How can we know what God asks of us?

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How can we be sure that we know God, and that we know what he wants from us?

Because there are so many different views and opinions about God, which also include opinions about what he asks of us, how can the individual then know what he asks of him or her?

How can you rely on the Bible, where is the reason to believe that the Bible is the word of God?

God is supposedly a transcendent being, who exists outside the universe. How can anyone claim to know what God had asked of us? How can one religious person criticise another for “misrepresenting” God? What basis do they have to do that?

And there are also so many different conceptions of what attributes God has, how does one begin to know what conception is correct?

How can anyone know a being that exists outside the universe?

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@existential potential,

existential potential wrote:

How can anyone know a being that exists outside the universe?

i can't be certain what exists outside my front door

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Why do you assume that God wants anything at all from us?

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@sullyfish6,

I'm talking about the Christian God, who does ask things of us.

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Go, and sin no more.

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Why, God wants you to love yourself, and your "self" is God. First you would have to get to know yourself, as nobody can love anything they don't "know."

God is within you, so you would have to ask yourself, "What does God want from me?" God is everywhere present. Love everything and everybody, but first search out what everything and everybody is.

Guess you'd have to know exactly what IS is.

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@existential potential,

existential potential wrote:

How can we be sure that we know God, and that we know what he wants from us?

Just make up whatever you want and go with it. That's what everyone does.

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I hate it when humans attribute human qualities to God:
Like we "hurt" or "please" god - yeah, right.
That God is some kind of sugar daddy and only if we are good, He/She/It will reward us - or punish us with sickness or send earthquakes.
That He/She/It will be sure that life is fair and punish the evil.
That innocent babies are sinner.
Yeah, right.

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@sullyfish6,

We are so self-righteous to think this is about us. It is not God who brings sin, evil, earthquakes, etc. - Satan seeks to kill and destroy. I find it interesting that God is always at fault. Never Satan. The only reason we exist is to show the desperate, destitute, ill, depressed that there is happiness in the end. Disaster happens, but the God who made us uses disaster so we can show kindness, love, help and compassion. If life was grand we would never show others these traits, and when we show these traits we truly reflect the heart of God.

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@existential potential,

It is sad that people who doubt don't care enough to spend their entire lives reading, searching, talking to try to get the doubt to leave. As a society we believe the media, our coworkers, etc. because it takes too much time and effort to research for ourselves. Myself, I've been on the quest for truth for almost 20 years, and as each year passes I find answers. Some answers make me question more - which is great! One of the concepts I am wrapping my head around right now is the historical fact that the people who followed Jesus (regular, ordinary lower-class men) actually hid and ran at the time of his crusafixion because they knew they would be beheaded, jailed, tortured and killed for following him (I'd probably do the same). BUT... later they not only came out of hiding, they traveled to different countries to tell of Jesus - KNOWING THEY WOULD BE TORTURED AND KILLED! They had to have witnessed something beyond comprehension to put their lives on the line for a man who had died. They had to have witnessed his resurrection. What would I put my life on the line for? Where did they muster so much conviction and courage (after having been so cowardly before?) Not only one of them but ALL of them!! Newsweek magazine had an issue several years back that confirmed papyrus had been found which detailed King David's rule (which has been the basis for many non-beliveres to say Jesus never existed) and these writings were actually from David's enemies regarding how he fought battles. Jews kept immaculate records. The lives of the followers of Jesus were written by witnesses. History will point the way if we take the time to learn.

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Sherilynn wrote:

History will point the way if we take the time to learn.

Yes, but it doesn't always point it the way you imply.

In all epochs of time, people like you just came to teach others what the should think or do.

As a results, history is full of human disasters, massacres, bloody episodes, inquisition and so on, all this in the name of religion, or even in the name of Jesus.

Maybe you need to have a closer look into history.

And see that we can be happier without gods..

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god asked me to help him move one time

he kept making pieces of furniture so big that even he couldn't lift them

and then he didn't even spring for a case of beer when we were done

i don't even answer his calls anymore

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@sherilynn07,

Quote:

It is not God who brings sin, evil, earthquakes, etc. - Satan seeks to kill and destroy.

I'm sorry, but this statement of your directly contradicts another statement of yours

Quote:

but the God who made us uses disaster so we can show kindness, love, help and compassion

Also, from a christian perspective, God is the creator, and therefore the creator of earthquakes, tsunami's etc.

Quote:

The only reason we exist is to show the desperate, destitute, ill, depressed that there is happiness in the end.

What a sad view of the world that would be. Slavery to a cause. Isn't it better to say that we exist to be happy, and through our lives can be an example to others of all the joy that life has to offer, and simply show how to be happy...whatever our circumstances? (which circumstances can include being destitute and ill).

