• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Why does God(s) test some more than others...?

Bird123

Well-Known Member
This is obviously meant more for religious people that believe that God(s) tests us, but anyone can answer if they please.

It's not uncommon to hear that God(s) tests us in different ways, whether that is through faith or some other means, like diseases, hunger, war and so forth.

So according to you, why do you think that God(s) would choose to test people differently? Some are born into wealthy families where they don't really have to concern themselves with making it through the day or healthcare and so forth, while others might be born into a poor country with war and hunger.

If the soul/spirit enters the body sometimes during impregnation depending on what people believe, are those souls/spirits linked to those people as a punishment or doesn't God(s) have anything to do with, which soul/spirit get assigned to which body and it is basically a huge divine lottery or why would a soul choose to be assigned to a life of suffering, and if it doesn't have a choice is it just randomly selected/created and again just unlucky? And if God(s) have nothing to do with it, then how is it really a test, when the playing rules are completely different from soul to soul?

Anyone thought about how this is suppose to work? Would be very interested in hearing different views of what people believe in regards to this in relationship to whatever God(s) they believe in.


God does not punish. God teaches. In a multilevel classroom with so many different levels of understanding and views, each must get their own personal test. On the other hand, each will choose what lessons they want to learn through those choices. Our choices and actions show God and the world what we know, understand and what we need to learn. It's always been in our own little hands.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
This is obviously meant more for religious people that believe that God(s) tests us, but anyone can answer if they please.

It's not uncommon to hear that God(s) tests us in different ways, whether that is through faith or some other means, like diseases, hunger, war and so forth.

So according to you, why do you think that God(s) would choose to test people differently? Some are born into wealthy families where they don't really have to concern themselves with making it through the day or healthcare and so forth, while others might be born into a poor country with war and hunger.

If the soul/spirit enters the body sometimes during impregnation depending on what people believe, are those souls/spirits linked to those people as a punishment or doesn't God(s) have anything to do with, which soul/spirit get assigned to which body and it is basically a huge divine lottery or why would a soul choose to be assigned to a life of suffering, and if it doesn't have a choice is it just randomly selected/created and again just unlucky? And if God(s) have nothing to do with it, then how is it really a test, when the playing rules are completely different from soul to soul?

Anyone thought about how this is suppose to work? Would be very interested in hearing different views of what people believe in regards to this in relationship to whatever God(s) they believe in.

These quotes from my faith may be helpful.

Tests are benefits from God, for which we should thank Him. Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting. – Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 50.

The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. – Ibid., p. 178.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
God does not punish. God teaches. In a multilevel classroom with so many different levels of understanding and views, each must get their own personal test. On the other hand, each will choose what lessons they want to learn through those choices. Our choices and actions show God and the world what we know, understand and what we need to learn. It's always been in our own little hands.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

What a wonderful insightful answer. Love it.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
What determines how we perceive our place here? Are we just an accident of evolution, or were we purposely put here? If we are an accident then there is no purpose for our existence....but if we were put here by God, then we owe him our existence and are beholding to him and whatever rules he deems to be necessary.
But whether God put us here or not doesn't give us purpose and it offers no explanation either. The questions remain the same, regardless of whether we came along through some unknown material means or whether God created us.

If we go with the idea that God did in fact create us, what purpose does that bring to our existence? God haven't explained this purpose, except that he thought it was good.

Being saved in this current life to then be resurrected on a new Earth, is neither an explanation or something purposeful in regards to our existence.

If whatever purpose befalls us are revealed at this new Earth, then clearly our current life, must either be to prepare us for it or absolutely meaningless. But given the fact that we do not know the purpose with any of this, our current lives is probably best compared to that of a child in daycare, showing up to shovel sand around in a sandbox.

Does God leave us to figure it out for ourselves? I don’t believe so. According to the Bible, we are either the kind of citizen that God is looking for to inhabit his earth....or we are not.
Again how does that explain the purpose? Besides humans being there for the pleasure of God? Making us more like pets like that of a cat, rather than intelligent and free willed people.

God is choosing us as much as we think we are choosing him.
No, not even close. Again a pet when we adopt it as a young, doesn't choose us. We choose it and feed and take care of it and is there mostly for our pleasure. Some people will obviously save animals due to other more global goals, like diversity in nature and for the good of the planet. But for the most part when talking pets they are there for our pleasure.

God created humans because he wanted to, and again the best explanation we have for it, is that he thought it was good. We didn't choose anything and we were not given an explanation for it either.

In any organization there has to be hierarchy or there is anarchy. Rank and order are seen in all successful human corporations. Every level has their assigned role and they follow the orders of a superior, but all answer to the CEO, or they will lose their job. We have no difficulty understanding that order, or the reasons for termination of employment, so why do we balk at God being the CEO of his own creation?
Because in an organization you have a saying, you apply to be part of it and when doing so you agree to certain rules. If you are not happy with the terms you can leave or choose not to apply in the first place.

When it comes to life, we were not given a choice, we were born into the "organization" with rules forced upon us to follow. And if we do not agree with management, in a lot of cases the penalty will be death. So there is a huge different here.

There is no arguing with our Sovereign. The clay does not get to dictate to the potter.....like it or not, we have full control over our own thinking and actions, and will be judged accordingly.

