Question & Food for Thought

Being a Christian since the young age of 18..... and being raised in church since I could walk, I think every one faces this question at one time or another in their life.

How do YOU know that God is Real and not just a Myth or an Urban Legend?

I am interested in what the many others that come to PC thinks on this questions (and) How would you explain this question, if asked by a non-believer?


Thanks....
LoVe,
Rhapsody -

...........................................

Well, Rhapsody, since I'm the most incredulous person I know, I'm not sure yet if i have an answer for that.
As I said before, almost everyday I look up at the sky and I ask "Are you really there" I haven't received any big response, but I haven't quit doing it, so, I'm open.

For me, I know that there has to be a creator..I look at the bright blue sky, the mountains so tall and majestic...sparkling lakes and rivers.. There are SO many different types of flowers, animals, just so many wonderful things..things that are intricate and detailed..for me, all of creation shouts out that there is a creator..someone made the watch that I am wearing today, my jeans, my shoes..someone had to have made this world..I believe that love, peace, and joy also came from our creator..when the dew is on the lawn nourishing the ground beneath, someone began that process...the abudant amount of stars in the heavens which twinkle with brightness in the darkness, I am told that He calls them by name..

I believe in God with my whole heart, though at times I struggle with whether or not he hears my voice or sees my frame..I have been abused in everyway since I was born..and at times the silence of noone there overwhelmed me..I guess for me, that is where my faith comes in...a faith that there is something greater and higher than me..and though at times and yes sometimes at most times I hurt so badly that I cannot see..it is then that I close my natural eyes, and let my heart see again..

the main reason we beleive is because we see what he has given us, and if he weren't real I wouldn't still be alive to tell

I think its one huge lie to quell the masses. If there was a god, why would there be so many awful things? It seems to me that religion hides behind parables that serve as a way to make people accept suffering. Let the poor suffer and we rich shall sit back and have a whale of a time!

hmmmm must be sad not to be able to believe in anything above our own senses . I believe that there is a creator and that we are not here by the product of the "Big Bang Theory "

Because you every want or wish is not met at your time and place does not state that there is not a God .. You can choose you God if ya want it to be a cabbage so be it .. But I truly believe that there is one I am a product of knowing what faith is regardless of what challenges that life can throw at me

Tymber

"Because you every want or wish is not met at your time and place does not state that there is not a God"

Im not sure what that means? I cant imagine how having your needs met or not has anything to do with their being or not being a god

Christianity is a religion of faith... you don't KNOW that God exists, you BELIEVE it, and therefore you KNOW!!! WOuld you want to take the chance that He might not exist???

Please remember that this forum is here for support, not to engage in religious debate. It seems to me that if we use this forum to debate whether or not God exists, that would be more of a debate and would not really be supportive to anyone.

I can think of ways that these questions could all be phrased that would involve support:

"When you struggle with wondering whether God is really there, how do you answer your doubts and make sense of life?"

"How could life be so full of challenges when there is an Omnipotent Eternal Being watching over us? Why are people allowed to suffer as they do?"

Please keep it supportive and respectful of everyone's beliefs. If you do not agree with someone's beliefs, that is okay. I'm going to refer to Søren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard was one of the originators of existential philosophy and psychology. One of his most essential concepts was that we each need to find our own truth. There may not be any absolute truth. What is true for you is what matters.

TanyaGrave,

you are of course correct. No-one can know, its all to do with taking a leap of faith. For me, it is these required leaps that have been created to keep the interest going. It wouldnt be so interesting if god couldnt perform miracles.

Believing something because you dont want to take the chance its not true doesnt seem to me the best reason to choose a faith.

You are right, but one of the things that helps me keep my faith sometimes is just imagining what my life would be like if I could not depend on God... and it's a scary picture, but off course that should not be the basis of faith.

Okay the way I look at it is, I have never seen or met you but I know your real, "Faith" we are also here to help others through our experiences
Angie

I suspect others,like me, have had remarkable experiences that cannot be explained with logic. I am reluctant to tell what i experienced as an adolescent (for fear of being thought nutty!), but it confirms to me that there is indeed a higher power, whatever you want to call him.
I was also raised in a small country church, though I have not attended any services around my new place for couple of years now. This does not mean I lack spirituality, but I am realizing it is an important component to my well-being, physical and mental.
I finished a grad class recently, during which every lecture pointed out the fallacies of Christianity, and it's heritage of borrowing from previous "pagan" religions. I do not dismiss this, as it is, indeed, historical fact. At the same time, it does not diminish my own seeking of spiritual peace. There really is a supernatural element to faith and prayer that cannot be explained with scientific reasoning.
Patty

I take Rhapsody's question as one that she, herself also wishes to have support about... Is God REALLY there??? I offer support in the affirmative.

The more I learn about quantum physics and true science, the less faith I have to have. As the statistics within the scientific realm prove that what has occurred (life, system etc) could NOT just fall together by itself, that allows me to "know" and requires less faith. For me, only a Creator who designed the laws of science and life and then created accordingly could be behind what I see before me.

When your faith is weak, ask the Higher Power (for me, God) to prove Himself to you. My God says to do this, to trust, try and prove Him. "Putting out a fleece" as it were, though it is evidence of lack of faith, it does work.

