IS GOD REAL? HOW DO YOU KNOW? (page 37)

still thinking

Same with the 'tests' of what you might be wearing, or listening to, or whatever. These are designed to trip someone. They are not a sincere

request for a sign (which is a lack of faith). You don't believe for a moment that God is real or that anyone hears anything in spirit. ...tec

I do, in some moments believe God is real....I have no idea why. But these 'tests' as you put it are simply examples of evidence that may help someone believe or even cement their belief. Why is that such a problem?

Why should I put blind faith in YOUR god instead of someone elses? Don't beleivers of ALL religious persuasion claim that they have the truth?

From the explantations I have seen on here, I have NO reason to believe your god is any truer than anyone elses. I was hoping someone would share something other than...don't put god to the test. My problem is...there are so many gods...I don't have time to put them all to the test. Thats why I wanted to hear personal experiences.

palmtree67

Still, have you looked into any gnostic beliefs? That is more what I'm leaning towards.

tec

We don't have christs words tec...we have mans words...it's called the bible and it is written by men.

The accounts are written by men, yes. But even in those accounts, even if you go just by the bible... those accounts state that Christ is the Word of God and the Truth. He is the life. Even if you are going solely by that book, of all the words written... his should be final.

From my understanding, nothing was actually written by Jesus himself.

Of course.

If I had christs words....I mean...If he actually spoke to me, of course I wouldn't take anyones over his...but I don't. And apart from you on here, no one else seems to at this time either.

I am not the only person on this forum who has heard him. I am certainly not the only person who has understanding in spirit.

Peace,

tammy

still thinking

Yes I have palmtree...they are very interesting. Although even they don't seem to agree. And most do not even seen to support the bible as we know it.

I have read a bit of Elaine Pagels and am keen to read her latest book....'Revelations'...I think it is called. I went through a phaze of reading everything I could get my hands on about the Gnostics and what they believed...ended up with this look on my face...

The book of Thomas is also very enlightening as are the others. When I first read about the Gnostic books I thought....WOW! Maybe this is the real truth...but so much of that doesn't add up to me now that I have looked at it closer. Just more confusion.

It seems to me, that just like christianity now....the confusion was the same then....everybody with their own take on what christ taught. LOts of people "in the know' or left out of the picture. And people having to go through some sort of initiation to be in the know...sounds a lot like old boys clubs to me.

One thing I did like, was the gnostic attitude towards women....very unlike the bible.

still thinking

Anyone can question God. Ask him anything you like....tec

LOL tec....I'm still waiting on a reply

tec

Why should I put blind faith in YOUR god instead of someone elses? Don't beleivers of ALL religious persuasion claim that they have the truth?

You should not. You should certainly not put blind faith in anyone or anything.

From the explantations I have seen on here, I have NO reason to believe your god is any truer than anyone elses. I was hoping someone would share something other than...don't put god to the test. My problem is...there are so many gods...I don't have time to put them all to the test. Thats why I wanted to hear personal experiences.

I have shared many things other than 'don't put god to the test'.

I don't know what to say to make you see how disrespectful or petty it is to ask our creator to perform parlor tricks (tell me what color shirt I'm wearing), to prove that he is real... especially when there are many who already have faith in Him, and without the 'tests'.

A sign (the seen) shows lack of faith... when it is faith in the spiritual (the unseen) that we should be nurturing.

Peace,

tammy

tec

LOL tec....I'm still waiting on a reply

LOL... keep asking, keep knocking.

(don't assume that you know how the answer should be formed or in what way... I think that keeps us from hearing Him, because we're epecting something else)

Peace,

tammy

still thinking

I don't know what to say to make you see how disrespectful or petty it is to ask our creator to perform parlor tricks...tec

Hmmmmm....parlour tricks? Or desperate requests for something....anything that would show mankind that he exists.

I know it seems disrespectful to you. But, according to your definition, he did do parlour tricks before didn't he?...changing water into wine....making snakes turn into sticks and back again (or whatever he did with those snakes)...walking on water...raising dead people...healing the sick. ....I'm not asking for anything like that.

palmtree67

I have read a bit of Elaine Pagels and am keen to read her latest book....'Revelations'...I think it is called. I went through a phaze of reading everything I could get my hands on about the Gnostics and what they believed...ended up with this look on my face..

Interesting. I find gnostics to be not so caught up in the "details" of doctrine. I find that comforting.

Because as a JW, it was made to seem (for example) that we MUST KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRINITY!!! Really? We must know the exact nature of God or be destroyed? My children do not know the exact nature of me, and I am of the same species as them. I think if it was really important to God that we know the EXACT nature of him, then he would've told us.

If believing God is a Trinity (whatever your variation of that belief is) makes you feel closer to him, then good.

If believing he is androgenous, as opposed to having male attributes, makes you feel closer to him, then good.

I believe the important thing is the SEARCH, not so much the FINDING. My children may never understand me completely either, and that's okay.

That's what I find comforting about the gnostic beliefs.

still thinking

That was my first impression of the Gnostics Palmtree....it was about knowing god...not doctrine. But I still ended up feeling confused. The more I looked...the more confused I got.

Maybe I'm just that sort of person.

anyway...I probably won't be able to comment for a couple of days. I have a friend coming to stay who I am about to go and pick up.

Thanks for all the comments so far...Maybe there will be something that will make me go hmmmmmmm when I return.

IS GOD REAL? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

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