Why doesn't God make it completely crystal clear he exists...

[Corey]

Dear stan1980. We know that God is Spirit, Holy Spirit, God-Father, God-Son, and God-Holy Spirit. Three Persons, or beings, all working together to redeem Mankind. God-Father, our Creator, God-Son our Saviour, and God-Holy Spirit is in the world now, to teach us about Jesus, to help and guide us, as we ask and need Him.

No...you believe that...knowledge implies a factual basis but you only have faith.

As for God showing Himself to us on a regular basis, that would be cheap magic, any clever magician could do that, and Satan would soon be in charge of this.

Not quite...

In standard Christian theology, those who don't accept Christ are doomed to be forever outside of God's presence. However, what justifies infinite punishment for a finite offense--when it's not clear that we're committing an offense?

No, stan, God loves us and he has made us in His image, and God wants us to return to Him as selflessly loving and caring, brothers and sisters, and above all Loyal children of our heavenly Father. Sincere greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ. P.S. I wish to stress, that our God is ONE HOLY GOD.

Stan's raised some relevant points...however I should note that the sentiment above can be reflected in nontheistic ways as well--and in fact many humanists share it without the religious overtones.

 

[TScott]

Why doesn't God make it crystal clear that he exists?

Maybe it's because God is supernatural, and that he only exists by faith, only because people belive in him.

If God were corporeal he would be a thing existing in the universe just like all other things.

There are probably as many explanations for God's existence as there are explanations for gods, more really as personal gods are just that; internalized and percieved by the individual. The question becomes moot then, because to the individual Christian, for example, God has made his existence crystal clear, internally to the believer.

 

[Amoranemix]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Emmy posted thrice in this thread. I have never known her to be so participative. What's going on ?[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Dear stan1980. Jesus died to pay the debt to God`s Holy Law, which we, (men and women) owed, and could not pay for, we had moved too far away from God. If God did not love us, if God did not want us back, if God did not care, why His Sacrifice?[1][/FONT] May I also ask, stan, what would you reckon, makes it crystal clear to us, that He exists? I ask this kindly, stan. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.[2]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][1] Maybe God and Jezus had a fight and God happened to be stronger. Power struggles happen even in the best of families. [2] With omnipotence God would have a vast array of tools at his disposal. His imagination would be the limit. Each evidence of his presense alone may not be enough, but the combination of many would surely convince the vast majority of humans of his existence.[/FONT]

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As for God showing Himself to us on a regular basis, that would be cheap magic, any clever magician could do that, and Satan would soon be in charge of this.

No magician can do what God can. Can a magician write his name by rearranging the stars ?[/FONT]

I don't know why he doesn't make it explicitly obvious to us that He exists, but there are many, many unexplainable things about the earth, animals, trees, human knowledge, etc. in general that defy materialistic explanations.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]There are many things currently not explainable indeed, but God not demonstrating his existence is not one of them. There are many possible explanations for his absense, the most popular one among atheists being 'God doesn't exist.' Christians however cannot explain God's absense, which shows that regarding that observation atheism is superior over Christianity.[/FONT]

Over 40% of Ph.D. scientists are theists who believe in a supernatural creator God and life after death. So you're misrepresenting the belief of THOUSANDS of scientists when you try to make the bogus claim that explaining how something in the universe works somehow "disproves" God.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Where do you get the over 40% of Ph.D. Scientists believe in afterlife and how do you define theist ? Few scientists believe in a personal God and only 5% of American scientists and engineers are creationists.[/FONT]

Explaining how something OPERATES, doesn't explain how it ORIGINATED. Top atheist scientists like Crick and Hoyle are unable to provide a credible hypothesis for the origin of life, so they adopt incredibly foolish hypotheses like "panspermia".

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]It's not because you don't like it that it's (incredibly) foolish and this thread is not about abiogenesis.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Why are you being so inimical ?[/FONT]

Perhaps because His existence is not the important issue. Perhaps our love for others and our maturing into loving beings is the point and not weather He exists or not.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Perhaps if God interacted with us on a regular basis (like by answering prayers) then people would be more loving[/FONT]

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Maybe it's because God is supernatural, and that he only exists by faith, only because people belive in him.

The idea of a god who exists thans to his believer is not new. I have seen it twice in intended fantasy and once in the book 'A Divine Revelation of Hell' by Mary K. Baxter, where Satan receives power from the worship of tormented souls. It does not appear to apply to the Judeo-Christian god though.[/FONT]

 

[keith99]

like he supposedly did for some characters in the bible, then come judgement day, judge us fairly for our sins. Surely this would make much more sense?

It seems there is an impllied second question. If He made Himself perfectly clear to them why not to me. That is a fair question, and there is an easy answer. (Side note I'm not a believer, all that follows is just logical argument, existence of said God presumed as are some attributes). Those who had the most direct contact also had the most severe trials. Be caseful what you ask for, such revelation comes with strings, you may well be expected to perform.

On that note I'll ask what does God desire? If it is in fact blind faith in something not shown then count me out. I have a problem in thinking the creator of everything needs or wants the blind adoration of humans. He has the bulls of 1000 hills, what need has he of out sacrifices?

So what might he desire? Perhaps Sons in the metaphorical sense of the word. Those who do right as they see it. Now such may error and fall short.

Don't know He hasn't decided to speak to me from a burning bush.