The One True God

[dlamberth]

Without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Simply loving others with compassion and empathy while in service to those in need is more than pleasing to God. That's how God is made a reality for a person.

 

[cvanwey]

For what it is worth, specially since "miracle" seems by far to be the exception, God uses means to accomplish his ends. Your question seems much like that of others to assume that God wishes to convince as many people as possible of the truth. But that isn't what the Bible teaches.

I find it interesting; the way you responded here...? I will again quote the gist of the post you decided to actually engage.

God's form of communication, to His people, is to allow for humans, and humans alone, to basically regurgitate His messages. We now have virtually countless denominations. Why? Because humans apparently 'mucked it up.' Many of these denominations irreconcilably disagree with one another, on both 'small' and 'large' topic matters. You belong to one of them. Which means there are likely Christians, reading [your] post now or later, whom disagree with much of your post.

The old saying goes.... 'If you want something done right, do it yourself.' God does not bother to communicate Himself. He reveals His message to one region, and hopes for proper message delivery. But somehow, all-the-while, knows it will fail. (i.e.) your belief verses your Christian neighbor's belief

By the time you received the 'news', it was likely altered, re-translated, augmented, deleted from, added to, etc...

 

[Rescued One]

Simply loving others with compassion and empathy while in service to those in need is more than pleasing to God. That's how God is made a reality for a person.

Because you aren't a Christian, you reject the Bible verse that tells us it's impossible to please God without faith.

 

[Rescued One]

I find it interesting; the way you responded here...? I will again quote the gist of the post you decided to actually engage.

God's form of communication, to His people, is to allow for humans, and humans alone, to basically regurgitate His messages. We now have virtually countless denominations. Why? Because humans apparently 'mucked it up.' Many of these denominations irreconcilably disagree with one another, on both 'small' and 'large' topic matters. You belong to one of them. Which means there are likely Christians, reading [your] post now or later, whom disagree with much of your post.

The old saying goes.... 'If you want something done right, do it yourself.' God does not bother to communicate Himself. He reveals His message to one region, and hopes for proper message delivery. But somehow, all-the-while, knows it will fail. (i.e.) your belief verses your Christian neighbor's belief

By the time you received the 'news', it was likely altered, re-translated, augmented, deleted from, added to, etc...

Skeptics can't give Christians sound advice concerning God and eternal life.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

John 10
22And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I find it interesting; the way you responded here...? I will again quote the gist of the post you decided to actually engage.

God's form of communication, to His people, is to allow for humans, and humans alone, to basically regurgitate His messages. We now have virtually countless denominations. Why? Because humans apparently 'mucked it up.' Many of these denominations irreconcilably disagree with one another, on both 'small' and 'large' topic matters. You belong to one of them. Which means there are likely Christians, reading [your] post now or later, whom disagree with much of your post.

The old saying goes.... 'If you want something done right, do it yourself.' God does not bother to communicate Himself. He reveals His message to one region, and hopes for proper message delivery. But somehow, all-the-while, knows it will fail. (i.e.) your belief verses your Christian neighbor's belief

By the time you received the 'news', it was likely altered, re-translated, augmented, deleted from, added to, etc...

I agree to a point. Again, though, why would he want the pure truth to be given?

Let me put that another way, or come at it from another tack, (by a negative) --he even has gone to the trouble to confuse and confound and distract some from the truth
((NIV) Isaiah 6: "9 [God] said, “Go and tell this people:
“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”

Another thing I note, though I think I did not say to you, is that the very best or most learned or wisest of us are FAR from understanding the whole truth of the Gospel. We understand enough that we are without excuse, but until God makes his dwelling place in us, we are unable to even understand quite what we think we believe.

It is not a lack of information that keeps people away from God.

 

[cvanwey]

Being honest is shying away? Am I shying away, or is it that you don't trust my answer?

I'm being honest regarding what I, as a historian, think the text of that story can tell us. The Ulama was beheaded, so he didn't live to tell more of his tale. I can only know so much about people I've never met in person … and given my faith and where I live the odds of me meeting someone who has been completely isolated from Western Christianity are pretty small. There are the Biblical stories … but again, you're not going to trust them.​

Well, you brought up this 'compelling' story, not me. If it is incomplete, then I guess we can only speculate, huh? Not to convincing then, is it?

My point is that we do not have droves of these stories. Instead, some one-off, half-verified- at-best, story; for which I have never even heard of...

Had he lived, gained safe transport out of Turkey, and written a best-selling book for you to read, would you trust it more? If so, maybe check out something like the documentary The Green Prince. I think there are other stories out there like it.

Not my point. Please see above.​

What you should be suspicious of is someone who implies an Internet post will suddenly reveal God to you. Again, what do you trust? I would venture the answer is not me.

I don't fully trust your unfounded story, as given thus far.

But you claim God is not hidden. This is a claim. Care to back it up? Where is He?

 

[Resha Caner]

But you claim God is not hidden. This is a claim. Care to back it up? Where is He?

201 S Main St
Normal, IL 61761

 

[dlamberth]

Because you aren't a Christian, you reject the Bible verse that tells us it's impossible to please God without faith.

