Ask A Christian

[PANZERCATWAGON]

How come God changes from one day wanting to be all up front and personal with man, floods and everything, to suddenly going very silent with not even the slightest sniff of a miracle, or at least winning me the lottery?

[SirJamesaford]

Of course there are more important things than the age of the earth but it would be nice to clear it all up. � 


6000 years old my ass.....

[LtKillroy]

How come God changes from one day wanting to be all up front and personal with man, floods and everything, to suddenly going very silent with not even the slightest sniff of a miracle, or at least winning me the lottery?

Personal to not: Man broke his laws, if I told someone not to do something and they did it, I'd be mad
Flood: No one in the whole earth still believed in God except Noah. Same as first for reason.
No Miracles: Jesus is gone, you have to make the choice yourself, there is plenty of reason to.
You not winning lottery: You have sinned, wages of sin is death, be thankful your not dead.

[Graham]

Yeah, I don't believe in any sort of mix between the two. Like how some people elieve God made the earth and let us evolve. I haven't really researched Biblical dates, but I do believe the earth is only a few thousand years old, not millions of years old.

Its not a biblical date.  It was one person who read the bible and set the date of creation at 6000 years ago midday.

Also do you believe in the great flood?

Yes I do believe in the flood.

[Chariot]

Not all of God's works involve a flood or turning water into wine.

But yes, they're still there.

[LtKillroy]

I believe in it.
http://www.whistle.gatech.edu/archives/04/apr/19/ark.shtml

[PANZERCATWAGON]

How come God changes from one day wanting to be all up front and personal with man, floods and everything, to suddenly going very silent with not even the slightest sniff of a miracle, or at least winning me the lottery?

Personal to not: Man broke his laws, if I told someone not to do something and they did it, I'd be mad
Flood: No one in the whole earth still believed in God except Noah. Same as first for reason.
No Miracles: Jesus is gone, you have to make the choice yourself, there is plenty of reason to.
You not winning lottery: You have sinned, wages of sin is death, be thankful your not dead.

I'm not talking about just because Jesus was there, I mean if you read the bible, loads of shit happened, there was water parting, heavens opening, reincarnation and all the other load of stuff that went on. If assuming the bible is true, comparing to todays world, God was a lot more hands on back then. He spoke to people, killed people, brought people back to life and the rest of it. But today there is nothing. The only thing God does nowadays is make sure we get into heaven if we were good and send the rest to hell.

And as for being thankful I'm not dead, I'm not a Christian, I don't believe any of that stuff. Being dead has no more purpose or meaning than being alive so what do I care.

[LtKillroy]

OK, I'll take a different approach. God is God, he doesn't have anything to prove to you besides what he has already shown. He as made it fairly clear that you have to accept him out of your own heart, he has little to prove. If you choose not to believe that is your descision, there is nothing else can do becuase he will have to keep doing miracles every 300 or so years because people will forget and say the old one was bogus. It is up to humans now, he doesn't have to prove himself to his creation if they already chose not to, like you sadly have.

[PANZERCATWAGON]

Then why did he try to prove himself in the first place?

[SirJamesaford]

I say he has alot to prove.  Especially nowadays.

[Zero]

Then why did he try to prove himself in the first place?

Would you believe in a god you knew nothing about?

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

OK, I'll take a different approach. God is God, he doesn't have anything to prove to you besides what he has already shown.

Bad answer.  Miracles happen all of the time, but they tend to happen to believers, so non-believers rarely witness them.  I've seen people from my church healed miraculously simply because other believers prayed for them.  And no, this isn't "I had diabetes, but thanks to prayer and my insulin shots, it's under control."  This is "I had diabetes and now I don't."  I, too, have experienced this.  Eight years ago, I had a gastrointestinal condition that prevented my body from digesting food.  Naturally, I went to the hospital, but the doctors weren't sure what it was or what could be done.  Over the course of a few days, they ran several tests, but didn't give me any medication.  Meanwhile, my family and church was praying for healing.  Two days after I was admitted, I woke up with no problems.  The doctors didn't have an explanation.  I was simply better, and they were baffled.  That right there is sufficient evidence to me that prayer works.

