Why do believers love God?

[Wildswanderer]

Why do believers love God?
Below are the multiple choices. You can pick one or more, or give me another reason I hadn't thought of.

(a) Because the scriptures of their religion tell them that God is good and they should love God
(b) Because they see objective evidence in the world that indicates to them that God is good and worthy of being loved
(c) Because they believe that God is good since God has been good to them in their lives
(d) None of the above because I don’t love God

The scriptures of my religion say that God created humans out of His love for us and that we are supposed to love God, because otherwise we cut ourselves off from God’s love.

3: O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.

4: O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.”

5: O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 4

In all honesty I had to pick (d). Why can’t I love God?

First, I believe God created a world that is a storehouse of suffering where He knew people would suffer, often through no fault of their own. Not only that, the all-knowing God knew that some people would suffer much more than other people and I do not consider this fair and equitable.

Second, I believe that God determines fate for the most part, leaving very little room for any choices. Any free will that people have is circumscribed by many factors such as childhood upbringing, heredity, education, adult experiences, and present life circumstances, so many people cannot just make changes they would like to make. So many things are beyond our control, and it is God who determines much of our fate.

Third, on top of all of the above the Baha’i Writings say that God sends tests for our own perfection and we should be grateful for the tests. Because of the tests I have always endured, whether God is actually sending them or not, I keep looking over my shoulder waiting for another test.

Will the tests of this life ever end? Is God sending these tests on purpose or are they just part of life? If they are just part of life, why do some people get more tests than other people? I am supposed to believe I am favored by God because I am tested more than others so I will end up being stronger and more spiritual, but I cannot make myself believe that even if it is true, since there is no evidence that is or will be the case. All we have are scriptures that say that and I cannot believe based on scriptures when I see no objective evidence.

How can people love a God that is responsible for any or all of the above? It is my concerted opinion that the main reason people love God is because of (a) and (c) above but I cannot love God because scriptures tell me I should and I cannot love God based upon how good God has been to me, since I do not feel that has been the case, although I am willing to admit I might be wrong since my perceptions of my past and present life situation could be wrong.

I want to love God but I have to have a reason that makes sense to me, so I thought by starting this thread some people might give me some reasons that make sense to me.

Sincerely, Trailblazer.

All of the first three. And " We love him because he first loved us, and gave his son to die for us." So even if life here seems bad, it's not the reality of our eternal existence, it's just a moment.

 

[Trailblazer]

We can be angry with God, as we can be angry with people we love. I think it’s okay to have conflicted feelings.

I used to be angry at God but now I don't feel anything at all. I don't know if that is progress or not.

But a life without love is no life at all imo, and if all life comes from God, then better it be filled with love, even if it is also filled with suffering.

All life does not 'come' from God, life evolved, but I know what you mean.
I agree that a life with no love is no life at all and I love people and animals, just not God.
I am grateful to God for many things but that is different from love.

 

[Lain]

But what about people who do not want to exist?

They do not exist in my opinion, it is impossible to not want to exist. They just want an end to their pain.

I'm sorry, I cannot see it that way because it makes no logical sense to me.
To exist and suffer endlessly is not good. It would be better to not exist at all.

I do not see how that is the case, but I suppose that is a fundamental worldview difference.

 

[Trailblazer]

We can see the examples God has given us, the Messengers and in this age we have been gifted Abdul'baha.

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

 

[Trailblazer]

I see satan is my choice to turn away from God's Love,

As I interpret that, it is turning away from something you imagine/believe is there.
There is no proof that there is anything to turn away from. It is a faith-based belief.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

From my perspective, it's all about spiritual seeing God which is through vision of love. Love is mystical, it can see truth and value based on it.

Doubt as far seeing God goes is a trick from Iblis, first rule of doubt, know when to stop doubting.

In a way, either apathy or toxicity type hate towards God is the reason for not seeing him in my view, "you don't hide yourself from creation except their actions are for other than you" (Imam Zainal Abideen (a)).

Love is not mystical -- nor is any other human emotion. All of them are the outputs from the algorithms that define you as an organism, and their purpose is to guide you to making choices that are beneficial to you passing on your genome.

 

[Trailblazer]

Frankly, I suspect that many believers "love God" primarily because He promises to punish everybody who doesn't believe as they do for eternity, while promising that they themselves will get everything they ever wanted. (Just not here, and just not yet.)

