Why does God need prophets?

[robo]

I mean...if God wants to tell us something, cannot he just appear in the sky or something and then speak to us in a loud voice? I am sure all atheists will just become theists then and there. :yes:

Instead, God chooses the most improbable and unverifiable way of communication.

He first communicates what he wants to say to arch-angel Jebril. This Jebril is not human. Then, Jebril then has find Mohammed and give God's divine message.

Jebriel's first encounter with Mohammed is also noteworthy.

The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read. The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me...

Is any of this remotely believeable/verifiable?

 

[beerisit]

A business simply can't exist without profits.

 

[Sgloom]

A business simply can't exist without profits.

haha, that was pretty funny

 

[839311]

I mean...if God wants to tell us something, cannot he just appear in the sky or something and then speak to us in a loud voice? I am sure all atheists will just become theists then and there. :yes:

Instead, God chooses the most improbable and unverifiable way of communication.

This is an excellent observation. The idea that God wants to communicate with humanity through prophets, of whom people will naturally be skeptical about and suspicious, is one of the most un-believable ideas out there.

Is any of this remotely believeable/verifiable?

Its sometimes hard to believe that people believe in such things, or that I believed in such things. But thats the human condition for you.

 

[Quintessence]

As one who follows a mystery religion where direct, personal experience of the gods is habitual, I don't understand why some people's gods need prophets either. Mine "speak" to me all the time. The problem is in humans expecting it to be in English (or whatever language they speak). It usually isn't. Sun Spirit doesn't speak English. It "speaks" with light, warmth, and the occasional sunburn.

 

[robo]

As one who follows a mystery religion where direct, personal experience of the gods is habitual, I don't understand why some people's gods need prophets either. Mine "speak" to me all the time. The problem is in humans expecting it to be in English (or whatever language they speak). It usually isn't. Sun Spirit doesn't speak English. It "speaks" with light, warmth, and the occasional sunburn.

Fair enough...

Still though, assuming your God wants all people to follow his religion, could he not communicate with all of us?

PS: Sorry, I do not know what your religious belief entails, hence the (naive?) question.

 

[Bob Dixon]

Perhaps He does communicate with all of us.
Perhaps not all of us are ready or able to hear.

 

[Iti oj]

I mean...if God wants to tell us something, cannot he just appear in the sky or something and then speak to us in a loud voice? I am sure all atheists will just become theists then and there. :yes:

Instead, God chooses the most improbable and unverifiable way of communication.

He first communicates what he wants to say to arch-angel Jebril. This Jebril is not human. Then, Jebril then has find Mohammed and give God's divine message.

Jebriel's first encounter with Mohammed is also noteworthy.



Is any of this remotely believeable/verifiable?

something about free will... the real question is where the hell is my prophet keeping me outa hell =D

 

[Iti oj]

As one who follows a mystery religion where direct, personal experience of the gods is habitual, I don't understand why some people's gods need prophets either. Mine "speak" to me all the time. The problem is in humans expecting it to be in English (or whatever language they speak). It usually isn't. Sun Spirit doesn't speak English. It "speaks" with light, warmth, and the occasional sunburn.

ohh i never really though about it like that. i like that though i need to ponder on this. thank you.

 

[George-ananda]

God does not come as a booming voice in the sky that would COMPEL any sane man to believe. The beauty of creation is in the ascendancy of the human intellect from the ape stage to the modern human.

The spirit world aids this evolution by speaking through certain men to increase mankind's undrstanding. Yes, mankind can semi-mangle their messages and then our intellect must discern our opinion of the truth. But this is all part of the ascendancy process that isn't near completion in the 21st century.

 

[Quagmire]

Perhaps He does communicate with all of us.
Perhaps not all of us are ready or able to hear.

It's hard enough for us to communicate with each other. :yes:

 

[robo]

God does not come as a booming voice in the sky that would COMPEL any sane man to believe. The beauty of creation is in the ascendancy of the human intellect from the ape stage to the modern human.

Well, I do agree that God coming out in a booming voice would take the beauty out of things. I mean, RF would no longer need to exist, right? We would all convert to that right religion that God wanted us to.

 

[Quintessence]

Fair enough...

Still though, assuming your God wants all people to follow his religion, could he not communicate with all of us?

PS: Sorry, I do not know what your religious belief entails, hence the (naive?) question.

That's okay. By and large, Pagan religion are not interested in winning converts nor do the gods demand humans pay them honor. You pay them honor because they are representations of (or actually are) aspects of nature that you depend upon for your existence. The land "talks" to us all the time if we have pay attention to it. Whether or not people interpret the land "talking" as "god" will depend on the cultural influences in their minds. Western cultures for a long time have put a wedge between the material world and the divine, so they will not see the fact that the sun is shining and there is rich, organic soil beneath our feet as communication from the divine. To them, "god" is a word reserved for some supernatural entity that transcends nature. I do not understand myself how such a transcendent and supernatural god could possibly communicate anything to us earth-bound humans, so I cannot really answer part of your question. I left conventional Western religion in part because I heard "god" in the wind rustling the leaves and in the bird songs of the forest.

 

[Bob Dixon]

It's hard enough for us to communicate with each other. :yes:

Mhm!

You could ask, "why doesn't God talk in a way everyone understands?"
Well... He does! But will everyone listen?
I mean, the Universe is set up in a relatively simple way. Big structures are complex, but it's founded on relatively simple mathematical principles. Can everyone understand those? Yes, those with no mental disabilities can, for sure! Do they? Hmm, not always.

 

[Quagmire]

Mhm!

You could ask, "why doesn't God talk in a way everyone understands?"
Well... He does! But will everyone listen?
I mean, the Universe is set up in a relatively simple way. Big structures are complex, but it's founded on relatively simple mathematical principles. Can everyone understand those? Yes, those with no mental disabilities can, for sure! Do they? Hmm, not always.

Personally, I think He's waiting for most of us to shut up.

 

[Jainarayan]

Perhaps He does communicate with all of us.
Perhaps not all of us are ready or able to hear.

Yep, people are usually so busy asking for this or that, God can't get a word in edgewise. If people would just shut up, maybe they'd hear Him.

 

[Jainarayan]

Personally, I think He's waiting for most of us to shut up.

Yep, people are usually so busy asking for this or that, God can't get a word in edgewise. If people would just shut up, maybe they'd hear Him.

Oops, that's what happens when you don't pay attention.

 

[Quagmire]

Oops, that's what happens when you don't pay attention.

No worries, TbtL, I don't think that can be said too often.

 

[Koldo]

Perhaps He does communicate with all of us.
Perhaps not all of us are ready or able to hear.

I don't see how this could ever be the case if we are talking about an omnipotent God.

 

[George-ananda]

Yep, people are usually so busy asking for this or that, God can't get a word in edgewise. If people would just shut up, maybe they'd hear Him.

Excellent point, !!

In non-dual hinduism we are part of God. But our minds are like mad monkeys and we cannot experience our true Self. Only through the difficult endeavor of quieting our minds can the inner wisdom of our higher selves come through. That is the true meaning of the hindu concept of Self(God)-Realization. It's already there now but we don't realize it.