Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

[Meguntic]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists
b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists
c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

 

[lesliedellow]

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (Acts 13.48)

What would that seem to imply?

 

[Steeno7]

God doesn't even force those who do believe to believe. The fact that there are believers proves God has done what it takes. Atheists do not believe because they will not believe. Even if One were to rise from the dead, they would not believe....and One has risen from the dead. Luke 16:31

 

[gord44]

The fact that there are believers proves God has done what it takes. t

With that theory one agrees that all religions and beliefs are valid? I comment your open mind!

 

[Steeno7]

With that theory one agrees that all religions and beliefs are valid? I comment your open mind!

Hardly. It merely means they, unlike the atheist, at least acknowledge the existence of God. That does not necessarily translate to valid beliefs about God.

 

[theophilus777]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists
b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists
c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

Hello and welcome to CF! This is actually potentially a good question.

A is removed from consideration, being known to be false.

B ignores the definition of "God," so can't be right. So does C.

Do you feel that listing options helped you? Or would you rather just stick with your title question? (I think you created a false trichotomy; i.e., other options are possible)

 

[gerbilwoman]

God gives us free will to believe and act as we choose

 

[alexiscurious]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists
b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists
c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

Because God apparently relies on people to make his arguments for him.

 

[dcalling]

Because God apparently relies on people to make his arguments for him.

It is true to some degree. Part of the reason I was drawn to Christianity is because of some real Christians I meet early on.

And to OP's question, God does not force anyone to believe anything, he just said love your neighbor and you can choose not to follow.

 

[Targaryen]

None of the listed above....it's the chicken and egg arguement wrapped up in a theological stance.

God doesn't need to prove anything believers will spot signs and others won't. Free will doesn't exclude God's presence nor say He doesn't care either.

It's a fairly standard argument "I won't believe if you don't provide me a sign"

 

[ebia]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists? a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

God sends the church to do that

 

[oi_antz]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists
b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists
c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

A and B, from what I have seen, but with the word "capable" including some consideration for the effectiveness of belief/disbelief to obtain an objective.

Sometimes, a religious belief can make a person nicer. Sometimes it can make a person nastier.

I would like you to consider and understand the answer rather than just choosing to take sides with my opinion. What do you see as the benefit of believing in God? What do you see as the benefit of not believing in God? What do you see as the drawback of each?

Let me know what you think

 

[Angelquill]

You have the exact same evidence as I do.
I am a devout Christian.

So, what's keeping you??

 

[Angelquill]

I don't understand why the OP should imagine that God is under any obligation to prove Himself to anyone. As another user said, He's obviously done what is needed, as He seems to have quite a following of people who not only believe in Him, but who also testify that He has changed their lives.
I'm sorry if it wasn't enough for you, but, hey...that's on you, not God...you make your own choices, so don't blame God...

 

[Living in the Light]

I have no proof on this, but I suspect that many non-believers come to God when they have simply come to the end of their rope from believing in the carnal world. It's tragic that a person has to be flat on his back with no one to turn to but God.

 

[Harry3142]

Jesus himself answered the OP's question in the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus:

"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.'

" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " (The Gospel of St. Luke 16:27-31,NIV)

People's own arrogance leads them to reject the fact that God exists, even when the evidence for his existence is overwhelming. We see this same flaw in other areas of human interaction.

Several years ago my wife worked for a firm which was owned by a Jewish family. One of the older members of that family told her that during the 1930's they tried to talk other family members into leaving Germany and coming to the USA, where they would sponsor them. But the father of that family in Germany vetoed it, saying that things wouldn't get nearly as bad as the world envisioned. After WW2 had ended the Jewish family here in the USA tried to find members of that family, but there was no one to be found.

 

[Angelquill]

I have no proof on this, but I suspect that many non-believers come to God when they have simply come to the end of their rope from believing in the carnal world. It's tragic that a person has to be flat on his back with no one to turn to but God.

Sometimes God has to kick every other prop we have out from under us to get us to come to Him.

 

[rstrats]

gerbilgirl,

re: "God gives us free will to believe and act as we choose."


Is there any implication in that statement that you think that a person has the ability to consciously choose to believe that someone or something does or doesn't exist, or that a certain proposition is or isn't true?

 

[TheyCallMeDavid]

Why doesn't God do what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists?

a) God doesn't want atheists to believe he exists
b) God isn't capable of doing what it would take to get atheists to believe he exists
c) God doesn't know what it would take to get each atheist to believe he exists

and....D. God HAS given the atheist and everybody else more than enough scientific proof that he exists as personal theistic Creator over our Universe and our Souls even though he doesn't have a physical observable Body ... but the typical 'Atheist' would rather he not exist because he/she isn't willing to hand over authority to him. This was my case when I wanted to be a professed Atheist and its the same thruout.

As an evidential Christian Apologist I choose to base my reason and rationale on detectable design and engineering by way of what we DO have as a reality , such as these following determined facts and if it looks like intelligent design (something that can only come from a willful mind and abilities to provide it and sustain it) was responsible :

1. An exquisite and remarkable universe that exploded into being from nothing when it didn't have to .
2. A Universe with over 150 fine tuned , life enabling constants for this tiny, remote planet called Earth which is incredibly suitable for our sustenance in addition to many Physics Constants all working in delicate unison ...some to the 120th decimal point critical tolerance otherwise we arent here.
3. Life that has been observed to arise only from existing life and which has never been observed to arise spontaneously (to which even world reknown atheist Biologists calculate having occured at a faith busting 1 in 10^40,000 probability). LIfe that consists of thousands and even millions of volumes of empirically detectable specified complexity and is therefore, more than just the nonliving chemicals it contains. Life that changes cyclically and only within a limited range. Life which cannot be built or modified gradually (ie: irreducible complexity) . Life that is molecularly isolated between basic types (theres no ancestoral progression at the molecular level). And life that leaves a fossil record of fully formed creatures that appear suddenly, do not change, and then disappear suddenly.

There are MANY anthropics to our universe must all work in perfect collaboration with one another to incredibly close tolerances (some to a 120th decimal point maximum allowable deviation otherwise Earth isn't here and neither are we) : http://www.reasons.org/articles/design-evidences-in-the-cosmos-1998

Good site for genuine open minded Atheists : http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/answers.html

 

[Emmy]

Dear Meguntic. God is Love, and God wants our Love freely given and No
force or pushing needed. God told all " Whosoever will, may come." We are told by Jesus what God wants from us. I) Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. 2) Love our neighbour: all we know and all we meet, friends or not friends: love them all as we would love ourselves.
( Matthew 22: 35-40 God does not force anybody, and God wants our Love.
Matthew 7: 7-10 tells us to " ask and ye shall receive," then we thank God and simply share all Love and Joy, with our neighbour. Whether we are Atheists or not, that is what God wants from us: Love for our Heavenly Father,
and love for our fellow-men and fellow-women. A Christian`s character is Love and Compassion, and Christians are open to all help and guidance from Jesus our Saviour: JESUS IS THE WAY.
God is Love and Christ died out of Love for all followers, who want to come,
whether atheists or not atheists. Unless atheists are ready to let Love and Compassion change their lives, they will never be able to understand God,
nor will they be able to be followers of Christ. I say this with love, Meguntic.
Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.