I think he meant it differently than you think. Maybe not though

if man could comprehend everything about God, then God would not be God.

Can God create an AR-15 with a trigger pull so heavy that he can't shoot it?

Yes, it clearly states that every man is given the measure of faith necessary to come to belief.  Every man.  No man will stand before God at the judgement--having rejected Christ--and have the ability to say "Well gee God, I never heart about you, had a thought about you, or had a chance to accept you".  The Holy Spirit will convict everyone of their lost condition.

I believe that God manifests Himself in every conceivable way:  nature, seeing a child born, sunsets, sunrises, seeing the ocean, a lightning storm over the ocean, a wheat field blowing in the wind.  Everywhere.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, only for some it will precede being thrown into eternal damnation of the lake of fire forever.  Go strike a match and let it burn too close to your finger for a second.....then envision that for all eternity, all over your body and much worse.  The place that God created for satan and his angels will be an immense place of torture to match the suffering that satan caused God's chidlren and as a punishment for leading God's people to it.  It was never meant for God's children, it was meant for Satan and will be awful.  If the human mind could comprehend the suffering, every Church in the world would be filled to capacity Sunday.  Instead, people have rejected Jesus for a glass of wine, swig of alcohol or a beer.

I pray for some of the people in this thread.  

"All in vain as the gravity of their blindness weighs them down to this earth & worldly understandings."

I'm going to snip this little piece and agree, as well as the part with our lives being mostly futile. We could have done so much and went so far but it just isn't going to happen.

Boil it all down and people are dumb animals, we aren't going to make it off this rock, we aren't going to make a perfect society,  and we aren't going to solve the human condition.

We could kill every single person on this planet and start from scratch and it would be screwed up within a millennium, probably way before that.

No matter what you believe from a religious viewpoint people suck. Learn it, Live it, Love it.

*gasp* How did you know that was me??

Again...derp.

I figured it was so.

Your intellect and wit are truly dizzying.

I won't tell you because the answer is in the Bible.  Try reading it.

People who don't believe in God wanting to know if "god" made them evil....

lol

False. Some of us tried for years to find faith, or waited for this "gift." Nothing, and not for a lack of trying. At some point, you get tired of waiting, of trying to believe things just because preachers and well meaning people on the internet say so.

I wouldn't want to worship such a god even if you could convince me it exists. That isn't mercy. It isn't love. It is evil

Requote for a question...

So somebody says "Just accept what we are telling you and believe. Stop asking questions," and you defend this person by trying to link me to one of those mask-wearing, basement-dwelling anti-theist idiots?

Jumping right to ad hominem doesn't speak well for the strength of your cause.

5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

If you already know the answer, then why the fuck are you asking the question?

Oh really...read your own crap lately?   Here are the facts...I don't give a damn what you believe...but for some reason you guys get your manties in a knot over what someone else believes.  and yeah...I believe your "that" type in that meme...why?..because that is what you project.

Well...sorry you're wrong. Sounds like there is nothing to be done for it.

I've stated my reasons for getting involved in these discussions. What's wrong? Can't handle real objections to your beliefs? Can't conceive that anyone would think it through and not agree with you? Doesn't sound like I'm the one with his "manties in a knot." But way to project that Christ like love, man...I'm sure he would be proud.

Not really...I'm quite sure I am correct...and saying silly stuff like this only proves my point.  See...you've heard the Gospel...and reject it...therefore your choice is made and there is nothing I can do to change that.....so, I am not even going to try.

Could be. But I doubt that's the case.

Dude, I'm an atheist and this question sucks.

Well, shit...you have a personal relationship with the creator of the entire universe. How could you be wrong about anything?

Good deal. Glad we had this little chat.

You miss the point, I don't have to know the answer to say yours is BS



 

What Gift were you waiting for?

Salvation? It's given the moment you ask.


Why did it take you years to find faith?

I still believe there is a God.

I just lost my faith he is a benevolent God



 

God is above and outside of the physical universe and the laws which govern it.  He is not subject to the laws of the universe, moral, physical, or otherwise; He creates and shapes them as He wills.  What is or is not moral is ultimately judged by the standards of His will.  Everything ultimately emanates from Him.  Men are inferior and incapable of creating anything which supersedes that which God creates, to include moral principles.  God's will is law, and any change He might desire is included in that regard.

