Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive?

[alexiscurious]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: You need to have faith. God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way. Just believe!

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: Man cannot understand God's ways. God is beyond our understanding. You are not in the right place to be questioning God's methods.

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: Well....actually no action on your part caused God to separate himself from you. God is holding you and I responsible for our ancestors' decisions and that's why you, I, and the rest of humanity is trapped in an unavoidable and inescapable sinful prison. Even though we didn't even exist back then, we still deserve his wrath.

 

[Lukaris]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: You need to have faith. God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way. Just believe!

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: Man cannot understand God's ways. God is beyond our understanding. You are not in the right place to be questioning God's methods.

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: Well....actually no action on your part caused God to separate himself from you. God is holding you and I responsible for our ancestors' decisions and that's why you, I, and the rest of humanity is trapped in an unavoidable and inescapable sinful prison. Even though we didn't even exist back then, we still deserve his wrath.

I do not believe we are automatically, individually accountable for God's wrath because of the fall but we are very prone to it because the tribulation of this world makes living according to God's will difficult. To rightly know right from wrong is possible but difficult & to truly love our neighbor is difficult. God has given us a conscience to try to know right from wrong; this is rooted in our subconscious. From this our thoughts and actions arise; some will say this is just evolution or whatever, but this is where we must know where our realization of God begins.

To try to do right is within natural law established by God.


Proverbs 16:3New King James Version (NKJV)

3
Commit your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.



Proverbs 14:21-22New King James Version (NKJV)
21
He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22
Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.


Proverbs 14:31New King James Version (NKJV)

31
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.



We are also morally bound to the basic commandments of our conduct:

Romans 13:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)

Love Your Neighbor

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”[a] “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.


How many of us can truly live up to this? Jesus Christ will give us all a fair hearing (see Romans 2: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans 2&version=NKJV)

But the truth is:

Romans 3:23New King James Version (NKJV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,


This is where the Cross of our Lord saves us & then we give thanks in response doing good works.



Ephesians 2:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

[juvenissun]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way.

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: You have not accept God yet. Do you love God?

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: How about you do not respect God? Yes, you do not recognize Him. Would that be something wrong if He is really there?

Are my answers still dismissive?

 

[oi_antz]

You are not investing enough effort to gain understanding, Alex. It is much easier to be confused, and it is a convenient excuse to dismiss good reason. I have given you good reason for these questions, and you demonstrate no such understanding. Therefore, I posit that this is how you prefer it to be.

 

[pdudgeon]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: You need to have faith. God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way. Just believe!

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: Man cannot understand God's ways. God is beyond our understanding. You are not in the right place to be questioning God's methods.

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: Well....actually no action on your part caused God to separate himself from you. God is holding you and I responsible for our ancestors' decisions and that's why you, I, and the rest of humanity is trapped in an unavoidable and inescapable sinful prison. Even though we didn't even exist back then, we still deserve his wrath.

Example #1. you can be 100% assured of God's existance. In fact everyone can be. There is only 1 question concerning what people want to do with that assurance that God gives them...do they accept it or reject it.

God has set into nature itself enough proof for any human being to accept that there must indeed be a being higher than themselves who does presently exist and who did exist in the beginning of time.
From the days of our childhood we ask questions about the Sun, the Moon,the stars, light and dark, rain, wind, what makes things grow...all these questions have the existance of God as their basis. And God designed nature in that way so that we WOULD ask questions and get to know Him.

more than anything else God wants to be known.

Example #2. If knowledge (and acknowledgement) of God is the first step, then communication with God is surely the second step. We seek to understand so that in turn we might be understood. But communication is a two way street that requires not only a common language, but also requires that each listen to the other.

When we pray often times we intend to start a dialogue with God, but we forget that in that exchange we also need to stop and listen for God's answer.
And yes, God does answer.
In the same way that a shepherd talks to his flock and directs them, God also talks to us. Our problem these days is that we are so busy with our own concerns and problems that we aren't expecting to hear from Him.
we forget to be quiet and just listen for His voice.

Sometimes He speaks to us externally just as a friend would if they were addressing you.
other times He will speak internally, but the thoughts expressed come not from our own brains but from a source outside of ourselves, and we hear God speaking into our brain.

