Nowhere357

Yes. I have experienced voices (and other sounds) during the hypnogogic stage of sleep, when I'm still aware of the real world. If I weren't a skeptic, and these illusions occured during waking life, I can see how it would be overwhelming.

Scrambles

Nowhere357,

So you wouldn't reject the problem of evil via the unknown purpose defense? Since you obviously wouldn't consider that there was any unknown purpose in the voice asking you to do something that seems "evil" before rejecting what the voice was telling you.


Scrambles

Nowhere357

I don't know the "unknown purpose defense". I've seen threads on the subject but haven't jumped in yet.

But based on what you say here, two things come to mind. One, I think if god told me to do something evil, probably it's a test. Second is that if it's not a test, and god needs me to do his dirty work, then clearly he's not all that powerful, and the whole subject comes up for review.

In either case, my answer is no, god, I will not bloody my hands in your name.

BadBadBad

From reading the Bible, that might very well be the test. I don't know what your basic beliefs are Nowhere, but I've heard the same response from many professed christians. Saying no to God is not a very christian thing to do. Christians make a big mistake claiming they would say no to God. They are better off dancing around saying God would never ask them to do something against their conscience and morality. That's problematic as well since God does exactly that over and over in the OT, plus they spend a lot of time talking about the absolute morality of God.

Biff the unclean

Hi everyone, it's Me GOD. (For future reference I prefer all the letters capitalized and not just the "G") I'm just appearing here, using Biff's registration because I want you to know that when you hear voices inside your head that's you and not ME. I use the telephone to speak with people or I might drop them a personal note.
Voices inside your head, give ME a break. Like that time you watched Seinfeld and for a week you had the Believe it or not George isn't at home, please leave a messsssage at the beep song stuck in your head, you think that I, GOD ALMIGHTY plays silly games like that?
An "intellectual apparition"?! Are you trying to make ME look bad? Do you think these people don't know a euphemism for "make believe" when they hear one? That's 28 more years in Purgatory for you young man.
Little voices inside your heads…Oy, what a joke. As though I who created Heaven and Earth, I who caused the Stars to shine, couldn't pick up a phone. As though I couldn't meet you at Starbucks for a cup of Joe. And Yes, malt mocha frapachino is part of MY eternal plan…you had to ask?
And not only don't I want you to bloody your hands in MY name, I don't want you to leave the dirty dishes 'til morning either.
And let ME add that I have MY reasons for contacting you on the web today which your limited human intelligence cannot hope to fathom. If any of you doubt that this is ME for even a split second I'M damning you to Hell forever. So there.

BadBadBad

NO NO NO! Biff the unclean is SATAN himself. Can't you tell?

I'm God! Rest assured. If you hear voices in your head, it's Me. If I ask you to murder your children or hijack an airplane to go out and slam into a building and murder those damn muslims, by God, you better do it or else! If that makes you crazy, tough shit. If some doctor says you're psychotic, what the hell does he know? Didn't you ever see the Terminator?

Who do you think you are to say no to Me! Who do you think you are to question my morality? Yea, I've been checking up on you. I can forsee how you're going to react to my little tests. There. SHAZAM! I've hardened your heart and damned you for eternity, and you don't even know it. HA! See you in Hell!

Biff the unclean

…I can't be here, or I'd pick up the phone
Where could I beeee
Believe it or not I'm not heeeeere…

Damn, that songs still stuck in my head, stupid TV show.

So was anyone fooled into thinking that that was a Message from GOD? Hmmm? Not even for a second?

No, I didn't think you would be.
Yet was that anymore hokey than voices in your mind?
Ask yourselves why you wouldn't believe a blurb on a web site…that had even been run through SpellCheck…but you don't dismiss some rotting old piece of papyrus that's missing all it's vowels?

Nowhere357

For this thread, I'm assuming God may exist.

I don't understand. Many Christians are not really Christians?

Big mistake why?

I am unaware of any reason to believe the Bible is more than ancient myth and legend. Well, it's also a socio-political tool of law, or something like that. The bible is absolutely a ridiculus guide to physical reality, and as a spiritual guide it causes more problems than it solves, imo.

BadBadBad

Big mistake because you don't stand before the almighty, all knowing, all loving, all powerful God with his plan for you all laid out and say "Nah, that's immoral." Look out!

Leviticus 10:1-2
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Christians would reject God, not the unproven concept of God, but God in the flesh in all his glory. Then they come here and tell me how wrong it is for me to reject God.

Like I said it's better they stick with denial that God would do anything they personally wouldn't approve of.

Nowhere357

I fail to see any reason for moral people to fear a benevolent God.

I don't get the point. I wonder though if it would surprise you that - whatever the point is - Bible quotes can be found which directly imply the opposite? For some strange reason, the Bible is like that.

They would? What are you talking about?

Are you saying that you would reject "God in the flesh in all his glory", or that you are unaware that God exists?

I don't understand this, either. I think it's best if people search for truth with honest skepticism.