Thats why the title says:



"If you believe in God answer this"  

Maybe you are looking in the wrong place, wrong Church, wrong way.  I know nothing of your background or where your attempts have been made--for instance, go to a mosque in Iran and you won't find God there under the precips of their religion.  I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU on one point though.  You shouldn't listen to Preachers or even well-meaning people on the internet.  Man has managed to muttle up everything we get ourselves into, especially religion.  So my faith lies with Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ.  You say you have trouble trusting Preachers and internet soul savers, would you trust what Jesus Christ said about the matter?

Very simply put, Jesus was crucified between two thieves.  Both began by mocking him almost school yard like shenanigans "IF....IF you are Christ save us all".  But eventually one of the thieves had a change of heart.  Here's what the Bible says from Luke 23: 29-43:

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The second thief recognized who Jesus was and saw himself for what he really was, a sinner.  Here's the beauty that SHOULD GIVE YOU HOPE....that thief never thought he could be saved.  He accepted his fate and merely asked Jesus to THINK about him when Jesus got back to Heaven. Jesus went one further and said not only will I think about you "TODAY you shall be with me in paradise".  Christ loved both thieves but doesn't force himself on anyone....he was crucified between two thieves, one accepted and one didn't.  This isn't what I say, it is what Jesus himself said and confirmed.  The thief did nothing but realize he was a sinner, recognized Christ was truly Christ the savior, and repented of his sins, not my words but Christ's.

The Bible says that God will not turn anyone away who is truly repentant and asks for forgiveness.  God says that it's his will that not ONE should perish, but that all should come to everlasting life.

As for your Red...if God pre-determined who would be saved and who wouldn't, I wouldn't want to worship him either.  But it's a free gift to all.

I pray you find this Grace.  Don't give up.

No, you miss the point. You think you have this big "gotcha!" question that 5 year olds ask their sunday school teacher who then reply "God didn't create evil, but we have free will and He allows us to do evil"

It's really as simple as that. You can cry BS with your smug attitude all you want, but that fact remains.

Don't just give up

I'll admit one of my biggest questions with God seems to be "Did I really need to go through that?"

Truth is I did, I think all the crap I went through has slowly built up my faith (Yea I'm hard headed) and
Even after all I saw I still had times when my faith wavered, I think it's because I know what a turd I am.

I don't think I have any gotcha question at all.



I think I asked a question not to get some mystical answer of pure wisdom but to ask a question to see what others think the answer is.



People like you project their short comings and thought failures on everyone else.





You wouldn't know a fact if it smacked you in your sandy mangina  
 

"I would challenge anyone here to think of a question upon which we once had a scientific answer, however inadequate, but for which now the best answer is a religious one. You can think of an uncountable number of questions that run the other way". Sam Harris

I've heard some on here refer to faith as a gift.

What I lacked was belief. I guess that was the faith I asked and prayed for. I tried, but I didn't believe, even though I wanted to. I asked questions, but none of the answers actually answered my questions. It was a pretty unpleasant time. One might call it a period of introspection. I finally accepted that I didn't believe, and stopped faking it.

I never found faith, but I'm much happier now without the search.

ETA: To those with the "don't give up" comments and prayers, I appreciate the thought. No sarcasm. But if it is all true, then I'm sure God understand my earnest attempts in the past. If he requires continued belief, then...shrug. I won't fake it.

 
The question sucks because it's trying to use logic about something that is not knowable. Regardless of whether or not somebody believes in a god, to attempt to suggest that anybody understands the reasoning, actions, or anything else relating to something that unknowable just doesn't work.


At the very least religious people say that instructions were given to people from their god, so it is understandable that the unknowable nature of his reasonings could be confused or misinterpreted. Thus, multiple sects, religions, etc.


But, this question? It implies the understanding of the actions of a diety. Regardless of whether or not it has been written about, it's unknowable and it's an accepted and understood position in most religious discussion.

Did God create this?  If so, when?

Until you take your last breath...... this is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute.  "Gee I really enjoyed the freedom of not wearing a parachute".

Which is better? Admitting that you don't believe, it faking it?

What if "faith" was't given but drawn out from one's own internal world, actively springing from the heart of one's own personality rather than given out like Thanksgiving's cold leftovers to the homeless?

Of course God created it.  God created the entire universe and the laws that govern it.  It is meant to be a reflection, when taken in sum, of his perfection.  I'm not sure the "when" part has a comprehensible answer, since God exists outside of time as we know it to be a part of this universe.  If you're trying to get me to admit to being a young Earth type, well, I'm not; it's not really something one finds in orthodox Christianity (I'm Catholic).

He seems fluent in potato.