That effect is similar to listening to the sound of a piano being played in another room, and the resulting music comming to our ears thru a headset. We can know that we ourselves aren't playing the piano, but we can distinguish that a piano is being played and that the sound originates elsewhere.

question #3. Why are we separated from our Creator? Because of a heartbreaking thing called sin, that had a lasting effect on all of mankind. That separation hurts God as much if not more than it hurts us, because it was never intended to be that way.
Since before the creation of the World, God in His love for us, has made a way back; a way that can bridge the gap between God and Man, and heal what was broken. that way is Jesus Christ, and He is the only way back.

 

[CryOfALion]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: You need to have faith. God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way. Just believe!

My answer would be no one is 100% sure of anything - even about things that seem certain. You don't know for a fact your computer won't transform into a unicorn, you have trust/faith that your computer won't do this. You don't know for a fact your paycheck won't bounce like a basketball when you exchange it for legal tender or credits, you trust/have faith it won't bounce. You don't know for a fact that you exist even, but you see your hands and breathe, so you trust you exist.

The point is although it sounds dismissive, you do need faith in all things, because you are not omniscient. The way we exist as children of the Most High God is, among other things, to be like Him - that means omniscience traits in us. For created beings that are not omniscient, you need faith and science existing in harmony, with their due measure. Where our science/knowledge fails, faith comes in to fill in the blanks - creating a pseudo-omniscience. God is provable, perhaps not with the science we have now, which is why we are called to have faith.

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: Man cannot understand God's ways. God is beyond our understanding. You are not in the right place to be questioning God's methods.

We don't understand God in ways we think we should (like why He does what He does,) but He has certainly given us a plethora of insight on Him through His actions, words, prophets and Son. Communication/faith becomes another issue of faith - faith that He hears.

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: Well....actually no action on your part caused God to separate himself from you. God is holding you and I responsible for our ancestors' decisions and that's why you, I, and the rest of humanity is trapped in an unavoidable and inescapable sinful prison. Even though we didn't even exist back then, we still deserve his wrath.

Adam sinned before he had children, so his progeny is therefore prone to sin by nature. Yet, we are called to be perfect. Indeed, only a few humans were deemed worthy to escape death either by being caught up, or resurrecting back to life.

But, if you sin once by Universal Law you must die. And, since God destroys imperfection and sin by His consequential nature, no one who has broken His Law can be with Him without being obliterated. He would rather separate Himself from us than have us face Him, and we become completely eradicated. So, if you have ever told a white lie, or if you have murdered someone you deserve death.

In this way, it is a blessing the Most High doesn't delight in our pain, or dissolve us slowly - because He would be well within Justice to do so with us. Instead of itemizing every created being according to sin, He has given us a Savior so that anyone that wants to be with Him can be. But, He is also just, and it is appointed man die once, then judgment. So, we will die as per the rules of the universe. But, with the debt paid we can take part in a resurrection back to life. It isn't cruel what has happened to us; it is a consequence of what we continue to do.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Alexiscurious. Perhaps some of it might be, but Christianity is easy to understand and straightforward. What does God want from us? The Bible tells us " Repent and be Born Again," we have to give up being selfish and unloving
and unforgiving, and change into loving and caring sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Matthew 7: 7-10: tells us: " ask and you will receive," we ask God for Love and Joy, then we thank God and start loving and caring for
our neighbour: all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends. We keep asking and receiving, then thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us. God will see our loving efforts and God will approve and bless us.
We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on Loving and Caring. We all know what to Love and Care is.
In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is:
Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as we love ourselves: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LOVE OTHERS TO DO UNTO YOU. Always ask yourself: am I being as God wants me to be? do I love truly? am I treating my neighbour as I would love to be treated? God sees our hearts, and God knows what we really think. Jesus Christ our Saviour died that we might live, and in
Matthew 5:48: we are told: " Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which
is in Heaven is perfect." We are not perfect, but Christianity wants us to
Love God with all our beings, and love our neighbour as we love ourselves.
That is straightforward Alex, and Love covers a multitude of SINS.
I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[food4thought]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

I do not think it is our intent to be dismissive. There are some questions that we are not given clear answers for in Scripture, yet those of us who have embraced God in faith find that we really don't need answers to most of these questions. For some things, the best we can do is postulate an answer to your question based upon our own understanding (there are very few true prophets in the world at any given time, and I doubt you will find one hanging out on a message board lol), and our own understanding of things can often be ambiguous and lacking.

