Please read all and come up with a relevant, decent answer.\n\nSome Christians have stated on here that if God did try and prove Himself to us that many would think its just an illusion or something, but not me. I would be convinced if God, with all his infinite power, proved His existence. So why wouldn't He just reveal Himself to people seeking Him? \n\nYou can't really have a relationship with the unproven.\nI keep hearing analogies like if your spouse went away for a week, but you still trust them. Well duh! You already know they exist! Christians, are there any better analogies?
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Why doesn't he stand on the side of the road like a billboard?  He does, all of creation testifies to His existance. Study something as simple as a leaf- it's astounding the detail that goes into it.  You seem to like analogies- I do too- so look at it this way: if you see a beautiful Monet, you can admire the brushstrokes, the colors and the composition and no one has to try and convince you that there was an artist!  "No, no," you might say, "I believe that thousands of years ago all those colors were just thrown into the air and they happened to land on the canvas in this fashion."  The creation (the painting) testifies to the existance of a painter (the creator)\n\nMatthew 7:7 says if you seek Him you will find Him.  A friend of mine grew up in an orphanage in India and as a small child, wanted to know if there was more to God.  Jesus appeared to Him in a vision and told Him who He was.  Then he began praying for a bible and miraculously enough, some missionaries (this was back in the 1950's- people didn't travel as much as they do today) happened to pass through their small villiage and visit the orphanage so he could have a bible.  He's a missionary now, going to my church and traveling back and forth to India.  \n\nWe have a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit that works on this earth.  I've seen people's deaf ears open. I took a drug dealer to church once, and the power of God there made him start to convulse on the floor- THE NEXT DAY 1.He called all his contacts, 2.quit selling and using drugs and 3. started a street evangelism ministry for the homeless in Houston.  I know God exists because He works in my life- the Holy Spirit can give me a check in my spirit and keep me from going places, and can teach me through revelation. \n\nI have personally prayed for people and God has shown me specific situations in their lives to talk to them about.  One woman I met in a Burger King (she was an employee there) God put it on my heart to pray for her.  As I began to pray I said, "God let her be a light to Chris." and she stopped me, took about 3 steps back and wide-eyed asked, "how did you know my husband's name was Chris?"  Well, I didn't.  I had never met her before; I just prayed what God wanted me to- and He wanted to show her that He knew her, He saw her, He knew her situation and that He cared.  It was pretty cool!\n\n Just yesterday I was reading Psalm 2 about how God fights our battles for us, and I asked Him to do that for me.  Well last night we went to dinner at this restaurant, the food was awful, we were over charged for our meals, but it was such an exhausting day that I didn't feel like fighting our waiter. We still tipped him (since i was a waitress for years) Well the guy comes back with our check copy AND a bag of pasta (the pasta was the large size we'd been charged for, but had not recieved) saying "the kitchen accidentally made this- you guys want it?"  fresh bread (he hadn't been refilling our bread basket as he should have) and our leftovers.  And my friend, without knowing about my conversation with God that morning said, "Man, we didn't even have to fight him (the waiter)" \n\n I know this is an insignificant story, I could tell you more miraculous ones, like how I was woken in the middle of the night to pray for my sister who was busy totaling her car (but walked away with only a small scratch on her knee after clearing a 5' tall fence!) how I was healed of a degenerative family disease, how the power of God has touched my home, but it is the daily testimonies, the small things, that grow our faith. He just wanted me to know yesterday (because of all the battles I'm going through right now) that He cares even for the smallest skirmishes. E-mail me if you want to know more.  I could tell you story after story of the miraculous things God has done.
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man, i feel bad for you. you're playing on the wrong team. God is so real. it seems like everyday he's proving himself (to me anyway). i mean there are times i look back and it could have only been God that got me through. God gives me peace, protection, and he is a great provider. My first year in college I didn't have a job or a dime to my name, but God made a way for me. He made is so that I was never hungry, and that I never wanted for anything. to you God might be an "invisible friend" but for me he is my best friend. the bible is a guide that tells us how to live. and if people live right they dont have to fear God. he gave his only son for us, do you really think that he wants to destroy us? to cripple us with fear? No, thats not him, he is loving. I'm sorry if you feel that God has failed you, or that he's not real, because you're missing out.
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... and then not give us a clear sign that "yes, god is here. Worship!"\n\nYeah, this is the same question I keep asking, and I keep getting terrible answers for it. God made us to worship him, then made the careless mistake of giving us the option to not worship him. Either god is incompetent, god is malevolent, or god is not omnipotent.
