If you met God... What would you do next?

[Mount Brocken]

Incidentally, have any of you seen 'The Seventh Seal,' a film by Ingmar Bergman? I think you will find the more important questions in life articulated in and through the events and sequences of the film; but not the what I would consider superficial questions such as the Kennedy assassination or something like that.

 

[Anathema]

I find it odd that people have so much antagonism toward God....I think they need to look at the world and how it works and what is said to be waiting for us on the other side and think a little more deeply than they are now...

Keep in mind...no matter how bad this world may be at times...if heaven is real...we will possibly have an eternity of not being in this world...so look at this world as you would when your kid is growing up...

I don't have an interest in an Eternity in Heaven, Billc. All I'm interested in is knowing "Why?" Assuming I get the answer(s) I expect, there's not a force in this Universe that could get me to spend a single second in Heaven. I'll take an Eternity away from God rather than look at His face for an instant if He/She/It is what I now believe He/She/It to be.

 

[2aguy]

Sure...if that's what you think...time will tell though...one thing to say it now...as a frail, limited human, and another when the truth about life the universe and everything is revealed...I would just say...you might want to save your judgement of God until you get all the facts...

 

[2aguy]

What are you hiding from?

My thought...

When men and women were new to the world and everything had to be invented...law, civilization, compassion, understanding...things like that...he was more present to help out...just like a human new parent is...with an infant or small child...as we have grown as creatures...he has backed away to let us figure things out for ourselves as much as possible...just like a parent with an older teenager, young adult...

If he was always present, it might be hard for us to do things on our own and to make hard choices on our own...

 

[Anathema]

Sure...if that's what you think...time will tell though...one thing to say it now...as a frail, limited human, and another when the truth about life the universe and everything is revealed...I would just say...you might want to save your judgement of God until you get all the facts...

Bill, I've lived those facts for 40 years. As I've said, my only question for God it "Why?" It's a simple question and shouldn't require more than a half dozen word answer. Anything beyond that is bullshit of the highest order. Life is a simple thing, as is death. Personally, I fear life more than death.

 

[2aguy]

Bill, I've lived those facts for 40 years. As I've said, my only question for God it "Why?" It's a simple question and shouldn't require more than a half dozen word answer. Anything beyond that is bullshit of the highest order. Life is a simple thing, as is death. Personally, I fear life more than death.

I have lived 47 and a half years...and in the scope of the universe, of the creation of the universe, and all the complexities involved, with the actual creation of human beings, from scratch...we can't know all the facts about life and what it means...and life and death are far more complex than we might know...from our so small perspective...

I fear life as much as you do...

 

[Anathema]

I have lived 47 and a half years...and in the scope of the universe, of the creation of the universe, and all the complexities involved, with the actual creation of human beings, from scratch...we can't know all the facts about life and what it means...and life and death are far more complex than we might know...from our so small perspective...

I fear life as much as you do...

I know the facts of my own life, which are the only ones relevant to me and my situation.

But, do you fear death as little as I do? If I were to drop dead at this keyboard, this instant, I would not mind, as it would all be over. Judgement and then Eternity. I prefer that to the continued life in this cesspool of a world.

 

[2aguy]

I only fear death for certain moments when I think about them but in general...it may not be such a bad thing...I had that embarrassing medical procedure this year...they put me on the knock out drugs (I don't want to try to spell the actual word), and I thought...I am going to see how long I can stay awake with those drugs in my system...

So, I stared at the vitals monitor...and then the next thing I know I was staring at the intersection of the ceiling and wall in the recovery room...in between...total oblivion...and you know what...I thought to myself later...If the atheists are right...and there is nothing at all on the other side...that won't be so bad...Why? Because you won't realize that there is anything else because you just won't exist...

There is a great deal of peace in that....

But that to me, is probably why God has the proscription against taking our own lives...we are here to learn something...no matter how tragic and difficult it may be for us...and killing ourselves short cuts that process...we may think that is brutal, unfair and unjust...but we just don't know everything there is to know about why we need to be here...

Aspects of this world are truly a cesspool...but there are other parts that are truly wonderous...and you have to be alive to see them...or to do anything about the truly bad parts...

That may very well be our test here on the planet...what do we do when we see these bad things...what do we do when we see the really good things...

Again, we don't, and can't know why things are the way they are...but we need to be here to experience them and to change them...

 

[beagle9]

If I met God as you say in such a way, then there is no doubt that I would fall to my knee's in tears, and there would be a great humbleness and sorrow that would come over me. then my body (the flesh) would begin to shake and tremble as the demons I carry would try and escape me while I am in his presence. Praise his name and all that is Holy for it is written. Amen!

