Are there questions God doesn't want you to ask?

[ecco]

Here it is:
Colossians 1:16 "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."

Colossians1
15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.​

So, god created all things for god. Like a child making a stack of blocks that he can knock down whenever he wants to.

Or, in the case of the Christian version of god, he can drown everyone when he gets annoyed at how his creation turned out.

 

[ChristineM]

Or... there are a lot of unclaimed inheritances.

Again, paper trail?

 

[Kenny]

Again, paper trail?

Read the fine print in the Last - Will and New Testament. It still holds some of the blessing in the First Will and Testament but has more and better benefits.

Some that still hold is Deut 28;1-14

 

[ppp]

Again, paper trail?

There is this prince. In Nigeria...

 

[ChristineM]

I would even start more simple with "love to see evidence of people being in heaven"

On the other hand, this mystery of uncertainty when dying, does have a certain charm

Not really i am certain what happens to me when i die.

 

[ChristineM]

Read the fine print in the Last - Will and New Testament. It still holds some of the blessing in the First Will and Testament but has more and better benefits.

Some that still hold is Deut 28;1-14

See @Joe W post #84

 

[Bird123]

Or Gods

Has God every told anyone not to question?? Of course not!! The only ones who do not want you to question are those who do not want you to know the answer.

God will not just give knowledge out. Wisdom is gained on the journey to Discover those answers. On the other hand God places knowledge all around. It just waits to be Discovered.

All the secrets of the universe stare us all in the face. How long did mankind watch birds fly before they figured out how? The knowledge was there all along.

How do those birds do that? God will not come out and tell you, however God will make it possible for you to Discover the answers for yourself.

Religion might serve it up, however, with God, there will be effort and work to Discover the real answers.

When you see something in the world, look beyond the surface of things. How does it change the people involved? How does it change the world? Look closely, the answers are there. Something good will come out of every tragedy. Making judgment calls lacking knowledge often will end up being the wrong call.

I have found that God will grant His children anything as long as it does not interfere with anyone's lessons. Further, when one absolutely, positively needs help, it will show up from somewhere. Still, no one will be able to interfere with the lessons of another.

The dynamics of all the interactions among the current 7 billion on earth is amazing.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

 

[Brickjectivity]

Or Gods

As a child I was taught three stories about asking too many questions titled as follows:

How the Elephant Got its Trunk
The Big Mouthed Frog
Curious George

These were only for fun, however. The people telling the stories weren't teaching us to ask no questions. No, because the elephant, the frog and the monkey all benefit from asking questions.

 

[stvdv]

But I am defining it with my definition...

This line got me thinking a little

"I am" is the name of God, so in a way it's God's definition
We should not use God's name in vain, maybe we should not even use the phrase "I am"
At least we should not use it lightly, hence in Hinduism they advise us to examine the question "who am I"?

Just some thought I had, reading this

 

[stvdv]

Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

This verse I don't get. Maybe you can clarify. I will tell why I don't get it.

Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. God accepted Abel his offering (firstling of his flock) and of the fat thereof. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect

So, something must have happened before, that made God declare this.
Genesis 3 tells us that Adam accepted the fruit (of forbidden tree) from his wife

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life

So, reading this, I could understand that God had no respect for Cain's offering, as it comes from "cursed ground". But on the other hand, God did the curse because of what Adam did. So no escape, as it's God's Will. Cain just accepted this by being a farmer (exactly as God Willed). And if the farmer's products are cursed, then all humanity is eating cursed food. God has no respect for Cain's offering, so did not accept it, I guess. Should we then not do the same. Not eat any farmer's products, because it's cursed? Quite strange I think.

Or maybe Cain was proud to give God something of what he had grown. And God wanted to remind him, that it comes from "cursed ground'. But IF God reminds him of this fate THEN I expect there is an escape, otherwise it seems not logical to me.

I could also understand that God was not happy with Cain's gift, because thanks to God's Grace food is growing, so in a way the food is from God. So Cain was giving to God something that already belongs to God, that of course is quite an absurd thing to do. Better not to offer the food to God, but eat the food yourself and thank God for it.

So clear to me.

Question: How do you interpret this verse, why God had no respect for Cain's offering?

 

[stvdv]

Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Notice that GOD is telling Cain there are two thoughts... Do well and you are accepted. Do your own thing and sin will grab hold of your wife.

Very true, if we do not do well, troubles will come. Our attachment to our desires is our major problem. We should rule over our attachments

sin will grab hold of your wife (Poor wife. I make a mistake and sin will grab hold of my wife)
I guess you meant this figuratively. Some say that wife stands for desires. So if I follow my desire, sin will grab hold of my desire (get me into trouble)

 

[amorphous_constellation]

God did not create "death" for God is life and death is the absence of life. Death is not a "thing"
God is truth. He did not create lies for there is no lie in Him. Satan is the author of "lies". Lies is not a "thing" - it is the absence of truth.