Example 1: Why can't I be 100% assured of God's existence?
Reply: You need to have faith. God cannot be proven in any external verifiable way. Just believe!

Can one be 100% certain of anything? Faith is not belief w/out evidence, or in spite of the evidence. Faith is taking a step beyond the partial evidence. Much depends on what you focus on... when I came to faith, I spent a year or more gobbling up the Bible and evidences that support faith in it, not even looking at the evidence against. When I reached a certain point of belief, I let go of my doubts and placed faith in Jesus. As I was obedient to the guidance of my conscience and what I understood from the Bible, God led me to a place where He revealed Himself more and more to me. I experienced God personally, and you will never convince me that He does not exist. But I had to take the steps of faith and obedience to what I knew of Him to reach that point.

I understand your problem. How can I have enough faith when I see so many things that make me disbelieve? The answer is to be deliberate about what you choose to look at... let go of your skepticism for a time, look at the positive evidence for Jesus Christ, do not seek out skeptic's answers to these evidences, simply allow the positive evidence to build up in your heart and mind. Read the Bible receptively, not looking for problems but looking for help from God. Seek out Christian apologetic sites. Do this for as long as you are willing to (I would suggest at least a year, it's what I did).

God promises to meet the one who is honestly seeking Him (as opposed to the one who is actively trying to disprove Him):

Heb 11:6 NKJV But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (bolding mine)

Example 2: Why can't I communicate properly with God? Prayer seems to be more of a one way conversation, not a conversation between two beings that love each other dearly.
Reply: Man cannot understand God's ways. God is beyond our understanding. You are not in the right place to be questioning God's methods.

I would say that God is communicating with you through all the different aspects of creation (from the organized structure of the tiniest particles to the mystery of human consciousness), but your mind is filled with alternative explanations for all these things, and so you are deaf to His communication. I found through my study that the alternative explanations for things provided by science simply do not stand up to intense scrutiny... there are simply too many assumptions, too many holes in their understanding, too many "it probably happened this way" and almost no "we know with certainty that it happened this way". Let go of your skepticism towards God, and turn that skepticism on your own beliefs about the nature of our universe.

Again, once you start to believe, you will find that He has always been communicating with you, and through obedience to His guidance you will be led to ever deeper and more personal communication with Him.

Example 3: Why am I separated from my creator? What action on my part constitutes such a cruel punishment?
Reply: Well....actually no action on your part caused God to separate himself from you. God is holding you and I responsible for our ancestors' decisions and that's why you, I, and the rest of humanity is trapped in an unavoidable and inescapable sinful prison. Even though we didn't even exist back then, we still deserve his wrath.

Would you want to spend eternity in infinitely deep relationship with the most disgustingly perverse, sick, twisted, insane, and downright selfish person imaginable? Compared to God's perfection, that person is you. And me. And everyone else who ever lived. God absolutely will not ruin heaven by allowing such people in. We must be redeemed, changed, transformed... born again. Even then, we still have sinful natures that must be shed. Those of us who have allowed God's Spirit to take up residence in our hearts and souls will be transformed and made fit for heaven. Those who reject Him will be cast away, for heaven would no longer be heaven is they were allowed in.

This will be a mystery to you until you come to see your own selfish wretchedness in all it's glory. God hates evil. In essence, we are evil compared to God. So it's a miracle of His grace and mercy that He bothers to redeem any of us.

Hope this helps.

 

[dysert]

I do not think it is our intent to be dismissive. There are some questions that we are not given clear answers for in Scripture, yet those of us who have embraced God in faith find that we really don't need answers to most of these questions. For some things, the best we can do is postulate an answer to your question based upon our own understanding (there are very few true prophets in the world at any given time, and I doubt you will find one hanging out on a message board lol), and our own understanding of things can often be ambiguous and lacking.



Can one be 100% certain of anything? Faith is not belief w/out evidence, or in spite of the evidence. Faith is taking a step beyond the partial evidence. Much depends on what you focus on... when I came to faith, I spent a year or more gobbling up the Bible and evidences that support faith in it, not even looking at the evidence against. When I reached a certain point of belief, I let go of my doubts and placed faith in Jesus. As I was obedient to the guidance of my conscience and what I understood from the Bible, God led me to a place where He revealed Himself more and more to me. I experienced God personally, and you will never convince me that He does not exist. But I had to take the steps of faith and obedience to what I knew of Him to reach that point.

