FunctionalAtheist
Hammer of Reason
a) He doesn't want to reveal himself to you! (Note that evidently he has revealed himself to countless of others, if you are to believe them.)
b) He is not capable of revealing himself to you! Maybe he's not aware of your existence. Maybe there is something about you that blocks his ability. E.g. maybe you are required to accept him completely and fully without any evidence whatsoever before he is capable of revealing himself (lol), meaning he is not a very rational individual.
c) Maybe, like Ramses, he has chosen to harden your heart so he can at some point use you to glorify himself.
d) All of the above.
e) He doesn't exist.
After a very long, open, and honest search, the question you are now asking came to my mind in a strong way. As you say, I can be very wordy, so I'll try to boil it down, as this is one of a few very solid reassurances to me that either their is no god, or that he doesn't care (not about us) about our beliefs. In fact, if there is a benevelent god, and his primary concern is how we behave here-and-now, on this earth, when we treat our fellow man, then he would do everything in his power to ensure there were absolutely no disagreements about his nature or what he wanted. I'll try to expand.
So many religions that I'm aware of, from my background, insist that it is the after-life, the hereafter, that we must prepare for. At the same time they insist that it is our deeds/works here-and-now which earn these hereafter rewards. They also insist that one must believe, have faith, in the metaphysical mumbo jumbo of the day. They try to personalize god, relate to god, speak for what they believe is god's will, commands, requirements. Try to force, or preach, or judge the lack of, these beliefs.
There are literally 1000s of different iterations, and there is little in the world today that causes more conflict, from all out war, beheading, bombings, to just the better than though judgmental attitudes that many have towards others of differing opinions.
All because (assuming there is a god) god has chosen to reveal some things to some people, but most are left to GUESS which one of god's prophets are right, and GUESS which one of the 1000s of preachers interpretations are right. Not only that, but how many of these have actually read any of the books for themselves.
90% of the turmoil in the wolds today, is a direct result of god being an incredibly poor communicator!
I don't believe that, I reject that. It is people's failure to communicate and or accept others rights.
So, if there is a god, and god's will is that people should do the most good HERE AND NOW....And let's face it, if the goal is get to the hereafter, then doeSn't that require, or should, doing the most good here and now?...then god HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY, as easy as it should be, to clearly communicate to every single person exactly what his goal or plan is.
How would that interfere with freewill? It wouldn't any more than making people guess what he wants. A) I've heard god want's...but I still do.... of B) I know for a fact what god wants...but I still do....
Now, god was one other option to be legitimate. He could ensure that no one has any knowledge of him, no one understands his will, no one anywhere can speak for him, no one can judge others based on their beliefs. Why is this an option?
Like I said, 90% of the world's problems stem from conflicting religious beliefs. These beliefs focus on the hereafter. When someone believes they must harm others, or judge others, or stop someone else from living a life of their choosing here and now, so that they can gain a reward hereafter, then they are not doing the most good here and now.
If the goal is the most good here and now, then ANY reference to god, or the hereafter (short of universal perfect revelation) DISTRACTS from HERE AND NOW.
To wit, I am 100% atheist, not because I am 100% there is no such thing as supernatural. I am 100% atheist because I believe, 100% ((1) that if there is such a thing as supernatural, it is irrelevant to nature, as by definition I see light, a physical substance, I hear sound waves, a physical energy, I smell and taste chemicals, I have no ability to sense in anyway any sort of supernature.) And 2) Even if there is a god, he obviously has chosen not to reveal himself universally, and as such any reference to him distracts from the most good here and now.
I can't help a transient on the street (or many would not) if they hold up a sign saying "Ala Bless!" if I'm concerned about what god thinks. I can't help a young woman in need if she had an abortion. I witnessed a 11 year old girls struck by lightning. I gave her CPR, luckily there were EMS there as I was sponsering a Kid Fish event with 100s of people. The girl died 3 times, there on the ground, in the ambulance, and in the life flight. She lived. We had a benefit to help pay her 1/4 million $ bills.
Her pastor campaigned against the benefit, told his congregation they would go to hell if they helped, and said that god struck the little girl down because her mother didn't come to church and tithe every sunday and dated more than one man. Now, I know that's extreme.
My point is....If you focus on HERE AND NOW then god couldn't care less what you 'believe' or 'preach' or 'have faith in.' You do the most good you can here and now and you'll do fine. But as soon as you focus on HEREAFTER you will enter a maze of confusion, 1000s of conflicting prophets, and yes even murder in the name of god.
I'm an atheist, even if god exists, because it is the ONLY ethical choice. Even if god exists, I'm perfectly sure he would want me to live as if he didn't. There is not an ethical or moral decision to be made that ignoring god and thinking here and now doesn't clarify; while pondering god's many conflicting revelations and thinking hereafter doesn't muddle.
There may be a god, if there is, he loves the one's that ignore him.
Both those that cotton not to the NT, and those that do but don't really believe it!
