Why your faith?

[doubtingmerle]

Is God Divine?

Is the pope Catholic?

 

[doubtingmerle]

I could only present to you what I believe the truth is, and you would have to either receive it unto eternal life, or reject it unto eternal damnation.

Ah so this is what faith is all about? You believe it because if you don't you would face damnation?

I can't see how I would survive my own death, so why should I be concerned about future torture after death?

 

[Ken Rank]

Oh good, I like to ask questions.

If I should find no reason to believe in God, is your God ok with that?

I am being sincere in answering your question and offering a thought. You don't have to accept it, but you could at least be respectful of an honest attempt to be a decent person in answering at all. But to reply... all I am saying is, if there is a God, and you ask, you MIGHT get an answer. If you do, perhaps it will be a paradigm changing moment, perhaps not. But if you sincerely ask, than I do believe that "my God" (the one God) might just do something special and answer.

Take care.
Ken

 

[doubtingmerle]

I am being sincere in answering your question and offering a thought. You don't have to accept it, but you could at least be respectful of an honest attempt to be a decent person in answering at all.

Sorry, I certainly didn't mean to be disrespectful. It was a sincere question. If I find no reason to believe in God, is your God ok with that, or does he want me to force myself to believe? Can you answer that please?

But to reply... all I am saying is, if there is a God, and you ask, you MIGHT get an answer. If you do, perhaps it will be a paradigm changing moment, perhaps not.

Ok but I could take up Amway, take a yoga class, or join the y and get a paradigm changing moment. I am curious how you get from "paradigm changing moment" to "therefore god".

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Sorry, I certainly didn't mean to be disrespectful. It was a sincere question. If I find no reason to believe in God, is your God ok with that, or does he want me to force myself to believe? Can you answer that please?

....I'm just going to jump in here for a moment and offer a couple of cents to your question cup. I think it's safe to say that from what we see in the Bible, God isn't 'ok' with your state of unbelief. At the same time, and as far as I can tell from the basic epistemological considerations that appear in the Bible, this doesn't mean that God thinks you shoud "force" yourself to believe. Rather, He'd want to you to come to a place where, in the midst of doubt and questioning, do what you're doing now by talking about it with various Christians whom He may me working through. He'd also simply want you to ask Him for wisdom. The trick with this last part is that you may have to "keep on asking, keep on knocking, keep on searching"... for some time ongoing.

Anyway, just the fact that you're even willing to be here on CF and intermingle with us, despite however lacking we may be seemingly with our answers, is a much better state of mind to be in than to be one of those who runs away from the Church in a complete huff and does nothing but throw hardened dirt clods at the stained-glass houses that Christians live in.

 

[Starcomet]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The birds are chirping. The flowers are vibrantly colored. "I am glad we are moving here," I inform my dog, "but it seems a little deserted this morning. Perhaps everyone went to church."

"Oh yes," you explain to me over the fence later that day. "Many of us take our faith quite seriously here".

"That's interesting", I respond. "I personally don't have much faith in any deity. Seriously, why should I adopt your faith?"

You step back, pause, and reply...

"You do not need to! While I believe God would be pleased to be worshipped, it cares about your actions such as good deeds and promoting the welfare and advancement of all of mankind. Of course that is just my opinion and what I believe to make the most sense."

 

[Hank77]

Is the pope Catholic?

Then what do you mean when you say you have 'no belief' in deity?

 

[Godistruth1]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The birds are chirping. The flowers are vibrantly colored. "I am glad we are moving here," I inform my dog, "but it seems a little deserted this morning. Perhaps everyone went to church."

"Oh yes," you explain to me over the fence later that day. "Many of us take our faith quite seriously here".

"That's interesting", I respond. "I personally don't have much faith in any deity. Seriously, why should I adopt your faith?"

You step back, pause, and reply...

First question would be do you believe there is a God?

 

[bling]

I really have no faith in diety. I cannot completely rule God out, so possibly there is something behind it all. I don't know.

OK.
What change for the better would in make in your life if you did believe there was the Christian God out there?