What I've learned is that having Faith in Love married with compassion and empathy while in service to those in need is how God is made a reality in ones life. And there's nothing that I can think of that pleases God more than having God as one's absolute reality in life, today where God is needed the most.

 

[Tinker Grey]

201 S Main St
Normal, IL 61761

Morgan Freeman lives in Charlestown, MS.

 

[dlamberth]

But you claim God is not hidden. This is a claim. Care to back it up? Where is He?

When watching the laughter and play of my grand-children, there God is.
In my younger days I did a lot of mountain climbing.
And when coming across a mountain meadow full of flowers in bloom, there God is.
When watching a mother bonding with her new born child, there God is.
When seeing the pain and suffering of the innocents of war, there God is.
When watching the tender love of a mother's comfort of her dying child, there God is.
I don't understand a religion where God is not one's reality everywhere a person looks.

 

[Rescued One]

What I've learned is that having Faith in Love married with compassion and empathy while in service to those in need is how God is made a reality in ones life. And there's nothing that I can think of that pleases God more than having God as one's absolute reality in life, today where God is needed the most.

The only way we can be His is through faith in Christ.

 

[cvanwey]

Skeptics can't give Christians sound advice.

We can't? Are you sure? Let me give it a try... Assuming [you] prefer life over death for yourself and your loved ones. If not, please disregard below accordingly...

- Don't play in the street, as pedestrians, especially in freeway traffic.
- Don't point a real gun at yourself or others.
- Don't drink battery acid.
- Diet and exercise > sedentary lifestyle, where applicable.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

When "Paul' wrote this verse, you know he was speaking about the OT, right? As the NT had yet to exist. Thus, I ask you...

What was Paul's take on... say.... Genesis for starters? Literal, figurative, other? Just curious?

Since you are going by inspired God Words, what was the gist here? If you do not have solid and justifiable answers here, I might assume your answer is not of sound advice?

John 10
22And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one.

Great, God is stating that the ones that already believe in Him can't be taken away. How do you know God said this, and not a mere human author; writing stuff he heard in oral tradition, or what he copied from other previous/prior re-copied texts?

But more importantly, how does this connect back to my previous response you quoted? You know, how He apparently gave messages to few, and expected these fallible humans to pass it along again and again?

 

[Rescued One]

We can't? Are you sure? Let me give it a try... Assuming [you] prefer life over death for yourself and your loved ones. If not, please disregard below accordingly...

- Don't play in the street, as pedestrians, especially in freeway traffic.
- Don't point a real gun at yourself or others.
- Don't drink battery acid.
- Diet and exercise > sedentary lifestyle, where applicable.

Concerning God. You don't know Him.

When "Paul' wrote this verse, you know he was speaking about the OT, right? As the NT had yet to exist. Thus, I ask you...

What was Paul's take on... say.... Genesis for starters? Literal, figurative, other? Just curious?

Since you are going by inspired God Words, what was the gist here? If you do not have solid and justifiable answers here, I might assume your answer is not of sound advice?

Assume whatever you will. His sheep follow Him.

Great, God is stating that the ones that already believe in Him can't be taken away. How do you know God said this, and not a mere human author; writing stuff he heard in oral tradition, or what he copied from other previous/prior re-copied texts?

Simple. I believe what God says. His sheep believe Him. Others don't.

But more importantly, how does this connect back to my previous response you quoted? You know, how He apparently gave messages to few, and expected these fallible humans to pass it along again and again?

It doesn't matter what people say. It doesn't matter because I follow Him!

 

[Rescued One]

This thread is a waste of time. Sayonara.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

This thread is a waste of time. Sayonara.

Maybe not for everyone. I'm very much enjoying reading @cvanwey . And I think that even people who disagree can still learn a lot from each other.

 

[Rescued One]

There are only 24 hours in each person's day. When I want to talk to atheists, I can call several of my relatives. And I do. This is my last post to this thread.

 

[Resha Caner]

Morgan Freeman lives in Charlestown, MS.

If you ever choose to visit the location I listed instead, let me know when you'll be there and I'll try to come as well.

My post served multiple purposes:
1) It's a serious offer
2) How odd that someone would actually be specific in this forum - on both sides of the aisle
3) Does anyone ever anticipate that they might trust or believe the people they talk to here?
4) When it comes down to it, how many will actually put some skin in the game - again, on both sides of the aisle
5) Given all of the above, who actually expects this forum to ever be more than a place to vent, pontificate, etc.?

 

[Tinker Grey]

If you ever choose to visit the location I listed instead, let me know when you'll be there and I'll try to come as well.

My post served multiple purposes:
1) It's a serious offer
2) How odd that someone would actually be specific in this forum - on both sides of the aisle
3) Does anyone ever anticipate that they might trust or believe the people they talk to here?
4) When it comes down to it, how many will actually put some skin in the game - again, on both sides of the aisle
5) Given all of the above, who actually expects this forum to ever be more than a place to vent, pontificate, etc.?

Nice. If you are ever in the Dallas area (preferably, to the east), let me know.

 

[Resha Caner]

Nice. If you are ever in the Dallas area (preferably, to the east), let me know.

My kids want us to move to Texas when I retire. My wife ... not so much.

 

[dlamberth]

The only way we can be His is through faith in Christ.

Can true faith in Christ happen outside of Love? I don't think so.