Does god care if some decide not to believe in him?

[Cacotopia]

Do all parents make their children follow the family business or are some if not most allowed or even encouraged to find their own way?

If god is the father, some of his children say he wants all of his children to follow and get in the family business. Only in the father's...journal, it says his children are incapable of knowing what their own father thinks or operates. Can the children who have decided to follow the family business truly say that all the kids have to be put into the family business without a doubt?

They also say that the father is an understanding and merciful manager of the family business, it seems to me that this benevolent and merciful GM wouldn't mind if a few 100 million, out of a few billion employees, decide not to join his corporation. and instead find purpose elsewhere. Would the other managers in this conglomerate of corporations really care if a few decided to make work not in peddling of belief? I doubt it.

I think that these managers are chilling with their cloudy feet on their desk, while their employees are running around thinking they know the business plan of their unknowable manager. But the managers at the top of the building aren't concerned with the scheming and plotting of his employees, because their lofty office lies outside of space time and existence.

 

[WalterTrull]

There are so many views of God, it seems impossible to comment on this type of thread. I guess I'm starting to understand why there are DIRs.

 

[Father Heathen]

It never made sense to me that such a being would have such a fragile ego and be so emotionally weak.

 

[Quintessence]

Interesting metaphor. Not sure how I would apply it within my own theistic religion, since the metaphor seems to have some sort of classical monotheism in mind (aka, singular father figure or manager). To try and translate this into a polytheistic context, the metaphor would involve multiple managers who all have different expectations (or lack expectations entirely). With that framework, one realizes pretty quickly that it's impossible to satisfy the expectations of every manager. So you pick the managers you want to work with that best reflect who you are and what you want to do.

 

[Cacotopia]

Well I am sure in polytheistic systems there is floor of managers, and chief managers of those managers. now one may not be the head honcho but the work per se has been divided amongst them, a manager for the sea, for war, for commerce, for farming, for the harvest, the etc etc you get the picture. Now you could try to appease all of thee managers, or just ignore them and decide to not be part of the corporation, And there are several corporation that one could choose to be employed at, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism. and so on, or you could decide to be what I like to call, a free agent. Having reserved to make a choice on which company to work for, and go into self employment.

 

[InChrist]

Do all parents make their children follow the family business or are some if not most allowed or even encouraged to find their own way?

If god is the father, some of his children say he wants all of his children to follow and get in the family business. Only in the father's...journal, it says his children are incapable of knowing what their own father thinks or operates. Can the children who have decided to follow the family business truly say that all the kids have to be put into the family business without a doubt?

They also say that the father is an understanding and merciful manager of the family business, it seems to me that this benevolent and merciful GM wouldn't mind if a few 100 million, out of a few billion employees, decide not to join his corporation. and instead find purpose elsewhere. Would the other managers in this conglomerate of corporations really care if a few decided to make work not in peddling of belief? I doubt it.

I think that these managers are chilling with their cloudy feet on their desk, while their employees are running around thinking they know the business plan of their unknowable manager. But the managers at the top of the building aren't concerned with the scheming and plotting of his employees, because their lofty office lies outside of space time and existence.

I don't think your analogy quite applies to God, the Creator. Believing in God is not the same as choosing to become part of a business, but rather accepting life and existence itself. In God is life, we live, move, and have our being ...

God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being...(Acts 17:24-28)

God has designed humans to exist relationship with Himself...this is life, eternal LIFE.

 

[Sleeppy]

If God is Supreme, everything is not only foreknown, but intended.

 

[osgart]

God dont take rejection, and He dont take anything contrary, and God dont take MasterCard either.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Do all parents make their children follow the family business or are some if not most allowed or even encouraged to find their own way?
If god is the father, some of his children say he wants all of his children to follow and get in the family business. Only in the father's...journal, it says his children are incapable of knowing what their own father thinks or operates. Can the children who have decided to follow the family business truly say that all the kids have to be put into the family business without a doubt?
They also say that the father is an understanding and merciful manager of the family business, it seems to me that this benevolent and merciful GM wouldn't mind if a few 100 million, out of a few billion employees, decide not to join his corporation. and instead find purpose elsewhere. Would the other managers in this conglomerate of corporations really care if a few decided to make work not in peddling of belief? I doubt it.
I think that these managers are chilling with their cloudy feet on their desk, while their employees are running around thinking they know the business plan of their unknowable manager. But the managers at the top of the building aren't concerned with the scheming and plotting of his employees, because their lofty office lies outside of space time and existence.

I find the ' family business ' found in the Bible is ' creation ' with God being the Creator as per Revelation 4:11.
If God were to hang out a business shingle it would only read " Father & Son, Inc. "
God as Creator was Not taking anyone else into the ' family ' business.
But as Creator and Life Giver (Father) and Benevolent Benefactor, then God requires the operation of Love.
Or, as found in Jesus' New commandment found at John 13:34-35 that we are to have the same self-sacrificing love for others as he has. In other words, instead of the Golden Rule to love others as self, we are now to love others 'more' than self.

Since we all have the freedom to act responsibly toward God's love for others, then it is justice that the wicked be destroyed forever as per Psalms 92:7 because if left unchecked the wicked would destroy the righteous ones.
Earth was created so that humble meek people will inherit the Earth as per Matthew 5:5; Psalms 37:9-11.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

If God is Supreme, everything is not only foreknown, but intended.

