How does a theist determine which God is the real God?

[Cableguy]

I love this nonsense about theists being atheists towards other Gods.

Atheists have no belief in a God or gods.

Theists have definite belief in a God or gods.

The reality is there are no atheists merely the suppression of God because individuals desire to be god.

Okay, monotheists accept one deity and reject all others. And that last assertion is ridiculous. And commonly held amongst monotheists.

[Griffith]

The One you're taught first is the right One.

[Cableguy]

But God was.  Righteousness was credited to those that had believed in and faithfully followed God.

Pagan nations and those that denied God are in hell.

Even though this supposed omniscient deity already knew what was going to happen. Seems pointless. Also seems ridiculous that this supposed deity has always existed but finally got lonely or bored enough to create this little drama we apparently exist in. And any deity that would consign anyone to eternal, never ending torture is a petty, jealous, and evil asshole, plain and simple. "Just and fair"... 

[SupplementGuy]

Hell, Sheol, Hades, isn't a place of burning fire and torture it is simply the grave. The dead are conscious of nothing at all.

[Man of Steel]

Okay, monotheists accept one deity and reject all others. And that last assertion is ridiculous. And commonly held amongst monotheists.

No it's the truth.   People like adultery, pornography, materialism, recreational drugs,  abusing alcohol, murder, rape, etc...

Become accountable to God and that stops.

[Man of Steel]

Even though this supposed omniscient deity already knew what was going to happen. Seems pointless. Also seems ridiculous that this supposed deity has always existed but finally got lonely or bored enough to create this little drama we apparently exist in. And any deity that would consign anyone to eternal, never ending torture is a petty, jealous, and evil asshole, plain and simple. "Just and fair"...  

Foreknowledge of a future choice does not equate to a forced, predetermined outcome.  

God existed in eternity within the fellowship of the trinity.  An existence sufficient for God isn't necessarily sufficient for man and because we don't comprehend it doesn't make it wrong.

The atheist critique of God is ignorant. You have no genuine experience with God and love your sin.  Those that lack belief find God to be foolishness.

I've written at length repeatedly on all these types of comments.  

[Man of Steel]

Hell, Sheol, Hades, isn't a place of burning fire and torture it is simply the grave. The dead are conscious of nothing at all.

You can back up your position with scripture correct?

[Raymondo]

bro, if you cannot see how asinine that statement you just said is, you are no better than some jihadist filth. honestly, your trolling right?


ill gloss over the fact that there were hundreds of religions and gods before your jesus christ/god thing, but you already knew that im sure.

Take a broader view. They are the last of their kind. Religiousity is going down in the West and they can do nothing about it. Actually, it's a huge source of anguish in their communities. In my country, Christianity will be extinct by 2067. The more they try to fight it, like by placing Biblical verses on buses and the underground, the more they accelerate the decline.

You are right, fundamendalists are fundamendalists everywhere. They will probably be the last to go. But history takes it source, their offspring will be secular.

[Man of Steel]

Take a broader view. They are the last of their kind. Religiousity is going down in the West and they can do nothing about it. Actually, it's a huge source of anguish in their communities. In my country, Christianity will be extinct by 2067. The more they try to fight it, like by placing Biblical verses on buses and the underground, the more they accelerate the decline.

You are right, fundamendalists are fundamendalists everywhere. But history takes it source, their offspring will be secular.

Correct.  Christianity will continue to decline and be overtaken by God-haters until we're outlawed, forced into hiding, executed or all of the above.  

In the meantime, we're trying to spread the gospel message and give folks a chance to turn from their wickedness and be made righteous with God.  

When you stand before God (and you will) all this false bravado and forced suppression will evaporate.  

I want to, at the very least, give folks willing to hear the opportunity to avoid facing God's judgment and experience Jesus Christ in their lives.

The majority will reject us....we know this.  We desire the many, but understand it will be few.

[Raymondo]

When you stand before God (and you will) all this false bravado and forced suppression will evaporate.  

Sounds intimidating in a juvenile sort of way.

There is no God. We will both die at some point and that will be all she wrote. Hopefully, I will live a full life and then have the satisfaction of dying next to the last native-born Christian in the UK, that is, if I can make it past the 2060s.

[Man of Steel]

Sounds intimidating in a juvenile sort of way.

There is no God. We will both die at some point and that will be all she wrote. Hopefully, I will live a full life and then have the satisfaction of dying next to the last native-born Christian in the UK, that is, if I can make it past the 2060s.

You should be intimidated....you should fear and respect God.  I do.

[SF1900]

Sounds intimidating in a juvenile sort of way.

There is no God. We will both die at some point and that will be all she wrote. Hopefully, I will live a full life and then have the satisfaction of dying next to the last native-born Christian in the UK, that is, if I can make it past the 2060s.

No one should fear and respect God. Infantile.

[Raymondo]

You should be intimidated....you should fear and respect God.  I do.