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What you say is extremely true!\n\nIf atheists were to support the assumption of the universe having come into being without any agent, then they are accepting one of two things: one, that it has always existed i.e. that it has no beginning; or two, that nothing produced something. Both of these statements are very difficult to swallow. The only way for them to justify their positions is to say, “We do not know the answer to that,” which is the same answer that religious people are always criticized for when they are asked something about God that they do not know. It is also no better than when believers say that God has no beginning or that prophets produced miracles; in fact, it is worse. \n\nPeople seem to accept that if there was a God, He would be able to do anything; and yet, when they are told that God has no origin, their minds fill with unsettling doubts of how this could be true. They say, “Everything has to have a beginning!” The problem here is that many of them have a false conception of God as having human attributes. The question of God having a beginning is invalid. The very powers and qualities of God enable Him to do the impossible, to bend the rules of logic and physics. So if God can create something out of nothing – a concept which contradicts our rational view of how the world functions – is it so hard to believe that God has always existed? He is the only One without a beginning. It sounds unnatural, but it makes sense. It also gives the only logical – or most logical – explanation of how the universe began. \n\nAs a side note, I've been trying to contact you from before, but it says that you haven't confirmed your email. Anyways, I would love to have conversations with you! My email is soli__man@hotmail.com (2underscores)\n\nPeace be with you
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wow...the bible proves it self... and has to many peope throughout history...those the seek the truth find it and those that have no value in it do not...If you find the word of god as stupid then you have your answer as to why it makes no sense to you...God is there for those who find value in him..nad he reveals himself to those who seek him with all there heart...if this does not apply to you then why are you so amazed that you do not understand what others do? I keep talking to athiest who find no value in god whatsoever....this makes perfect sense to me that god has not revealed himself to these and if they are happy and you are happy why do you care that God has revealed himself to others?
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At last! An excellent point in my opinion. If God created humans, then he made us capable of questioning everything around us. Otherwise, we'd never have developed technology, learnt how to advance as a society and form our own opinions. So if he created us that way, why wouldn't we question the Bible and all it states?\nMaybe it's right, maybe it isn't. Surely the challenge is for us to discover that for ourselves, not effectively be told "think like us or go to hell!" If there is a God, we have to hope he's proud that we think for ourselves.
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We are human and cannot possibly know what God knows.  Do I believe things he has done?  Yes.  Can I with certainty explain how it was done? No.  I don't necessarily think it's doubt, I just think it's being unaware.  The longer you have a relationship with God, the more you will come to understand.  He will make some things clearer so that His will can be done.  We are his servants.  So in some ways I agree with you but I don't like the use of the word doubt, that makes me think of being unfaithful.  I see it more as being in the dark, not able to understand.  He is God, our Creator.  We are merely human.
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I believe in God because I met him (in my heart).\n\nWhy wouldn't you ask God if He exists? There is 0% risk. Indeed : \n1. Either He does not exist, and then you will get no answer....\n2. Either He does exist, and He will show you, a way or another, that He exists and that He loves you.\n\nThen you would know how to "defend yourself".
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God won't be mocked. Even the most faithful who believe in God have not seen him, and just because you can't see him does not mean he doesn't exist. \nYou want proof of his existance but can you prove that he doesn't?\nLook around you, his proof is in all the beauty that you see in his creations. There also are many quiet miracles to behold. I know science would have us all believe that we were developed in a test tube, along with every animal,plant,bug or living thing. That is not the case. Besides the bigger question is WHY? There has to be a purpose for all this madness.
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If God wanted to leave absolutely no room for anyone to doubt or try to disprove His existance and authority, He could have done. His thoughts and ways are better than ours - we'd love everyone to just have to believe - but God gives everyone the choice. People don't want it to be true that there is a God - the implications are too big. Like recognising that yes there is actually right and wrong - people don't want to go there - remember Pharohs magicians who tried to explain away the wonders that were shown them in Egypt - they didn't want to acknowlege God either - its nothing fresh!  The reality of our Eternal God who controls everything in life and death is just more than folks can take - they want to "live a good life and be happy" They don't want to know about a God who will hold us responsible what we do with our lives, it just doesn't fit with their "lifestyle choice". They will either try to logically reason a way that it could possibly have happened without needing a God or they will just instantly dismiss these realities without further thought as just "fairy tales". Don't fret. Yes some people will try to explain things in a way that ignores God, they refuse to believe - creation itself cries out! Its of no suprise in one sense ... there is going to be both the sheep and the goats. Stand firm. One day every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He Is LORD.