I find what is 'known' is that humble meek people will inherit the Earth as Jesus promised.
What is 'unknown' is who will end up inheriting the Earth.
We are all given the freedom of two (2) choices as found at 2 Peter 3:9.
We can choose to repent, or we will perish ( be destroyed ).
The wicked will be destroyed forever - Psalms 92:7.

 

[Sleeppy]

I find what is 'known' is that humble meek people will inherit the Earth as Jesus promised.
What is 'unknown' is who will end up inheriting the Earth.
We are all given the freedom of two (2) choices as found at 2 Peter 3:9.
We can choose to repent, or we will perish ( be destroyed ).
The wicked will be destroyed forever - Psalms 92:7.

1) Elijah was reborn as a sign for you. Are you able to understand it?

2) Wickedness is continually destroyed, to the age, as there is a resurrection of shame and contempt, to the age.

 

[Cacotopia]

Define wickedness.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

1) Elijah was reborn as a sign for you. Are you able to understand it?
2) Wickedness is continually destroyed, to the age, as there is a resurrection of shame and contempt, to the age.

Sure the 'un-righteous' of Acts of the Apostles 24:15 can have a resurrection of shame and contempt, but what they do ' after ' they are resurrected is what will stand.

I find at Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 there is a final judgement before Jesus begins his 1,000-year age rule over Earth.
The 'living' (Not the dead) will experience that ' time of separation ' taking place on Earth.
Those judged as righteous can remain alive on Earth, and continue to live on Earth right into the start of the age of the calendar Day One of Jesus' millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

As for the wicked ( Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16) the executional words from Jesus' mouth will rid the earth of the wicked, and as Psalms 92:7 says the wicked will be destroyed forever. However, the un-righteous have the opportunity to repent and gain everlasting life on Earth as originally offered to Adam before his downfall.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Define wickedness.

In Scripture I find God has standards, so one can reach the point of going against God's standards to the point of being beyond reform, beyond repentance.

Jesus spoke of worthless fruit at Matthew 7:17-18. Meaning something that is hurtful, or as Revelation 16:2 speaks of being painfully hurtful or even worse. Those who are void of righteous principles in morality or behavior.

The haughty figurative ' goats ' alive on Earth at the soon coming 'time of separation' of Matthew 25:31-33 will be judged by Jesus as Not worthy of gaining everlasting life.

 

[Sleeppy]

Sure the 'un-righteous' of Acts of the Apostles 24:15 can have a resurrection of shame and contempt, but what they do ' after ' they are resurrected is what will stand.

I find at Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 there is a final judgement before Jesus begins his 1,000-year age rule over Earth.
The 'living' (Not the dead) will experience that ' time of separation ' taking place on Earth.
Those judged as righteous can remain alive on Earth, and continue to live on Earth right into the start of the age of the calendar Day One of Jesus' millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

As for the wicked ( Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16) the executional words from Jesus' mouth will rid the earth of the wicked, and as Psalms 92:7 says the wicked will be destroyed forever. However, the un-righteous have the opportunity to repent and gain everlasting life on Earth as originally offered to Adam before his downfall.

If you are unable to comprehend the signs in the heavens and in the Earth, you are given over to self-righteousness.

What incentives are there for walking upright, instead of on all fours? Do you understand that a baby, not yet a year old, will often see the signs presented? And yet, that child will not walk upright, until it has been appointed? The bones are formed, put in place and strengthened along with the muscles? The nerves attached to the muscles begin acting according to the information contained in the DNA? The nerves communicate external influences to the brain's nerves, and the brain responds according to that same DNA's instructions for the formulation of the brain?

Repentance is not some thing you have glory in. If you are able, return glory to God. The Son of Man is required to ingest and digest the knowledge of good, with the knowledge of evil. And like Jesus, all living things grow in wisdom, according to the signs presented to them in the Earth. Return glory to God.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Ephesians 1:12 ......serve for the praise of his glory.

 

[Trailblazer]

It never made sense to me that such a being would have such a fragile ego and be so emotionally weak.

That is because God isn't those things. God is All-Powerful and All-Knowing and All-Wise.
Of course, many people do not know that because they just make up images about god in their own head rather than consulting scriptures.

 

[Trailblazer]

God dont take rejection, and He dont take anything contrary, and God dont take MasterCard either.

God does not care what anyone thinks of Him either because He is God, so nobody can hurt Him.

 

[InChrist]

God does not care what anyone thinks of Him either because He is God, so nobody can hurt Him.

I agree that no one can really hurt God because God is complete and Self-sufficient and existent, but I think because God is Love He desires people to respond to His love and it saddens Him to see people reject His great love and lose out on all the good He offers....O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

 

[Trailblazer]

I agree that no one can really hurt God because God is complete and Self-sufficient and existent, but I think because God is Love He desires people to respond to His love and it saddens Him to see people reject His great love and lose out on all the good He offers....O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

Yes, that is true. God created us out of Love so God wants us to Love Him because God knows that is for our own benefit. But it has to be a free choice. God will never force His Love upon anyone.

3: O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.

4: O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.

5: O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.
The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 4