Talking to God

Author: Castin

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@ethang5
Thanks. I started a reply many days ago but it got super long and was put on a back burner. This happens with a lot of my replies that never were. Gets way long, then back burner, then I never get back to it. I'm terrible about it.

Do you mean God sometimes speaks in your mind with your mother's voice?
No. Like I pray to know which job offer is His choice and my mom tells me a story about my first "job" at 4 years old that makes God's answer clear.
When does God want you to do what he says, and when does he want you to make your own decisions?

Do you know immediately when you're doing something that displeases him? 
Yes. Most times, before I do it.
Okay, the obligatory question: why do you still do it? 😋

We've all done things we know are wrong, of course. But not all of us believe in a cosmic disciplinarian. Who wrote a rule book. 🙃
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@Castin
Nice line of enquiry. 
Doing something against God and continually doing so. 
Hey hi nitsac, its close to unfathomable ( for me ) to think if if i had a God I'd do anything against it,him,her.
I mean its a God.  Like , they have a actual God , and they do the opposite of what god wants / asks , in some cases.

Fathom it man. 
It's in the least , disrespectful. This is a god we are talking about.  And these what appears to me to be fair weathered freinds do the opposite t what god says. 
It's , it's. Crazy. 

It's HALF Measured.
Good day.
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@Deb-8-a-bull
We all struggle with human flaws and walking the right path, no matter our beliefs.
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@Castin
Do you talk to God? What's this experience like? Is it one-way, where you're sending God prayers, or does God ever touch your mind in response? If there is a response, what is it like? Does God respond in words? Is it just a feeling or emotion, like a wordless sense of wellbeing or reassurance?
Yes. It is the same as when I talk to other persons. It is not one way. Yet it is not like talking to someone face to face. Yes, I talk to God orally, but he talks to me typically through the Scriptures. Of course, he also talks to me by other means, but mostly that is more of a means of comfort or encouragement. It is also quite vague.  When someone preaches to me, so far as they are actually preaching God's words then I understand God is talking to me. Sometimes people preach moralism and their own thoughts. This is not God, but man or woman. I don't know what you mean by God touching my mind. I understand that the Spirit of God impresses me through the words of Christ as flowing through the scriptures. The words that God responds with are the Scriptures. It is always quite clear and objective. 


Is there ever a doubting part of you that whispers that you're just talking to yourself? If so, how do you overcome it? Is there a quality to "God's voice" that is immediately and fundamentally distinct from your own inner voice, so that you can always tell when it's supposedly God and when it's just your own mind?
Because I hear God's word primarily through the Scriptures whether it is being read or preached, the only questions which arise are meaning and application. Sometimes a preacher will say something which is really an application of the idea being preached. This can cause questions in my mind and I think this is a good thing. People need to question all things they hear. Even when I read something directly from the Bible, I need to stop and ask what does it mean? What did it mean in the time it was written, how was it meant to be applied then? What differences exist between then and now - has anything changed for me to see how it might apply to me now. For example, some of the OT laws in Exodus were written directly to Jewish people after they left Egypt but before they arrived in the promised land and prior to Jesus coming. since Jesus has come and gone and left us his Spirit, with the birth of the church, many of these OT laws are now changed in form, but not substance. the Sacrifices are now sufficiently fulfilled in Jesus' death on the cross - and this flows eternally. Hence the OT law is now in substance fulfilled all of the time, but the form has changed. Now we don't need to look forward to a better time, but look back to his death in the communion. 

Do I ever think I am just talking to myself? I think we all think that from time to time. But typically I don't go about talking to myself and knowing that I can talk to God anytime - is not just about prayer, but reminds me that God is always watching over me. I think when you hear God's voice, you know it. But I don't think that God chooses to talk audibly to people now. Hebrews 1:1 tells us that God used to talk in various ways in the past - but now he talks to us through his son - Jesus who ensured that his words were written down by the Apostles and we now have his words in the form of the NT. 
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@Tradesecret
Do you mean you never have a personal conversation or communication with God without scripture being involved?
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@Castin
I have never had a personal communication from God without the Scriptures being involved. Yes. 

24 days later

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@Tradesecret
That's interesting. Most of the theists I talk to describe a more personal one-on-one thing without the Bible or scripture necessarily being involved.
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@Castin
That is because most theists have never really thought their theology through when it comes to revelation. After all, if God is going to communicate to us apart from the Bible, how do we know it is God speaking? Also it puts this new revelation on the same level as the Bible - which means it is still being written. This however would contradict the bible itself which says it would be closed around the end of the first century AD. 

