A little about my God

[Valjean]

Is there empirical evidence for Ganesh????

None whatsoever!
Unless one consciously chooses to believe in him, and make him part of one's personal, subjective reality. He has no objective reality.

I think the idea that one view is better than others, to the point where others are superflous, wrong and must be changed... is problematic.

Although I think most human arguments can be summed up thusly:

"I have the bigger stick
This means you are inferior
You are worthless because I have the bigger stick"

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Now, before I continue to read through this thread, I just have something small to say concerning the OP.

OK

Do you really want to know what the hardest thing to understand about your god is?

yes

Why "certain" people?

Why not?
You know it is only offensive to those that don't want to be "that" people. Very understandable, truly it is.

He is supposed to love all "his children" equally, is he not?

He never said all His children constitutes everyone who ever existed.

So then why play favorites?

Because it is His world. As a result his children will love Him, and others won't. Much like my child loves me but not another man as he loves me, I suppose.

If he really loves each and every being on this planet, as so many claim he does, then why wouldn't he allow every person into the kingdom of Heaven? Why must we follow certain rules simply in order to gain favor with him and be allowed to spend eternity in his chosen paradise?

He NEVER said he loves every being on the planet, that is not biblical.

If his all encompassing love were, in fact true, then he would allow every one of his children to come home to him when their time came.

See above

I know that no matter what pain I've put my mother threw, when I need her, and I need to come home, she welcomes me at the door with open arms and a warm, strong hug.

As will God if in deed you are His child.

That's what being a good parent is all about.

No argument here.

It's called unconditional love. Not "love if and only if you follow my rules and only my rules until the day you die".

This is just a misunderstanding of my God. If you care to discuss I can explain better, but that is not what God says at all.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Why? Why is death such a "let down" to you? Why not put importance on this life, and still have no fear of death?

Please re-read, I did not say that. I said putting the amount of credence into things of this life as you do, is not healthy to me according to my path. I have found that eternal life is the greatest gift, and it begins the day you receive it. As such, my focus is on that. Not death.
Our world is setup these days to focus on this life only, ageless beauty creme, Viagra, life insurance, plastic surgery, the fountain of youth.
Thanks but no thanks.

It is the belief that a better afterlife awaits that causes people to strap bombs to themselves and kill people.

Oh I see, can you please quote or point me to a time in all of my 1000+ posts where I advocate violence?
Your fear of the world is making you stereotype others to vindicate your self-worth. Hope you find a better path.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

I have no desire to curse anyone's God, but I think there's some question about "the way He has chosen to do things." That is, everyone seems to have a different opinion on this matter. Everyone seems to find his own ideas about God's methods convincing, yet, thus far, God has not seen fit to clarify the dispute.

Well, I can only say the search for truth is the best one can aspire to do. I welcome any to join my path as long as they want to, and if they choose to leave it that is everyone's right to do.

Because God seems so inordinately concerned about them! -- all these myriad rules and restrictions covering every thought and action. Apparently meticulous attention to the finite things of this world is crucial to our eternal future.

I have found in my own path, that God is only concerned with our hearts and what we do with them. Out of our heart comes the direction of our life, and it is for this reason the rules and finite aspects you speak of came about.
However, your point is understood.

First: why you're convinced He exists.
There's really no empirical evidence of His existence, much less of His Nature and intentions. Yet, if He is as powerful as all assert, He could make His existence known and desires clear in the wink of an eye, should He really desire to do so.

He only needs to exist to those whom he chooses. Though he asks for us to believe by faith and not evidence. This is impossible for us to do unless God intervenes. I have no answer for this, and take no credit for my faith. I only hope I am on the right path.

Second: Why you're convinced your own interpretation of His Nature and desires is more correct than the competing interpretations of other religions.

My belief is correct for me, it is my path. I have given up on trying to convince others I am right. I am now just trying to tell anyone interested, who my God is.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Simple, the idea of exclusivity is silly at best.
There are many roads to God.