Quote:

If life was grand we would never show others these traits, and when we show these traits we truly reflect the heart of God.

Spoken from someone for whom life has never been grand, and still found at the same time, the time and love to be compassionate.

Perhaps you need to look inside your religion for why you are so confused about what life is all about... It often seems to me (as a generic statement) that religion asks that you feel worthless so that they can keep you coming back to feed at the hand of those that make you feel worthless (the religious institution that is). But we aren't dirt grubbing sinners - we are beautiful people, with hearts capable of the deepest love, joy, compassion - we are capable of leading full, rich, and loving lives. We should take joy and happiness in that, not shame.

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@Francis,

Actually we all have a God. Whatever you spend your time and energy on is your God. Is yours money? Work? Spouse? Self? We all worship someone or something. I don't try to teach anyone anything, as I myself am constantly learning. I just pity those who are too lazy to continue to find answers on this journey. Actually, disasters, massacres, bloody episodes also occur in the name of Allah, Satan, etc. - interesting that you only listed Jesus. The saying "there are no athiests in foxholes" is amazingly accurate (if you ask the guys in the foxholes). You just haven't had your war yet.....

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@Francis,

Quote:

And see that we can be happier without gods..

The same biological system that enables religious beliefs, is also at work in other parts of our lives. You have values that you value (but others don't), assumptions you think are true but are not, perceptions you believe are correct while others perceptions of the same 'thing/event' aren't, beliefs about who is good and bad, and what constitutes good and bad...etc.

Wars - struggles for power, have made use of whatever the prevailing belief structures are, whether they be gods, culture, money, or just the rightness of one group to exist over the other group.

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Sherilynn wrote:

Actually we all have a God. ... We all worship someone or something.

I vehemently deny so..

and wrote:

I don't try to teach anyone anything

I read quite the oposite in your posts.

and wrote:

Actually, disasters, massacres, bloody episodes also occur in the name of Allah, Satan, etc. - interesting that you only listed Jesus.

Have you some reading disabilities? I wrote religion and even Jesus..
And I noted Jesus by inference. Most of the time, it's only christians that are proselytiszing here.

and wrote:

You just haven't had your war yet.....

Mere assumption on your part.

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Vikorr wrote:

The same biological system that enables religious beliefs, is also at work in other parts of our lives.

This has yet to be proved..

and wrote:

beliefs about who is good and bad, and what constitutes good and bad...etc

I don't deny so, but I think it's worth reading Nietzsch..

and wrote:

Wars - struggles for power, have made use of whatever the prevailing belief structures are, whether they be gods, culture, money, or just the rightness of one group to exist over the other group.

Sure, but religion is quite the easiest excuse for wars..

1 Reply

@existential potential,

existential potential wrote:

How can we be sure that we know God, and that we know what he wants from us?

Because there are so many different views and opinions about God, which also include opinions about what he asks of us, how can the individual then know what he asks of him or her?

How can you rely on the Bible, where is the reason to believe that the Bible is the word of God?

God is supposedly a transcendent being, who exists outside the universe. How can anyone claim to know what God had asked of us? How can one religious person criticise another for “misrepresenting” God? What basis do they have to do that?

And there are also so many different conceptions of what attributes God has, how does one begin to know what conception is correct?

How can anyone know a being that exists outside the universe?

The way to do it is either
to have your material body die,
or get OUT of it anyway and go where He Is,
or if not,
then discuss it with people who have returned from there.

There r many people who have had near death experiences
and who have described them. Some only remember awakening.
Others remember adventures and observations while their human bodies
were in a state of death (no EKG, no EEG, no respiration for a while).

The consensus is that u will judge your Earthly life by 2 criteria:
1. Love
and
2. Learning.

Some people have said that during review of their life experiences,
thay felt the effects that thay had on others.

www.IANDS.org

David

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@Francis,

Quote:

Sure, but religion is quite the easiest excuse for wars..

What about politics, and resources?

And according to your theory, why then have most of the western wars/invasions/interventions of the last 200 years not been about religion? (you could probably extend that back as far as European Colonisation too...actually most (not all) of the major empires - formed on war and weren't motivated by religion)

The islamic religion though, does seem to be the exception to most of these examples.

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@existential potential,

simplify, simplify,
micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Matt 2:28-31 "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

and what is love......love is not jealous, it is kind, patient, longsuffering, love forgives. And what else does God require of us ? But to follow the 10 commandments, do not steal, commit adultry, bear false witness/do not lie, do not murder, do not covet/desire what another person has, do not make an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, have no other god before YHWH, honor your mother and father, keep the sabbath holy, don't misuse Gods name.

I shall disregard posters who want to debate my beliefs. The posted question is a simple one and the things God wants of us and what his will is for us is a simple answer.

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How can we know what God asks of us?

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