If you had God's powers, how would you communicate with people?

[MrsFoundit]

(c) use (b) in order to get (a) done in a good way. This is what I suppose. I don't have God's powers, though.

For clarity, if I may ask what you mean?

Do you mean influence peoples behaviour and attitudes, as (b) in order to get (a) done?

 

[Larniavc]

The OP, to which my comments apply is not based on this restricted specific.
You also appear to be confusing protection and force.

So you would restrict your attempt to stop a child running into a burning building with only words?

 

[thomas_t]

For clarity, if I may ask what you mean?

Do you mean influence peoples behaviour and attitudes, as (b) in order to get (a) done?

yes of course you may.
I was thinking of speaking to/ discussing with people directly to get (a) done.
Thomas

 

[MrsFoundit]

So you would restrict your attempt to stop a child running into a burning building with only words?

No, I said nothing like that.

 

[thomas_t]

less than a third of the world's population is Christian, and that fraction of humanity is fragmented and divided into thousands of different sects, often bitterly opposed to each other.

almost a third? that's more than Luke 17:26-30 would imply, in my opinion. As it seems, according to these verses it's far less, when Jesus will come back.

So if you say that God should have used His amazing powers to make sure that Christianity spread to everyone, the question is - why didn't He?

no, I didn't say that.
I would agree with @MrsFoundit (if I get her right) ... God wouldn't inform communities that don't want to listen to him, in general. I mean informing them concerning the Gospel as declared by Jesus.

... at the same time, God still wants to inform all peoples, though. Matthew 24:14

 

[MrsFoundit]

yes of course you may.
I was thinking of speaking to/ discussing with people directly to get (a) done.
Thomas

You would speak to people directly and use those people to write a book. Ok, got it.

 

[keith99]

I would start by getting my own house in order. Striking preachers dumb when they claimed to be preaching my word and were preaching something very different might be a good first step. I think I would include making that long lasting for those who preached giving by the congregations to line their own pockets.

The lightening strikes would come later!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Would you
(a) rely on ancient texts, written by unknown/anonymous sources, or
(b) find other ways to reach out to people?

... I would use ... my mouth?

 

[InterestedAtheist]

If it is against someones will to know I exist, to force them to to know I exist, is to force someone to do something against their will. To know is a verb.

But look at what Christians say God did. If you believe what Christians say, and look at what Christians do, God would like everyone in the world to choose to be a Christian. That's why He set up churches with a Bible and good news to spread.

The problem for Christians is, why did God make such a poor job of it? The question, of course, is anathema, since it is impossible to think of God as making a mistake. But the reality is undeniable. Christianity's quest to spread across the world has been unsuccessful. Because God got it wrong. He could have done so many things to ensure that His message spread more widely. But He didnt.

I don't blame you for not being able to see this. It would be difficult to remain a Christian if you did. So you have to resort to ad hoc arguments and logically dubious rationalisations like "God wouldn't want to force people who don't want to know about Him to know about Him," even though having a worldwide, evangelical religion is an attempt to do exactly that.

 

[Mark Quayle]

But look at what Christians say God did. If you believe what Christians say, and look at what Christians do, God would like everyone in the world to choose to be a Christian. That's why He set up churches with a Bible and good news to spread.

The problem for Christians is, why did God make such a poor job of it? The question, of course, is anathema, since it is impossible to think of God as making a mistake. But the reality is undeniable. Christianity's quest to spread across the world has been unsuccessful. Because God got it wrong. He could have done so many things to ensure that His message spread more widely. But He didnt.

I don't blame you for not being able to see this. It would be difficult to remain a Christian if you did. So you have to resort to ad hoc arguments and logically dubious rationalisations like "God wouldn't want to force people who don't want to know about Him to know about Him," even though having a worldwide, evangelical religion is an attempt to do exactly that.

I can see how you might believe it. It's pretty obvious, if you think God's purpose is to make as many believers as possible. But arrogance always misses something. That is not his plan.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

I can see how you might believe it. It's pretty obvious, if you think God's purpose is to make as many believers as possible. But arrogance always misses something. That is not his plan.

It's impossible for God to be wrong, isn't it?
So, confronted by the evidence that He is wrong, you must refuse to follow it. There must be some other explanation. God cannot be wrong, therefore He isn't wrong. And if it seems He is wrong, we must have missed something.

But how about you? Are you always perfect? Do you know everything?

No?

Then maybe our current predicament is due to you being mistaken in your beliefs about God.

You believe that God exists. And are you so perfect that you always believe what is true, and what is true is always what you believe?

 

[Mark Quayle]

It's impossible for God to be wrong, isn't it?
So, confronted by the evidence that He is wrong, you must refuse to follow it. There must be some other explanation. God cannot be wrong, therefore He isn't wrong. And if it seems He is wrong, we must have missed something.