According to you.

But I think that may be beyond you, I will discuss this further if you like; or not.

Your arrogance is amusing. Why would your personal philosophies be beyond me? I may not agree with them, but spare me on the beyond you jargon. Speak from your heart and not from others and I will understand you just fine.

You like to mix and match whatever floats your boat to satisfy your existence. That is your path. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

This is the kind of thing that really really bothers me about god belief in general.

It`s this kind of thinking that de-values life.
The only life we get as far as anyone can say for sure.

Scary stuff.

Linwood your response is honest and heartfelt. That is more commendable in many ways than someone with smooth promising words.
You have chosen to define life as the here and now, and that's the best we got. I understand. I am not judging you.

 

[Storm]

Why not?
You know it is only offensive to those that don't want to be "that" people. Very understandable, truly it is.

Well, it should offend you. It's petty and cruel.

He never said all His children constitutes everyone who ever existed.

BS. He Created us all. What kind of parent plays favorites?

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Well, it should offend you. It's petty and cruel.

You know this attitude presumes that God takes pleasure in those that die and do not follow His ways. If a person turns to God and follow His ways that person will live. If the person does not he will die. Why is that unequal or wrong?

BS. He Created us all. What kind of parent plays favorites?

Storm, I am not calling your beliefs BS, so why call mine BS?
When you plant a garden do you not plant all the seed in hopes that they grow? Do all of the seeds become a plant of some kind? What do you do with the ones that don't? Are you now unequal and wrong in your choice?

That sounds petty to you, but if the one that dies without God just ceases to exist, what is the big deal? I think it is only a big deal if one thinks God is going to torture those that did not follow his ways. My god does not do that.

 

[Storm]

You know this attitude presumes that God takes pleasure in those that die and do not follow His ways. If a person turns to God and follow His ways that person will live. If the person does not he will die. Why is that unequal or wrong?

Because, as I've already pointed out, He doesn't make Himself clear. It's a crapshoot, and He abandons those who are unlucky.

Storm, I am not calling your beliefs BS, so why call mine BS?

Not your beliefs, only your denial that we're all God's children. As for why, because it's both elitist and illogical. ETA: God Created us all. We're all His children, whether he likes it or not, whether He acknowledges us or not. The question isn't "who are God's children," but "is God a good father?"

When you plant a garden do you not plant all the seed in hopes that they grow? Do all of the seeds become a plant of some kind? What do you do with the ones that don't? Are you now unequal and wrong in your choice?

Your God doesn't do His best, though. See above.

That sounds petty to you, but if the one that dies without God just ceases to exist, what is the big deal? I think it is only a big deal if one thinks God is going to torture those that did not follow his ways. My god does not do that.

The big deal is that God should be better than that.

ETA: I'm confused. In the other thread, you said that you believe good people will go to Heaven whether they're Christian or not. Here, you seem to be banging the Christians only drum. Which is it? Will a good Hindu go to Heaven? What about an atheist?

 

[Quagmire]

My God created an existence for a certain people.

You mean, for people who are "certain" (as opposed to the rest of us who are still guessing)?

 

[.lava]

We all die, right?
Some old, some young.
Some feel pain, some don't.

What part of that equation gives anyone recourse to curse my God for the way He has chosen to do things?

If after your death, you can go to eternal bliss, why do you think on the finite things of this world as if they matter?

Our children, our loved ones, our enemies, all will die. Science never claimed to have the answers to these things. Science only claims to teach the observable and answer the finite riddles of the universe.

What is the hardest thing to understand about my God?

A little about my God:
My God created an existence for a certain people. Those people will hear His message. There will be many that don't hear his message. Doesn't really matter, both that hear and that don't hear will both die. Since the beginning God has been providing a way for his people to hear his message and find the path to life.
Part of His message is to tell us that we aren't really alive right now. In the sense that we are eternal. Right now we are part of a cycle, a growth. Some to eternal life and some to nothing or death.
His message is that to truly understand life, you have to understand true life is eternal. So what we are seeing now is only an illusion yet real at the same time.
I hope some of you understand this, but if anyone has questions or oppositions I'd like to know.

i have no difficulty about understanding your Rab. i love your words.



