Would/Should God communicate directly to everyone in the world?

[Ouroboros]

No, it is humans who are lazy. They want a direct message from God so they won't have to go looking for God's messages.

That's contradictory. If they're looking for the message from God, they obviously want to get the message from God.

When I was Christian, I always worked hard and tried to communicate with God. That is the deepest desire of a true believer in God, to commune with God directly. What you're suggesting is contrary to what I believe is the greatest desire in a person who is searching for God, and that is to find God and talk with God directly.

Basically, you're suggesting that a person who wants to learn about God doesn't want to learn about God, and a person who wants to connect with God doesn't want to connect with God.

 

[Earthtank]

If God exists and God is omnipotent, hypothetically speaking God could communicate directly to everyone rather than communicating through Messengers/Prophets. By everyone I mean every one of the 7.53 billion people in the world.

1. Do you think God (if God exists) would communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that God would do this, please explain why you think so.
• If you think that God would not do this, please explain why you think so.

2. Do you think it is *reasonable* to expect God (if God exists) to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that is a reasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.
• If you think it is an unreasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.

3. Do you think that *rational people* would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think rational people would expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.
• If you think rational people would not expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.

God already has communicated with everyone, people just don't want to listen.

 

[Etritonakin]

If God exists and God is omnipotent, hypothetically speaking God could communicate directly to everyone rather than communicating through Messengers/Prophets. By everyone I mean every one of the 7.53 billion people in the world.

1. Do you think God (if God exists) would communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that God would do this, please explain why you think so.
• If you think that God would not do this, please explain why you think so.

2. Do you think it is *reasonable* to expect God (if God exists) to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that is a reasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.
• If you think it is an unreasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.

3. Do you think that *rational people* would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think rational people would expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.
• If you think rational people would not expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.

Just like anyone else, it is not wise to communicate with certain people at certain times -there is just no point. God being God, however -and having a plan for us all, he will communicate with everyone more directly at times.
Technically, everything is communication from/interaction with God in some form -but it will eventually get more "personal" for everyone.
The main reason given in scripture in various places for a general lack of direct communication at this time is so we can gain an experience base from which to understand what God is saying -that it is the truth -that he is who he says he is -that we need to listen, etc.
He gave instruction, worked directly with people, etc., etc. -but beings were new and would not listen -they wanted to go the way they thought best. He allows it -knowing they will think otherwise later.

 

[Ouroboros]

God already has communicated with everyone, people just don't want to listen.

Exactly. If there is a God/gods, he/she/it/they already is either being silent and communicate with no one, or is communicating equally with everyone and it's up to each and every person to listen.

 

[Howard Is]

God has no obligations to anyone because God is not answerable to anyone.

That’s why he’s a narcissistic spoiled brat of a deity.

As above so below ?

 

[viole]

But rational people do believe in divinely appointed middlemen.

Sure. And they are divinely appointed because they say so, right?

Ciao

- viole

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

God already has communicated with everyone, people just don't want to listen.

100% false. I know of quite a few people (myself included) who prove your claim-- 100% false

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Just like anyone else, it is not wise to communicate with certain people at certain times -there is just no point. God being God, however -and having a plan for us all, he will communicate with everyone more directly at times.
Technically, everything is communication from/interaction with God in some form -but it will eventually get more "personal" for everyone.
The main reason given in scripture in various places for a general lack of direct communication at this time is so we can gain an experience base from which to understand what God is saying -that it is the truth -that he is who he says he is -that we need to listen, etc.
He gave instruction, worked directly with people, etc., etc. -but beings were new and would not listen -they wanted to go the way they thought best. He allows it -knowing they will think otherwise later.

False. I am proof your claim, above is 100% false. I also know of quite a number of folk, who also prove your claim, above, is 100% false.

 

[Earthtank]

100% false. I know of quite a few people (myself included) who prove your claim-- 100% false

Actually, all you have done is confirm that you simply don't want to listen. Thanks for confirming what i have said.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Actually, all you have done is confirm that you simply don't want to listen. Thanks for confirming what i have said.

