Part 39 of Post Your Tough Questions Regarding Christianity

Provide evidence there IS a "spiritual realm"
Provide evidence there is someone/something in that realm that listens to us.

I want to know the truth, and the ONLY method that reliably reveals the truth is the scientific method. No other method does this. No other method is as reliable.

The only people showing fear are those unwilling to subject their beliefs to the scrutiny of the scientific method.

 

Once again, somehow you have decided that you (and apparently you alone) gets to decide what is, or is not, a spiritual experience.

 

Well truth is, no human being has been perfectly righteous, we all have our faults, we are all sinners just as was the case for David, a human being who sinned against God like everyone else. But nevertheless, Almighty God chose the line of David from which the Messiah was to be born through and so who are we to think we know better than the Creator Almighty God on choosing what line the Messiah was to be born through...Gawd?...sheesh!

Yeah, Job was an ok fella and the ending of his story was a happy one for him and his family but I'm more partial towards Moses, now here was a man that God chose to lead his people out of bondage from Egypt and in the process, God gave him miraculous powers like parting the waters of the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape Pharaoh's henchmen.

Well, I know it really wasn't Moses who had the miraculous power because it was Almighty God who was really doing the heavy lifting but still imagine if you were one of the Israelites at the time and saw your leader Moses wave a staff and then saw the waters of the Red Sea part...whoa! you would be in complete awe of witnessing such a miraculous feat coming from your leader...wouldn't you Gawd?

We Read in Scripture:

Escape through the Red Sea

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.

21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!

23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted[a] their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”

26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.

29 But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Exodus 14:15-31 NLT

Footnotes
a. 14:25 As in Greek version, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac version; Hebrew reads He removed.

Ok thanks Gawd for your post.

 

A temporary suspension of reality? In the same way I can believe in fairies. 'Spirituality' has nothing to do with science. It can't be seen, touched, examined. If it exists it is in realms unknown to man. You can't explain it except in terms of human feelings.
How can you study a 'science' without proof of its existence?

 

Very good post Brother Injeun. I understood fully what you were saying but you have to excuse some of these atheists, they have a hard time interpreting statements correctly, I mean they just don't when to take statements literally or figuratively/metaphorically, kind of like when they attempt to read what's written in the Scriptures of the Holy Bible.

I guess when you make a statement directed at them you have to inform them what figure of speech your statement falls under...lol

If you don't then they are going to take everything that is said in a literal sense...lol

Very nicely said and very truthful, that's exactly what happened to the heart of poor old trev, it got hardened and so he doesn't know that God begins in a person's heart.

Reminds me of the Pharaoh of Egypt who was as stubborn as a mule and had a hardened heart during the time of Moses. It was such a fascinating and captivating story the story of Exodus.

Ok thanks Brother Injeun & trev for your posts.

 

No. I maintain my initial question. Plus the added one. Both of which you opted not to address.

 

With imagination. If some folks pretend hard enough and long enough apparently they can convince themselves it's real.

 

It is an interesting story because it states that God hardened the Pharoah's heart.

 

When you research, think, and ponder to add to your understanding, you are seeking that which doesn't exist in you, so as better understand that which does. Is truth or the more of something a "fairy." God is a dead end to you because you have made it so. Unless you know all things, then a living God is a possibility. But the oath you have sworn to yourself precludes you from entertaining the concept. So it isn't that there is no God, but that you refuse the possibility that there is.

 

It definitely was an interesting story indeed my jolly good fella, however sorry to say you are not reading and interpreting Scripture correctly if you're under the impression that God hardened the Pharoah's heart.

That's why I'm here to help you interpret it correctly. Basically, you are misinterpreting due to factors you are not aware of and so I will explain.

Every language has its own way of using certain types of words and phrases that might appear odd to a person not familiar with the language. For instance, suppose a person commented that his wife became angry and "bit his head off."

Would anyone think that the speaker actually had his head bitten off? Of course not! English-speaking people understand this example of figurative speech.

Or suppose a person went looking for a lost pet, and someone said that he was "hitting the streets." He was not literally hitting the streets with his fists. Most English speakers would understand the idiom.