.

 

[dogsgod]

So much for your God, my God is invisible and speaks in riddles that no one can hear or understand. We just don't know because he has all the knowing, that's how much he knows. That's why he's God and we are just people that don't know what he knows.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

So much for your God, my God is invisible and speaks in riddles that no one can hear or understand. We just don't know because he has all the knowing, that's how much he knows. That's why he's God and we are just people that don't know what he knows.

What's on your mind here?
What have you studied in your life to give you the opinion you have. Thanks.

 

[Storm]

itwillend, I think you may have missed the edit of my last post:

ETA: I'm confused. In the other thread, you said that you believe good people will go to Heaven whether they're Christian or not. Here, you seem to be banging the Christians only drum. Which is it? Will a good Hindu go to Heaven? What about an atheist?

 

[Just_me_Mike]

itwillend, I think you may have missed the edit of my last post:
ETA: I'm confused. In the other thread, you said that you believe good people will go to Heaven whether they're Christian or not. Here, you seem to be banging the Christians only drum. Which is it? Will a good Hindu go to Heaven? What about an atheist?

Because I am getting to know you a little better, I know you are not trying to put me in a box.

Please hear me again, because what I have said in the past is different than what you just wrote.
I claim that God searches our heart and saves whom he will. That could be anyone from any place.
Which is different than saying if you are good God will save you. You see?

What you are suggesting I have said is that our actions are somehow part of God's decision to bring us to heaven. I do not believe that at all.

It just so happens, I believe in the bible so I will often times preach or teach from what I believe to be the ultimate source of truth. Again though that does not guarantee me anything, I just do it because I enjoy it. It is this humble attitude of not knowing whom God will save is why I say anyone is able to be saved.

 

[Storm]

Because I am getting to know you a little better, I know you are not trying to put me in a box.

Glad to hear it. I really am just trying to understand.

Please hear me again, because what I have said in the past is different than what you just wrote.
I claim that God searches our heart and saves whom he will. That could be anyone from any place.
Which is different than saying if you are good God will save you. You see?

What you are suggesting I have said is that our actions are somehow part of God's decision to bring us to heaven. I do not believe that at all.

It just so happens, I believe in the bible so I will often times preach or teach from what I believe to be the ultimate source of truth. Again though that does not guarantee me anything, I just do it because I enjoy it. It is this humble attitude of not knowing whom God will save is why I say anyone is able to be saved.

So, it's just God's whim and there's nothing we can do?

 

[tumbleweed41]

Sorry, but this version of "God" seems very egotistical and wishy-washy to me.
To create humankind for the express purpose of giving eternal bliss to a select few, while condemning the remainder to either eternal hell or eternal death is arrogance at its worst.

Our greatest gift is life, and we have been blessed with the ability discover the wonders of our world and our universe. The legacy of our death should be our ability to pass on our increasing knowledge.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Glad to hear it. I really am just trying to understand.


So, it's just God's whim and there's nothing we can do?

What is it that you want "to do"?

 

[Storm]

What is it that you want "to do"?

You didn't answer the question.

But to answer yours, it's not what I want to do. It's whether God is worthy of worship, or a capricious tyrant.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Sorry, but this version of "God" seems very egotistical and wishy-washy to me.
To create humankind for the express purpose of giving eternal bliss to a select few, while condemning the remainder to either eternal hell or eternal death is arrogance at its worst.

Our greatest gift is life, and we have been blessed with the ability discover the wonders of our world and our universe. The legacy of our death should be our ability to pass on our increasing knowledge.

Why are you sorry?
So it is not the way for you, don't apologize.