I understand your problem. How can I have enough faith when I see so many things that make me disbelieve? The answer is to be deliberate about what you choose to look at... let go of your skepticism for a time, look at the positive evidence for Jesus Christ, do not seek out skeptic's answers to these evidences, simply allow the positive evidence to build up in your heart and mind. Read the Bible receptively, not looking for problems but looking for help from God. Seek out Christian apologetic sites. Do this for as long as you are willing to (I would suggest at least a year, it's what I did).

God promises to meet the one who is honestly seeking Him (as opposed to the one who is actively trying to disprove Him):

Heb 11:6 NKJV But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (bolding mine)




I would say that God is communicating with you through all the different aspects of creation (from the organized structure of the tiniest particles to the mystery of human consciousness), but your mind is filled with alternative explanations for all these things, and so you are deaf to His communication. I found through my study that the alternative explanations for things provided by science simply do not stand up to intense scrutiny... there are simply too many assumptions, too many holes in their understanding, too many "it probably happened this way" and almost no "we know with certainty that it happened this way". Let go of your skepticism towards God, and turn that skepticism on your own beliefs about the nature of our universe.

Again, once you start to believe, you will find that He has always been communicating with you, and through obedience to His guidance you will be led to ever deeper and more personal communication with Him.



Would you want to spend eternity in infinitely deep relationship with the most disgustingly perverse, sick, twisted, insane, and downright selfish person imaginable? Compared to God's perfection, that person is you. And me. And everyone else who ever lived. God absolutely will not ruin heaven by allowing such people in. We must be redeemed, changed, transformed... born again. Even then, we still have sinful natures that must be shed. Those of us who have allowed God's Spirit to take up residence in our hearts and souls will be transformed and made fit for heaven. Those who reject Him will be cast away, for heaven would no longer be heaven is they were allowed in.

This will be a mystery to you until you come to see your own selfish wretchedness in all it's glory. God hates evil. In essence, we are evil compared to God. So it's a miracle of His grace and mercy that He bothers to redeem any of us.

Hope this helps.

This is a good response!

We aren't trying to be dismissive. The thing is, it's hard (at best!) to talk spiritual things with someone who only talks material things. We don't even have the same fundamental frame of reference. So while our intentions may be good, it's like we're talking across each other, which may come across as dismissive. That's not the goal, though, believe me.

 

[Hospes]

Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive? I feel as if every answer I receive is more of an excuse then an explanation.

First, I am confused at the meaning you put on words. An excuse is an explanation. And a person giving an excuse is not dismissive. Nonetheless, after reading a number of your posts here and other threads, I'd like to suggest your dissatisfaction comes from not liking the complexity of answers you get. It seems you desire to ask some good and deep questions and expect answers needing no thought to understand. You are like a person asking how the parts of an atom can hold together and then dismiss the answer because it seems too complicated.

Have you ever noticed our normal experience is the deeper we explore something the more complex it becomes? (A pencil seems quite simple: wood, pencil lead, and an erasure. But if we start looking further or deeper into it - molecular structures of the materials - it gets very complex.) Just like normal life, do not expect simple explanations to deep questions.

Another suggestion: ask simple and unambiguous questions. A good question goes a long way to getting satisfying answers. Do you see that "Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive?" is the same type of question as "Have you stopped beating your wife?" Do not expect nice clean answers to poorly asked questions.

 

[oi_antz]

This is a good response!

We aren't trying to be dismissive. The thing is, it's hard (at best!) to talk spiritual things with someone who only talks material things. We don't even have the same fundamental frame of reference. So while our intentions may be good, it's like we're talking across each other, which may come across as dismissive. That's not the goal, though, believe me.

It is more than just material vs spiritual, because it is about considering (that is, thinking). Understanding can not be obtained any other way. The OP is quite sure he is not being dismissive while others are. I believe he needs to consider more whether this is really the problem. You know what is said: - ask and it will be given, seek and you will find. But to be dismissive is the opposite action from seeking and asking. And if you think you have light, but the light you think you have is darkness, how deep the darkness must be.