Lie. Why is it? You theists LIE about what other people did and think?

WHY IS THAT?

And your abusive comment is hereby reported AS abuse.

 

[Earthtank]

Abusive comment?

 

[Cloverfield]

If God exists and God is omnipotent, hypothetically speaking God could communicate directly to everyone rather than communicating through Messengers/Prophets. By everyone I mean every one of the 7.53 billion people in the world.

1. Do you think God (if God exists) would communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that God would do this, please explain why you think so.
• If you think that God would not do this, please explain why you think so.

2. Do you think it is *reasonable* to expect God (if God exists) to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think that is a reasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.
• If you think it is an unreasonable expectation, please explain why you think so.

3. Do you think that *rational people* would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?

• If you think rational people would expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.
• If you think rational people would not expect God to do that, please explain why you think so.

Perhaps God does communicate with everyone but not everyone understands God. People who claim to talk to God are often considered crazies but is there a truth in that those people calling the crazy just don't understand themselves the nature of God. Perhaps God sees things others don't like a mind game lost in three dimensions of four trying to escape I try to help them as their words and tears woe I hear . But then against all odds they make me laugh and make me cry but only God knows this as only God understands what I'm on about in my words of Gods thoughts and commands of what God wants .

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Perhaps God does communicate with everyone but not everyone understands God..

Yet another thing that the "all powerful" and "all knowing" being cannot do, and apparently, is too dimwitted to know how to correct.

Imagine that?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Some atheists think they are on the same level as God so God can and should talk to them like a human would talk to a human. Why does God owe them a private conversation?

Why does God owe them a messenger?

It's not a matter of "owing." It's a matter of a religion being consistent with itself: if a religion - or a person - claims that God exists and has a message for all of humanity, then if they also suggest that the way God communicates to humanity would be generally ineffective, then there's a hole in their story.

They are so arrogant and deluded. They have no conception of God, so they make up an imaginary god.

Are there any gods that aren't imaginary?

They have no idea that they could never understand communication from God because God is so far above their level of comprehension. And when I tell them that they say I am making excuses. Excuses for what? How could an All-Powerful God who is All-Knowing and All-Wise need any excuses for what He chooses to do? They think they can order an Omnipotent God around like a short order cook. Their total lack of logical abilities is so comical yet very sad.

No, here's the situation:

- you're making wild claims
- people see problems with the claims you're making
- YOU - not God - are being asked to justify what you're saying

 

[Trailblazer]

My answer is depend on whether or not if God wants to communicate directly to everyone. I'll separate the hypothetical question in 2 scenarios and answer your question.

Q: (If God exists and if he wants to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think God would communicate directly to everyone?
A: Yes. I think God would communicate directly to everyone, because God wants to communicate directly to everyone.

Q: (If God exists and if he doesn't want to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think God would communicate directly to everyone?
A: No. I think God wouldn't communicate directly to everyone, because God don't want to communicate directly to everyone.

So what you are basing your answer upon are what God would want to do. God would only communicate to everyone if God wanted to but God would not communicate to everyone if God did not want to. That sounds reasonable since God is the one who is doing the communicating so God should choose the method. Also, if God is Omnipotent humans have nothing to say about what God chooses to do and if God is Omniscient God has to know the best way to communicate to humans, so if that way was direct communication to everyone, God would have chosen that method.

My answer is depend on whether or not it's a duty or commitment for God to communicate directly to everyone. I'll separate the hypothetical question in 2 scenarios and answer your question.

Q: (If God exists and if it's a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think it is reasonable to expect God to communicate directly to everyone?
A: Yes. I think it is reasonable to expect God to communicate directly to everyone, because it's a duty for God to do so.

Q: (If God exists and if it's not a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think it is reasonable to expect God to communicate directly to everyone?
A: No. I think it is not reasonable to expect God to communicate directly to everyone, because it's not a duty for God to do so.

So you are saying that it would only be reasonable for God to communicate directly to everyone if it was a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone.

