A personal relationship with God?

[Adonis65]

It doesn't because it cannot.

It doesn't because you will not allow it.

 

[Straw Dog]

Strange... I've taken the same advice and get all kinds of answers, even to this day. How is it that you didn't get similar results?

Perhaps my brain chemistry is faulty and I'm completely incapable of communicating with your God. But then why would your God create me with such a strong predisposition to disbelieve? Perhaps I was created to be hell bound to begin with. Weird :sarcastic.

 

[waitasec]

Sincerity would erase that logic, otherwise it wouldn't be sincere, yes?

but isn't sincerity contingent on the premise of someone's conviction?
otherwise you are saying sincerity ignores ones integrity in their attempt to understand truth

 

[Adonis65]

Perhaps my brain chemistry is faulty and I'm completely incapable of communicating with your God. But then why would your God create me with such a strong predisposition to disbelieve? Perhaps I was created to be hell bound to begin with. Weird :sarcastic.

That would be ludicrous.

God created each of us to make up our own minds. I've made up my mind to follow the divine edict of the supreme creator. What have you made up your mind to do?

 

[Adonis65]

but isn't sincerity contingent on the premise of someone's conviction?
otherwise you are saying sincerity ignores ones integrity in their attempt to understand truth

You're starting to confuse me as well. I offered a scripture, supplied the qualifying statement, and now this conversation is spiraling into weirdness. What are you driving at?

 

[Straw Dog]

You're starting to confuse me as well. I offered a scripture, supplied the qualifying statement, and now this conversation is spiraling into weirdness. What are you driving at?

I attempted to have a personal relationship with the Judeo-Christian God for the first half of my entire life and never even had a successful communication. All I know about personal relationships are from my experiences with real people in the real world. I call my mom frequently. I spend almost every day with my girlfriend. I hang out with my friends and go to various social activities.

There's nothing in my personal experience that would even equip me to have a relationship with an invisible, intangible, unknowable, superhuman God entity. Attempting to do so seems entirely alien to me. If the whole basis for this hypothetical relationship is a collection of books written by 40 odd authors several thousand years ago without any direct contact and communication then that just seems very impersonal to me. I mean why wouldn't God just speak to everyone on Earth in a simple and easily comprehensible manner that everyone can understand to both make his presence and intentions much better known? That way all this religious confusion and conflict could be avoided and we can actually have a personal relationship.

 

[Quagmire]

Perhaps my brain chemistry is faulty and I'm completely incapable of communicating with your God. But then why would your God create me with such a strong predisposition to disbelieve? Perhaps I was created to be hell bound to begin with. Weird :sarcastic.

If someone is saying "Prove to me that there's such a thing as light, then I'll open my eyes".

I don't think brain chemistry is the problem.

 

[Straw Dog]

If someone is saying "Prove to me that there's such a thing as light, then I'll open my eyes".

I don't think brain chemistry is the problem.

I've never had a successful communication or personal interaction with the Judeo-Christian deity and, believe me, I've tried for many years in my adolescence. The only options I have are either to just let myself naturally lose religious faith or accept that there's something wrong with my brain chemistry (or soul if you prefer) disabling me from the same personal experiences of God that others profess. You know there isn't a switch in my brain I can just flip and start automatically believing again.

 

[Adonis65]

I attempted to have a personal relationship with the Judeo-Christian God for the first half of my entire life and never even had a successful communication.

There's nothing in my personal experience that would even equip me to have a relationship with an invisible, intangible, unknowable, superhuman God entity. Attempting to do so seems entirely alien to me.

I can't help but wonder if your attitude in the latter comment represented your true feeling when you made an attempt at a personal relationship with God....

