Yuyutsu,

<<There is difference between knowing God and having information ABOUT God. The information may be correct and wonderful to have, but it is still only information, it is still only on an intellectual / theoretical level>>

You assume you know the nature of my relationship with God. How can that be when you don't know me personally?

<<an analogy would be the difference between passing a driving theory test and actually knowing to drive. Knowing God Himself is a total and direct experience beyond anything which words can describe. Such knowledge ends all suffering.>>

Are you stating that you know God and I don't?

In your Hindu worldview, does my giving examples of suffering in my life demonstrate to you that I don't know God?

Don't you ever experience trials, difficulties or sufferings in life?

By the way you speak of "knowing God" as if there is one God to know. One estimate has been that there are 330 million Hindu gods. How can Hinduism be both monotheistic and polytheistic? See: http://www.allaboutreligion.org/hinduism-gods-faq.htm.

Banjo,

<<I should add that as there have been no major revelations since the bible was compiled about 2,000 years ago, it is highly unlikely that any will be forthcoming any time in the future. The die is cast.>>

That statement indicates your limited understanding of the Bible. To name 2,000 years, you are only thinking of the NT. The OT is much older than that.

What makes you so sure there will be no major new revelations to add to Scripture? Why is <<the die cast>>?

Dear OzSpen,

«You assume you know the nature of my relationship with God. How can that be when you don't know me personally?»

I don't know you personally, but the fact that you complain about suffering means that you do not yet know God. Yes, you may have much information about God, so do I, but we still suffer until we know God in fact, directly.

Once you experience God as the only reality there is, the only truth, the only joy, everything else fades into insignificance, including pain. Yes, even if you know God, when undergoing surgery the nerves still fire and inform the brain that something is broken in the body, so the sensation of pain is still there, but living in the constant joy of God, you no longer interpret it as "suffering".

«Are you stating that you know God and I don't?»

No, neither of us does and only a few living do.

Knowing God is a long-term project, it takes lifetimes, but is the only worthwhile pursuit.

«In your Hindu worldview, does my giving examples of suffering in my life demonstrate to you that I don't know God?»

The fact that you have physical pains does not demonstrate so, but that you complain and feel bad about it does.

«Don't you ever experience trials, difficulties or sufferings in life?»

Yes.

«By the way you speak of "knowing God" as if there is one God to know.»

Why "as if"?

«How can Hinduism be both monotheistic and polytheistic?»

The link you provided already explains it.

Let me summarise/reiterate: we differentiate between 'God' with a capital 'G', and 'gods' with a small 'g'. Since it is nearly impossible to worship God who has no attributes, Hindus use the god(s) that are personally most appealing to them as representations of God for the sake of worship. Christians, Jews and Muslims, on the other hand, use only one particular god to approach God - Hindus have no problem with their choice, provided that this Abrahamic god is the most appealing for His worshippers.

To Armchair Critic.

Tuesday, 29 January 2019 2:05:02 AM
Saturday, 2 February 2019 1:28:39 PM

This is the second time you brought up "butting in." Look back and you'll see that I've been in this discussion longer then you have. That and your first comment in this discussion wasn't addressed to anyone. Since this is a public forum I thought you were just adding to the discussion. Not butting in. I responded to what you said. Since then you have responded with to me directly from what I've said, as I've responded directly to you based on what you've said. I don't see where your coming from with the complaint of butting in.

Not to annoy you more. But I do know that God exists. However I don't think of that as a special right or a a special thing I've done to earn it. All I've done is search for Him.

Perhaps it's about the way I searched that let me Find God, compared to the way others searched, without any luck. Perhaps it's my attitude, or what I've been through in life that helped me be open to finding God, while others didn't. Perhaps it was my age? There are too many what ifs and argued variables that I've heard about for why some people don't find God and others do. Honestly I don't understand it why it's not obvious to everyone that God is real. All I did was search for Him. As a kid I prayed asking if God was real, or if it was all a thing in my head. (First time I heard the argument of the brain tricking you into faith). Guess what? God responded. There wasn't any words spoken, but there was a sense of sadness come over me, like a hurt parent would say "why would you even ask that?" I don't see any reason why I should be able to find God but you or anyone else can't.

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Since then I've tried to pay attention to the kinds of prayers that I received an answer to, or a response for. There are the prayers answered that are just between God and me. They didn't affect anyone else and could be categorized under the suspension of "just your brain tricking you." The problem here is that that criticism doesn't fit all of the examples, nor does it explain the other kinds of prayers answered. A second set of prayers are prayers I said for others. When the prayer is answered and the issue is resolved, it can't be mind tricks. The criticism there is that it's all coincide. The weakness that is it's just an excuse to not consider God answering a prayer. There was even one example of God answering a prayer to not be tired while I was driving. It was a physical change immediately. Any explanation I've heard try to fit that experience is just scratching at strays.

I know others have found God by some other means. There are many testimonies of God rescuing people out of their drugs, their alcohol, or their divorce. There are testimonies of a miracle of one kind or another. Even just people who know by observation from following God, then walking away and seeing the difference in their life, and coming back to their faith.

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When someone says they "know God," I usually believe them, because I know that there are many ways God has reached people in their lives. That doesn't mean I'll believe or disbelieve what else they say, but I come from the stance that it should be obvious to everyone that God exists. I've had to come to terms with not knowing why it isn't as clear cut to you or anyone else whether God is real or not. Many like you even say they've looked into the matter. It baffles me that they come away saying they don't know.

With this in mind I'll give you a method I heard someone else give for finding God, and trying to hear from Him. Hope you get to see results by it. The suggestion is to pray to God with the question "God do you love me?" Then just wait and see what you see immediately, throughout the day, or as the week goes by. Just be observant. Hope you get an answer to solve the "I don't know," situation you are in. But for me, I can not take the stance of not knowing. He's real. I know it. Saying otherwise would just be dishonest.