Why does God hide himself?

[Ouroboros]

A parent may, after teaching a child many principles, give the child a period of freedom in order to decide for themselves what they want to do with those principles they have learnt. For this to be effective it is often necessary for the child to be physically away from the parent. The child can always contact the parent should they need advice (prayer) but the child is encourage to choose from themselves if and how they wish to live the principles they have been taught.

Wouldn't do that with infants though, and I think it would be wrong to punish them for failing to find their way back.

 

[columbus]

Can I go to India and kill a person without any reason and comeback home or not?

According to many Muslims you can. Take a look at the history of India.
Today you can't. Because secular values and international law will stop you from doing it. The victims of Daesh don't have that protection and everyone can see the results.
Tom

 

[Thanda]

Wouldn't do that with infants though, and I think it would be wrong to punish them for failing to find their way back.

God doesn't punish as much as he rewards. Doctrine and Covenants 88:

32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.​

 

[interminable]

According to many Muslims you can. Take a look at the history of India.
Today you can't. Because secular values and international law will stop you from doing it. The victims of Daesh don't have that protection and everyone can see the results.
Tom

Nope

This is our jurisprudence from the beginning
U can't kill anybody without any reason

U should be in war or protecting yourself or family

I told that wahabi is barley 1 percent of Muslims population

But since telling lie is a piece of cake for media in west they ascribe their stupid actions to all Muslims

 

[Ouroboros]

God doesn't punish as much as he rewards. Doctrine and Covenants 88:

32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.​

Ah. Another holy book. That's a good belief, but certain other monotheisms believe differently. So it's all based on belief if you're punished for not believing. It's all based on what people think.

Anyway, since I was Christian for a very long time in the past (I gave my life to Jesus at the age of 7, got baptized at 11, and spoke in tongues at 12), I never heard God's voice. Not a single time. I wonder, what was God teaching me then? When I was longing to hear it, just for a second. When I was praying for hours on end (one time for 8 hours) to hear an answer to difficult questions? When I was in need of his comfort, care, and insurance, I didn't hear anything from him. However, I heard a lot from people, and other people, and people of different faiths. God spoke through many different believers, rather than speak himself, so in the end, we speak to God through other people of all faiths and unfaiths. And I heard God in the voice of animals, the wind, reading a book, tasting a good meal. That's how God speaks to me.

 

[columbus]

This is our jurisprudence from the beginning
U can't kill anybody without any reason

U should be in war or protecting yourself or family

I think an honest assessment of Indian history (as well as a batch of other places) will show differently.
Islamic media isn't very good at being accurate and complete either.
Tom

 

[interminable]

I think an honest assessment of Indian history (as well as a batch of other places) will show differently.
Islamic media isn't very good at being accurate and complete either.
Tom

Don't judge a religion by its followers' actions
Some king under the name of religion committed brutal war but it doesn't mean that our prophet or our book said that

Exactly like US kills millions of people around the world but No one says that Jesus ordered them

 

[SkepticThinker]

Don't judge a religion by its followers' actions
Some king under the name of religion committed brutal war but it doesn't mean that our prophet or our book said that

Exactly like US kills millions of people around the world but No one says that Jesus ordered them

What should we judge a religion by, then? What about when a religion's followers claim to be acting on words found in their holy books?

 

[Cephus]

Gods hide because gods are made up. Believers in these made up gods claim that gods are hiding because they know that their gods don't really exist.

It isn't that hard.

 

[Cephus]

What about Wifi?

It's objectively detectable. Now do the same with your god.

 

[columbus]

Don't judge a religion by its followers' action

That's all I have to judge them by.
That and a batch of unsupported assertions about things which cannot be known, like God. That doesn't help.
Tom

 

[George-ananda]

Why does God hide himself?

IMO, I think God is the Consciousness inside all living things. To know God we need to quiet the noise of our minds and sit quietly in our core. However, this was not intended to be easy to do and takes lifetimes of effort but the spiritually minded are gradually making advancements and consequently experiencing more of the peace and love that is God's nature.

Now, for us not there yet, I believe the universe does supply signs, spiritual teachers, advanced souls to act as guides to help. I see God speaking in the form of advanced souls and teachers.

 

[Cephus]

Why does God hide himself?

IMO, I think God is the Consciousness inside all living things. To know God we need to quiet the noise of our minds and sit quietly in our core. However, this was not intended to be easy to do and takes lifetimes of effort but the spiritually minded are gradually making advancements and consequently experiencing more of the peace and love that is God's nature.

Now, for us not there yet, I believe the universe does supply signs, spiritual teachers, advanced souls to act as guides to help. I see God speaking in the form of advanced souls and teachers.

But that's just a bunch of unsupported, made up nonsense. You have no way of objectively knowing any of those things, nor any evidence that you can present that demonstrates your claims to be true. It's just bald assertions, nothing more.