 

[Quagmire]

I've never had a successful communication or personal interaction with the Judeo-Christian deity

Ah. Now we're going from "God" to the Judeo-Christian deity. In that case, I think I'll drop out of this discussion.

and, believe me, I've tried for many years in my adolescence. The only options I have are either to just let myself naturally lose religious faith or accept that there's something wrong with my brain chemistry (or soul if you prefer) disabling me from the same personal experiences of God

Oh wait, now we're back from the Judeo-Christian deity to God again.

that others profess. You know there isn't a switch in my brain I can just flip and start automatically believing again.

I don't believe in Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip. That doesn't mean I can never own a dog.

 

[Straw Dog]

Ah. Now we're going from "God" to the Judeo-Christian deity. In that case, I think I'll drop out of this discussion.

Oh wait, now we're back from the Judeo-Christian deity to God again.

I don't believe in Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip. That doesn't mean I can never own a dog.

It just makes more sense to focus on the particular deity that followers profess to have a personal relationship with. I'm open to debating other conceptions of divine relationship if you can put one forward. He just presented a Biblical passage so I focused more on that version.

 

[Matthew78]

I'm still sincere in my desire to understand how a personal relationship with such a deity can even be logically possible to begin with. I really did used to pray for knowledge of God and I've ended up realizing that there is no knowledge of God to be had so in a way I really did take your advice, albeit a decade ago.

You sound like you were in the same boat I was. Now, I fully expect some folks on here to question our sincerity, insult our intelligence, or resort to accusations of egotism or pride on our part.

I tried for ten years to have a "relationship with Jesus Christ" but came to the conclusion that it's a delusion. I was very sincere in my attempts and I even begged God to reveal himself to me, to give me some sign that he was there. I tried everything from praying to prayer journals. I was even considering buying books on how to "talk with God" because I was so desperate to communicate with Christ and to hear his voice. I was utterly desperate for God to show me some sign that he was real and that he loved me. The only thing I got was an unloving, pitiless silence that didn't give a care about the torment I felt.

 

[waitasec]

You're starting to confuse me as well. I offered a scripture, supplied the qualifying statement, and now this conversation is spiraling into weirdness. What are you driving at?

well lets look at that passage...

James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him". (KJV Holy Bible)

In the event that you are sincere in your desire to know God, of course.

it seems as though you are insinuating one is not sincere in their efforts when seeking wisdom elsewhere other than in god...

yes, you are correct that this conversation is spiraling into weirdness because the qualifying statement is indeed strange...what else do you expect...

 

[Quagmire]

It just makes more sense to focus on the particular deity that followers profess to have a personal relationship with.

How does that make sense? All you're going to get via that route is information about someone else's alleged relationship with God.

I'm open to debating other conceptions of divine relationship if you can put one forward.

Again, this is still a request for information about someone else's relationship with God. You have to find your own, otherwise how is it personal?

He just presented a Biblical passage so I focused more on that version.

He showed you a portion of a map that some people follow, other people claim to follow, and that a lot of other people play games with. No matter what you do with a map, it's still just a map. It isn't the place it depicts, and reading it (even if you understand it) isn't the same as going there.

 

[waitasec]

I understand that you think this Biblical verse can aid me in some way, but unfortunately it doesn't. Years ago I used to pray for wisdom. Now I've come to totally lack all belief in a personal and intelligent Creator-God so I guess in a way I did receive wisdom after all .

It "doesn't" because it can't, or it "doesn't" because you lack the desire to find out?

It doesn't because it cannot.

It doesn't because you will not allow it.

why does this last post annoy the hell out of me...?
this is a perfect example of the audacity some people display because they believe they are capable of being sincere enough to have a personal relationship with god who gives them the type of wisdom that would result in this deprecating statement

 

[blackout]

You sound like you were in the same boat I was. Now, I fully expect some folks on here to question our sincerity, insult our intelligence, or resort to accusations of egotism or pride on our part.

