What Makes You Think…

[SalixIncendium]

Why not?

You're not related to Robert Kennedy, are you?

 

[fantome profane]

At least not until someone gives God an iPhone.

The trouble with developing an iPhone for God is that it would take a huge amount of research, given that it has to be immaterial so God can use it and also able to interact with material cell towers. Apple would probably say it wasn't worth the cost, given the very limited potential customer base.

This kind of sacrilegious talk only shows your lack of understanding.



God does not need an iPhone.





The iPhone is God,

 

[Nakosis]

Why not?

I find the authors very consistent as we look at the message from beginning to end.

Why these people, from the Bible, and not others?
Or do you think everyone who claims to speak for God does so?

For example did Muhammad speak for God?

 

[sun rise]

Of those teachers you have come across, are there any that you’d now be critical of their teaching?

I've never met such in person but some have been covered in news stories (Jim Jones comes to mind) and others are noted historically. For example, I came across this quote about such "holy men" in India: “There are many hypocritical saints with long matted hair and their bodies besmeared with ashes. Tukaram says: 'Let their dead conscience be burnt; it is no sin to thrash them!'"

 

[Kenny]

Why these people, from the Bible, and not others?
Or do you think everyone who claims to speak for God does so?

For example did Muhammad speak for God?

Obviously my statement will be in context to my signature.

I would say the Bible because of its prophetic capacity, its harmony through the ages of its writings.

Of course I don't think that all people who say the speak for God translates that he did. I believe Muhammad had a spiritual experience but I don't believe he spoke on behalf of God. It seems more like an effort to combine Jewish scriptures and Christian thought into a new religion. It changes the commandments of God into a new set of commandments.

I'm sure muslims would disagree. (my signature)

 

[InChrist]

I think a big error is assuming these ancient people had the same understanding of "what is true" as we do in the 21st century (or even the 19th and 20th centuries). We have the advantage of hundreds of years of science and skilled thinking (reasoning) to guide us to an understanding of truth. We see modern theists struggle to make ancient religious stories fit in with more factual and realist approaches to meaning and life. They often have to take sides, and reject science, facts, and reasoning to various degree to alow themselves their religious illusions.

I think it is interesting how ancient people thought and believed without a set of valid knowledge (apart from learned trial and errors) as we have with the modern sciences.

Spoken from such a lofty position of superiority.

 

[1213]

...
Why trust any claims made by other people about God?

I trust to what is said in the Bible, because things go as told in the Bible and I think it is correct especially about what is god and right.

 

[Alien826]

This kind of sacrilegious talk only shows your lack of understanding.

<sigh>

I thought I had worded that so that nobody could see it as anything but humor.

 

[fantome profane]

<sigh>

I thought I had worded that so that nobody could see it as anything but humor.

Me too

 

[loverofhumanity]

The writers of the Bible knew anything about God?

I’ve heard from several people who feel they know God. They will say with certainty what God is like. The problem of course is that what they claim is not consistent with each other.
I understand people feeling they have personnel knowledge about God.

I accept these biblical authors feeling they had reliable knowledge about God, doesn’t mean they did.

Why trust any claims made by other people about God?

Hi. My understanding is that. No one knows the essence of God. We only hear about God and some of the attributes of God from the Prophets but other than that none of us has direct contact with Him.

What we ‘imagine’ to be God is our own imagination only.

 

[Eli G]

The Bible speaks of the God who did indeed have a direct relationship with his people. The stories that are narrated in the Bible are told by eyewitnesses for the most part. Through these stories we can learn how is the God who created the first couple, the God of Abraham, of Moses, of the Israelites in general including their priests, prophets, elders and kings ... and later the God Jesus talked about and the God of his true followers.

The God of the Jews was present all the time among them while they were his people. What could not be known by a direct interpersonal relationship with God, could be known by the effects of violating what those who did have it said should be done. God has always borne witness to himself.

The Creator's attributes are known from the entire relationship of him with humanity from the beginning, and then with his people. Those things we can learn from the information book that he bequeathed to us. But we can also learn from him through the things he gave us, human beings, as a gift.

When we strive to know the Creator more, He helps us in the effort and hears our prayers. When the person takes the necessary steps to get to know him, he begins to have a more personal relationship with him, and came to know without any doubt that He is there.

 

[Nakosis]

Hi. My understanding is that. No one knows the essence of God. We only hear about God and some of the attributes of God from the Prophets but other than that none of us has direct contact with Him.

What we ‘imagine’ to be God is our own imagination only.

