crocodile deathroll

If God exists then why is he hiding?.

If there are any theists out their can they explain why there are so many people how doubt his existence and as for those theists; why is there so many versions of him? Some believe that he is up in his remote Heaven and we are down hear on Earth. Others argue he is everywhere from the most remote parts of the Universe to Uncle Bob's chicken coup.
And when they say God created us in his image, does this have anything to do with his physical appearance? Is he gender specific? and if so does he have male genitals and why would he need them?
I feel is we narrowed our definition of God like we narrow the definition of Queen Elizabeth II then theists would be very few and far between. At least we know where Buckingham Palace is and as such have a fair idea where she may hiding

crocodile deathroll

Samhain

Because we think about it reasonably, logically, and rationally, and leave no rock unturned, so to speak. While theists are convinced by their emotions as it is something that one must "feel." Utter nonsense, since emotions cannot be measured in that form.

Because everyone has their version of what they want God to be, and why not in that respect. Man created God, therefore man can also subject God to change and modification. Do I feel that it's right to do this? No, of course not, especially if they try to justify injust actions by this accord, but it's only logical to reason that you should be able to subject something that you create to modification and change if you want to.

Ouch, I think you hit an artery. The idea that God created us "in his image" is ambiguous at best. Who knows what this truly means? Images as far as appearance, essence, emotions, consciousness? There is no way to determine this truly, because not one person has even defined what God is, or what is his nature, or even if they do define God's essence or nature, they cannot argue that they know such to be truth, because usually what they say contradicts what is written in the Bible (i.e. God is loving, caring, benevolent, etc.). Although, many Xtians seem to agree on one point in particular as to the nature or essence of God: God is unknowable by human standards. Balderdash. I doubt very much that he would be gender specific if he did exist, though. More along the lines of the "everything at once" theme, if we follow how we are to percieve the Judeo-Christian god.

[Edited by Samhain because of typos.]

[ March 19, 2002: Message edited by: Samhain ]</p>

hinduwoman

This is a very easy question. God is afraid of what the infidels here would do to him if they got their hands on him; so he is hiding and hiding very well.

Goliath

crocodile deathtroll,

This is an excellent question. Of course, the most likely theist response will be something along the lines of "God isn't hiding from you, you're hiding from him."

Of course, it's completely unproven--hey, you didn't expect me to prove the above "assertion," did ya? That's the theists' job.

Sincerely,

Goliath

lpetrich

A related question is: where have all the miracles gone? Before recent centuries, there were numerous reports of miracles; but David Hume noted 250 years ago that miracles are not as common as they used to be. A conclusion which is still true today.

Consider the miracles that many medieval saints had supposedly performed, and consider how the Vatican has to scrape the bottom of the barrel for miracles to attribute to recent would-be saints.

jj

God hiding? Shame, perhaps?

Lack of miracles? Asimov's law.

crocodile deathroll

Well I do no cancer exists and you cannot hide from that. I do not like cancer, theist and atheists alike do not like cancer. But simply because you do not like it, is not a good reason to deny its existance.
I like to hide from cancer as much as possible eg by not smoking or handling radioactive materials. I can see no advantage in not hiding from this so called God, as cancer cannot tell the difference between an thiest or an athiest.

NOGO

Have you noticed that in Moses's days God acted directly in human affairs. Later in the days of the kings of Israel His actions were inferred.
Similarly Jesus performed all sorts of miracles. Later his disciples inherited some of this power and also performed miracles. By the time the church became politically significant noone would think of asking the clergy to perform miracles to show that they were truly the disciples of Jesus.

crocodile deathroll

Or maybe he does not want let the Christians to see he has horns

luvluv

"If God exists, why is He hiding?"

I posted this on a different thread, but here is my guess:

I tend to believe in a God who only values our decision to love Him if it is made freely. As such, I do not believe that God would coerce us into believing in Him even by leaving proof of his existence. In order to freely love and honor an omnipotent, omnipresent being, you would need the OPTION of not believing in him. Because if you really had direct knowledge of an omnipresent or omniscient God you would have no freedom to choose to love him or not. His very presence would be co-ercive. In a way, the very fact that he allows you sufficient grounds to be an atheist is part of His love for you. My basic theory is that there would be no observable difference in a universe created by an omnipotent God who desired the free love of his creatures and a universe formed by chance. God would have to leave the option open for it to at least look like chance in order for us to make free choices uncontstrained by His power. In short, I believe in a God who covers his tracks. This, by the way, is why you must know God by faith, and not knowledge. Knowledge would eliminate choice. It would take no virtue to obey an omniscient, ominipotent, and omnipresent Deity if you could SEE him, it would only take an instinct for self-preservation. Real, freely-given worship is not even POSSIBLE unless there is some element of doubt of God's existence.

"Course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."