Also people are often told that we have a personal relationship with God, which is true. Yet, then this relationship is described just like other relationships which we have, which is not true. People also like to try and prove their relationship with God, and when they have this expectation that God still speaks apart from the Scriptures, then they are more likely to either invent it, exaggerate it, or put themselves into a situation when anything could talk to them and they would believe it is God. 

the Book of Hebrews commences with the fact that God used to speak in various ways but now speaks to us through Jesus. His words have been passed down through the apostolic traditions and come to us today. People are often looking for God's will in their life which is a good thing. Yet they don't actually want to know god's will, they want a horoscope or they want God to tell them how to live their life and what to do. I see this as immature Christianity. God wants us to grow up and use the brains that he gave us. 

He has given us principles to live by. He does issue some commands. And he has told us what he desires for us. Essentially he wants us to live holy and blameless lives and that we become more and more conformed to the image of his son. He wants us to love him and to love others. He does not tell us what job we ought to get - although he does forbid us from jobs that are wicked and evil. Hence he does not want us to assassins. He does not want us to be in occupations that go against his nature. He wants us to weigh up things and decide mostly for ourselves. 

Some of the commands he gives us are straight forward - don't kill. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Not too difficult really. I don't need to pray to God and ask him whether it is alright to sleep with someone I am not married too. I already know the answer. Remember, from the bible's perspective God decides what is right and wrong. Humans might disagree with God. There is no point in asking God if something we know is wrong might actually be ok. 

Not sure if this helps. 
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Some of the commands he gives us are straight forward - don't kill. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Not too difficult really. I don't need to pray to God and ask him whether it is alright to sleep with someone I am not married too. I already know the answer. Remember, from the bible's perspective God decides what is right and wrong.
It would appear that at best, you're able to follow orders but you still don't know why you shouldn't kill, commit adultery or steal. In fact, you even admit you don't know whether or not to sleep with someone you're not married to.

That's probably why crime and violence are highest in religiously rich societies, the people there have no concept of reasoning or rationalizing murder, adultery and theft. They'll do it if they can justify it somewhere in the Bible.

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@Goldtop
Theists know only too well they're talking to themselves. Some require that third party invisible friend who never judges them and always provides the answer they seek as opposed to the truth they avoid.
A+

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@Tradesecret
Sometimes a preacher will say something which is really an application of the idea being preached. This can cause questions in my mind and I think this is a good thing.

Except for  when some else has a awkward question for you and they all of a sudden become "satan".
 People need to question all things they hear.

And read. No matter how awkward or difficult or uncomfortable the question is.

He has given us principles to live by. 

 Like the sermon on the mount that wasn't actually a sermon on any mount, but a small collection of sayings by various people of  the religious  sects of the time.
Remember, from the bible's perspective God decides what is right and wrong. 

 He does get confused at times though as to what is right one minute and then wrong another, I have found.  And he suffers from a  memory loss and a bad temper. But Jesus said he loves me and wants me for a sunbeam.
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@Castin
Yes, there is a group of alien demigods beneath her that work for her. They are actually the Illuminati we speak of and experiment with many realities like our flat Earth. This is nothing more than a game to them and the 'test' is how soon you work out that you have to ultimately give into the Devil because Heaven is an illusion, nothing more. This is why 'heaven' in Eastern philosophy is literally never being reborn again... Being reincarnated as the best being itself (which would be greater than God and no such being exists and you can't become God).

She speaks via her alien minions via clues and the clues are not just hints, they are sometimes things happening to me, events if you will.

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Hey mad have you spoken to Napoleon about this? I'm sure he'd have some insights.
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@Tradesecret
That's a very interesting and uncommon perspective, Trade. I've never met a Christian who would agree that their personal conversations with God qualify as them "still writing" the Bible. I also haven't run into many Christians who cast critical doubt on these hallelujah personal faith experiences that other Christians advertise. My experience has been that if it praises God, Christians generally cheer it. Do you find Catholics or Protestants more prone to the behavior we're talking about? My guess being Protestants. Evangelical Protestants, specifically.

What do you think of the idea that people need to talk to God in their daily lives, need to feel his presence or guidance in personal moments when neither a Bible or church is near?