Some think otherwise. There are plenty of people about willing to tell you about God.

Of course some believe the words of certain prophets but if we ourselves don't know, how can we judge the accuracy of any prophet?

 

[Nakosis]

I trust to what is said in the Bible, because things go as told in the Bible and I think it is correct especially about what is god and right.

The problem I run into is there are many people who claim the correct interpretation of the Bible. We are left to judge who's interpretation is correct based on what we feel is correct.

Sometimes what we feel is correct can be wrong. Science has shown me that feelings are not reliable but not everyone is going to agree.
Still feelings are sometimes reliable but you aren't going to really know how reliable unless you test them.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Some think otherwise. There are plenty of people about willing to tell you about God.

Of course some believe the words of certain prophets but if we ourselves don't know, how can we judge the accuracy of any prophet?

Even the Prophets, although they have some form of direct contact claim that God is a mystery not even They can unravel.

Their accuracy? I believe we have a soul or inner instinct where we can sense God to a very limited extent.

 

[Nakosis]

Obviously my statement will be in context to my signature.

I would say the Bible because of its prophetic capacity, its harmony through the ages of its writings.

Of course I don't think that all people who say the speak for God translates that he did. I believe Muhammad had a spiritual experience but I don't believe he spoke on behalf of God. It seems more like an effort to combine Jewish scriptures and Christian thought into a new religion. It changes the commandments of God into a new set of commandments.

I'm sure muslims would disagree. (my signature)

So you accept you could be wrong?
You choose one theology over others.

Have you ever questioned yourself why?

What knowledge of God do you possess to judge who is telling the truth about God?
Myself, I accept I have no such knowledge to pass judgement.

 

[loverofhumanity]

The problem I run into is there are many people who claim the correct interpretation of the Bible. We are left to judge who's interpretation is correct based on what we feel is correct.

Sometimes what we feel is correct can be wrong. Science has shown me that feelings are not reliable but not everyone is going to agree.
Still feelings are sometimes reliable but you aren't going to really know how reliable unless you test them.

That’s a very valid question. Somehow I was able to put all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together and it all makes sense to me now.

Firstly. The spiritual laws, morals, virtues and teachings of the Founders of all the major religions are all in agreement. Love, justice, unity, truthfulness, kindness etc These spiritual values are eternal.

The social laws such as marriage, divorce, diet, punishments etc were revealed according to the needs of each age and are not permanent.

The discrepancies and confusion and conflicting interpretations is by priests and clergy and not authoritative and should be ignored as the clergy are just ordinary people with a view.

If we practice any or all of the spiritual teachings of any religion we can’t go wrong.

 

[Nakosis]

Even the Prophets, although they have some form of direct contact claim that God is a mystery not even They can unravel.

Their accuracy? I believe we have a soul or inner instinct where we can sense God to a very limited extent.

Feelings? You feel what is/who is correct when it comes to claims about God.

I just came to a point where I questioned why should I thrust my feelings over someone else's.
For example some would say God is love. I would say that is not correct according to how I feel but how can I verify which claim is correct except by relying on what I feel to be correct?
Same as they are doing in their claim.

 

[Nakosis]

That’s a very valid question. Somehow I was able to put all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together and it all makes sense to me now.

Firstly. The spiritual laws, morals, virtues and teachings of the Founders of all the major religions are all in agreement. Love, justice, unity, truthfulness, kindness etc These spiritual values are eternal.

The social laws such as marriage, divorce, diet, punishments etc were revealed according to the needs of each age and are not permanent.

The discrepancies and confusion and conflicting interpretations is by priests and clergy and not authoritative and should be ignored as the clergy are just ordinary people with a view.

If we practice any or all of the spiritual teachings of any religion we can’t go wrong.

So then religion doesn't matter?

 

[loverofhumanity]

Feelings? You feel what is/who is correct when it comes to claims about God.

I just came to a point where I questioned why should I thrust my feelings over someone else's.
For example some would say God is love. I would say that is not correct according to how I feel but how can I verify which claim is correct except by relying on what I feel to be correct?
Same as they are doing in their claim.

Not exactly. I have a soul that can recognise if something comes from God or not. I believe we all have a God sense which enables us to know God.

 

[loverofhumanity]

So then religion doesn't matter?

I believe it does because each age has a religion relative to the needs of that age. If we apply laws of past religions to todays age not only will they not work but they will cause many problems.

A different sickness requires a different remedy. Today’s needs are different from the ages of the past.