Questioning God...
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Right. So he gives humanity free will to do whatever they want. Then later he gets to tell you if you made the right choices?
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If you believe in the Bible, then the answer is he made you and he gets to set the rules. You have the free will to choose whether you're going to follow the rules or not. It's the same thing in school, or at work, or in society in general. You have the free will to choose to do whatever it is you want, and that includes murdering someone -- but rules were set in place, so if you decide to murder someone then there are consequences.
This is no different.
This is no different.
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That doesn't sound too grand. Also I don't see how giving humans free will was good move considering that God apparently knows everything, therefore knowing the fate of every man and woman. As well as the end of earth..Etc. Just doesn't sound like it was thought out well.
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The question itself arrogant. Think more.
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That's two conflicting stories that have ultimately been meshed together. There's free will and there's pre-destination. In the former, you choose what you're going to do. God may know what you're going to do, but it's you choosing it nonetheless. He's super smart. The latter, pre-destination, is just that you have no control and God figured it all out beforehand.
Also, read my edit from my first post.
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:CFuu
Not trying to sound arrogant.
I did and you make a good point. So the free will and pre-destination are some what...the same thing?
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It's simple, really; God is an epic troll.
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Not really. It's where it gets complicated. There's free will where you choose, even if God knows what you're going to choose. Then there's pre-destination, where God decides what you choose. God knowing and God deciding are the key difference between the two. He may be smart enough to know in the former, but he doesn't actually decide like he does in the latter.
So you would then ask how God could know what you're going to choose. From the Islamic perspective, there's no sense trying to rationalize it. We're humans, so therefore we can't pretend to understand God in all of his intricacies. With the knowledge of the divine, God knowing what you're going to freely choose is perfectly reasonable -- just not understandable through human reason.
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Okay so it is reasonable that I don't understand. This makes the whole thing sit better with me.
Veritas et Lux
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in my honest beliefs... assuming you are speaking out as a christian and a follower of jesus christ the seed of god. I believe that you will never know and it literally is what you make it. I don't think you really need answers in this thread, but other's perspectives and points of view.
I also believe that there may or may not be a higher entity that controls/knows/created at least universe. Whether he is a higher being and he knows all or not is something that I'm on the fence about. We will never know and I myself went through somewhat of the same thing you are in this questioning, however I went so far as contemplating suicide. The point is that you will never know, and the scary part is: what if i'm wrong?
Don't worry... I think personally that if god is real and is all powerful than he does understand. The fact that you're questioning his existence is understood by him, or at least his rights. Just do what morally is right to you. Which is hard, especially for someone who might not even believe in him. Up until recently i've actually been struggling with my own morals and what is right and wrong to me. I finally had to sit down alone in the peace and quiet of a second floor of a hotel outside in the hallways making a list of what was what to me.
Stay true to yourself and do what you believe is right.
Ultimately important is the one concept of "truth". The truth at least, I think, is the one universal concept that mus be followed or else you aren't doing right. Someone dear t me a long time ago once said "The truth is your real word, just be true." ... he was actually talking about art and quantum physics in a long drawn out conversation we had. Just make sure you know what is true to you. Don't lie is the most basic and wide-spread moral action under this concept. But not just to not lie, but to understand the truth is equally important. In my experience liars typically begin to substitute reality with their fiction and ultimately subconsciously act as if they believe it and their own mind bliocks out the truth that happened. I've done this, I believe everyone's guilty of this and as we lay in our beds staring at the ceiling deep in thought do we remember the real truths, the real reasoning behind burying them, the feelings that made us want to bury them, and the feeling of guilt for them not being brought out into the light.
However i got a wee off topic.
The most important thing to remember is to be true to yourself and your own rights and wrongs, and do indeed take praise of the value of the beliefs that people hold. I once witnessed my friend walk up to a group of buddhists in a circle rejoicing the son of god, jesus christ. Not because they believed in him I don't think, but because of the power that jesus, as a concept has to bring people to be true and do what's right to themselves and stay true to their beliefs.
Just do what you know's right, be true, and be thankful for everything you hold dear my friend.
Also, meditating and delving into others' beliefs is a very educational thing to do and you can learn alot about yourself...
I do reccomend zen buddhism, and this one site i've seen.(only for it's meditation/energy teachings) www.wingmakers.co.nz
I also believe that there may or may not be a higher entity that controls/knows/created at least universe. Whether he is a higher being and he knows all or not is something that I'm on the fence about. We will never know and I myself went through somewhat of the same thing you are in this questioning, however I went so far as contemplating suicide. The point is that you will never know, and the scary part is: what if i'm wrong?
Don't worry... I think personally that if god is real and is all powerful than he does understand. The fact that you're questioning his existence is understood by him, or at least his rights. Just do what morally is right to you. Which is hard, especially for someone who might not even believe in him. Up until recently i've actually been struggling with my own morals and what is right and wrong to me. I finally had to sit down alone in the peace and quiet of a second floor of a hotel outside in the hallways making a list of what was what to me.
Stay true to yourself and do what you believe is right.