 

 
It depends on how base a level you accept religion. For example, there are plenty of people on this forum who are the types who say that they are Christian but never go to church, don't follow anything but the "Thou shalt not murder" and "Thou shalt not steal" parts of the teachings of the Bible, but think that they are full-fledged religious types. You also have the type of person who self-flagellates when they look at a woman with a little bit of lust.


It comes in many forms. I personally wouldn't want to live my life with the fear that, unless I follow the exact teachings of the Bible to the letter then I will burn in hell for eternity. See, that just doesn't cut it for me. If I'm destined to burn, I'd rather have a few minutes in the freezer.


And that's why many don't find faith.


It was never a question for me.

Well if its a gift, I never had it bestowed on me, but then again I kept waiting for God to present himself to me.
My faith came slowly, and through a lot of trials and tribulations (many that nearly broke me).
But through it all it let me grow and I matured, and I found joy, and a deep peace.

Do I still fall, more than I want to admit, but less than I used to.

As awful as it is to admit, I'm not sure I could have put up with one of my kids being as
rebellious to me as I was to God.  Now it makes me feel a little ashamed that I acted that way.
He never gave up on me. Even when I wanted him to.

As an atheist I wouldn't expect you would not like the question or have a valid point on it.

Again it was phrased to those that do believe there is a God so your opinion is worth nothing on this question.



In case you're not reading the replies:

People are answering with faith based opinions.

What they base their faith on is evident in some of their replies.



 

Clearly admitting you don't believe it.....because then you can do something about it.

Ever tried to get an unrepentant drunk, who doesn't think they have a problem, to go to rehab?  Until they realize they have a problem, there's no helping them.

It sounds like you're where you need to be and just need to find the right solution.  Christ is the answer but you need to come in true repentance and acceptance.

We measure time and scale on our terms.  So, if God did create those galaxies (every point of light is a galaxy, not a star) that we can see due to the advancement of technology in the last 20yrs--how do we reconcile the time gap of those galaxies that are BILLIONS of light years away and His intervention in human history just in the last 2-5 thousand years?

Believing in things without good evidence is hardly a "good thing" for the simple fact that it's a bad way of getting to truth.

Well said

He gave man the choice...

Yes, we do.  My point is that strictly speaking, time as we know it in this universe is a construct imposed upon it just as the laws which govern everything within it are, which makes an answer to "when" problematic if we wish to have a comprehensible answer.  The ultimate answer is likely not within our capacity for understanding.

Now, in terms of the time that has passed since time and the physical universe were created, yes, I believe it was many billions of years ago.  But that that is the case does not produce anything irreconcilable.  I suppose the question to ask you is what is there to reconcile between the age of the universe and the time God is first recorded as having revealed himself to Man?  I'm not seeing the conflict.  We don't have a precise date on which God chose to reveal himself to Man, we don't know how His revelation may initially have been taken or understood, and we don't know why He chose the moment He did to do so, although He first intervened more than just a couple thousand years ago.  I'm not sure that it matters a whole lot.

According to the Bible when a sinner comes to repentance, their sins of the past, present and future are forgiven.  Christ accepts a truly repentant heart despite knowing what we will do, that we will look at that woman in lust (to use your example).  

I have true and great fear that many of these so-called Christians that never have a desire to go to Church are truly unsaved.  Salvation is free in and of itself, but comes with an obligation.  True soul saving faith will produce true repentance and works will be produced.  Salvation isn't like a polio shot where you get it and then never think of it again, it's a daily walk with God and Christ.  The Bible clearly covers it when it says "not everyone who cries Lord, Lord will be saved".  This accounts for those who don't come in a true spirit of repentance--they want to live their lives on their terms.  They refuse to change their lives, turn from their sins and evil.  I've seen plenty of both people--those whose lives changed as a result of repentance and salvation and those who never again have a thought of service, obligation, etc. once they are 'saved'.  It's not my part to tell them one way or another.

God, Christ and the Bible never expected you to live your life perfectly after acceptance.  In fact, Paul who wrote most of the New Testament, clearly states in Romans that "the things I know I should do, I don't.  The things I know I shouldn't do, those are the things I do".  Yet God still trusted him and gave him the honor of writing some very important parts of the Bible.  Most of the people in the Bible clearly are shown to be fallible.  David--a man after God's own heart was an adulterer and murderer--he was forgiven of it but was chastised just the same.  Doubting Thomas.  Peter denied Christ and cursed.  Sin after acceptance of Christ, it just gets in between us and God like static but has nothing to do with salvation.