How much do you trust God?

[Pillsongchurch]

I ask a question quite frequently on Twitter, but have to date only ever had one response.

The question is:

"If the Lord God appeared to you in a clear vision and commanded you to take the life of a loved one, would (or could) you do it?"

Does your answer cause a conflict with your beliefs?

Out of interest, the response I've received on Twitter was a very definite "No".

EDIT: for those answering that they wouldn't trust it is a true vision of God, does that test your belief about other claims of visions that are typically believed? What would it take for you to believe that it WAS a true vision?

 

[Storm]

No and no.

 

[Otherright]

No, I'd go immediately for a psych eval.

 

[elmarna]

God gave us a brain that reasons!
He gave us a way to respond to choices & we are not without free will.
Some say Ahraham's sacrafice of his child was to say he will test us.
I say that it is best to make the wisest of choices for god to be satisfied.
He gave us eyes to "see" A brain that can understand both emotionally & cerebrally.
To do good & see a positive out come would be within his realm.
To answer a command like you refer to who is it likely to be?
Not likely god as i follow....SOoooo My answer is NO I would not consider this summons to be acted upon. NOT WITHOUT GOOD REASON! Show me it is to the higher good [like kill Hitler]
Then-YES I will have the heart ,Mind, & Faith to take up the course of action with conviction!!!

 

[MisterShine]

"If the Lord God appeared to you in a clear vision and commanded you to take the life of a loved one, would (or could) you do it?"

Under the assumption that I was, 100% absolutely certain that this was the universe's creator/overseer?

No, I would not. Even if He/She/It further explained the good that would be caused by my action, or the evil that would be prevented, I would not do so. Unless it was a person I thought I should kill anyway.

Does your answer cause a conflict with your beliefs?

No, it would kind of confirm it, actually. God's a bit of a dick.

 

[Pillsongchurch]

God gave us a brain that reasons!
He gave us a way to respond to choices & we are not without free will.
Some say Ahraham's sacrafice of his child was to say he will test us.
I say that it is best to make the wisest of choices for god to be satisfied.
He gave us eyes to "see" A brain that can understand both emotionally & cerebrally.
To do good & see a positive out come would be within his realm.
To answer a command like you refer to who is it likely to be?
Not likely god as i follow....SOoooo My answer is NO I would not consider this summons to be acted upon. NOT WITHOUT GOOD REASON! Show me it is to the higher good [like kill Hitler]
Then-YES I will have the heart ,Mind, & Faith to take up the course of action with conviction!!!

So would you question whether it really was God, or whether God was correct? Either way it seems a bit of a contradiction to your belief that God reveals himself to you and God is always right

 

[PolyHedral]

My God is subtler than that.

 

[Riverwolf]

No and no.

What she said.

 

[sandandfoam]

LOL now you got me.
Atheism here I come.
Really no.

When I meet god for a chat we're going to discuss why Man Utd keep winning, It could get quite heated but no one will die.

 

[Koldo]

I ask a question quite frequently on Twitter, but have to date only ever had one response.

The question is:

"If the Lord God appeared to you in a clear vision and commanded you to take the life of a loved one, would (or could) you do it?"

No.

Does your answer cause a conflict with your beliefs?

No.

EDIT: for those answering that they wouldn't trust it is a true vision of God, does that test your belief about other claims of visions that are typically believed? What would it take for you to believe that it WAS a true vision?

If a supernatural being came to me and asked me such an absurd thing i would certainly not acknowledge it as God.

 

[Mister Emu]

Yes.

It would cause me no small amount of anguish, but under the hypothetical, yes.

But He hasn't, and in fact has commanded the opposite of killing.

 

[Father Heathen]

If blind trust is placed in god, doesn't take make it easy for the devil to pretend to be god and convince people to do evil thinking it's good/god's will if they don't doubt and question things?

I mean imagine if Jesus appeared before you and ordered you to drown your own children, and after you've done so "Jesus" takes his mask off, revealing himself to have been Satan in disguise, laughs at you and says "Siiiike!"

Boy would your face be red.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

I mean imagine if Jesus appeared before you and ordered you to drown your own children, and after you've done so "Jesus" takes his mask off, revealing himself to have been Satan in disguise, laughs at you and says "Siiiike!" Boy would your face be red.

I agree with otherright. My first instinct would be to go for a psych evaluation.

But what if God came back again and again, giving more evidence each time of His reality until I were absolutely convinced?

I dunno, but thinking about it makes me hate the baby-drowning mamas with a little less fervor.

 

[jarofthoughts]

"If the Lord God appeared to you in a clear vision and commanded you to take the life of a loved one, would (or could) you do it?"

No.

Does your answer cause a conflict with your beliefs?

Not in the slightest.
It might make me question my sanity though.

EDIT: for those answering that they wouldn't trust it is a true vision of God, does that test your belief about other claims of visions that are typically believed?

I think visions are delusions in any case, so no.

What would it take for you to believe that it WAS a true vision?

Empirical independent confirmation.

 

[Pillsongchurch]

LOL now you got me.
Atheism here I come.
Really no.

When I meet god for a chat we're going to discuss why Man Utd keep winning, It could get quite heated but no one will die.

OMG YOU'RE ONTO ME!
Nah, I don't bother trying to convert believers. All I have in my arsenal (pun intended) is logic, and I doubt many people have been converted using that. I am curious how believers actually frame their beliefs when presented with a specific hypothetical. In this case most people seem to say that they either wouldn't believe it was God or would defy him if they did believe.

To me this just seems strange given how many people claim to have regular dialogues with him and spend their lives fulfilling his commands.

I'd love to hear more responses though!

 

[Pillsongchurch]

Yes.

It would cause me no small amount of anguish, but under the hypothetical, yes.

But He hasn't, and in fact has commanded the opposite of killing.

Yes, it's an extreme example but obviously not unprecedented

 

[Storm]

Well, to elaborate on my answers, I'm a panentheist. My God doesn't "appear" or give orders. Certain spirits might, but I owe them nothing.

 

[averageJOE]

Well, to elaborate on my answers, I'm a panentheist. My God doesn't "appear" or give orders. Certain spirits might, but I owe them nothing.

I really like this answer!:yes:

 

[michel]

Yes.

It would cause me no small amount of anguish, but under the hypothetical, yes.

But He hasn't, and in fact has commanded the opposite of killing.

yes, I agree.

 

[Kriya Yogi]

I ask a question quite frequently on Twitter, but have to date only ever had one response.

The question is:

"If the Lord God appeared to you in a clear vision and commanded you to take the life of a loved one, would (or could) you do it?"

No, I would think I was dreaming or that an evil entity is trying to trick me. The God I firmly believe in would never ask such a thing.

Does your answer cause a conflict with your beliefs?

No my answer would never conflict with my beliefs.

Out of interest, the response I've received on Twitter was a very definite "No".

EDIT: for those answering that they wouldn't trust it is a true vision of God, does that test your belief about other claims of visions that are typically believed? What would it take for you to believe that it WAS a true vision?

This is one of the reasons I believe God does not show himself in visions to those who aren't ready or don't ask for it. One's would either not believe or it would cause them to think they are crazy and in turn cause suffering. I believe God only wants your supreme happiness and freedom to choose. It's why he only shows himself unto those who really really want him to show. Otherwise he is here as silent and invisible support.