Ultimately important is the one concept of "truth". The truth at least, I think, is the one universal concept that mus be followed or else you aren't doing right. Someone dear t me a long time ago once said "The truth is your real word, just be true." ... he was actually talking about art and quantum physics in a long drawn out conversation we had. Just make sure you know what is true to you. Don't lie is the most basic and wide-spread moral action under this concept. But not just to not lie, but to understand the truth is equally important. In my experience liars typically begin to substitute reality with their fiction and ultimately subconsciously act as if they believe it and their own mind bliocks out the truth that happened. I've done this, I believe everyone's guilty of this and as we lay in our beds staring at the ceiling deep in thought do we remember the real truths, the real reasoning behind burying them, the feelings that made us want to bury them, and the feeling of guilt for them not being brought out into the light.
However i got a wee off topic.
The most important thing to remember is to be true to yourself and your own rights and wrongs, and do indeed take praise of the value of the beliefs that people hold. I once witnessed my friend walk up to a group of buddhists in a circle rejoicing the son of god, jesus christ. Not because they believed in him I don't think, but because of the power that jesus, as a concept has to bring people to be true and do what's right to themselves and stay true to their beliefs.
Just do what you know's right, be true, and be thankful for everything you hold dear my friend.
Also, meditating and delving into others' beliefs is a very educational thing to do and you can learn alot about yourself...
I do reccomend zen buddhism, and this one site i've seen.(only for it's meditation/energy teachings) www.wingmakers.co.nz
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Religion is faith based. If you have no faith you cannot be a believer. Answer the question if you can in your right mind have faith or not. I decided a time ago that I am not a person who can ride their beliefs on faith.
Implying all non-religious people are immoral, and that all religious folk are moral? Lol crusades. Lol Witch Hunts. Lol Religious Sacrifices (think Aztec).
Brand
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God is the sovereign creator of all things in the universe (this is what I believe, I am open to debate but please, refrain from flaming). In eternity past He decided, for His own good will and pleasure, to create all known things to us, including humans, for His glory, and His glory alone. In His love and care, He predestined all things, every event that does so come to pass. He is sovereign over each and every day, every millisecond of every minute.
God also decided to choose some but not all people in His creation. As the potter makes one vessel for honor, so also does he make one for wrath. He made the non-elect to be damned eternally; all men DESERVE to be damned for their sins. All men have sinned and fallen short of the GLORY of God. But God has predestined some, at preappointed, preordained moments, to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, for regeneration MUST precede faith. One cannot have true, God given faith without it being GOD GIVEN.
The Lord uses us men whom He has chosen, for no good in any of our selves (trust me, I am not better in sin than any of you). The elect have their flaws, but we are being changed into his likeness, to dwell with him in eternity.
Trust me, if you do not come to real repentance, I can guarentee you that damnation is a real and true, hard fact, as sure as the fact that I am typing this post right now.
If you're looking for more links and what not, feel free to private message me. I have some experience, and I lead a Bible study class weekly. I'd love to hear from you.
God also decided to choose some but not all people in His creation. As the potter makes one vessel for honor, so also does he make one for wrath. He made the non-elect to be damned eternally; all men DESERVE to be damned for their sins. All men have sinned and fallen short of the GLORY of God. But God has predestined some, at preappointed, preordained moments, to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, for regeneration MUST precede faith. One cannot have true, God given faith without it being GOD GIVEN.
The Lord uses us men whom He has chosen, for no good in any of our selves (trust me, I am not better in sin than any of you). The elect have their flaws, but we are being changed into his likeness, to dwell with him in eternity.
Trust me, if you do not come to real repentance, I can guarentee you that damnation is a real and true, hard fact, as sure as the fact that I am typing this post right now.
If you're looking for more links and what not, feel free to private message me. I have some experience, and I lead a Bible study class weekly. I'd love to hear from you.
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There is no higher authority than God. He has always existed, and is outside our perception of time. Time itself is a construct built for mankind so that we may learn, grow, and make our own decisions. Without time we can never change. God does not change, because time does not flow linearly for Him, which also explains why He knows everything about us. It's like the book of our lives is already written, and He can pick it up and read it at any time.
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Empirical proof of this 'hard fact'?
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Trust me, if you don't follow Odin and die in glorious battle, you'll never make it to Valhalla and be stuck in the shadow-y realms of Hel herself.
But in all seriousness, it is a faith based thing, if you can't have faith in that for various reasons, I would suggest looking for something that you can have faith in, or if it suits you, not believing in anything at all and just doing the best you can.
Also, I happen to like this song alot... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5e_vNNkbCI raises a fair amount of good points without actually saying any one particular view point is right.
But in all seriousness, it is a faith based thing, if you can't have faith in that for various reasons, I would suggest looking for something that you can have faith in, or if it suits you, not believing in anything at all and just doing the best you can.
Also, I happen to like this song alot... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5e_vNNkbCI raises a fair amount of good points without actually saying any one particular view point is right.
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This.
You can always have faith in humanity, regardless all of the ****ed up things we do.