So my question to you is if you think it would be a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone? If so why, and if not why not?

My answer is depend on whether or not it's a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone. I'll separate the hypothetical question in 2 scenarios and answer your question.

Q: (If God exists and if it's a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think that rational people would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?
A: Yes. I think that rational people would expect God to communicate directly to everyone, because it's a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone.

Q: (If God exists and if it's not a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone) Do you think that rational people would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?
A: No. I think that rational people wouldn't expect God to communicate directly to everyone, because it's not a duty for God to communicate directly to everyone.

So you are saying that rational people would only expect God to communicate directly to everyone if it was God’s duty to communicate directly to everyone.

So my first question to you is who determines what God’s duties are, God or humans?

My second questions are as follows: If you think it is God’s duty, why would God have such a duty? If you do not think it is God’s duty, why don’t you think it would be God’s duty?

Currently, no any self-acclaimed-omnipotent God has communicate directly to everyone, it may because:
(i) God don't want to do so.
(ii) God have done so, but many people are spiritually blind and can't see/hear God?
(iii) Those Gods don't exist.

I agree that these are the three logical possibilities. It is not a logical possibility that (iv) If God exists God would communicate directly to everyone, because God has never communicated directly to everyone. I suppose that an omnipotent could suddenly have a change of mind and heart and decide to communicate directly to everyone in the world but since that has never happened since the dawn of human history, there is no reason to believe that God would do that. Don’t you think that if God had wanted to do that He would have done it already?

*** Please note that what I mean by communicate is not just that God makes Himself known to everyone, because we could argue that God has done so (ii) and some people are spiritually blind so they just do not see. What I mean by communication is sending everyone a message, the equivalent of a revelation such as the Bible. Should every single person on earth get their own full book of scriptures whispered into their ear? Is that a reasonable thing for God to do? Could everyone understand God and write all that down? Then what would happen? Would that make the world a better place? Is there a good reason why they cannot just all refer to the scriptures that God has made available?

 

[Trailblazer]

1. Do you think God (if God exists) would communicate directly to everyone?

The concept of god is so vacuous as to invalidate any cogent answer.

If I were an atheist that is the way I would respond, and I consider that a reasonable answer.

Best we can say is "What is this god?" "Does this god have a desire to communicate?" If so, do human brains have the capacity to comprehend what may be a message? Of course, one may assume if such a god exists and wants its message to be understood in an unambiguous manner (as opposed to religious claims), it would have done so.

Yes, we would have to know the answers to these questions before we could answer the question “would communicate directly to everyone?” First we would have to know something about God and what His goals are, if He even has any goals. We would also have to know if God wants to communicate, because an omnipotent God would only do what He wants to do, logically speaking. Finally, we would need to know something about God in order to know if human brains have the capacity to comprehend a message from God.

2. Do you think it is *reasonable* to expect God (if God exists) to communicate directly to everyone?

When talking of some provisional, unproven entity, such an answer is moot. The Fantastic Four probably thought they could expect to use reason to stop Galactus from eating earth.

Yes, I agree it is a moot point unless we at least know some of what I delineated above. I do not think we need to prove God exists in order to answer this question but we need to at least have evidence that God exists and know something about God.

3. Do you think that *rational people* would expect God to communicate directly to everyone?

Just depends. If the being is all powerful and all knowing...then I would expect it to communicate IF it had such a desire.

Yes, if God had a desire to communicate directly to everyone God would do it because an omnipotent God could do anything He desired to do. So we can assume that God has no such desire since God has never communicated directly to everyone. Why would a rational person expect an omnipotent God to do what they desire instead of what God desires?

Then again...why would an omni being have a desire at all?

Given what I believe about God I do not believe that God desires anything for Himself, since God needs nothing for Himself, since God is fully self-sufficient and fully self-sustaining and has no needs at all. Only humans have needs and God desires things for humans because we need things from God.

 

[Trailblazer]

How did you determine prophets are an actual thing or that this Holy Spirit exists?