I tried for ten years to have a "relationship with Jesus Christ" but came to the conclusion that it's a delusion. I was very sincere in my attempts and I even begged God to reveal himself to me, to give me some sign that he was there. I tried everything from praying to prayer journals. I was even considering buying books on how to "talk with God" because I was so desperate to communicate with Christ and to hear his voice. I was utterly desperate for God to show me some sign that he was real and that he loved me. The only thing I got was an unloving, pitiless silence that didn't give a care about the torment I felt.

I Pendulum dowsed God.
With Catholic Saint medals
on embroidery thread.

haha

 

[Pegg]

interesting. if i may,
if one has come to the understanding that a personal god is an illogical concept, how can one be sincere in their desire to know god?

good point waitasec

the scripture was written to practicing and faithful christians, so it applies to those who already have a relationship with God

Those who dont already have such a relationship are not going to be given wisdom simply by asking a diety who they have not come to know. And no one comes to know him intimately until he has drawn them.

 

[Pegg]

You sound like you were in the same boat I was. Now, I fully expect some folks on here to question our sincerity, insult our intelligence, or resort to accusations of egotism or pride on our part.

I tried for ten years to have a "relationship with Jesus Christ" but came to the conclusion that it's a delusion. I was very sincere in my attempts and I even begged God to reveal himself to me, to give me some sign that he was there. I tried everything from praying to prayer journals. I was even considering buying books on how to "talk with God" because I was so desperate to communicate with Christ and to hear his voice. I was utterly desperate for God to show me some sign that he was real and that he loved me. The only thing I got was an unloving, pitiless silence that didn't give a care about the torment I felt.

did you ever undertake a study of the bible? All the information that God wants us to know is in there and its there to enable us to form a relationship with God. the first and most important thing is that you know who you are talking to....God has a personal name, do you know that name and where it is located in the bible?

accurate knowledge stimulates faith, and faith gets Gods attention. Hebrews 11:6 says " Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please [him] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him"
But of course, you dont get real faith without real knowledge first. Dont give up until you've exhausted all avenues!

 

[Muffled]

I've never had a successful communication or personal interaction with the Judeo-Christian deity and, believe me, I've tried for many years in my adolescence. The only options I have are either to just let myself naturally lose religious faith or accept that there's something wrong with my brain chemistry (or soul if you prefer) disabling me from the same personal experiences of God that others profess. You know there isn't a switch in my brain I can just flip and start automatically believing again.

This is a valid point. You could never hear from God because any such communication would be disbelieved.

I suspect the latter will not evolve from self consciousness. It would appear that you would need your head examined. My guess is that 90% of psychologists would tell you that your thinking is perfectly normal but worrying about it is not. I am not sure that the former is necessitated. It is a brave person who can retain faith without seeing results.

 

[Muffled]

You sound like you were in the same boat I was. Now, I fully expect some folks on here to question our sincerity, insult our intelligence, or resort to accusations of egotism or pride on our part.

I tried for ten years to have a "relationship with Jesus Christ" but came to the conclusion that it's a delusion. I was very sincere in my attempts and I even begged God to reveal himself to me, to give me some sign that he was there. I tried everything from praying to prayer journals. I was even considering buying books on how to "talk with God" because I was so desperate to communicate with Christ and to hear his voice. I was utterly desperate for God to show me some sign that he was real and that he loved me. The only thing I got was an unloving, pitiless silence that didn't give a care about the torment I felt.

You have my sympathy. I hear from God on a regular basis but if I am in church listeneing for Him to speak it rarely happens. Go figure. I suppose it is akin to a watched pot that never boils.

My wife is a pragmatist. She is not likely to ever believe that God will talk to anyone. However her faith allows her to believe that God will watch over her. However it is not a blind faith. She had an encounter with a demon, who went away when she started singing "Jesus Loves Me."

I can remember when I went to receive the gift of tongues, that I did not receive for a long time because my mind was so concentrated on it. When a brother laid hands on me, my concentration slipped and the tongues came out. There is no doubt that sometimes we make a better door than a window.