Believing In God?

[Starwynd]

Christians will often ask:

“Do you believe in God?”

But it is a slightly misleading question, because what most are really asking is:

“Do you believe God exists?”

I’ve come to realise that believing in God and believing in Him are two different things.

Why?

People will sell their soul to Satan. If you (general not specific) sells your soul, then Satan exists, and the confirmation of satan’s existence confirms the existence of God. That’s one way.

The other is if God gives ample proof that He exists to those who deamnd it, then they still won’t neccesarily come to adore God. I’ve asked that question on several boards before and many will say that they still will not adore him for a variety of reasons.

So believing in Him and believing He exists are two different things.

 

[LilyM]

The question is about more than simply believing God exists - even Satan and the devils believe that much.

Some believe that God exists but plays no part in human affairs, for example. Some believe in a vague, undefined kind of ‘higher spiritual power’ rather than a personal God.

So the question is a shorthand way of asking ‘do you believe in a personal God’ - for Christians it is often even more pointedly shorthand for ‘do you believe in God as mainstream Christianity defines Him - trinity etc’.

 

[Spirit_of_Truth]

When you say you believe in god it is a matter of moral principle. Do you believe in god because he is god, or more importantly what he stands for, I believe in the latter, therefore I truly believe in god and not subject to change. I am witness a confessor to his magnificence.

 

[Swan]

When you say you believe in god it is a matter of moral principle. Do you believe in god because he is god, or more importantly what he stands for, I believe in the latter, therefore I truly believe in god and not subject to change. I am witness a confessor to his magnificence.

I have to disagree. Belief is not dependent on moral principle. Deists (belive in god but not a personal god, not the Christian god), of whom quite a very are very famous men who did “great” things: George Washington, Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Hancock, etc. Did they lack “moral principles”???

I was raised Christian and believed in the Judeo/Christian God until very recently. What changed my mind? My personal experience, observation and reason/study. I finally had to admit that it just made no sense - was too full of contradictions and fancy dance steps that attempted to fill in the gaps between claims about God and reality. I do, however, believe in the “supernatural” and am leaning toward the natural religions. No, I do not believe in a personal God. It’s reason, not morals.

 

[Spirit_of_Truth]

I will assume you misunderstood me intentionally, or unintentionally, so be it

On the matter of believing in God

If you do not believe in right of moral passage as in sound principle, I.e. truth to cement your views, then your whole foundation is a lie, and will collapse. Such logic implies blind faith, not of moral decision which is lacking in conviction when you approach the subject matter of believing in God.

Many people believe in many things, however believing in god for the soul purpose of God without the strength of ones firm belief and validity, honesty of ones approch regarding this matter is hollow and has no substance and therefore is a conscious decision against god and can not be justified.

To simplify it some what, take evil - it can not exist without love, and yet its main goal is to refute it, however it does not deny its existence in its domain, but cunningly pulls the wool over many eyes, and deafens the ear.

“I do not believe in a personal God” and the latter applies to you unfortunately. If you search for the truth that you yearn so much? If you are honest in your approach? you will find it as I have, as have many before me and many to come.

I wish you well

 

[Swan]

I will assume you misunderstood me intentionally, or unintentionally, so be it

On the matter of believing in God

If you do not believe in right of moral passage as in sound principle, I.e. truth to cement your views, then your whole foundation is a lie, and will collapse. Such logic implies blind faith, not of moral decision which is lacking in conviction when you approach the subject matter of believing in God.

Many people believe in many things, however believing in god for the soul purpose of God without the strength of ones firm belief and validity, honesty of ones approch regarding this matter is hollow and has no substance and therefore is a conscious decision against god and can not be justified.

To simplify it some what, take evil - it can not exist without love, and yet its main goal is to refute it, however it does not deny its existence in its domain, but cunningly pulls the wool over many eyes, and deafens the ear.

“I do not believe in a personal God” and the latter applies to you unfortunately. If you search for the truth that you yearn so much? If you are honest in your approach? you will find it as I have, as have many before me and many to come.

I wish you well

First, you can take what I say in good faith. I never intentionally misunderstand. Now that you’ve explained in more detail I do understand your point better. Thank you.

Now, I’m pretty sure you aren’t deliberately misunderstanding me either, yet you seem to suggest that I have not searched for the truth in a sincere and heartfelt manner. I assure you that I have and have undergone much mental anguish. I should also mention that I’m bipolar and have serious depressive periods (part of the experience on which I base my conclusions on god). To suggest, as you may or may not be doing, that if people try hard enough they will come to the same conclusions that you have is something of an insult to everyone who disagrees with you. It belittles their experience and their sincerity. I have always been a firm believer in different paths for different folks - we are all on our own path.

 

[Spirit_of_Truth]

Sorry to read about your condition I sincerely wish you well in all things, try and fail as you may

I will now tell you how I found god and will not assume that I know best, but will share with you my experience. There are certain conditions that will apply and must be understood before you partake on your journey.

Search your heart, reflect on your life, renounce any bad that you have done before God. Confess and ask for forgiveness - to show you understand the errors of your ways fully. Ask God for proof of what is the ultimate truth I.e. the right road to follow above all, so that you may partake in it.

The above must be approached with honesty not mere words, pour of heart.

This all seems too easy, you might well say, but it was never meant to be hard to find God, but rather our hearts and minds are the stumbling block, hard and unforgiving, making it more difficult especially when we take the viewpoint that we know best, see best, know more, hear more then others, I.e. ignorants.

I’m just flesh and blood like you, don’t consider myself to be anymore special then you. I too stumble from time to time. I too have regrets, dreams and aspirations to be better then I can be, but I must face the reality of the flash and know that I have limitations in this suit of flesh blood and bones, and must carry my cross in times of sorrow and temptation, like many. I do not know it all, but what I need to. Beware of such people that claim otherwise.

I have giving you the method I used although what we say and do may differ slightly it is the intentions of a pour heart that will win through. If you are wondering what proof I received it was a Catholic Nun by the name of St. Therese, all so known as the “little flower” laugh as you may.

Funnily enough but not overly religious my father had a picture of her which became all the more apparent afterwards as you can imagine as it hit home. There are other things but maybe more on that later.