One story of evidence of God, for me, is this:
In the Old Testament, the routines of the High Priest are described explictly. One of the items the High Priest "wore" were bells in his garment hem, and he had a rope tied to him. WHY? Because if the sacrifices were unacceptable to God, or if his conversation with God while in the Inner Santuary was in error, God would kill the priest! Since no one but the called High Priest was allowed in the Holy Of Holies (others died if they entered,) when the congregation no longer heard the bells ringing, they knew to pull the dead priest out by the rope... Now, there was no "physical" God in the temple's Holy of Holies.

Yes, I will share, in the future, some of the reasons, proofs, I have of a living God. As someone needs support, and as God enlightens me as to what to post. (I only hope I listen!)

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_Sky said:
I take Rhapsody's question as one that she, herself also wishes to have support about... Is God REALLY there??? I offer support in the affirmative.

One story of evidence of God, for me, is this:
In the Old Testament, the routines of the High Priest are described explictly. One of the items the High Priest "wore" were bells in his garment hem, and he had a rope tied to him. WHY? Because if the sacrifices were unacceptable to God, or if his conversation with God while in the Inner Santuary was in error, God would kill the priest! Since no one but the called High Priest was allowed in the Holy Of Holies (others died if they entered,) when the congregation no longer heard the bells ringing, they knew to pull the dead priest out by the rope... Now, there was no "physical" God in the temple's Holy of Holies.

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Thanks for your reply SKY..... now, one more question here. How do YOU know that the Bible is REAL and not a book made up of stories told by the elders through the years?

And - YES..... You are RIGHT, I am asking for support on the "Is God Real" thing, for a very close person in my life just told me that they DO NOT necessarily believe that God exists any more.
.... and to be honest I too have been wondering about this topic over the last year or two, therefore, I am lost as to how I can enable this friend to remain strong in FAITH.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

P.S.
Please everyone let us not argue over God, but rather support this question of concern.
I am seeking proof beyond any words written in a book, that God is indeed REAL, to me and to others.

NP I believe the Bible is "real" because it really has no contridictions within it, though (As I believe, God inspired) so many men over so many years to write it. You can't get that from one accident scene and 2 witnesses!

But also because it contains facts that no one knew back then. Concepts such as the ongoing cosmic expansion (Isaiah 42?5), and the anthropic principle and space-time paradigm are found in the Bible whereas science has just begun to realize these. So it is not only a great, accurate "history" book, it contains the science of the future too.

(There's a verse that talks about God stretching out the north over the empty place... and indeed, astronomers have found a "hole" in the northern sky where there is NOTHING... nothing forever in the universe...) How kewl is that?

This isn't exactly coming from a Christian perspective, but personally, I believe that God is real because God is me and you are God and so is everyone else. Perfect beings on a path of perfection, continuing to be perfect as we are stuck along the path of realizing our perfection and the perfection of others. A perfect paradox - like work without doing. It drives the mind in the most perfect way I think - for me anyway.

Nothemama, that is a great analogy. Rhapsody, I have a different view on the Bible than most. Instead of always wondering about the accuracy of the Bible and if it's true, see it as a story. It's a story that conveys the intimate relationship between God and man, it's a story about God's love for the human race. Don't try to analyse, remember that the Bible was written in older times with different cultures and was written so the people of that day as well as the people of the present will understand the message... God loves you. Believing the Bible is a question of faith that you have to work out for yourself.

It is in the end only words, only God's Spirit can make the Bible real for you, only He can authenticate it, no human debate will give you the answer you need, only God in His time and place will confirm your faith, maybe it will be two seconds before you die, maybe it will be now... THe key word is always FAITH.

People are so easily convinced of evil, but if evil exists then good must also exist. Your questioning nature is a good thing, it keeps you wary of imposters and false teaching, but be careful to question the One who can give you the true answers. It's not wrong, but don't dwell on it too much, remember, FAITH.

Thank YOU everyone for your replies..... I do indeed believe with out a doubt that we are spiritual beings living a human experience, and that we are all trying to find our way back home - to each the path will be different.

BUT - I am still waiting to hear someone tell me WHY "they believe" GOD is REAL, and not that of words or explanations that we so often hear in Sunday school or during a church service.

I say this for.... the person that is debating Gods existents with me already knows of the reasons mentioned here in the thread, but now they are seeking a real good down to earth human experience/emotion that will say YES (he is real) LOUD & CLEAR, and without doubt or wonder.

Any one willing to take this one on? - the real human experience and not something you have heard or been told by another.

Thanks....
LoVe,
Rhapsody -

IMO, we are here to tell the story of GOd, but only He can through His Spirit convince them of the truth...

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TanyaGrave said:
IMO, we are here to tell the story of GOd, but only He can through His Spirit convince them of the truth...

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What story would YOU tell................ from your POV as a HUMAN?

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

Im really confused. Why set a question asking if god is real then say you only want support that "God is indeed REAL, to me and to others". It sort of negates the whole point of a forum. Can we only speak if we are singing from the same hymn book?

It would seem so, atg

A completely off topic post, apologies for that

IF this QUESTION was directed at ME?

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allthegirls6 said:
Im really confused. Why set a question asking if god is real then say you only want support that "God is indeed REAL, to me and to others". It sort of negates the whole point of a forum. Can we only speak if we are singing from the same hymn book?

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I am SORRY, but I do not recall saying that I only wanted support from those that think God is real..... but I did state that I was a Christian and I asked how would you answer IS GOD REAL if asked by a non-believer.

I think this might be an innocent misunderstand due to a wrong interpretation of my words -

LoVe,
Rhapsody -