Isaiah 45:7

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

There are questions that are useless.

Which ones?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Obviously there are no questions God (or gods) don't want you to ask, or they wouldn't have given you a brain that could ask them.

Therefore, ask away!

(Oh, forgot to mention -- asking questions and trying to honestly answer them can, however, do real damage to God's reputation.)

 

[Koldo]

Hypothetical (like you said): God exists
Hypothetical (I add): Reincarnation exists

Imagine the scenario that a serial rapist gets away with serial raping all the time, in this life at least.

I like justice, and I am not a fan of injustice to say the least. And I see serial raping as injustice.

I would not have 1 bad night sleep, knowing that this man reincarnates with childhood-leukemia.

Justice can not be achieved when the criminal neither remembers his crimes nor understands why he is being punished.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

So god didn't create anything?

Things came into being, I think, because certain laws couldn't forever go unexpressed. If there is nothing, it seems that this is the potential state where there might be something, and so something comes. Nothing, is the thing that fails to be in its way

 

[ppp]

Things came into being, I think, because certain laws couldn't forever go unexpressed. If there is nothing, it seems that this is the potential state where there might be something, and so something comes

Why do you think that something came into being. As opposed there has always been something?

 

[Kenny]

This line got me thinking a little

"I am" is the name of God, so in a way it's God's definition
We should not use God's name in vain, maybe we should not even use the phrase "I am"
At least we should not use it lightly, hence in Hinduism they advise us to examine the question "who am I"?

Just some thought I had, reading this

This line got me thinking a little

"I am" is the name of God, so in a way it's God's definition
We should not use God's name in vain, maybe we should not even use the phrase "I am"
At least we should not use it lightly, hence in Hinduism they advise us to examine the question "who am I"?

Just some thought I had, reading this

I really appreciate the passion and concern you share this with.

Don't think it is applicable because of context since I am not saying that my definition is God's (The I AM)'s definition.

For an example: 1 Corinthians 12:16
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

Of course the context isn't I AM but simply I am (small letters)

But your point is well taken in that we should have enough respect and awe about God that we shouldn't just use His name flippantly.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Why do you think that something came into being. As opposed there has always been something?

As in like.. there has always been x amount of asteroids, or this amount of methane etc? Well all of it was always potentially there, but material doesn't just come from material. It goes back to ideas or laws.

 

[Kenny]

This verse I don't get. Maybe you can clarify. I will tell why I don't get it.

Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. God accepted Abel his offering (firstling of his flock) and of the fat thereof. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect

So, something must have happened before, that made God declare this.
Genesis 3 tells us that Adam accepted the fruit (of forbidden tree) from his wife



So, reading this, I could understand that God had no respect for Cain's offering, as it comes from "cursed ground". But on the other hand, God did the curse because of what Adam did. So no escape, as it's God's Will. Cain just accepted this by being a farmer (exactly as God Willed). And if the farmer's products are cursed, then all humanity is eating cursed food. God has no respect for Cain's offering, so did not accept it, I guess. Should we then not do the same. Not eat any farmer's products, because it's cursed? Quite strange I think.

Or maybe Cain was proud to give God something of what he had grown. And God wanted to remind him, that it comes from "cursed ground'. But IF God reminds him of this fate THEN I expect there is an escape, otherwise it seems not logical to me.

I could also understand that God was not happy with Cain's gift, because thanks to God's Grace food is growing, so in a way the food is from God. So Cain was giving to God something that already belongs to God, that of course is quite an absurd thing to do. Better not to offer the food to God, but eat the food yourself and thank God for it.


Question: How do you interpret this verse, why God had no respect for Cain's offering?

Yes...

There seems to be various reasons:

• Cain brought an offering "the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord". It is interesting that it doesn't say "the first fruit" but rather just fruit. In the Law of Moses, "first fruit" belongs to God. It gives the understanding that it was basically lip service vs heart faith. Almost saying, "God, I can do things my way".
• Abel brought "the firstling" of his sheep. Later, in the law, "That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's.'Of course, Adam and Eve were clothed with animal skin and blood was shed in covenant. My understanding is that Abel understood and respected God's redemption.
• The heart of Cain was expressed in the offering by the fact that hatred (not God's love) was working in his heart and manifested in the murdering of his own brother and lying by telling God "Am I my brothers keeper?" when he knew that he had killed his brother. Interestingly enough Satan is knows as the "murderer from the beginning" and "the father of lies".

Cain could have just traded grain for a lamb and offered it with a right heart basing the offering on the blood covenant established between God with Adam and Eve.

Well... anyway, that's my take.