This information does no good though when it is seen in the wrong light. It is only good when it is considered in light of making improvements. I don't actually know why I persist with this poster tbh. I have prayed about him and God asked me the same thing. That is something I should be considering

 

[graceandpeace]

I will refrain from providing my opinions on some of the alleged "answers" the OP has received to alleged "questions" asked, & instead offer a thought to consider.

Religion does not hold all of the answers, but it helps us to endure the questions. That is, my Christian faith can not adequately answer every question, but the explanations it does offer makes sense & gives me hope in an often dark world.

So, questions should not be dismissed, & Christians should try to answer them within reason, but in religion there is some mystery, & faith will inevitably become a necessity.

 

[Sketcher]

Why do you insist that Christianity is dismissive when you are dismissive of the answers you posted in your examples, most of which are strawmen? Heck, why do you still insist on going by strawman answers to these questions?

 

[oi_antz]

Why do you insist that Christianity is dismissive when you are dismissive of the answers you posted in your examples, most of which are strawmen? Heck, why do you still insist on going by strawman answers to these questions?

We all enjoy this website, and some people appear to enjoy doing these things. But I am asking myself why I bother talking to this guy, and have been for quite some time. It would be nice to have a meaningful conversation with him, and I told him that around the time he created this profile. I guess he gets some joy from observing such hope

 

[alexiscurious]

Why do you insist that Christianity is dismissive when you are dismissive of the answers you posted in your examples, most of which are strawmen? Heck, why do you still insist on going by strawman answers to these questions?

What's wrong with the answers I posted in my examples? Isn't that the typical response one would get?

 

[alexiscurious]

First, I am confused at the meaning you put on words. An excuse is an explanation. And a person giving an excuse is not dismissive. Nonetheless, after reading a number of your posts here and other threads, I'd like to suggest your dissatisfaction comes from not liking the complexity of answers you get. It seems you desire to ask some good and deep questions and expect answers needing no thought to understand. You are like a person asking how the parts of an atom can hold together and then dismiss the answer because it seems too complicated.

Have you ever noticed our normal experience is the deeper we explore something the more complex it becomes? (A pencil seems quite simple: wood, pencil lead, and an erasure. But if we start looking further or deeper into it - molecular structures of the materials - it gets very complex.) Just like normal life, do not expect simple explanations to deep questions.

Another suggestion: ask simple and unambiguous questions. A good question goes a long way to getting satisfying answers. Do you see that "Why does Christianity have to be so dismissive?" is the same type of question as "Have you stopped beating your wife?" Do not expect nice clean answers to poorly asked questions.

No, I like as much complexity and details in answers as possible. I view an excuse as an easy way out of something. When I ask all these thoughtful questions I feel dismissed when I hear "God is beyond your understanding. Don't question it."

 

[alexiscurious]

Can one be 100% certain of anything? Faith is not belief w/out evidence, or in spite of the evidence. Faith is taking a step beyond the partial evidence. Much depends on what you focus on... when I came to faith, I spent a year or more gobbling up the Bible and evidences that support faith in it, not even looking at the evidence against. When I reached a certain point of belief, I let go of my doubts and placed faith in Jesus. As I was obedient to the guidance of my conscience and what I understood from the Bible, God led me to a place where He revealed Himself more and more to me. I experienced God personally, and you will never convince me that He does not exist. But I had to take the steps of faith and obedience to what I knew of Him to reach that point.

So if I can't be 100% sure of anyone or anything as you said, how can God hold me accountable for not believing in him?

I understand your problem. How can I have enough faith when I see so many things that make me disbelieve? The answer is to be deliberate about what you choose to look at... let go of your skepticism for a time, look at the positive evidence for Jesus Christ, do not seek out skeptic's answers to these evidences, simply allow the positive evidence to build up in your heart and mind. Read the Bible receptively, not looking for problems but looking for help from God. Seek out Christian apologetic sites. Do this for as long as you are willing to (I would suggest at least a year, it's what I did).

