effects will be evident as well. What will bring a change is the eventual second coming of Christ when there will be a time where sin no longer has free reign over our lives which means we will no longer bear the mark of sin through our physical.

 

[bling]

The evangelical church teaches today that God has an overwhelming all-encompassing love for us, greater than we can even imagine. That God also values human life above everything, and at a level so high, incomprehensible to us. Yet evidence doesn't support this. We see reckless savage loss of human life in many many areas, that could easily be avoided by an all-powerful god. We see many lives lived without ever having a chance to choose Jesus as their path to God, as a result of cultural ethnicity, geographic location, family influence, or years lived.


What this shows is:
- access to God is much broader than what the evangelical church teaches today.
- the life we should live as good followers of God has many many more varieties/methods/paths than what the modern evangelical church suggests to it's followers today.
- or perhaps there is no god as is defined by the masses today.

Death is not bad, but thw way good people get to go home and the way bad people quite doing bad stuff?

 

[Cieza]

We live in a fallen world...

Does that explain why God doesn't love us?

 

[Cieza]

Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

There's a reason why the word "love" appears in some form over 550 times in the Bible.

The word love appears so much in the Bible only because the humans who wrote the Bible put it there so many times.

The Bible was written by humans. So I don't see how the content of the Bible pertains to the thread topic.

How can one love God if God doesn't even show himself to exist? Am I supposed to love something that appears to not even exist?

 

[Cieza]

Your word choice, attempting to whittle this down to an "evangelical" issue, is telling. Divide and conquer is a known tactic of satan. Is that really the company you wish to keep?

Who is Satan? I don't know enough about Satan to know if I would want to be in his company. But if God exists, he is deceptive in that his followers claim he loves us, but his actions show him as neglectful and full of hatred.

 

[ChristianT]

Does that explain why God doesn't love us?

No, it only shows that people have free choice. The first people chose sin. Sin's punishment is death. That is the fallen world, one full of sun and death as a result of our choice. Not as a result of G-d's desire. If G-d didn't love us, Jesus never would've taken human form as the Holy Spirit wouldn't move people, since your "God" doesn't love people and doesn't want them with Him. Idk which ideas of G-d you have, but ours is loving, and Jesus and the Holy spirit did do those things so we may believe and forever be with G-d.

 

[Cieza]

No, it only shows that people have free choice. The first people chose sin. Sin's punishment is death. That is the fallen world, one full of sun and death as a result of our choice. Not as a result of G-d's desire. If G-d didn't love us, Jesus never would've taken human form as the Holy Spirit wouldn't move people, since your "God" doesn't love people and doesn't want them with Him. Idk which ideas of G-d you have, but ours is loving, and Jesus and the Holy spirit did do those things so we may believe and forever be with G-d.

If God loves us then why would he allow some 200,000 people in Haiti - who he loves - suffer or die when the earthquake occurred?

Do you fail to alert others - who you love - of pending disasters in which they might get hurt or die? Do you think other Christians feel compelled to do the same?

 

[razeontherock]

The argument of evil has been dealt with abundantly.

 

[ChristianT]

If God loves us then why would he allow some 200,000 people in Haiti - who he loves - suffer or die when the earthquake occurred?

Do you fail to alert others - who you love - of pending disasters in which they might get hurt or die? Do you think other Christians feel compelled to do the same?

Think about it! If he did tell them, do you think they'd react the way you expect? If I told you your house would burn down in 3 days, would you evacuate your family and priceless possessions to the nearest hotel? Or would you give me some form of curse word and ignore my warning? Plus, if they could hear him, what could they do? Ask for help? Do you think America, Europe, etc, help out Haiti simply because they say God told them they'd be hit by an earthquake? Those freethinking countries that, especially America, push G-d out of everyday life as much as they can, would use science to say, "how can they know when am earthquake will hit IMF even we scientists can't?" and then they'd get hit. Us Christians have this idea known also to atheists and other believers as NATURAL disasters. This means that some events are NATURAL to happen. G-d does not make it happen, but the earth's cycles that cause an earthquake... Nit to say G-d can't throw an earthquake here or there, just saying that not EVERY earthquake, hurricane, or tornado is of G-d's doing. Just because we can't predict it doesn't mean G-d did it, it simply means we can't track them ahead of time, except for hurricanes.