 

[Two Thumbs]

well first I'd assume I went nuts and wasnt' coming back anytime soon.

why are you bothering me since you know there's multiple faiths? since he knows that will just keep going.

 

[Derideo_Te]

I just have one really easy simple question;

What are you hiding from?

I know, your followers, and no, I don't blame you. I would too if I was in your position.

If anyone has any clue with regard to what this contributor is referring, I'd be interested in knowing what it is.

Glad to see that you are acknowledging your own cluelessness. The first step is always the most difficult.

You asked in the OP what would someone do upon meeting God and I gave you my answer, I would ask that one simple question. Hopefully that clears up your confusion but if it doesn't you will need to seek professional services for your condition.

 

[percysunshine]

Imagine that you're walking along and suddenly, everything around you freezes... you remain wholly animated, lucid and free to move; but all around you, every other facet of your existence is apparently frozen.

Before you appears another person... nondescript; whatever would appear to you as something you could never be threatened by, would instinctively trust and not confuse as someone with whom you have some experience or would have ever known.

This person's voice is calm and invokes comfort, confidence and trust. They explain to you that you are safe, will not be harmed, that your consciousness has been accelerated to perceive them in a span of time for which, ordinarily, your brain is incapable of accounting. That the events that you're presently witnessing are occurring within a infinitesimal moment of your life, an otherwise imperceptible sliver of a second.

You find yourself calm, without fear or concern and wonder who this is and why they are speaking to you, but while you do not know them, you trust them.

The person then informs you that they are God and have come to you to assure you that they exist, that you are their child and that they're there to answer all of your questions, so that you can from the next moment, spend the rest of your life on this earth, knowing the truth and live your life free of worry and want.

It then gives you the opportunity to ask it whatever you will, answers all of your greatest curiosities, tells you who shot Kennedy; allowing you to see it as it happened, listening to all of the various discussions leading up to it... you experience JFKs thoughts in his final moments; along with the thoughts of all of the respective players, relevant to his life at that moment; you understand... .

You're on the Moon with Armstrong and Aldrin. You're in the head of Elvis, when he expires, you see him wherever he is at that moment. You experience the building of the great Pyramids... you're stepping out of a wooden launch onto a cold rocky shoreline, with you are members of your congregation, as you realize you have arrived at the end of your long journey... .

You witness the unimaginable light breaking the darkness at the moment our Universe is created.

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know... you witness cold, lifeless matter morphing into anything you imagine, you instinctively understand the composition of sub-molecular space/time, comprehending the nature of nature at levels you could have never before imagined; THE UNIVERSE is made known to you; you know the meaning of life itself.

Then, as quickly as it came, without missing a step, your environment is seemingly reanimated, as your mind synchronizes with our pace of time... you recall the events entirely, everything you experienced is fully intact in your mind.

ASSUMING that such occurred to you: Now what?

.

Ask for the blue pill?

.

 

[Derideo_Te]

What are you hiding from?

My thought...

When men and women were new to the world and everything had to be invented...law, civilization, compassion, understanding...things like that...he was more present to help out...just like a human new parent is...with an infant or small child...as we have grown as creatures...he has backed away to let us figure things out for ourselves as much as possible...just like a parent with an older teenager, young adult...

If he was always present, it might be hard for us to do things on our own and to make hard choices on our own...

Interesting concept but look at the animal world and you can see natural laws and compassion exist because of evolution. That has been happening for hundreds of millions of years already. The "infallible word of god" is a very recent development in the timeline of this planet and ourselves from tree dwellers to hunter gatherers to farmers when the first civilizations began.

So from an "understanding of god" POV mankind would still be very much in it's infancy compared to our lessons of natural law, compassion, etc.

 

[Derideo_Te]

I have lived 47 and a half years...and in the scope of the universe, of the creation of the universe, and all the complexities involved, with the actual creation of human beings, from scratch...we can't know all the facts about life and what it means...and life and death are far more complex than we might know...from our so small perspective...

I fear life as much as you do...

I know the facts of my own life, which are the only ones relevant to me and my situation.

But, do you fear death as little as I do? If I were to drop dead at this keyboard, this instant, I would not mind, as it would all be over. Judgement and then Eternity. I prefer that to the continued life in this cesspool of a world.

What you make of life is entirely up to each individual. If your life is a cesspool then you will find out why by looking in the mirror.

 

[2aguy]

So from an "understanding of god" POV mankind would still be very much in it's infancy compared to our lessons of natural law, compassion, etc.

