by Mike Edwards
I had a tumor removed from my brain recently. Please excuse misspellings/mistypes. Not sure brain all there
Many believe in a God or the possibility that God exist. There are understandable reasons often cited as to why people doubt there is a God/Divine Being. Atheists and believer agree – the only God worth believing in must be perfectly loving. If such a God exist, why doesn’t God intervene more with so much evil exist in the world? I have suggested an all-loving God and all-controlling God is an oxymoron. See here. Another reason many may doubt God exist is that a loving God surely is personable, why then doesn’t God reveal themselves more rather than be hidden? What loving parent does that if desiring to be known?
Is it reasonable God stays hidden but may not speak to us demonstratively out of love
Just because earthly parents sometime know and advise what is best for their older child, such advice doesn’t always work out. In fact, overzealousness can lead to one feeling controlled, thus rejecting what is best for one’s own good. God’s awing or overwhelming presence may only lead to fearful obligations to obey than having to trust. The road traveled of learning, reflecting, and not being pressured may best lead to lasting convictions and more meaningful relationships. God supposedly came in person but Jesus’ miracles didn’t obtain the results some may suggest if God would stop hiding. God may not speak to us demonstratively out of love.
Freedom is absolutely necessary for authentic relationships
God’s constant interference and presence could prevent a superior world from emerging. Moral knowledge isn’t hidden. Universal moral outrage over murder, lying, stealing, etc. and an inborn desire to treat others like we want to be treated hints of a Creator’s influence through our moral intuitions. Non-moral decisions are open. True freedom can’t exist if God somehow knows the future and can tell us if our marriage will end in divorce or our job eliminated. See here. A Creator may not reveal themselves for humane reasons we haven’t thought of. The Bible was more direct communication, but it has been used to force beliefs on others despite subject to interpretation. Uncertainty, not certainly about God, protects against imposing beliefs on others which is not God’s nature. Different opinions communicated respectively can stand together as we continually evaluate the most loving approach.
An unreasonable reason God is hidden……BUT Most who encourage believing in God suggests the Bible teaches one’s destiny in the afterlife is determined by what they believe while here on earth a brief time. The first chapter of Romans is often used to suggest all who don’t believe in God are suppressing what they know to be true. But it seems the biblical writer assumed his audience believed in God but ignored God to justify their evil ways…. “many knew God…they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God” (Rm. 1:21, 29). The writer’s audience simply sought to justify evil ways. Those who believe aren’t necessarily needing a crutch and those that don’t believe aren’t always wicked and unaware of their feelings. Many want to believe in a God but doubt because God is so hidden. How can a loving God possible hold such people accountable for unbelief? But I doubt God does.
Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). Did Jesus really mean God only saves those who accept Jesus? Keep in mind the majority of people born into this world have never heard of Jesus or had a Bible. This verse could easily be interpreted to mean Jesus’ way of life is the best path toward God. The path to God is through love. (See God After Deconstruction, Oord/Fuller Chapter 9). Selfishness has no excuse. We Christians need to be less condemning and more open to God’s love and message to people of all religions. A loving God wouldn’t only let Christians into heaven when the majority of people born into this world died without knowledge of Jesus the Christ. Besides, one’s religion or rebellion against a certain religion is often based on the family born into whether it is Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. A loving God can’t be a God of chance. No human or spiritual parent brings children into the world requiring their eternal destination is based on circumstances out of one’s control.
I have a hunch God especially loves skeptics!
Most agree an unloving or tyrannical God isn’t worth believe in. A parent obviously loves a child who finds it easier than their others children to accept them and their ways. But we don’t unlove our skeptical children. A greater pain may be when our children ignore us. Spiritual or human parents don’t desire forced love, which isn’t genuine, but hope for consideration and to prove the possibility of a better relationship. Many may not pursue a closer relationship with a God they are inclined to believe in because of what they have heard from others what God is like. Don’t believe everything you hear! God only seeks to love you like you wish you were always able to love others. We all have great parents or at least wish our parents had better loved us in certain ways. This is the God you can believe in to set out to live a purposeful, meaningful live.
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. Mike also writes on his own site that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
Done with Religion 