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--> @RationalMadman

Yes, there is a group of alien demigods beneath her that work for her. They are actually the Illuminati we speak of and experiment with many realities like our flat Earth. This is nothing more than a game to them and the 'test' is how soon you work out that you have to ultimately give into the Devil because Heaven is an illusion, nothing more. This is why 'heaven' in Eastern philosophy is literally never being reborn again... Being reincarnated as the best being itself (which would be greater than God and no such being exists and you can't become God).

She speaks via her alien minions via clues and the clues are not just hints, they are sometimes things happening to me, events if you will.
Howdy. I don't mind being blocked, but you should probably go ahead and stop @ing me. Thanks.
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@Goldtop
It would appear that at best, you're able to follow orders but you still don't know why you shouldn't kill, commit adultery or steal. In fact, you even admit you don't know whether or not to sleep with someone you're not married to.

We don't murder because man is made in the image of God and to murder or hit or assault a human is to attack the image of God. I suspect that is above your brain level, yet in a non- Christian worldview, the reason not to kill is nothing but the fear of going to jail. We don't kill people because it is not nice. We don't commit adultery because God wants us to be faithful to him and this is reflected in the way we relate to each other. We don't steal because - everything belongs to God whom he delegates as he pleases. Stealing from others is stealing from God. All of these answers are in the Bible.  

That's probably why crime and violence are highest in religiously rich societies, the people there have no concept of reasoning or rationalizing murder, adultery and theft. They'll do it if they can justify it somewhere in the Bible.

Actually crime and violence is not highest in protestant societies - but in any society where the rule of law is not equal or applied appropriately. 

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@Castin
Thanks. 

Do you mean God sometimes speaks in your mind with your mother's voice?
No. Like I pray to know which job offer is His choice and my mom tells me a story about my first "job" at 4 years old that makes God's answer clear.

When does God want you to do what he says, and when does he want you to make your own decisions?
Not my will. But His. I turn over to God the power of attorney to have /make the final decision. Being a Christian is a process where the decisions are less and less me, and more and more Him. He must increase, I must decrease.

Do you know immediately when you're doing something that displeases him? 
Yes. Most times, before I do it.
Okay, the obligatory question: why do you still do it? 😋
That is why I sent the verses I did in my last post. It explains to us why we still do what we know is wrong.

We've all done things we know are wrong, of course. But not all of us believe in a cosmic disciplinarian.
I don't believe God is a cosmic disciplinarian. Jesus said He did not come to condemn, but to save. You may see God as a cosmic disciplinarian, but the bible says there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. I hate displeasing Him not because I fear Him, but because I love Him.

Who wrote a rule book. 🙃
I don't believe the bible is a rule book. That may be your take, but Christians have only 2 rules. The bible is my Fathers love letter to me, and as I get older I understand more and more of it.
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@Tradesecret
We don't murder because man is made in the image of God and to murder or hit or assault a human is to attack the image of God.
I was right, you have no clue.

I suspect that is above your brain level, yet in a non- Christian worldview, the reason not to kill is nothing but the fear of going to jail.
No, that isn't anywhere near the reason why, either. Absolutely clueless.

We don't kill people because it is not nice.
I'm sure that's what a ten year old might say, but no, that's also not the reason.

We don't commit adultery because God wants us to be faithful to him and this is reflected in the way we relate to each other.
And, to hell with the spouses in question. Not a clue.

We don't steal because - everything belongs to God whom he delegates as he pleases. Stealing from others is stealing from God. All of these answers are in the Bible.
Those are not answers at all and you've demonstrate that you have absolutely no morals or ethics whatsoever because you haven't a clue why those acts shouldn't be committed.


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@Goldtop
All I demonstrate is that my morals and yours are different. 

Why is rape wrong? Go on answer that one. 
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@Tradesecret
All I demonstrate is that my morals and yours are different. 
You mean that I have them and you don't.

Why is rape wrong? Go on answer that one. 
- physical violence to the body, it is a physical harm
- infringes on the right to decide with whom/when to have sexual relations
- invasion of ones integrity
- an attack on the dignity of the woman victim, and by extension on the dignity of women as a class, a gendered crime
- systematic coercion and subordination

And we know what the Bible says about rape, according to Jesus...

“Beware, I am throwing her on a bed, and those who commit adultery with her I am throwing into great distress, unless they repent of her doings; and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.”

Seems Jesus is all for rape as a form of punishment.


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@Goldtop
Sorry, that does not work. 

none of those answer why rape is wrong. They just give reasons why you think it is wrong.