Actually, I would agree that we are still young...but we seem to be far enough along that he doesn't have to keep intervening as directly as he used to...although I think he still does...

-the death of Stone Wall Jackson
-D-Day...

I think his hand can be seen in certain events...or not...

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[Derideo_Te]

I only fear death for certain moments when I think about them but in general...it may not be such a bad thing...I had that embarrassing medical procedure this year...they put me on the knock out drugs (I don't want to try to spell the actual word), and I thought...I am going to see how long I can stay awake with those drugs in my system...

So, I stared at the vitals monitor...and then the next thing I know I was staring at the intersection of the ceiling and wall in the recovery room...in between...total oblivion...and you know what...I thought to myself later...If the atheists are right...and there is nothing at all on the other side...that won't be so bad...Why? Because you won't realize that there is anything else because you just won't exist...

There is a great deal of peace in that....

But that to me, is probably why God has the proscription against taking our own lives...we are here to learn something...no matter how tragic and difficult it may be for us...and killing ourselves short cuts that process...we may think that is brutal, unfair and unjust...but we just don't know everything there is to know about why we need to be here...

Aspects of this world are truly a cesspool...but there are other parts that are truly wonderous...and you have to be alive to see them...or to do anything about the truly bad parts...

That may very well be our test here on the planet...what do we do when we see these bad things...what do we do when we see the really good things...

Again, we don't, and can't know why things are the way they are...but we need to be here to experience them and to change them...

The lesson is learning what to change and what to leave as it is. Not everything is in our power to change. Wisdom comes from being able to know the difference between the two.

 

[Derideo_Te]

So from an "understanding of god" POV mankind would still be very much in it's infancy compared to our lessons of natural law, compassion, etc.

Actually, I would agree that we are still young...but we seem to be far enough along that he doesn't have to keep intervening as directly as he used to...although I think he still does...

-the death of Stone Wall Jackson
-D-Day...

I think his hand can be seen in certain events...or not...

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Your images are not displaying.

As an atheist I don't expect God to intervene therefore I am never disappointed when he doesn't. Furthermore I have never encountered any situation that can't be explained by logic, reason and natural events on this planet.

We evolved to the point where we can not only question our existence but find the answers. 25 years ago we wondered if there were planets orbiting other stars. Now we know they exist.

 

[2aguy]

Furthermore I have never encountered any situation that can't be explained by logic, reason and natural events on this planet.

That must be because that is the way God designed the planet...and everything else...

Now we know they exist.

Because God gave us the tools to do it...nice of him wasn't it...

 

[Derideo_Te]

Furthermore I have never encountered any situation that can't be explained by logic, reason and natural events on this planet.

That must be because that is the way God designed the planet...and everything else...

Now we know they exist.

Because God gave us the tools to do it...nice of him wasn't it...

Who knew that God left the Kepler telescope floating around in orbit just waiting for us to stumble across it?

 

[beagle9]

So from an "understanding of god" POV mankind would still be very much in it's infancy compared to our lessons of natural law, compassion, etc.

Actually, I would agree that we are still young...but we seem to be far enough along that he doesn't have to keep intervening as directly as he used to...although I think he still does...

-the death of Stone Wall Jackson
-D-Day...

I think his hand can be seen in certain events...or not...

• 
  
• 
  
• 

Your images are not displaying.

As an atheist I don't expect God to intervene therefore I am never disappointed when he doesn't. Furthermore I have never encountered any situation that can't be explained by logic, reason and natural events on this planet.

We evolved to the point where we can not only question our existence but find the answers. 25 years ago we wondered if there were planets orbiting other stars. Now we know they exist.

Yet you can't explain where your loved ones spirit has went to when they die, nor do you care that they ever existed at all upon their death ? God is the hope for all things eternal, and in this hope we shall be reunited with those whom have gone on before us, and also with God himself. So you are never disappointed at the passing of a loved one in life, and it is that you figure that your life is worthless in this respect ? So you block these kinds of thinking's ? Just as you boast about the planets in which we now know exist in which we knew not before, so can't you have the same attitude about the after life in which you claim you know not of now ? When you pass are you prepared to still be naive about these things or are you truly an explorer like you should be when speaking about those planets and stars ? The after life is no different, so if you are going to keep an open mind, then be true to yourself and do so.. Maybe God is releasing only the info in which we can now understand, and this because he has given us the tools and technology in order to translate it all finally. To everything turns, turns, turns, there is a season turns, turns, turns, and a time for every purpose under Heaven. I think you just need to educate yourself better is all, instead of shutting a huge section of knowledge to be learned completely out, but then looking at the stars and planets with imagination and awe ?