By reading what they claimed, and reading about what they did on their missions from God, and reading what they wrote. Of course I cannot prove a Prophet got messages from God or that a Holy Spirit exists, all I can do is apply my reason to the evidence. Some of what I believe has to be based upon faith because it cannot be proven, but if it makes sense it can be a reason-based faith.

What method does one use to establish the criteria of "having an open heart?" Isn't your criteria for what is or is not such an "open heart" rather subjective?

Yes indeed, it is subjective and I cannot say who has an open heart and who does not. I can only know if my own heart is open and I do not even know that a lot of the time. Given much of the human mind is subconscious I can only know what I am consciously aware of.

Do you mean one who is willing to consider and analyze new claims about such things OR do you mean someone who will believe anything told them without credulity?

An open heart is not exactly the same thing as an open mind, as a person can have an open mind and not have an open heart or vice versa.

A person with an open mind is willing to consider and analyze new claims and it involves a mental process, characteristic of a person who is willing to look at all the possibilities before coming to any conclusions. An open heart is more specific, letting God into your heart to being connected to God, and it is an emotional thing. I think that for someone who has no belief in God, an open mind comes first, before an open heart. If a person opens their heart to something that they have not investigated it is possible they might end up with a false belief, a belief based upon emotion rather than reason.

 

[Trailblazer]

It's unreasonable to send only one message to a messenger who can get the message out to everyone in writing that everyone can read except for those who are illiterate and cannot read. A reasonable being would send one message to everyone so even the illiterate will get the same message. That way the unreasonable and cowardly people can't simply say, "It's only my belief, and not an assertion." Instead, they will prove to everyone the fact of how unreasonable they really are.

The message is also on audio and in braille for the blind.

A reasonable being would never send the same message to everyone in the world because there is absolutely no need to do so, except to please a paltry number of atheists who think they are so important that God owes them a personalized message.

What these atheists fail to understand is that even if they thought they got a direct message from God they could never know that or prove that so it would still be “just a belief.”

 

[Trailblazer]

I think that one can have direct communication with God but it would require a deep level of vulnerability and openness that psychologically often doesnt happen except during some form of psychological crisis. Ideally we dont want most people to be in crisis. But perhaps we all are only we have ways of avoiding resolving that crisis directly.

The crisis IMO involves coming to the end of the virtue of one's own personality and facing its fatal flaw in the context of one's future life. The MUST HAVE of ones heart and spirit meets the CANT HAVE of ones reality. God may come in to rescue our sense of personal integrity if we can jettison all that is inessential to our self-centered, immature ways of thinking.

In many cultures there had long been rituals which served to help us through the stages of transition from one part of our lives to the next. Now our rituals are threatening to become mere formalities in a bureaucratic indifference. Either that or mere celebrations without true acknowledgement of the meaning of the event except as spontaneously realized by its participants .

Marriage, I suppose, is one of the last hold outs...those people who get some form of marriage counseling, a ceremony where the families participate and the joyful isolation of the newlyweds for a honeymoon still experience the power of ritual.

God is, ideally, for our psychological health when we fall into personal or social crisis. He/She/It can be found and interacted with but it is a rarified experience.

Thanks for sharing. I do not doubt people when they say they have had experiences with or of God, but what I was referring to was getting actual messages from God that would be universally applicable, such as Prophets receive; so I was asking was whether people think God would communicate such messages directly to everyone and whether that is a reasonable expectation, something rational people would expect from God, if God exists.

 

[Trailblazer]

Agreed, so instead of actually looking for god's message and see find evidence to see if it was from god, they simply make an assertion that the message from their messenger was from god because god's message came from their messenger.

I do not know who the “they” is but it is not me. I looked for the evidence that indicated that the Messenger came from God.

See how lazy humans are? What's next, say that their assertion is not an assertion because it's just their belief, all to avoid giving reasonable evidence to their unreasonable assertion. And even though admitting that their belief is theirs alone and no one else's, they still expect everyone else to accept their belief as a fact and not just a belief?

I do not know who the “they” is but it is not me. I do not expect anyone else to accept my belief as a fact because it is not a fact.