I should probably stop drinking so much Kentish ale, too. The temptation is too great, though. I mean, look at this:

[Man of Steel]

I should probably stop drinking so much Kentish ale, too. The temptation is too great, though. I mean, look at this:

If you aren't getting drunk or causing others to sin because of your drinking then it shouldn't be a problem.

[SupplementGuy]

You can back up your position with scripture correct?

Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10; GENESIS 3:19

Psalm 115:17; John 11:11

[Man of Steel]

Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10; GENESIS 3:19

Psalm 115:17; John 11:11

I appreciate the following:

Psalm 146:4
4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

Genesis 3:19

19 By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

Psalm 115:17
17 The dead do not praise [a]the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;

John 11:11
11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

I was actually requesting scripture that supports your previous assertion that "the grave is Hell".  Do you have any for that?

I do agree that when our bodies die they are dead and we often bury the bodies in the ground and they decay and we no longer live.

[SupplementGuy]

I appreciate the following:

Psalm 146:4
4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

Genesis 3:19

19 By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

Psalm 115:17
17 The dead do not praise [a]the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;

John 11:11
11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

I was actually requesting scripture that supports your previous assertion that "the grave is Hell".  Do you have any for that?

I do agree that when our bodies die they are dead and we often bury the bodies in the ground and they decay and we no longer live.

Some Bible translations use the word “hell” for the Hebrew word “Sheol” and the matching Greek word “Hades,” both of which refer to the common grave of mankind. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27)

[Man of Steel]

Some Bible translations use the word “hell” for the Hebrew word “Sheol” and the matching Greek word “Hades,” both of which refer to the common grave of mankind. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27)

You seem like a very reasonable person.  That said there's a thread on the religion board concerning hell that you might interested in:

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=577599.msg8160687#msg8160687

I'm of the opinion that hell is eternal as is the torment therein.  I do agree that the body dies and return to the ground.

I've studied Sheol, Hades, Gehenna as well. Respectfully, I find the weakest support for your position.  I'm certainly willing to understand it more.

[The Scott]

Personally, I have a great deal of trouble reconciling the love of God with eternal damnation.  Even we, the human race, offer parole for crimes committed, many of which are far worse than just not accepting that which not a one of us can say we have seen in person.

God.

I can easily understand why so many need to see proof and not just that offered by looking at the world around us.   Example?  Not a single miracle has been verifiably performed for what...nearly two thousand years?   I may trust God but not men.  Especially so those that claim to know and even speak for Him.

It's similar to those that claim to have seen UFOs.  Where's the proof?  Nearly everyone has a cell phone with a built in mega pixel camera and yet not one decent photo (or video) of UFOs is to be found.  So many claim to have witnessed miracles but sans proof.  I would think God would not want idiots speaking on His behalf and yet still no sign of Him.

How can any logical creator so callously judge his creation.  "Original Sin" is ridiculous.  Why are we to be held accountable for the actions of others?  Another Old Testament example can be found in Job.  He lost everything and why?  So that God could prove a point to Satan?  Why?    And while God did restore Job's property and such, he just gave him a new family.  If God is God, why not just give Job his family back?  Restore them to life.  A friend told me that they were sinners and unworthy of that so...

Ridiculous. 

I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ but given the lack of viable proof I can see why some think otherwise.  I don't understand how some can say nasty things about Jesus. Oh wait!  Yes I can.  People are people, i.e., jackasses.  Especially muslims.

[BigRo]

I love this nonsense about theists being atheists towards other Gods.

Atheists have no belief in a God or gods.

Theists have definite belief in a God or gods.

The reality is there are no atheists merely the suppression of God because individuals desire to be god.

Jesus said "I and my Father are one and the same"

why is he allowed but no one else?

[Agnostic007]

I love this nonsense about theists being atheists towards other Gods.

Atheists have no belief in a God or gods.

Theists have definite belief in a God or gods.

The reality is there are no atheists merely the suppression of God because individuals desire to be god.

Interesting opinion there. My opinion is that there are really no Christians, just people who say they are because 1. It's the popular position 2. It takes no effort on their part and 3. It's insurance "just in case" it's true, but they don't know it is, they are just to lazy to study it and conclude it's crap for themselves.

[Man of Steel]

Jesus said "I and my Father are one and the same"

why is he allowed but no one else?

I've never read a translation that includes "and the same".....fyi.

There is one God and he expresses himself via three coequal, coeternal persons in Father, Son and Spirit.

If you want to become a god you should pick with the Mormons.

[BigRo]

Maybe there is none then but it is in the movie Jesus of Nazareth...

Not that it matters as oneness implies sameness surely?

I do not seek to become God, only to realize that everything including me is God already. The kingdom of heaven is within and all around.

[OB1]

How does a theist determine which God is the real God?

There is none.
But I will try to answer anyway...

That, which you think the most about, do the most for...
this which controls your thoughts and actions...
This is your personal god.

Sadly this is mostly money, fame, status or pussy nowadays...

[The Abdominal Snoman]

Christianity and Islam stole their symbols from the Ancient Pagan Religions...