The argument of evil has been dealt with abundantly.

 

[razeontherock]

Who is Satan? I don't know enough about Satan to know if I would want to be in his company. But if God exists, he is deceptive in that his followers claim he loves us, but his actions show him as neglectful and full of hatred.

What you write reflects being blinded by satan. Do you enjoy this perspective?

 

[razeontherock]

Let's try this another way:

does G-d really Love us?

Yes. Yes he does. Very much so!

 

[GrayAngel]

The word love appears so much in the Bible only because the humans who wrote the Bible put it there so many times.

The Bible was written by humans. So I don't see how the content of the Bible pertains to the thread topic.

How can one love God if God doesn't even show himself to exist? Am I supposed to love something that appears to not even exist?

1. The Bible was not just written by men. They were inspired by God.

2. The Bible, being God's Word, is our main source for learning about God's nature. The fact that these humans wrote the word love so many times was because they knew that God is love, and that love is the central most important thing. Hence the two greatest laws: Love your neighbor as yourself, and love God will all your heart, mind, and soul.

3. You're going a bit off topic now. The OP started with the assumption that God exists. Now you want us to prove it for you?

4. God is invisible, but His features are obvious. Anyone who has felt God's love knows without a doubt that He exists. God is not absent, but He's very involved in our lives, guiding our steps, providing for us, etc..

 

[Cieza]

Who is Satan? I don't know enough about Satan to know if I would want to be in his company. But if God exists, he is deceptive in that his followers claim he loves us, but his actions show him as neglectful and full of hatred.

What you write reflects being blinded by satan. Do you enjoy this perspective?

I don't believe that "satan" exists - that is unless "satan" is merely a metaphor for the power of evil.

If I'm right about the definition of "satan", then what is evil about me saying "if God exists, he is deceptive in that his followers claim he loves us, but his actions show him as neglectful and full of hatred"

Please understand that this viewpoint I have about God isn't a personal preference. It's a viewpoint based on available evidence which has been presented to me. If you were presented with precisely the same evidence that I've been presented, I highly doubt your view would be any different from mine.

 

[Cieza]

1. The Bible was not just written by men. They were inspired by God.

What evidence do you have that the Bible was not written by humans?

If I write something that was inspired by God, does that make it as gospel as the Bible?

2. The Bible, being God's Word, is our main source for learning about God's nature.

If so, then why doesn't the Bible start out with a thorough explanation of what God is?!?

The fact that these humans wrote the word love so many times was because they knew that God is love, and that love is the central most important thing.

Is "God" merely a metaphor for love?
Is the weather an act of love?
Are we judged by love after we die?
Do we pray to love?

Hence the two greatest laws: Love your neighbor as yourself, and love God will all your heart, mind, and soul.

What if God is misrepresented to you? You'll end up loving something that you're not supposed to love. And if you don't even know what God is, you can't even know if you love God!

3. You're going a bit off topic now. The OP started with the assumption that God exists. Now you want us to prove it for you?

For the purposes of #3, what is your definition of "God"?

4. God is invisible, but His features are obvious. Anyone who has felt God's love knows without a doubt that He exists. God is not absent, but He's very involved in our lives, guiding our steps, providing for us, etc..

It sounds like God is merely a word which is used metaphorically for things which we are all readily aware of. That being said, it must mean all atheists believe God exists - even though they would say otherwise.

 

[razeontherock]

I don't believe that "satan" exists - that is unless "satan" is merely a metaphor for the power of evil.

If I'm right about the definition of "satan", then what is evil about me saying "if God exists, he is deceptive in that his followers claim he loves us, but his actions show him as neglectful and full of hatred"

Please understand that this viewpoint I have about God isn't a personal preference. It's a viewpoint based on available evidence which has been presented to me. If you were presented with precisely the same evidence that I've been presented, I highly doubt your view would be any different from mine.

Just like I said, you show you are blinded by satan. Do you enjoy this perspective?