Suffering

[jasJis]

For your info, Carderro, I am a Catholic Christian thanks to the disussions and learning I received over many years from mostly non-Catholic Christians. I didn't just peer through one window.

God is not completely illogical or unreasonable. Logic and reason does provide some insight to who and what God is.

Most of what I know about God is time spent with Him in silent (me) prayer. To get to know somebody, you have to spend time with Him. Open your heart, soul, and mind to Him and to others who know God too. Others can only give only an introduction, God is giving us His personal invitation. You present an "entity" that is not the God that I know, or anybody else I've discussed our relationship with. You present a superfical, one-dimensional perspective of God, based soley on your questionable opinion and alleged 'discussion'.

What I know of God [after time spent [u]with[/u] Him over many, many years,] directly goes against the drivel you spout here. God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit is the Creator of All, Omnipotent Ruler, Omniscient Being, and my personal Savior, Friend, inspiration, Father, and Brother. He isn't just some distant, fickle, capricious, nonchalant, spontaneous "friend" or "buddy" as you depict in your book. (Which, by the way, I've read enough of on-line and in your posts to get a good idea of where it's at.)

[carrdero]

[quote]JasJis writes: God is not completely illogical or unreasonable. Logic and reason does provide some insight to who and what God is.[/quote]

Yes but not in matters concerning glory/holiness/divinity/mysticism/spiritualism/demons/angels/devils/dietys/miracle. Most people believe that these are borderline fairy tales and cannot be logically reasoned through current human basic (common) sense. So either GOD is these things and is illogical or GOD isn’t and society has been applying the INCORRECT attributes to GOD. I will let you decide.

[quote]JasJis writes: Most of what I know about God is time spent with Him in silent (me) prayer. To get to know somebody, you have to spend time with Him.[/quote]

And if you do not mind me asking, what has GOD told you (this question is optional if it is personal)? Most people that I encounter who claim that they speak “with” GOD (talking and listening) usually recount how GOD strokes and coddles their faith/truths/religious denomination. After speaking to many people of different faiths who claim they do this, you have to sometimes wonder what GOD’s real intentions are for humankind and why GOD keeps changing his own belief system.

[quote]JasJis writes: You present a superfical, one-dimensional perspective of God, based soley on your questionable opinion and alleged 'discussion'.[/quote]

Both GOD and I apologize if we had not presented an Almighty Being that lives up to your expectations. (Actually I blame GOD more, he usually aims to please)

[jasJis]

[quote name='carrdero' date='Sep 21 2004, 10:54 AM'] And if you do not mind me asking, what has GOD told you (this question is optional if it is personal)? Most people that I encounter who claim that they speak “with” GOD (talking and listening) usually recount how GOD strokes and coddles their faith/truths/religious denomination. After speaking to many people of different faiths who claim they do this, you have to sometimes wonder what GOD’s real intentions are for humankind and why GOD keeps changing his own belief system. [/quote]
Get ready...

God tells me that He is not different things to different people. He is the same always. It's us that are different to the same unchanging aspects of God. It's our perceptions that are limited and changing, not Him. He does not hide Himself and can be known sufficiently for who He made us. It's pride and human frailties that warp our perception, but He is always faithful and patient and loving.

So you see. I don't blame God for anything wrong. He is perfect and patient and allows us pt be imperfect and impatient and wrong about Him. God always exceeds my expectations. How facile and erroneous of you to say that I might think He doesn't. It's us who don't meet our standards and usually fail to meet His expectations. Buck up. God isn't our cosmic buddy, but the Omniscient Creator of All who loves us and expects much out of us.

[Norseman82]

[quote name='carrdero' date='Sep 21 2004, 10:54 AM']
Both GOD and I apologize if we had not presented an Almighty Being that lives up to your expectations. (Actually I blame GOD more, he usually aims to please) [/quote]
Uhhhhh.....I thought that it was supposed to be the other way around, that we should strive to please God???? Let's cut to the chase: who is greater, God or us?

I do understand your original statement from which we have gone off-topic, though; I've met my share of those who take the need for suffering to unhealthy extremes and seem to use it as an excuse to ignore others whose sufferings could be alleviated, sometimes simply by letting people into their precious little cliques. When suffering is unavoidable, though, and the prime example is death, we need to navigate it without sinning.

[White Knight]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Sep 23 2004, 12:02 AM'] Uhhhhh.....I thought that it was supposed to be the other way around, that we should strive to please God???? Let's cut to the chase: who is greater, God or us?

[/quote]
Well any wise man would say, God is greater the Man, so... we sould try to please God, and less of ourselves, because if we please God, we end up pleasing ourselves too, in the long run.

[White Knight]

[quote name='jasJis' date='Sep 21 2004, 12:20 PM'] Get ready...

God tells me that He is not different things to different people. He is the same always. It's us that are different to the same unchanging aspects of God. It's our perceptions that are limited and changing, not Him. He does not hide Himself and can be known sufficiently for who He made us. It's pride and human frailties that warp our perception, but He is always faithful and patient and loving.

So you see. I don't blame God for anything wrong. He is perfect and patient and allows us pt be imperfect and impatient and wrong about Him. God always exceeds my expectations. How facile and erroneous of you to say that I might think He doesn't. It's us who don't meet our standards and usually fail to meet His expectations. Buck up. God isn't our cosmic buddy, but the Omniscient Creator of All who loves us and expects much out of us. [/quote]
Amen to that man.