About Time God Did Something Isn't It?

[joko]

a question for the theists. (for ' god' read 'any and all gods')

If there is a god, he's certainly had a good innings - he's has almost total devotion for centuries.

well now, he hasn't any more... billions of people are losing faith, people are doubting, people are starting to turn away - so why doesn't he do anything about it?

if a businessman is losing loyal customers interest, he doesn't just clam up and hide, he steps it up a notch, he comes out all guns blazing with a new plan to win back his followers. he tries hard to prove himself worthy again.

why doesn't god think - 'Oh eck, i'm losing them, i best give them something to reaffirm their faith in me'?

not small wishy-washy seemingly inconsequential things, but something big - you know like all those 'WOW' things he has apparently done in the past that prove his existence - anything would do really - it'd only take one totally convincing and undeniable thing for many to go back to him

so why is he seemingly content to just lose his flock?
what is he going to do when majority of the world no longer believes? because thats the way its heading.

i know many will say he cannot prove it, because proof denies faith and without faith he is nothing - but supposedly lots of things already prove he exists don't they?
well according to him they do -

Us, for start...we are so amazing we MUST be made by god - therefore that is him giving 'proof' ... then there's the earth - making a planet in 7 days is a pretty big deal and proves he exists too - doesn't it?

and also animals, good deeds, well everything, as well as all the other showy things hes done - surely doing stuff like that was proving his existence?

[jomifl]

The curious thing joko, is that the 'wow' things that god is alleged to have done were on a cosmic scale pretty piddlin' small. A few locusts ( not an unusual occurrence and some frogs doesn't quite do it for me, something like a bit of planetary engineeringwould be impressive, swapping jupiter with Saturn for example.

[wildwood]

Wow. Glad you got that off your chest.

Doesn't the fact that there is no tangible proof of any real miracle ever happening enough to convince you that there is no mysterious god?

[jim360]

Yes, they were very local...

Of course the usual cycle is an approximately thousand/ two-thousand year period after God's intervention when he disappears rather and things slide into decadence. So maybe we are due something in a few years or so.

[Old_Geezer]

Why would you think a deity cares whether folk worship them or not ? Like as not that wouldn't prove to be the goal. As for a "good innings", all the time since the start of the universe is but a blink of an eye for an immortal isn't it ? Why would it need to prove to you it exists ? Not dancing to your tune. And unless you are very special no deity has told you what is or is not "according to him". You can only hear from those who believe they know something about it.

[jim360]

Why would it need to prove to you it exists ?

Maybe it wouldn't, but it does in most religious accounts...

[Canary42]

He proves himself by punishing us for walking away - with earthquakes, plagues, droughts, etc.

Or so the theists would have it.

[wildwood]

Need to disagree here a bit, canary. Most of the natural disasters and droughts happen in very religious countries.

[Canary42]

So, perhaps geography isn't God's best subject.

Or perhaps he works on those most likely to respond.

[jno]

God isn't a businessman in any religion I know. He promises you eternal bliss in return for renouncing sin, but that's about it; if you don't want to take up the offer, you don't have to (though some of his local representatives may think otherwise).

[riptide]

You either believe or not, you have an option. If God proved that he existed what would be the point. We have destroyed this earth ourselves and created all these problems through creed . It is always the atheists who are going on about God, can you not give us all a break, you have your views and others have theirs.

[goodlife]

One thing is for sure, you see the fulfillment of what Jesus had warned about. Those who had paid attention, who stayed vigilant, succeeded in escaping the disastrous calamity, or does it strike you as curious that there is so much confusion about Matthew 24:14, a verse that even a child can understand.

[wildwood]

riptide //It is always the atheists who are going on about God,//

So what do they talk about in religious circles?

The so called 'atheists' are paying for tax exemptions and other social benefits that religions enjoy, so at least give them a chance to voice their opinion.

This is a forum on Religion & Spirituality.

[jomifl]

Mattew 24.14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
This is the passage from the bible that even a child can understand according to goodlife. However a quick read through leaves some doubt in my mind as to whether it has any or many meanings. Ambiguosity ain't in it.

[keyplus90]

Why don't you leave everyone aside and tell that what God will have to d exactly to convince you and you alone?

[vulcan42]

What convinced you, keyplus and goodlife,perhaps you could explain?

[jomifl]

Keyplus, a tiny piece of concrete evidence of his existence would be a good starting point. By this I don't mean the incoherent ramblings of ancient, deluded and bigoted old men. You know perfectly well that the reason you believe in god is because your parents did, you just can't admit it, even to yourself as you would have to admit that you have never had freedom of thought because you feel obligated to your traditions.

[ludwig]

// not small wishy-washy seemingly inconsequential things, but something big - you know like all those 'WOW' things he has apparently done in the past that prove his existence //

He made Jesus face appear on a piece of toast. What more do you want?

[naomi24]

^^ :o))

[joko]

oh wildwood - why do you think i aimed this at theists?
read the tone.

I don't need to hear a load of atheists pointing out the obvious - because i am an atheist and already know the answers from that side

i am looking to hear what the people who believe think of the situation.

OG - of course he cares that we believe! - everything about religion is about humans worshipping him and how he will punish us if we don't do his will etc

riptide - what would be the point? so you're saying the only point to god etc is that we are not sure of his existence?
he needs that uncertainty to exist?
why? what harm would it do ?

the point would be that the world would change, it would change more to the way he supposedly intended.
people would change
since he wants adulation and prayer etc - he'd get it if we all knew he was real.

lol ludwig - well don't know about you but i'm convinced!

but in seriousness - to some that is 'proof' - so if he is already trying to prove he exists by doing piddly little things like that - which frankly just add more doubt and make the finder look a deluded - why not just have done with it and prove it once and for all, which something undeniable?
why waste his time making statues bleed, or appearing to people that no-one will believe and wounding them in the feet and hands etc?

is that not an attempt at proof?

he could have the world he wants by just turning up, once!