Let's suppose God did....

[HitchSlap]

This statement assumes that God has indeed hidden Himself. I would disagree. I would maintain that God has made it possible, at least for you, to know He exists. You have access to a Bible I am sure. That is one piece of evidence.





Maybe this conversation is the means by which God will reveal Himself to you. As long as that is possible, your reasoning fails....

My reasoning fails if god decides to reveal herself to me. Which she hasn't.

Why do you insist on putting the cart before the horse?

 

[Elioenai26]

My reasoning fails if god decides to reveal herself to me. Which she hasn't.

Why do you insist on putting the cart before the horse?

Ok, lets assume He has not. Let us say you are right....

That does not mean that He won't, right?

That was my point....

 

[HitchSlap]

Ok, lets assume He has not. Let us say you are right....

That does not mean that He won't, right?

That was my point....

sigh...

 

[Cearbhall]

Let's suppose He caused a message to appear in the clouds in the sky over Israel. How would you know it was really God doing it and not just a chance, random arrangement of clouds to look like words?

I don't feel like crunching numbers, but the odds that clouds would naturally be blown into a design that undeniably displays a linguistic message would be astronomical. The message would also have to indicate that it was written by the Abrahamic God.

Or let's suppose God appeared to you, an atheist, personally. How would you know it was really God and that you were not just hallucinating?

I wouldn't be confident in my own judgment if that happened.

Let's suppose He appeared to hundreds of people at one time and did miracles. How would you know that it was not just some magician doing magic tricks with the help of people who were working secretly with the magician?

I don't know. How would you judge the situation if someone claiming to be Odin did that?

Let's suppose a booming voice from the sky cried: "I am God and Jesus Christ is my beloved Son, listen to Him!" How would you know it was not just you imagining the voice inside your head?

If other people heard it. If I heard a recording of it. If I didn't hear anything else out of the ordinary. Same as any other noise.

I keep hearing over and over again: "If God is real, then He can make His presence known." Well heck, I agree!

Cool. So you agree with our point. Let us know if that happens.

I find it strange that many of these scenarios are worded as if non-theists have stated that they will bow down at the first sign of anything inexplicable. You're trying to get us to defend the validity of theoretical supernatural events. These sound like questions that an atheist should be asking a religious person.

 

[Elioenai26]

I don't feel like crunching numbers, but the odds that clouds would naturally be blown into a design that undeniably displays a linguistic message would be astronomical. The message would also have to indicate that it was written by the Abrahamic God.

If that is how you feel, then I can demonstrate to you God does indeed exist.

Would you like me to do that?

 

[Cearbhall]

If that is how you feel, then I can demonstrate to you God does indeed exist.

Would you like me to do that?

Why the hell not. Go for it.

 

[Elioenai26]

Why the hell not. Go for it.

It will take me a while to compile my post. So bear with me. I may work on it some tonight and finish up tomorrow. Tomorrow at the latest.

 

[ThouArtThat]

Let's suppose for a moment that God did do what many atheists here have said He has not done, and reveal Himself to mankind in a way that is undeniable.

How would you know it was God revealing Himself and not just some natural event with a natural explanation?

Let's suppose He caused a message to appear in the clouds in the sky over Israel. How would you know it was really God doing it and not just a chance, random arrangement of clouds to look like words?

Or let's suppose God appeared to you, an atheist, personally. How would you know it was really God and that you were not just hallucinating?

Let's suppose He appeared to hundreds of people at one time and did miracles. How would you know that it was not just some magician doing magic tricks with the help of people who were working secretly with the magician?

Let's suppose a booming voice from the sky cried: "I am God and Jesus Christ is my beloved Son, listen to Him!" How would you know it was not just you imagining the voice inside your head?

I keep hearing over and over again: "If God is real, then He can make His presence known." Well heck, I agree!

But if He did, how would you distinguish the supernatural from the natural?

What marks or qualities would such a revelation possess? Would you even be able to recognize it?

There would be no way to distinguish a God from a technologically superior extraterrestrial. Even God, if he exists, could never really know he was God. Sure, maybe as far as he knew he was all that ever existed before the creation of our universe, but this would be no guarantee that he was all there was. For God to know he was God and that there was no other beside him, he would have to go outside of himself to find out, which is impossible because no matter where you go, there you are.

 

[Elioenai26]

There would be no way to distinguish a God from a technologically superior extraterrestrial. Even God, if he exists, could never really know he was God. Sure, maybe as far as he knew he was all that ever existed before the creation of our universe, but this would be no guarantee that he was all there was. For God to know he was God and that there was no other beside him, he would have to go outside of himself to find out, which is impossible because no matter where you go, there you are.

:o

 

[ThouArtThat]

:o

Try to imagine you were God, how would you know you were God and there was no other before you? If you really think about it and don't resort to the cop out of "God knows everything, so he would just know", you'll see that it's not possible.

 

[Cearbhall]

There would be no way to distinguish a God from a technologically superior extraterrestrial. Even God, if he exists, could never really know he was God. Sure, maybe as far as he knew he was all that ever existed before the creation of our universe, but this would be no guarantee that he was all there was. For God to know he was God and that there was no other beside him, he would have to go outside of himself to find out, which is impossible because no matter where you go, there you are.

That fits perfectly with the ant farm analogy. Such a god would be the queen ant. Good point.

 

[Akiba021]

There would be no way to distinguish a God from a technologically superior extraterrestrial. Even God, if he exists, could never really know he was God. Sure, maybe as far as he knew he was all that ever existed before the creation of our universe, but this would be no guarantee that he was all there was. For God to know he was God and that there was no other beside him, he would have to go outside of himself to find out, which is impossible because no matter where you go, there you are.

You literally just blew my [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] mind.. o.o

 

[Elioenai26]

I have finished the work I promised. I hope you are encouraged by it!