What is wrong with physically hurting someone? our armies do it. our police do it. Our prison guards do it. Our parents do it. Our bullies do it. 

What is wrong with infringing upon someone's right to consent. Who says there is a right to consent? you have just asserted things. 

What is wrong with invading someone's dignity? Just cos you say it is wrong does not make it wrong. I thought you said you had some reasons to back up your morals. You are simply asserting things - no reason for it. 

none of the others things are reasons why rape is wrong. You are twisted and brainwashed by the culture you live in. Prove something please. Don't just assert it. 

I could have added any of these things but they are all based on a western cultural concept of private property. A right which we don't actually have - which is - that we own our own body. go and do some homework before you show just how ignorant you really are. 

As for some alleged quote from Jesus - I don't recall that quote - but it is not talking about rape. Perhaps the message is not the best translation. 
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@Castin
That's a very interesting and uncommon perspective, Trade. I've never met a Christian who would agree that their personal conversations with God qualify as them "still writing" the Bible. I also haven't run into many Christians who cast critical doubt on these hallelujah personal faith experiences that other Christians advertise. My experience has been that if it praises God, Christians generally cheer it. Do you find Catholics or Protestants more prone to the behavior we're talking about? My guess being Protestants. Evangelical Protestants, specifically.

I don't think it is uncommon in either Catholic or Protestant denominations nor the Orthodox denomination too. It however is not something that is old within the mainline church. It is a relatively recent invention within the mainline churches and pretty much came about from the 18th century when Christian societies moved into a new individualism and away from covenantal understandings of the way we relate to each other. I would think that the Reformed churches would tend to the view that I am advocating as they are more inclined towards covenantal thinking. I think that Charismatics churches and many of the dissident (non-conformist) churches would be more prone to this type of experiential like relationship. America is probably the primary place in the world where individualism is taken to all sorts of extremes. It however is not conducive to good reformed and covenantal theology. 

What do you think of the idea that people need to talk to God in their daily lives, need to feel his presence or guidance in personal moments when neither a Bible or church is near?

I think it is important, vital even for Christians to talk to God daily.  Prayer continually reminds us that we are dependant upon someone else and require his sustaining power.  I don't think we need to "feel his presence or his guidance" though. For me, the Christian life is not about "feelings". It is about renewing my mind, thinking, reasoning, persuading, growing. but it is not just about thinking and growing intellectually it is about becoming more like Jesus.  This is not a feeling. don't misunderstand me. I am sure feelings are important but they are not a measure of God's presence or his guidance. whether I feel that God is near me or not does not overrule the fact that he tells me is near me. My feelings may well signal to me that I am trusting in myself which hopefully should direct me to walk back towards God metaphorically.

I am not sure entirely what you mean by your last phrase. I have been taught to memorise the bible from very young. I have read the bible numerous times. I try and read the OT once every year and the NT twice a year.  I know it reasonable well and can even read Hebrew and Greek. Hence if I was somehow separated from a bible or a church, I would still have enough knowledge of the scriptures to meditate upon. Yet, there are many people who never memorise the scriptures - and sadly many Christians who never read the scriptures. I think for these people - if they were separated from the their bibles it probably would not make any difference because they don't use them anyway. Being separated from the church would be like separating themselves from a community of people who share common beliefs. For these latter people, talking to god and hearing back from him is probably an experience for them. I think the problem with experiences of course is that they can be faked or replaced or deleted. Or mocked. I personally think that if a person had an experience and this led to God, and that they never read their bible after that - it probably - not always but probably demonstrates that the experience was not a genuine one in the first place. 

Sadly, I think there are many people who call themselves Christians because of some experience they have had somewhere but it never led to spiritual growth in reading their bibles - but led rather to more and more spiritual experiences - but are not true Christians in the sense of how the Bible describes Christians. Most of them are lovely people - who do many generous things for other people - and who sincerely believe they are Christians - but don't genuinely understand the gospel and when confronted either by suffering, or temptations to sin, crafty people with questions, they melt away. 

Genuine Christians will want to be fed and nourished by the Word of God - noting their utter dependence upon God. 

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@Tradesecret
None of this will get you life everlasting and you will never know that. Sad isn't it?

34 days later

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@Castin
To theists:
Hi there. I read you are a new moderator and thought I would see why Bsh1 was so impressed.


Do you talk to God?
Prayer is a communication with God. I pray to Him every day.