Like I said....even though he has reasons to forgive his servants, God does not have a “Complaints Department”.
He gets to complain about us, not he other way around.
That is correct, but everything you say here, is what you would expect a slave to say, rather than someone arguing for why choosing to work with someone is the best option, because it makes the most sense and give you the best quality of life.

So it makes little sense, to then say that "God is choosing us as much as we think we are choosing him." none of that exists in this arrangement, you either do or you get punished.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
God does not punish. God teaches. In a multilevel classroom with so many different levels of understanding and views, each must get their own personal test. On the other hand, each will choose what lessons they want to learn through those choices. Our choices and actions show God and the world what we know, understand and what we need to learn. It's always been in our own little hands.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
How do you teach someone to not be a homosexsual, to just take a very easy example? And if they choose to share their love with a partner, they are "taught" that they ought to be killed for it and that it is their own fault?

To me that is neither the wisdom of a teacher or a purposeful lesson to be taught anyone. It is a punishment for doing something, that God doesn't like.
 

Bird123

Well-Known Member
How do you teach someone to not be a homosexsual, to just take a very easy example? And if they choose to share their love with a partner, they are "taught" that they ought to be killed for it and that it is their own fault?

To me that is neither the wisdom of a teacher or a purposeful lesson to be taught anyone. It is a punishment for doing something, that God doesn't like.

Diversity is an important part of God's system. Is it wrong to Love? Is it right to Hate due to Diversity?
Are you sure there are not lessons to be learned here?

Our actions and choices return not as punishment, but to teach us what our actions really mean. We are Living our Lessons. When one Understands all sides, Intelligence will make the Best Choices.

God is Unconditional Love. There is nothing anyone could do to make God angry or hate. On the other hand, people can choose some hard lessons for themselves. Regardless, everyone will learn and grow, then reach that Higher Level. After all, there is no time limit on learning.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Diversity is an important part of God's system. Is it wrong to Love? Is it right to Hate due to Diversity?
Are you sure there are not lessons to be learned here?

Our actions and choices return not as punishment, but to teach us what our actions really mean. We are Living our Lessons. When one Understands all sides, Intelligence will make the Best Choices.

God is Unconditional Love. There is nothing anyone could do to make God angry or hate. On the other hand, people can choose some hard lessons for themselves. Regardless, everyone will learn and grow, then reach that Higher Level. After all, there is no time limit on learning.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
I get the wishful thinking or thoughts that goes into this or what to call it. But what I don't get is how you make it fit what the bible tells us?

If this is God's way to teach people, then what does homosexsuals enjoying each others company teach them in regards of lesson? As far as I can see, they cause no harm to each other or anyone else, im yet to hear an explanation for why ordinary people (NOT God) would agree with him in why this is wrong?

How are these people of such sexsual orientation getting out on the other side, thinking "Yes, I really learn a lesson here." What exactly do you think they learn from it?

You say that, "There is nothing anyone could do to make God angry or hate" then why do God order the killing of people throughout the whole bible? Why is it that not all wrongdoing are punished equally or not at all, if none of it bothers God?

As I said, i understand the reasoning for why people say God is this and that as believers, but rarely do these seems to relate to the bible and what is written in it. If God is unconditional love, explaining these things ought to be easy for anyone when asked these questions, I think.

Assuming there is no God and I asked a simple question, like:

"Would it be morally right to punish people with death, due to their sexual orientation, if them acting on it, causes no harm to themself, other people or animals?"

A question like this should be easy to answer assuming that God does not exist, yet why is it not easily answered, when we assume he does?

If God is unconditional love, then why would he consider it morally wrong and that it ought to be punished by death?
 

Bird123

Well-Known Member
I get the wishful thinking or thoughts that goes into this or what to call it. But what I don't get is how you make it fit what the bible tells us?

If this is God's way to teach people, then what does homosexsuals enjoying each others company teach them in regards of lesson? As far as I can see, they cause no harm to each other or anyone else, im yet to hear an explanation for why ordinary people (NOT God) would agree with him in why this is wrong?

How are these people of such sexsual orientation getting out on the other side, thinking "Yes, I really learn a lesson here." What exactly do you think they learn from it?

You say that, "There is nothing anyone could do to make God angry or hate" then why do God order the killing of people throughout the whole bible? Why is it that not all wrongdoing are punished equally or not at all, if none of it bothers God?

As I said, i understand the reasoning for why people say God is this and that as believers, but rarely do these seems to relate to the bible and what is written in it. If God is unconditional love, explaining these things ought to be easy for anyone when asked these questions, I think.

Assuming there is no God and I asked a simple question, like:

"Would it be morally right to punish people with death, due to their sexual orientation, if them acting on it, causes no harm to themself, other people or animals?"

A question like this should be easy to answer assuming that God does not exist, yet why is it not easily answered, when we assume he does?

If God is unconditional love, then why would he consider it morally wrong and that it ought to be punished by death?


The answer is so easy. It stares you in the face. The Bible is a creation of Mankind. That is who it reflects. It is not God. Your first clue to this is that so much of it simply does not add up.

Everything about God Does add up.

I have found no religion that really Understands God at all. On the other hand, they all seem to have bits within them. The Bible, for example, has many good things about Love. On the other hand, the Bible reflects mankind when it values so many of the petty things mankind holds so dear.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
Hindus largely do not believe God tests us. He has no reason to.

I believe God would like to see people display some faith: John 6:5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do
 
Top