How strong is your belief in God?

[Guest]

You're doing an excellent job of distracting the witness because I haven't a clue what you're talking about. I feel like I'm trying to stay afloat in a sea of complexities when the subject at hand is quite simple: You either believe or you don't believe.

You are painting with black and white, no mixing please. I am painting with value and a brilliant rainbow of colors.

To understand, you would need to step into my shoes. However, you cannot. Your perspective prevents you from doing so. To see from my perspective, you would have to consider things might not be. Your perspective forbids that. Thus, I do not expect you to understand my perspective.

 

[GojuBrian]

JoJo,

By now, you realize that you cannot argue with minnesota. It's like interviewing a politician. You get no clear answers, but eat up an hour of your time doing it.

 

[follower of Christ]

How can you believe in something but also doubt it? Is that truly believing?

We all live with uncertainty.

And that is supposed to be the difference between us and the world. WE believe in our God while the WORLD is uncertain.

 

[follower of Christ]

To understand, you would need to step into my shoes. However, you cannot. Your perspective prevents you from doing so. To see from my perspective, you would have to consider things might not be. Your perspective forbids that. Thus, I do not expect you to understand my perspective.

And to see from your rainbow of colors perspective we would have to be deprived of our absolute faith and belief in our God. No thanks.

 

[Lee100]

I put my whole trust in God because I know that His will shall be done. The devil can not stop God’s plans. God will always win. For me to say I only part way believe in God would make me part way a Christian. Which is no Christians at all. I did not read everybody’s post so if any one said they part way believe in God I am sorry. That is just the way I feel about it and I feel that it is the truth.

 

[follower of Christ]

And how is that logical? If you do not believe you will return home safely, why on Earth would you drive a car?

Easy enough.
While I DONT trust the mechanical workings of my car, nor do I trust the idiot drivers out there, I DO trust God and that HE is watching over me 100%.

 

[follower of Christ]

Except, I am working within your framework to show the internal inconsistencies between belief and practice. To simplify my abstraction, I am putting myself in your shoes. Then, I am thinking about what it's like to be in your shoes. And I am finding that in your shoes, there are logical contradictions which result between what one believes and what one practices.

No, there arent any contradictions. You only see them because, try as you may, you are incapable of actually seeing things from our point of view...at least until you learn to understand what true faith and belief actually are.

 

[follower of Christ]

It logically follows within a given framework. We do not share this framework.

And do you think that belief in a Man-God who came down to die for crimes He did not commit is 'logical' ?
What is logical about someone dying to pay for crimes they didnt commit ?

 

[follower of Christ]

It does answer the question, but not within your framework.

Now where have I heard this sort of thing before ;)
Oh yes, when *I* respond to you and others who are trying to force a yes or no answer out of me and I refuse to give the answer you are trying to get.

If we do not believe (i.e., have doubt or lack 100% certainty) that we will return home safely from a drive about in an automobile, why do we do it?

Some chance it. Or so they think. They have no idea that even as unbelievers that God is still looking out for them. Just as He was looking out for me when my brake system went out on the interstate a few weeks ago.
We trust Him. There is no reason to fear anything that can happen to these bodies.

 

[kenan]

I truly believe in and trust that God exists and that the Scriptures are the inspired word of God which give very accurate accounts of past events, future events and apologetics.

That said, I clicked 2. Why? Because looking beyond the gospels and my unwavering belief that God exists, we cannot say without any reasonable doubt that God exists because He has never been observed and his direct interaction with Earth seems minimal (the indirect interaction He has is subjective: anything that happens can be seen as a "sign from God", but you can never have any real proof).

But my belief is sound and secure, and I will not stop believing in Him until the day that He is proven to not exist (and I'm fairly certain that won't happen either).

 

[Lee100]

If anyone said the are uncertain about if God exists, then they are no Christian at all, how could you be.
Only the heathen doubt God’s exists. We know our Father and we know His voice.

 

[follower of Christ]

Because looking beyond the gospels and my unwavering belief that God exists, we cannot say without any reasonable doubt that God exists because He has never been observed and his direct interaction with Earth seems minimal (the indirect interaction He has is subjective: anything that happens can be seen as a "sign from God", but you can never have any real proof).

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
(Heb 11:6)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord;
(Jas 1:5-7)

But my belief is sound and secure, and I will not stop believing in Him until the day that He is proven to not exist (and I'm fairly certain that won't happen either).

So you belief is conditional then ? You dont actually believe, youre just waiting to see. Isnt that right ?
How can belief be sound and secure if it is based in condition and guesswork ?
Im not trying to be offensive, I just want you to examine what it is that you are saying.
My guess is that some who arent picking #1 probably DO believe 100%. They simply dont know that they do.

 

[Guest]

To understand, you would need to step into my shoes. However, you cannot. Your perspective prevents you from doing so. To see from my perspective, you would have to consider things might not be. Your perspective forbids that. Thus, I do not expect you to understand my perspective.

And to see from your rainbow of colors perspective we would have to be deprived of our absolute faith and belief in our God. No thanks.

Exactly. You are not allowed to place yourself in the shoes of others. I am glad we agree on something.

 

[Guest]

While I DONT trust the mechanical workings of my car, nor do I trust the idiot drivers out there, I DO trust God and that HE is watching over me 100%.

Well, it's clear someone doesn't understand the purpose of the analogy.

 

[Guest]

It logically follows within a given framework. We do not share this framework.

And do you think that belief in a Man-God who came down to die for crimes He did not commit is 'logical' ?

Why did Jesus die for crimes He did not commit?

 

[Guest]

We trust Him. There is no reason to fear anything that can happen to these bodies.

Excuse me for a second...

This is why I am so paranoid when driving.

...while I call the inconsistency.

 

[Guest]

By now, you realize that you cannot argue with minnesota. It's like interviewing a politician. You get no clear answers, but eat up an hour of your time doing it.

Haha. Well, we must all serve a role in life I suppose.

 

[JoJo]

I truly believe in and trust that God exists and that the Scriptures are the inspired word of God which give very accurate accounts of past events, future events and apologetics.

That said, I clicked 2. Why? Because looking beyond the gospels and my unwavering belief that God exists, we cannot say without any reasonable doubt that God exists because He has never been observed and his direct interaction with Earth seems minimal (the indirect interaction He has is subjective: anything that happens can be seen as a "sign from God", but you can never have any real proof).

But my belief is sound and secure, and I will not stop believing in Him until the day that He is proven to not exist (and I'm fairly certain that won't happen either).

Saying "we cannot say without any reasonable doubt that God exists because He has never been observed" cancels out absolute faith and is not a secure belief. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

True belief is more than just "fairly certain;" true belief knows.

 

[JoJo]

How is this for logic? It is impossible to have a love relationship with someone you are not 100% certain exists. If you are a true believing Christian, you will have a love relationship with Christ. If you are missing that love relationship, perhaps it is time to examine your belief and your relationship with Christ.

 

[Guest]

How is this for logic? It is impossible to have a love relationship with someone you are not 100% certain exists. If you are a true believing Christian, you will have a love relationship with Christ. If you are missing that love relationship, perhaps it is time to examine your belief and your relationship with Christ.

To be a "true believing Christian," it is necessary to have a loving relationship with Christ. To have a loving relationship with Christ, it is necessary to know He exists with 100% certainty. Minnesota lacks 100% certainty in Christ's existence. Therefore, Minnesota is not able to have a loving relationship with Christ. And so, Minnesota is not a "true believing Christian."

The logical consequence of your perspective is that I am "false believing Christian."