What's this experience like? Is it one-way, where you're sending God prayers, or does God ever touch your mind in response? If there is a response, what is it like? Does God respond in words? Is it just a feeling or emotion, like a wordless sense of wellbeing or reassurance? 
God communicates to us by His Word (and Jesus is described as the Word of life - 1 John 1:1), His Spirit, and His creation. Sometimes God confirms in the believer's heart and answers prayer by circumstance confirmation. It is not like it was when the Gospel was being established before the OT economy came to an end. At that time God used visual miracles to acknowledge His existence. There was physical evidence during the OT, such as a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night that accompanied the Israelites on the Exodus to the Promised Land. The disciples/apostles were granted miracles to confirm His word and spread the Gospel. Now, God leaves us His word of/in truth. With Christians, His Spirit speaks to our spirit through His word. His word has what is necessary for us to know God. Along with this circumstances lead us to faith. I could give you my personal journey if you like.

My experience of God as far back as I can remember was my mother kneeling with me at my bedside and reciting a simple prayer, "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon this little child. Pity my simplicity and suffer me to come to thee." Then we would ask for a blessing for our family members. I did not question God at this young time in my life. I knelt in reverence before Him. Then I remember my Grandmother. She was old and she scared the life out of me, but she was also a professing Christian. I think I developed this fear from my mother about her. My mother lived a pagan life (both parents were alcoholics although my dad jokingly called himself a bush baptist since we live in Africa at the time. My Grandmother sent me a Bible that I still have to this day with the quoted words of Jesus inscribed in it, "Suffer little children to come unto Me." So I know she prayed for us.

Many years later, when my father died in 1979, I started to question existence, and if there was any ultimate meaning in life or just what we invented that meant nothing in the big picture. I went back to Africa where it seemed that I was constantly coming in contact with Christians. My uncle, who I stayed with until I outlasted my welcome used to take me up the mounts around the Cape of Good Hope where we cut down a tree that was destroying the local fauna because it spread so vociferously. During our climbs, he would utter verses from the Bible like, "As you sow, so shall you reap." So I moved on to the Transvaal where I got a job in a private game reserve. My roommate was a "born again Christian." Maybe about six months into our new jobs we took off for a weeks vacation and drove to Durban, Natal, where he took me to a tent revival. (Can you believe it?) I kept telling him it was not for me and eventually managed to get him to leave. There was also a family of Christians and an older Christian lady that worked in the reserve. The owner sent me into the nearest town, Hoedspruit, for supplies with three others one day. On the way home, we hit a truck (I don't really know whether I got drowsy or a truck fixing the road backed into us). The result was all four of us received injury. None of us wore seatbelts. I got pinned behind the wheel and broke my hip. The African was partially paralyzed in one arm. The bosses son suffered minor injuries but his friend broke his neck. I blacked out. On the drive to the hospital, they revived me. By the grace of God we all recovered. Now I look back on it I think those Christians who befriended me also prayed for us. So, that was my introduction to Christianity in my adult life. My one year visa expired and I returned to Canada. I decided to look into the matter further and attended a church where I heard God's message and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

I wasn't until about nine years later that I started investigating the Christian faith seriously. God keeps confirming in my mind His word as truth. I started work with a person who claimed to be a "Word of Faith" or "Name-it-and-claim-it" Pentecostal believer. He told me I could lose my salvation, not that God would take me out of His hands but that I could take myself out of His hands. We had about a year's worth of conversation, exchanging biblical verses and supporting our contrary beliefs. I also kept asking God in prayer all through this timeframe to show me His truth because I was convinced Bob, this professing Christian, was misled. One day, out of frustration I sat down and read the NT from cover to cover. I kept seeing verses jump out at me that showed who was doing the action and who was receiving it. It was God who was saving. It showed that faith in God is by Him from first to last. If God saves you, you cannot lose your salvation because He cannot fail. I can demonstrate this very satisfactorily by using Scripture and reasoning it out. God has confirmed His word like this on many occasions. It takes work. You have to study to understand. 

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Continue:


Other times, when I sin, God brings that sin to my mind by biblical verses that convict me of it. It seems that a sermon or something someone else says is on that theme and barrage me. So there is a constant confirmation. There are times when God has bought circumstances in my life to disciple me. Funny things like the broken wrist I received lately because of my lack of patience (I'm always in a hurry and seem to have no spare time even though I'm retired). I know the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace. PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

I could also tell you of how God has looked after us financially in times of need and many other circumstances.   