But how about you? Are you always perfect? Do you know everything?

No?

Then maybe our current predicament is due to you being mistaken in your beliefs about God.

You believe that God exists. And are you so perfect that you always believe what is true, and what is true is always what you believe?

Please don't take me for such an idiot as that. Of course I can be wrong. I believe God exists because of several reasons.

Refuse to follow what? Evidence that God is wrong? So far, I've seen no such evidence. The church is often wrong, though. Maybe that is where you have gotten confused. But then, I'm not your typical Christian. I don't defend the things you have gleaned from what Christians say. God is not interested in saving as many as possible. Nor was his commandment to spread Christianity. Specifically his command was to go throughout the world, preaching the gospel to everyone. That has pretty much happened. Don't know of anyone who has never heard of what Jesus did. The command to make disciples likewise, is "from among all the people-groups". Not to force Christianity in the same sort of idea Islam has.

Yet even his commandments do not precisely reflect his plans.

What exactly are you referring to by "our current predicament"?

 

[InterestedAtheist]

Please don't take me for such an idiot as that. Of course I can be wrong.

Why would you make the leap from me saying you might benefit from reconsidering your beliefs to thinking I called you an idiot? I'm sure you wouldn't say that everyone who could benefit from rethinking their assumptions is an idiot.

Refuse to follow what? Evidence that God is wrong? So far, I've seen no such evidence.

What you have seen, in this thread, is that there is something strange about the way that God chose to communicate with humans. That's the whole topic of this thread, and so far I haven't seen any satisfying explanations for it.

The church is often wrong, though. Maybe that is where you have gotten confused.

Am I confused about something?

But then, I'm not your typical Christian.

Funny. I hear that a lot around here.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

God is not interested in saving as many as possible.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is long suffering, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Or, to put it another way, God is good. Of course he wants everyone to be saved, even if He understands that not all of them may be.

Nor was his commandment to spread Christianity. Specifically his command was to go throughout the world, preaching the gospel to everyone.

Going throughout the whole world spreading the gospel to everyone sounds pretty much like spreading Christianity.

That has pretty much happened. Don't know of anyone who has never heard of what Jesus did.

I see. So you think God's happy just so long as everyone knows that a religion called Christianity exists. They don't need to know anything else, just to know that it's there.

The command to make disciples likewise, is "from among all the people-groups". Not to force Christianity in the same sort of idea Islam has.

Again, you're think that God just wants people to know that Christianity exists? Nothing more than that? Are you saying that anything more than telling people about Christianity would be unethical?

Yet even his commandments do not precisely reflect his plans.

Do you know what God's plan is? If not, then how can you know if He's making a mistake or not?

What exactly are you referring to by "our current predicament"?

Would you say the situation in the world vis-a-vis Christianity is ideal at the moment? I mean, you said yourself, everyone in the world knows what Christianity is, more or less. So is that okay? Is that the ideal state?
If your answer is yes, I'm puzzled. If the answer is no, then now you know what I mean by "our current predicament".

 

[InterestedAtheist]

no, I didn't say that.

That's exactly what you said.
Post #5.
You said:
(c) use (b - find other ways to reach people) in order to get (a - relying on ancient texts) done in a good way.

So, why didn't God do that?
Because if you look at the world throughout history up to today, it's pretty clear. God has not managed to reach people. Less than one third of the world can be described as Christian. The rest of them have either not heard the message, or not found it persuasive.

 

[MrsFoundit]

God has not managed to reach people.

God has not retracted choice.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

God has not retracted choice.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

 

[MrsFoundit]

It is not limited to officially labelled "Christian" places, or entire people groups.

Romans 1:20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

 

[thomas_t]

That's exactly what you said.
Post #5.
You said:
(c) use (b - find other ways to reach people) in order to get (a - relying on ancient texts) done in a good way.

So, why didn't God do that?

He has his Bible by now, so he already did what I described in #5. However, since some communities refuse the spreading of the Bible within themselves as of today... the Bible isn't spread everywhere, I guess.
He does not force his way into communities that won't listen to him.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

He has his Bible by now, so he already did what I described in #5. However, since some communities refuse the spreading of the Bible within themselves as of today... the Bible isn't spread everywhere, I guess.
He does not force his way into communities that won't listen to him.

Very good. In which case, God has failed. He tried to persuade people, but His message was unwelcome. Which leads us to ask, how is it possible that an entity possessing the wisdom, power and goodness of God - well, how is it possible that the message he crafted was one that people did not want to hear? Which leads us back to the topic of this thread, which I would very much like to see some answers to: if you had God's power, how would you communicate with people?

I must congratulate @BigV on this. He has quite a talent for asking questions Christians are unable to answer.