I also suspect the the reasons that believers love God are selfish.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

As I interpret that, it is turning away from something you imagine/believe is there.
There is no proof that there is anything to turn away from. It is a faith-based belief.

There is more than enough proof for me Susan. Abdul'baha was living proof of Baha’u’llah and of God.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

That quote does not negate Love, it demonstrates what the ultimate Love is.

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

So even if life here seems bad, it's not the reality of our eternal existence, it's just a moment.

I cannot agree with a, b, or c, but at least I agree with what you said above:

“O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 329

 

[Trailblazer]

They do not exist in my opinion, it is impossible to not want to exist. They just want an end to their pain.

How is it impossible to not want to exist? I feel that way all the time so that proves it is possible.

I do not see how that is the case, but I suppose that is a fundamental worldview difference.

or maybe you have never suffered endlessly.

 

[Trailblazer]

There is more than enough proof for me Susan. Abdul'baha was living proof of Baha’u’llah and of God.

Regards Tony

Baha'u'llah is the only proof of God for me and He is the only reason I am still a Baha'i.

 

[sun rise]

I don’t think there’s ever been a satisfactory answer to the question, “why do bad things happen to good people?”

There is an answer that satisfied me and it comes from the East and involves reincarnation and karma.

How do you know that, because someone said that in a book?
I really want to believe that but I cannot believe it just because it is written in a book of scriptures.

Scriptures are useless here. What is more useful are biographies of people who said that and totally lived lives of love. More useful still is having the good fortune to meet such a person in real life and seeing that they manifest that love in their actions.

 

[Trailblazer]

That quote does not negate Love, it demonstrates what the ultimate Love is.

How do you think that Isaiah 45:7 demonstrates what the ultimate Love is?

 

[sun rise]

Frankly, I suspect that many believers "love God" primarily because He promises to punish everybody who doesn't believe as they do for eternity, while promising that they themselves will get everything they ever wanted. (Just not here, and just not yet.)

That's "God is love if I get what I want" theology and I agree that many have that perspective.

 

[Trailblazer]

Scriptures are useless here. What is more useful are biographies of people who said that and totally lived lives of love. More useful still is having the good fortune to meet such a person in real life and seeing that they manifest that love in their actions.

I fully agree. It is those people who demonstrated love, but believers want to say it was God. Why does God get the credit for what people do, that is what I do not understand.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Baha'u'llah is the only proof of God for me and He is the only reason I am still a Baha'i.

That is all part of the tests of life we face Susan.

I see Abdul'baha shows us what Love is.

Sometimes we have to loose all we have, to find that Love.

Regards Tony

 

[rational experiences]

When be okay are written by humans for humans.

When you attend a human group gathering

And men humans preach I am God.

Why do we love our father?

As a human it depends on what type of human father you inherited.

If you believe God is a man.

If you believe God created life to be it's utmost healthiest and most spiritually conscious about behaviours human. Then you would love humans for behaviours supportive of family grouped community.

If you get told but God the man destroys you if he feels like it. We see it occurring everyday. Men who say they are a God as a terrorist or a scientist or just an egotist.

Why do I love God as a man teaching preaching science? Because some men are loving caring kind equally minded and respectful.

As humans

Seeing the human place is where we all exist thinking.

 

[sun rise]

I also suspect the the reasons that believers love God are selfish.

Given that we have lower selves built on selfishness, I agree. But it's not true of all. There are a few that operate from different motives.

Kabir wrote of the struggle to discard that lower/selfish self:

Friend, please tell me what I can do about this world I hold to,
and keep spinning out!
I gave up sewn clothes, and wore a robe,
but I noticed one day the cloth was well woven.
So I bought some burlap, but I still
throw it elegantly over my shoulder.
I pulled back my sexual longings,
and now I discover that I’m angry a lot.
I gave up rage, and now I notice
that I am greedy all day.
I worked hard at dissolving my greed,
and now I am proud of myself.
When the mind wants to break its link with the world
it still holds on to one thing.
Kabir says: Listen, my friend,
there are very few that find the path!

 

[Trailblazer]

That is all part of the tests of life we face Susan.

I see Abdul'baha shows us what Love is.

Sometimes we have to loose all we have, to find that Love.

Regards Tony

I am not looking for Love. Do you believe that everyone is looking for Love? That sounds rather selfish to me.