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God: Do You Believe or Do You Know?

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Many say they believe in God. But there are others that say they know God or that they know God exists.

Do you believe in God or do you know God?

Where is the line drawn between belief in God's existence and knowledge of God's existence?



Note: While atheists are welcome to contribute to the thread, this will not devolve into a "prove it" thread. If you're looking to challenge a theist to prove God's existence, please take it elsewhere. "Prove it" type posts are subject to deletion on sight.
Well I know there is nothing that gives me any reason to believe in a God. Is that ok?
 

chinu

chinu
Many say they believe in God. But there are others that say they know God or that they know God exists.

Do you believe in God or do you know God?

Where is the line drawn between belief in God's existence and knowledge of God's existence?



Note: While atheists are welcome to contribute to the thread, this will not devolve into a "prove it" thread. If you're looking to challenge a theist to prove God's existence, please take it elsewhere. "Prove it" type posts are subject to deletion on sight.

It can take some time. but, nature arrange everything that one genuinely desires.

If one want:
  1. Believe in God -- then nature arrange religious-books, religious-friends etc. for that person.
  2. Non-believe in God -- then nature arrange nonreligious-books, nonreligious-friends etc. for that person.
  3. God -- then for sure nature arrange merge back God / re-union with God.
Important is what one desires, genuinely. :)
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
[1]Do you believe in God or do you know God?

[2]Where is the line drawn between belief in God's existence and knowledge of God's existence?

LOL - What am I trying to say? @metis can you help me out of the hole that I have created?
You know you're getting older when you forgot you dug a hole and then fell into it. :p

How I would answer the questions from my perspective is as follows:

[1]I believe "Something" exists, but just don't ask me what that "Something" is.

I base this not on clear-cut objective evidence but on personal-subjective experiences that I have not been able to explain in any objectively-rational way-- but they happened nevertheless over a period of two years. I've talked about this a few time here at RF, once in quite a bit of detail.

Because it is so subjective, I cannot and do not assume that others will experience or even believe I went through this because it even mystified me for the longest time.

[2]As an anthropologist, I tend to go in the direction that the evidence takes me, but we also are trained not to close the door on looking for more evidence, including if it were to go against our previous leanings. Therefore, with me, "knowledge" and "belief" are not far apart at all, just more a matter of degrees.

Maybe my "experiences" I've misdiagnosed? I don't believe I have, especially with what's happened since that seems to strongly indicate that this was all real.

In closing, I tend to believe this "Something" seems to relate to "love", but not just some sort of kissy-facey love but something that goes way beyond that in some sort of "mystical" way. It's been an emotional overload for me, needless to say.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
Many say they believe in God. But there are others that say they know God or that they know God exists.

Do you believe in God or do you know God?

Where is the line drawn between belief in God's existence and knowledge of God's existence?
...

I think I know God, because I know love.

He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
You know you're getting older when you forgot you dug a hole and then fell into it. :p

How I would answer the questions from my perspective is as follows:

[1]I believe "Something" exists, but just don't ask me what that "Something" is.

I base this not on clear-cut objective evidence but on personal-subjective experiences that I have not been able to explain in any objectively-rational way-- but they happened nevertheless over a period of two years. I've talked about this a few time here at RF, once in quite a bit of detail.

Because it is so subjective, I cannot and do not assume that others will experience or even believe I went through this because it even mystified me for the longest time.

[2]As an anthropologist, I tend to go in the direction that the evidence takes me, but we also are trained not to close the door on looking for more evidence, including if it were to go against our previous leanings. Therefore, with me, "knowledge" and "belief" are not far apart at all, just more a matter of degrees.

Maybe my "experiences" I've misdiagnosed? I don't believe I have, especially with what's happened since that seems to strongly indicate that this was all real.

In closing, I tend to believe this "Something" seems to relate to "love", but not just some sort of kissy-facey love but something that goes way beyond that in some sort of "mystical" way. It's been an emotional overload for me, needless to say.