In the same way, the biblical languages had idioms, colloquialisms, Semitisms, and word usages peculiar to them, which those familiar with the language would understand.

Hebrew and Greek languages used verbs to mean something other than their strict, literal usage.

So, when the text says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it means that God would permit or allow Pharaoh’s heart to be hardened.

Pharaoh made up his own mind to resist God’s demands. Of his own accord, he stubbornly refused to comply. Of course, God provided the occasion for Pharaoh to demonstrate his unyielding attitude. If God had not sent Moses, Pharaoh would not have been faced with the dilemma of whether to release the Israelites. So God was certainly the instigator and initiator. But He was not the author of Pharaoh’s defiance.

So, in conclusion, God did not harden Pharoah's heart for it is clear to those who interpret Scripture correctly that God did not unjustly or directly harden Pharaoh’s heart, it was Pharaoh's own doing.

Ok thanks my jolly good fella for your post.

 

That's quite a stretch. But you do you.

 

Well said Mitt. Some people love to use the Bible to undercut the Bible and disparage the character of God according to and justified by their own foregone conclusion that there is no God.

 

For someone with all the answers, you sure have a lot of questions. Why not ask God? If you lack the courage or faith to pray to God, how is that to my deficit when it is your dearth.

 

Why are you saying I have all the answers? You are the one who claims answers to questions you don't actually know the answer to.

I already addressed that. I am unable to talk to people who I don't believe exist. It would be like asking why don't you talk to [insert fictional charcter here]. You could pretend to talk to them, but you would actually only be talking to yourself.

I don't recall saying anything was to your deficit. Perhaps your self delusion is to your benefit.

And I again note that you still didn't respond to my questions above. Its ok. I didn't expect that you would.

 

I am seeking that which exists in the world - knowledge of 'earthly' things. And you refuse the possibility that there is no god because of an 'experience' you believe was not of this world even though explanations can be found in this world.

 

Love what you will while you live, JP. I know that God is real, that he lives and is divine. I know it because he has known me by the visitation of his spirit in my heart, mind, and soul. And in his knowing of me, I know him just as one knows ones visitor or the benefits of water and good nutrition. Who do I fool by being honest about my love for God. I'm not ashamed of God the Father or his Son Jesus Christ. God himself put away his very dignity and life for my retrieval. That is remarkable.

 

Again, how is that different from self delusion? All the other believers in different competing religions claim the same for themselves, and none of you have any evidence for the rest of us other than to tell us to "talk to God" or "read my book" (written by men but claimed to be inspired by God).

Here, I think nobody but yourself. That's ok. I didn't say its to your deficit. It may benefit you. But that doesn't make it not self-delusion.

 

I know what you mean. But there is a difference between authentic and counterfeit. All kinds of people see things that aren't really there. It doesn't mean that everything that everyone else sees is an illusion. You are operating under the premise that there is no God. So everything to the contrary is to you an illusion of some sort. That's because your premise directs the new data to that end. When I say that I know that God is real, what I mean is that I actually know it as well as that I know that I live, or that the sun is in the sky. It is so succinctly true that it is as if a new light is in my sky, and my life is in him rather than in myself or in my life alone.

 

So to you I am either a liar or a fool. And I can't possibly be speaking the truth. You reckon that I'm merely part and parcel with the discordant babel in the world. Do you actually believe that, or is it just an excuse to discount my words so as to maintain the comfort of your nest?

 

There is also the possibility that you are just mistaken about something that is very difficult to address in any way.

But, I'm OK with you holding to your relgion.

My line comes when you want to use your religion as a justification for taking governmental action against others.

 

I did not say and don't think you are either. I also don't think you know what you think you do.

 

Where do you get that from? When did I ever say that?

 

LOL That's contradictory. Be blissful, JP.

 

You have said that your religion confers special status.

Maybe you are now suggesting your religion's special status is meaningless to the rest of the US population.

Perhaps you should explain what your special status means in terms of the lives of other citizens.

 

I have no clue what you are talking about. It sounds like you are making up baseless accusations. How about a quote for reference.