 

[Ken Rank]

Sorry, I certainly didn't mean to be disrespectful. It was a sincere question. If I find no reason to believe in God, is your God ok with that, or does he want me to force myself to believe? Can you answer that please?

I thought I already did but perhaps it was another thread. Long ago, the word heresy didn't mean "disagreement" or "to disagree with the mainstream," instead... the first definition was "to storm a city; to take by force." So within the word heresy we have the idea of forcing others... and in a biblical context, when one tries to force another to look, think, and act like themselves... that can be defined as at least a form of heresy. So, no... God is not a heretic... if you determine that there is no God and give Him no chance to introduce Himself to you, that's your call, and you are free to make it.

Ok but I could take up Amway, take a yoga class, or join the y and get a paradigm changing moment. I am curious how you get from "paradigm changing moment" to "therefore god".

If you ask, "God, if you are real, can you reveal yourself," and He did... that would be a paradigm changing moment in your life.

 

[doubtingmerle]

OK.
What change for the better would in make in your life if you did believe there was the Christian God out there?

You are the salesman. I am the potential client.

It is your job to make the sales pitch, not me.

 

[doubtingmerle]

First question would be do you believe there is a God?

I don't think so, no, but I cannot know for sure.

 

[doubtingmerle]

If you ask, "God, if you are real, can you reveal yourself," and He did... that would be a paradigm changing moment in your life.

Just curious, how would one know that God was revealing himself?

 

[Silmarien]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The birds are chirping. The flowers are vibrantly colored. "I am glad we are moving here," I inform my dog, "but it seems a little deserted this morning. Perhaps everyone went to church."

"Oh yes," you explain to me over the fence later that day. "Many of us take our faith quite seriously here".

"That's interesting", I respond. "I personally don't have much faith in any deity. Seriously, why should I adopt your faith?"

You step back, pause, and reply...

You would actually walk up to someone, bring up religion, and then demand out of nowhere that they try to convince you to adopt their faith? I would find that both bizarrely confrontational and really entitled, and would probably tell you that your beliefs are your own responsibility.

I'm one of those people who did end up taking an intellectual path to theism, so if you were sincerely interested in discussing religious belief, I'd start by asking you what you mean by the word "God" and why you've come to the conclusion that theism is probably false.

 

[doubtingmerle]

I'd start by asking you what you mean by the word "God" and why you've come to the conclusion that theism is probably false.

I use the word God as a name for someone who would have created the universe, if such a creature exists.

I find no reason to believe God exists.

Is there any reason I should adopt your faith?

 

[doubtingmerle]

if you determine that there is no God and give Him no chance to introduce Himself to you, that's your call, and you are free to make it.

I was not asking if it was right to not give God a chance.

I was asking, if someone has given God a chance and finds he most likely does not, is it then fine to believe God probably does not exist?

 

[doubtingmerle]

Then what do you mean when you say you have 'no belief' in deity?

I have no faith that God exists.

 

[Hank77]

I have no faith that God exists.

So you don't believe that God exists but you do believe you could be wrong.

Well I think you are in a better situation than some who don't leave room for the possibility that they could be wrong. Of coarse that's only meaningful if you do seek the Lord and find Him before you die in this world. Please don't wait to long.

 

[Ken Rank]

Just curious, how would one know that God was revealing himself?

Well, let's just pretend there is a God... a real outside of time and space God. Should He decide to reveal Himself to a peon like myself, you... any human... you got to figure it will be unmistakable. Generally and more directly to your question... I image a series of things will happen and you'll want to, in your skepticism, chalk it all off to coincidence. But after a while you just kind of realize that coincidences just don't keep repeating like that. Sorry I can't be more exact... it is honestly slightly different for everyone who sincerely asks.

 

[Ken Rank]

I was not asking if it was right to not give God a chance.

I was asking, if someone has given God a chance and finds he most likely does not, is it then fine to believe God probably does not exist?

Sure... we have to draw out own conclusions and God isn't going to force Himself on anyone. I am saying if you sincerely reach out to Him that He will reach back... in some manner or form. And if He doesn't... then sure... draw your conclusion. Be well Merle.