Also, have you ever heard of "speaking in tongues"?  It's when the Holy Spirit comes over you and you begin to speak in different languages, languages that you don't know.  You don't know what you're saying, but you're not making up gibberish either.  It just flows.  I've been a party to it on several occasions, and it has happened to my aunt and uncle, and my mom.  You mentioned, Vijchti, that you know what this is like? I doubt it.  (BTW, I'll reply to your major post later, when I have more time.  I haven't forgotten you.)

[SirJamesaford]

OK, I'll take a different approach. God is God, he doesn't have anything to prove to you besides what he has already shown.

Bad answer. Miracles happen all of the time, but they tend to happen to believers, so non-believers rarely witness them. I've seen people from my church healed miraculously simply because other believers prayed for them. And no, this isn't "I had diabetes, but thanks to prayer and my insulin shots, it's under control." This is "I had diabetes and now I don't." I, too, have experienced this. Eight years ago, I had a gastrointestinal condition that prevented my body from digesting food. Naturally, I went to the hospital, but the doctors weren't sure what it was or what could be done. Over the course of a few days, they ran several tests, but didn't give me any medication. Meanwhile, my family and church was praying for healing. Two days after I was admitted, I woke up with no problems. The doctors didn't have an explanation. I was simply better, and they were baffled. That right there is sufficient evidence to me that prayer works.

Yep that was god for sure... no doubt.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

Yep that was god for sure... no doubt.

Assuming sarcasm, what explanation would YOU have for it?  This was a condition that I had had for several weeks (December 24 to late January, IIRC), but we initially brushed it off as simply the flu.  When my condition didn't improve, that's when the prayer started.  So it wasn't like I was sick for two days and got better.  I don't go to the hospital just because I vomit once.  No one does.

[Zero]

Yes there are still miracles today there not as big as in the Bible cause we advanced in medical science and such. It could happen in other things like marriages restored, financial needs met, etc.

[SirJamesaford]

Yep that was god for sure... no doubt.

Assuming sarcasm, what explanation would YOU have for it? This was a condition that I had had for several weeks (December 24 to late January, IIRC), but we initially brushed it off as simply the flu. When my condition didn't improve, that's when the prayer started. So it wasn't like I was sick for two days and got better.

Just one of those things...happens all the time to alot of people in alot of cultures.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

Just one of those things...happens all the time to alot of people in alot of cultures.

Sick for several weeks and they recover abruptly?  Could you maybe cite an example?

[LtKillroy]

Yes, of course God helps those who pray, he doesn't do huge miracels to impress people. It says in the Bible to do good deeds in the dark so they aren't seen in the eyes of man but of God, so that means it works the other way around. Like I said, there is plenty of reason to believe and God doesn't have to keep proving himself to people. Helping and proving are two different things.

[SirJamesaford]

Just one of those things...happens all the time to alot of people in alot of cultures.

Sick for several weeks and they recover abruptly? Could you maybe cite an example?

There is nothing miraculous about being sick one day and not the next.�  I know it wasnt the common cold but it really does happen all the time.�  I may site examples later if i remember (and if i can find any).

[VijchtiDoodah]

Actually, there's very little doubt that Jesus came to earth 2000 years ago, and prior to that, they give the ages of every person in his genealogy, right back to Adam.  So yes, by reading the Bible you can tell how long ago the creation occurred.

This is true, except for the differences I mentioned earlier.  Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' genealogy back through completely different ancestors.  It's possible to assign Luke's genealogy to Mary, but that notion has been discounted by Biblical scholars.

The most likely explanation is that Jesus' genealogy was forced.  That is, he was not a true descendant of King David and was only, after his death, purported to be so that he could claim the title of Messiah.

Also, have you ever heard of "speaking in tongues"?  It's when the Holy Spirit comes over you and you begin to speak in different languages, languages that you don't know...You mentioned, Vijchti, that you know what this is like? I doubt it.

No, I have no idea what that's like.  Interestingly, though, it has always reminded me of a thought-preventing tactic used to bring people into cults (and, in fact, studies have shown that it decreases brain activity).  Though I have this to ask: how do you know you're not channeling Apollo?