As always, an in-depth thought provoking answer!
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
As always, an in-depth thought provoking answer!
Thanks, but my wife would soundly disagree with you. :(

She's making our dinner right now, so I'm not going to mention what you said, OK? My wife is a Siciliana, and our son is a cement contractor, and she gave him my shoe size. I would seek refuge in the Department of Homeland Security but the Donald runs that right now, so I can't get a break anywhere! :emojconfused:
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
I firmly believe there is no God. And if there is a God, he ain't nice.
I feel sad for you, :( but I can empathize with you, because I used to feel this way about God, for over 10 years. :mad:

Having been a Baha'i for 50 years, it is only fairly recently that I have started to realize that God is not deliberately causing my suffering or the suffering of other people. For me to arrive at this conclusion took a lot of work on my part. Now, I am still not all cozy wozy with God but at least I do not believe He is mean and cruel, so that is a step in the right direction. In my head, I know God is loving and merciful because of what the NT and the Writings of Baha'u'llah say, but my heart still holds back. However, I have noticed that when I give God a chance, He sometimes comes through. That makes me believe that Baha'u'llah was right, that we need to open our heart to God before we feel God's love, because God never barges in...

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.

6: O SON OF BEING! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion.

9: O SON OF BEING! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish.

10: O SON OF UTTERANCE! Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee.


The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Thanks, but my wife would soundly disagree with you. :(

She's making our dinner right now, so I'm not going to mention what you said, OK? My wife is a Siciliana, and our son is a cement contractor, and she gave him my shoe size. I would seek refuge in the Department of Homeland Security but the Donald runs that right now, so I can't get a break anywhere! :emojconfused:
My wife and I (especially I) had a non-stop 60 second belly laugh.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

Have a great night,
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Do you believe in God or do you know God?

Both

Where is the line drawn between belief in God's existence and knowledge of God's existence?

Belief has a foundation in knowledge. However belief can also open the door to knowledge. Have you ever heard a born again Christian tell you he’s seen the light? Maybe he has.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
If there is a god it must be sitting back and laughing at all the wars, genocide, confusion, fake prophets, fake religions, hate that religion has caused because it can't be bothered to get a single message across to the majority. Or maybe as some argue it is because it wants the present situation.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
If there is a god it must be sitting back and laughing at all the wars, genocide, confusion, fake prophets, fake religions, hate that religion has caused because it can't be bothered to get a single message across to the majority. Or maybe as some argue it is because it wants the present situation.

What does this have to do with the OP or the topic in general?
 

PearlSeeker

Well-Known Member
barclay-aye-best-mono.jpg

Is this the same question?
 

DKH

Member
Do you believe in God or do you know God?
This is an excellent litmus test to determine one's status with God. Thus, I know God exists…Where, I support many informative statements from the bible and these seems to fit this topic plainly: For many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14) and Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). We can have all the book knowledge that religion gives us and the interpretations from others, but this means nothing (except to our egos), unless God has truly chosen us and written His laws and ways into our minds.

So, by stating that one believes that God exists, they seem to be implying that there is a possibility that such a belief could change. I myself have been caught-up in this type of trap, but it related to the bible and not God. Yet, the best example are those who once claimed to believe-in God, but today claim otherwise.

Note: Even though I have used bible verses for support, this posting is my personal opinion and should only be understood in that context.







 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
This is an excellent litmus test to determine one's status with God. Thus, I know God exists…
I also know God exists, although the atheists get all over me for saying that because they say nobody can know that, they can only believe it. Not so.....;)

Mark 11:23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

Matthew 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.

Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

Matthew 8:26 He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

Matthew 17:20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Note: Even though I have used bible verses for support, this posting is my personal opinion and should only be understood in that context.
 
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DKH

Member
I also know God exists, although the atheists get all over me for saying that because they say nobody can know that, they can only believe it. Not so.....;)
IMO, I wouldn't worry to much about certain anti-God groups. They know not what they do, nor do they understand the path they are on. We can only ask God to forgive them...Thanks for your input.
 
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