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Does God Love the Atheist?
- Thread starter Nakosis
- Start date
Depends on how good the atheist's God Jokes are.
Everyone loves a sense of humor.
Everyone loves a sense of humor.
Of course.
As the Book of Wisdom, an ancient Alexandrian Jewish text in the canon of the Catholic and Orthodox Old Testament, informs us:
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate.
How could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O Ruler and Lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
(Wisdom 11:24-26, 12:1)
and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate.
How could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O Ruler and Lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
(Wisdom 11:24-26, 12:1)
God's love (or more accurately God's 'being', because God is love according to the NT), is not circumscribed or limited and nor is it 'differentiating' based upon the response / merits of the individual recipient.
Jesus made this inarguably clear in his Sermon on the Mount:
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?" (Matthew 5:44-45)
This is universal, unlimited, non-discriminating love: just like the sun shining down on all people, willing the good of everyone. So for anyone who follows Christ, the answer to your question should be self-evident.
I'm also reminded of something Pope Francis said in his latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, in relation to atheists:
Fratelli tutti (3 October 2020) | Francis
281. A journey of peace is possible between religions. Its point of departure must be God’s way of seeing things. “God does not see with his eyes, God sees with his heart. And God’s love is the same for everyone, regardless of religion. Even if they are atheists, his love is the same. When the last day comes, and there is sufficient light to see things as they really are, we are going to find ourselves quite surprised”.[278]
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
Is it good/useful/reasonable to deny G-d, the Merciful? If not, then why not to accept Him. Right, please?
Regards
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Christian god?
Yes and no.
It says he does but the clause is that you'd have to believe in him for you to reap the benefits of that love.
So, the love is only unconditional and considered love when one follows god (and have to believe he exists in order to do so). Love isn't conditional. So, personally, I'd say no. Biblically, he does to a point.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
I don't think god would fault people for thinking critically and disbelieving on rational grounds. If anything I imagine he would favor them over those who would project upon him and presume to represent him and to speak upon his behalf.
I find the notion than an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent being would need worship and attention and would be petty and vindictive for not receiving it to be rather silly.
I find the notion than an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent being would need worship and attention and would be petty and vindictive for not receiving it to be rather silly.
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God understands why I don't think he exists. Beyond that, I can't really comment.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
You'd have to believe he exists in order to accept him. Many children don't accept their parents, which is unfortunate. However, we would never say that they didn't accept their parents if that child has not seen the parent in order to know whether to accept them or not. The same logic is with god. Children who have not met their parents cannot deny they exist.
Let's see. Many atheists spend a lot of time reading various scriptures in order to debunk them. They think of God quite a bit and what God would do if He actually existed. These atheists could even be said to meditate on God's non-existence. They often think of God more than the one who says he believes but only does superficially.
What does scripture have to say? The Bible is pretty clear who God has a problem with: What Does the Bible Say About Hypocrisy? assuming you believe in the Bible, of course.
That's not my personal view which is that God's love is not affected by His children's misdeeds although there are consequences to actions.
What does scripture have to say? The Bible is pretty clear who God has a problem with: What Does the Bible Say About Hypocrisy? assuming you believe in the Bible, of course.
That's not my personal view which is that God's love is not affected by His children's misdeeds although there are consequences to actions.
I don't think God loves anyone who God makes a fool out of, religious or non-religious, I think God is making fun of lots of people, and its just nasty seeming. There is no way that sort of treatment would qualify as "love" by any sane standard, that the people are being made into fools.
Yes!!
However, there is a difference between not believing in and rejecting God. Though God may love the person who outright rejects Him, there is a place where He says, "OK, I will yield and accept your decision. You can live the totality of your life without me".
Then what happens?
They live without him. On this earth the don't experience the life that God wanted for them and the hereafter, it is wherever He is not.
I don't know about the reasoning behind rejection. Perhaps it is rejection of specific gods or concepts thereof. I know a number of people have issues with the morals displayed by the God of the Bible.
For me, God simply does not exist except that I allow my subconscious mind to create a God for me. I know my mind can do this. I don't know how to get around the knowledge that my subconscious mind is able to support my beliefs, my desire for a God, whatever they happen to be.
SeekerOnThePath
On a mountain between Nietzsche and Islam
Does the Atheist love God?
I suspect you can't love what you have no knowledge of. Love requires knowledge/ a common reality IMO.
Where is where God is not? Are the people immortal so they get to live forever but without God?
Which god would that be?