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Atheist here (agnostic if considered deism and other non interventionist beings)\n\nI don't know why people answer whats' not being asked, if you don't feel like playing, why answer with something else?\n\nWell, if we are talking about the christian god, according to the belief, he already knows what's on my heart.\n\nAnyway, I am atheist because I am being honest with me and everyone around me. To say "I believe in god" would be a lie and I'd be an hypocrite.\n\nIf I have to give explanations to god, all I'd tell is "I honestly didn't believe you existed and I made a mistake", no further explanations needed. I'm sure that I live a moral life and I wouldn't feel like "excusing" me as if I've done something wrong.\n\nBye\n\nEDIT:\nI just saw what you proposed in another question: "People want to ease their conscience of sin by convincing themselves that there is no God."\n\nThat's a false assumption since I doubt you know what are everyone's motivations to do so. Does your religion allow you to judge people without proper knowledge?
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I went back and answered both of your questions.  I hope that helps.\n\nBut understand this, the arguments and thinking of men are not to turn you to God, they are to cause you to open your heart and mind and turn yourself toward God.  Only you can make that choice, not only for today but for eternity.
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God answers prayers of those people that have gotten right with God and have God first in their heart, Its a relationship. Signs of existance hmmmm how about us and the earth. Or do you think this was an accident, the human body is so complex it cant be just by chance!Have lots of doubts about God, Jesus, or the Bible? Most people who think about this do wonder "How do I know that what the Bible says is true?" At ---, we think that this is an excellent question deserving an excellent answer, and that's what we provide in our "Facts Behind the Faith" seminar. Contrary to what you may have heard, God doesn't ever expect us to have "blind faith." He has always proven what He has said, and He's done that conclusively. The only thing that separates Christianity from every other religion is that it can PROVE what it says to be true. No other religion can. We can prove logically, scientifically, and archaeologically that God must exist, that the Bible is directly from God, that Jesus was God's Son, and even that He rose from the dead. Sound impossible? Then you owe it to yourself to force us to prove it. We guarantee that you'll be amazed at what you learn, and you deserve PROOF. Let us give you some  Go to this site and check out the simnars
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I agree with you completely. I am a christian, but I do not believe in the trinity theory. and there are ALLOT of references like this one that points toward the fact that they are not the same. A few of them are: after Jesus got baptized, God said to him, "this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." would he talk to himself? also when the people asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, Jesus taught them to pray to God, not to himself. If he was God why wouldn't he have the people pray to him? yet another, Jesus on the cross said "My God, why have you forsaken me?" would God not only talk to himself, but also forsake himself? A final one... the bible says that the only unforgivable sin is blaspheming the holy spirit (Mark 3:29). If they were all the same, then blaspheming any of them would be unforgivable. They are very separate beings, and not the same.
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I think God does not intend for us to "worship" him (and I say "him" for lack of a better word)  I think the supreme entity that designed this whole universe did not just create us but every thing else in the universe.  This God is pure love.  Total and complete.  He knows no jealousy or is worried about good versus evil.  It's really kind of a silly idea to him.  There is no hell because in his infinite wisdom and infinite love he would never even concieve of such place.  He is the ultimate and we don't even have a clue.  All the Gods here on earth are manmade and when a person worships a particular god in a sense they are worshipping themselves.
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I find it funny that people atomatically assume that since a thing does not exist within the scope of their personal experience, it must be a delusion, hallucination, or short-comming fo a sort on the part of another.\n\nI speak to God nearly daily.  He speaks to me.  He may not use an audible voice, but I recognize it when he speaks.  Does that make me a nut case?  I do the best job I know how to live out a life worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus made.  I know I fall short way to often, but my hearts desire is to fulfill the expectation he has for me.  What part of this threatens you?  And what justification have I offered any of you to call me delusional, tweaked out, dazed, crazed or sedated?  Or is it simply you have made up your mind about all Christ followers based entirely on the experience you had with a few?\n\nI find it funny in a really sad way that there are so many trolling the religion and spirituality section of Y!A simply to stir the pot and verbally harass or defy those with beliefs in God.  I recommend you start your own section.  You can Call it "Infallible Logic and Answers to Every Question You May Have From Those Who Know Everything."\nYou can even set criteria preventing any nut jobs with delusional tendencies and hallucinations from joining.\n\nOr in short, I'd rather be tweaked out over the Great News of Jesus Christ than seeking satisfaction by bashing people who seem to have something I want but can't find.
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Hmm, yeah, that's a very interesting point! Why not just trust "god" to protect him? Now, would that be a sin? Because if it was gods will for him to die, than he's preventing that from happening, right? but if god was "almighty" then he could give him a heart attack or something...but then if he's that powerful, why the need for bulletproof...round and round we go....I need chocolate!  :) smart question btw!