Positive evidence? What positive evidence? All I see in the Bible is people who sincerely believe God and Jesus existed and write about their belief. Since when has believing in anything automatically made it true? Why in the world would I care about the testimony of strangers I never knew? Why would God hold me accountable for not accepting the testimony of complete strangers? I'm not looking for the loving, fair, all-powerful creator of the universe in one little book written a long ass time ago. I should see him everywhere. He should be so plainly and clearly visible that I have no reason to be wasting my time debating whether he exists or not.

God promises to meet the one who is honestly seeking Him (as opposed to the one who is actively trying to disprove Him):

Apparently not.

 

[alexiscurious]

My answer would be no one is 100% sure of anything - even about things that seem certain. You don't know for a fact your computer won't transform into a unicorn, you have trust/faith that your computer won't do this. You don't know for a fact your paycheck won't bounce like a basketball when you exchange it for legal tender or credits, you trust/have faith it won't bounce. You don't know for a fact that you exist even, but you see your hands and breathe, so you trust you exist.

So if I can never be 100% sure of anything as you stated, how could God hold me accountable on judgement day for not believing in him?

The point is although it sounds dismissive, you do need faith in all things, because you are not omniscient. The way we exist as children of the Most High God is, among other things, to be like Him - that means omniscience traits in us. For created beings that are not omniscient, you need faith and science existing in harmony, with their due measure. Where our science/knowledge fails, faith comes in to fill in the blanks - creating a pseudo-omniscience. God is provable, perhaps not with the science we have now, which is why we are called to have faith.

Ok.

We don't understand God in ways we think we should (like why He does what He does,) but He has certainly given us a plethora of insight on Him through His actions, words, prophets and Son. Communication/faith becomes another issue of faith - faith that He hears.

I disagree. How can you consider the Bible to be a plethora of insight? All I see in the Bible is people who sincerely believe God and Jesus existed and write about their belief. Since when has believing in anything automatically made it true? Why in the world would I care about the testimony of strangers I never knew? Why would God hold me accountable for not accepting the testimony of complete strangers? I'm not looking for the loving, fair, all-powerful creator of the universe in one little book written a long ass time ago. I should see him everywhere. He should be so plainly and clearly visible that I have no reason to be wasting my time debating whether he exists or not.

Adam sinned before he had children, so his progeny is therefore prone to sin by nature.

And why does he need to create on God's behalf? God can spit things into existence with words. Why would he need Adam to do it for him? Seems a bit fishy and strategically planned to me. Don't you think?

But, if you sin once by Universal Law you must die.

But I never sinned yet I still wound up here. Why is God holding me accountable for someone else's careless decision again? I don't think judges in a courtroom today would punish the descendants of one person for just that one person's actions.

And, since God destroys imperfection and sin by His consequential nature, no one who has broken His Law can be with Him without being obliterated. He would rather separate Himself from us than have us face Him, and we become completely eradicated. So, if you have ever told a white lie, or if you have murdered someone you deserve death.

Why did he wait so long to destroy imperfection? He should have exterminated it right then and there and created a new fresh copy of me

In this way, it is a blessing the Most High doesn't delight in our pain, or dissolve us slowly - because He would be well within Justice to do so with us. Instead of itemizing every created being according to sin, He has given us a Savior so that anyone that wants to be with Him can be. But, He is also just, and it is appointed man die once, then judgment. So, we will die as per the rules of the universe. But, with the debt paid we can take part in a resurrection back to life. It isn't cruel what has happened to us; it is a consequence of what we continue to do.

Bla bla bla...heard it all before

 

[Sketcher]

What's wrong with the answers I posted in my examples? Isn't that the typical response one would get?

I know you have gotten better answers than at least some of those when posting here. Did you not take these into account?

 

[alexiscurious]

You are not investing enough effort to gain understanding, Alex. It is much easier to be confused, and it is a convenient excuse to dismiss good reason. I have given you good reason for these questions, and you demonstrate no such understanding. Therefore, I posit that this is how you prefer it to be.

I am pretty sure enough effort is being put forth. I am not going to slam my head against the wall over and over again so enough brain cells can disappear before I come to understand any of what is being fed to me. I ask thoughtful and very relevant questions in a world where man has entrapped billions of people in false religions. Can't I be assured of God's existence? No, you can't, just have faith. Can't I at least have a two way conversation with him since he loves me so much and he obviously exists? No he is beyond your understanding don't question his methods your just a man he is God. Ok thx christian forums very helpful luv u all.