Protestantism

» Migisi - Would we believe them?

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What if we observed bonafide miracles today - say manna falling from heaven to feed the world's starving people, regeneration of lost body parts, and other such signs and wonders. Would we believe the Almighty performed them - or - would Christians attribute these to the end times signs and wonders of the anti-Christ?
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Why ~doesn't~ God perform miracles today for the whole world to observe? He could certainly alleviate a whole lot of suffering and bring people to belief. Did God give up on his creation?

-- posted by Migisi

» paper_turtle - Would we believe them?

In response to Would we believe them? posted by Migisi:

In another thread, I related to you an incident from my daughter's life which I regard as a miracle. You expressed skepticism.
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It seems, though, the assumption behind the question is: God is the grand puppetteer, and he is pulling the strings for everything that happens. I don't believe God is like that. We are creatures of free will, not puppets. If God did everything for us, we would be about as useful as a paramecium--and probably not as smart.
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The other thing which occurs to me: if God did rain down bread from heaven, some people would worship the bread, not the Gos who sent it. A whole cult of believers in the rain of bread would develop, and they would be no more enlightened than any of the rest of us.
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And finally, instead of asking "Why doesn't God do something," isn't the *real* question, "Why aren't I doing anything?"
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle
The

-- posted by paper_turtle

» Migisi - Would we believe them?

In response to Would we believe them? posted by paper_turtle:
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You expressed skepticism.
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Not that she was healed, but that one could conclude it was a 'miracle' without investigation. Even the mystical Catholic church doesn't jumpt to conclusions without investigations. Whatever caused her healing, I'm very glad for it.
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God is the grand puppetteer, and he is pulling the strings for everything that happens.
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Isn't this what the Bible says throughout (especially in the last chapters of Job)?
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I don't believe God is like that.
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What do you believe God is like?
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We are creatures of free will, not puppets.
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I agree we're not puppets, and have minds of our own.
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If God did everything for us, we would be about as useful as a paramecium--and probably not as smart.
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Smart or not, of what 'use' are we to God?
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if God did rain down bread from heaven, some people would worship the bread, not the Gos who sent it. A whole cult of believers in the rain of bread would develop, and they would be no more enlightened than any of the rest of us.
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Interesting idea. God sent Jesus - often symbolized as bread - and a whole cult of people developed who worshiped the bread, claimed the bread was God, and prayed to the bread instead of the ONE who made and sent the bread. They claim to be more enlightened than those who do not worship the bread.
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But back to my original questions... If we witnessed miracles on a grand scale, would we believe God did them, or would we say they were the signs of the end times - the anti-Christ? And why doesn't God perform grand scale miracles today like he did in his younger years?

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Is That A Fact?

In response to Would we believe them? posted by Migisi:
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I agree we're not puppets, and have minds of our own.
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Is that a fact?
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When was the last time you altered the neural pathways in your brain?
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-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Would we believe them?

In response to Would we believe them? posted by Migisi:

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I wrote:
[People mistakenly believe] God is the grand puppetteer, and he is pulling the strings for everything that happens.
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Migisi responded:
Isn't this what the Bible says throughout (especially in the last chapters of Job)?
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But if you look at the Psalms, you see the psalmist conversing with a God who does not seem to be pulling all the strings.
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And I think the NT sends al altogether different message about the nature of God--a God who wants people to take responsibility for their own actions, and their own future. When God shifts from the OT external God with whom one relates externally, to the NT internal God with whom one relates internally, free will becomes crucial. We learn how to relate through relating, through our choices.
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What do you believe God is like?
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I believe he set the whole thing in motion, and then left it up to us. I believe he does intervene in some manner or other) in response to prayer, but I don't think he machinates what happens. *He* doesn't allow tragedy, we do.
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Smart or not, of what 'use' are we to God?
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I think that's a question each person has to answer for him-/herself. I think we're here because God wanted company, someone to share the experience of beingness with him.
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Interesting idea. God sent Jesus - often symbolized as bread - and a whole cult of people developed who worshiped the bread, claimed the bread was God himself, and prayed to the bread instead of the ONE who made and sent the bread. They claim to be more enlightened than those who do not worship the bread.
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Yup.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» paper_turtle - Is That A Fact?

In response to Is That A Fact? posted by pink101:

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When was the last time you altered the neural pathways in your brain?
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PTSD, prolonged exposure to abuse, and certain illegal chemicals, DO alter the neural pathways.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» HeadZenCards - Would we believe them?

In response to Would we believe them? posted by Migisi:

Because there is no God?

No doubt, if the average Christian spent time with salamanders and watched them regrow a limb, they would think that Satan was behind it, mocking the LORD GOD. The End Times would be upon them, not the salamander.

-- posted by HeadZenCards