Is there ever a doubting part of you that whispers that you're just talking to yourself? If so, how do you overcome it? Is there a quality to "God's voice" that is immediately and fundamentally distinct from your own inner voice, so that you can always tell when it's supposedly God and when it's just your own mind?

There is no doubt in my mind of God's existence. I have had doubts about understandings in His word, but they do not enter my mind as much any longer. I know He will correct my thinking when I am in error. Sometimes it takes a while. But when God brings the conviction you know it is true because things you were finding inconsistent are resolved.

Now I trust that whether my life is good or bad, whatever my circumstance, God is in control. I have hope for the future. So does my wife who is in difficult times because she has COPD and wears an oxygen line 24/7. That is a reason why I took an early retirement. 

Peter

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I could also tell you of how God has looked after us financially in times of need and many other circumstances.   

And for the millions starving in Yemen he does nothing, amazing ain't it?

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@Castin
I don't think it's necessarily impossible for a cosmic higher power to be interested in human lives. I just find it implausible. To me, this is exactly what a universe without a personal God would look like. Indifferent, chaotic, and amoral. I've been told I'm a cynic.
I, on the other hand, think it is implausible to think that chance happenstance is what we attribute all we see too, that something without intent/purpose would or could sustain what we see. I liken it to rolling a dice. Rolling six a couple of times in a row is plausible, but rolling six constantly is not. Why do things remain the same, or near enough that we can do science? When there is intent we can "fix" the dice to roll six constantly. Without intent, there is no reason why six would constantly roll. 

Then, when you look at the universe and everything in it you find reason and meaning. Why would you expect to find reason and meaning in a chaotic, amoral universe? There is no reason you would, but you do. Are you just "making" the meaning up or is it actually there? If there is no God, what does it ultimately matter? No reason. 

Have you heard of the Goldilocks Dilemma/Principle? She tried mommas bed and poppas bed but they were not satisfactory. Babies bed was just right. The universe appears just right for our existing in it. 

When you look at the macros and macros you see a design. You see information in our DNA that is very complex, as you see the information we continually DISCOVER about our universe, like certain principles and we describe those principles by mathematical formulas. We use our MINDS to describe and explain something that should not be explained in a chaotic and chance universe.

When you look at life's ultimate questions, such as all worldviews attempt to answer, like why are we here, what are we, what does it matter, what happens when we die," without such a God as described in the Bible what does it matter? Why are you making it matter? Why are you on a thread discussing meaning? What hope do you have to offer someone like my wife for the future? What hope do you really have to offer anyone? You borrow from the Christian worldview when you offer hope in a meaningless universe.


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Have you heard of the Goldilocks Dilemma/Principle? She tried mommas bed and poppas bed but they were not satisfactory. Babies bed was just right. The universe appears just right for our existing in it. 

And there it is folks, this hole is a perfect fit for the golfers puddle. hahahahaha

What hope do you have to offer someone like my wife for the future?
Not the false hope you and your silly book offer. Offer her the truth, she's going to die and that is all there is, the fairy tales of the IPSS are lies. Why don't you help her on her way to heaven if that is the future you offer? Paradise as opposed to suffering. You don't really believe do you? Or are you too selfish?
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@disgusted

I could also tell you of how God has looked after us financially in times of need and many other circumstances.   

And for the millions starving in Yemen he does nothing, amazing ain't it?

And what is your explanation for what you apparently see as a wrong? In a dog eat dog universe only those who are strong survive. The rest are the weakest link. Millions starve on this globe because we as humans are greedy, selfish, self-seeking, and do not obey God's commands. One person can only do so much before they run out of resources unless you are in a group like Gates and Soros. Do they need the mass personal fortunes they have?

I, personally, do not have much extra, nor would I tell you what I do with what I have. It is not your business. It is between God and me. 
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And what is your explanation for what you apparently see as a wrong? In a dog eat dog universe only those who are strong survive. The rest are the weakest link. Millions starve on this globe because we as humans are greedy, selfish, self-seeking, and do not obey God's commands. One person can only do so much before they run out of resources unless you are in a group like Gates and Soros. Do they need the mass personal fortunes they have?

I, personally, do not have much extra, nor would I tell you what I do with what I have. It is not your business. It is between God and me.
Meaningless drivel.

And for the millions starving in Yemen he does nothing, amazing ain't it?
Is talking exclusively about your god being willing to give you a few pennies but unwilling to do anything for the millions starving in Yemen.