 

[pearl]

However, I heard a lot from people, and other people, and people of different faiths. God spoke through many different believers, rather than speak himself, so in the end, we speak to God through other people of all faiths and unfaiths. And I heard God in the voice of animals, the wind, reading a book, tasting a good meal. That's how God speaks to me.

Makes sense, only humans speak words.

 

[pearl]

IMO, I think God is the Consciousness inside all living things. To know God we need to quiet the noise of our minds and sit quietly in our core.

And it is in this 'silence', we place ourselves in God's presence. But we can only do that if we our mind is only in the present, not the past or the future, its not the time for multi-tasking. Staying in the present takes a lot of practice. We're usually remembering something past or thinking toward the future, even by a few minutes. We are hardly ever solely in the present.

 

[Aštra’el]

Even if the Bible and Koran contained clear instruction that didn't contradict itself, that still isn't enough. Everyone is different. Many of us need more than a book. We need clear instruction on what to do personally with our lives.

And then there are those who decide what to do personally with our own lives, some of us even involving God(s) in our lives in rather unorthodox ways.

But really though, "need" is a strong word. You might desire clear instruction on what to do personally with your own life, but you do not "need" it, as that is something you can determine for yourself. The herd mentality might be a common occurance among those who worship and experience God(s), but it is certainly not a prerequisite.

I pray every day that God would tell me what to do with my time and my life because I simply don't know. I'd like to be doing with my time, what he/she wants me to do with my time. No matter how much I pray for those instructions, I don't get them. How is that benefiting me for God to refuse to give those instructions?

Try not reaching out with your eyes and ears to communicate with God(s). Imagine as you would a beautiful familiar song, how one might hear or even see and feel the notes in the realm of their own mind, maybe even convert those notes and feelings into words or visuals, thus experiencing that song whenever they wish. Imagine as you would a beautiful familiar memory, or vision, how one can see and feel and hear and sense all manner of things in all manner of ways, without the use of eyes or ears or hands, etc, and thus might experience that memory or vision whenever one wishes.

 

[Ouroboros]

That's all I have to judge them by.
That and a batch of unsupported assertions about things which cannot be known, like God. That doesn't help.
Tom

Very interesting conversation there.

Basically, God doesn't say anything. But we can't trust the holy book without having someone (a follower) interpreting it correctly because the book speaks about violence. But then, we can't judge the religion from the followers either. So what are we left with? God doesn't speak. Book we can't interpret. Followers we can't judge the religion from. So all in all, we have nothing to go on but our own inner thoughts and pondering.

 

[columbus]

So all in all, we have nothing to go on but our own inner thoughts and pondering.

And Science.
The best way to find out about the Creator is to study Creation. That is the essence of science, the rigorous and thoughtful and sophisticated study of Creation. It is not perfect and there is vastly more to learn, but it is better than studying the claims of ancient warlords and prophets.
Tom

 

[Unveiled Artist]

So, God must have a reason for hiding himself and hiding the truth. A lot will say, the truth isn't hidden, just read the Bible and the Koran. I've read them both, and the truth is hidden. Both books contain verses that say the opposite of what other verses say, leading people to opposite conclusions. Much of the Bible is hyperbole, poetry, parable, allegory, and symbolic, leading to God only knows how many conflicting interpretations. It simply isn't clear. The Koran severely contradicts itself. I'd be happy to provide a list of verses from the Koran that justify ISIS atrocities.

Even if the Bible and Koran contained clear instruction that didn't contradict itself, that still isn't enough. Everyone is different. Many of us need more than a book. We need clear instruction on what to do personally with our lives.

If God would just leave us clear messages every now and then, imagine how much good it would do. Imagine if every heretic heard the voice of God correcting them and telling them their errors. There wouldn't be so much division and confusion.

How many atheists would still be atheist if God was speaking clear messages to them and telling them what to do with their lives? Even if God just left a message in the sky once every 10 years, do you think even 1% of the world's population would still be atheist? Clearly God wants there to be Atheists.

I pray every day that God would tell me what to do with my time and my life because I simply don't know. I'd like to be doing with my time, what he/she wants me to do with my time. No matter how much I pray for those instructions, I don't get them. How is that benefiting me for God to refuse to give those instructions? If it does no good, and in fact does harm to the world, why does God do it?

What good does God hiding himself/herself do our world? If it doesn't do any good, then why does he/she do it?

Let me ask. What type of answer are you expecting or desire?

What or who is god to you that you would regcognise him as the god of the bible or quran?

Have you thought that god can speak through you without the quran and bible?

Do you need something to varify what you have felt came from god or someone else?

It sounds like you may benefit from reflecting in a quiet place where you are not rushed to do things and by yourself. But it all depends on how you define god.

As an atheist, if god wrote a message, i wouldnt know it was a god, and wouldnt know if it were hindu, muslim, or Pagan. So, its a personal reflection not something anyone can tell you and in my opinion, no book for that matter.

 

[james bond]

PopeADope, have you asked God to reveal Himself? Prolly wouldn't use your moniker is asking Him though ha ha. Just sayin'.