Why Does God Require Faith?

[joko]

why does he want people to have to have faith in him?
why does he want to test them?
he is clearly a megalomaniac to demand such utter devotion and smite people and send them to hell for eternity any who don't obey him.
his punishment shows he clearly cannot cope with not being totally adored

so why make it 'the way'?
if he is omnipotent and made everything, why make it that way?
why not show himself - prove he exists and get all the praise and adulation he wants.

if he showed himself there would be no more atheism, no more people disbelieving - everyone would have to accept him in their lives - and since thats what he wants and demands, why not just make it so?

i know people explain this away with him giving people free will - but why did he do that? why do something like that?
why do it then get upset because it doesn't work as well as you'd hoped?
its like a child who wants to control the game who storms off home when the other kids don't play 'right'.

any thoughts?

[wildwood]

The solution is quite simple joko. If he didn't 'test' his subject how could all the misery, crime and poverty be explained? A young couple who are losing their young child to an illness pray to their god because they believe they have displeased the omnipotent one. Once the child is dead they thank him in prayer for giving them the child for a short time. So strong is this instilled obligation to please him, it is even portrayed in the bible where a man was forced to decide to murder his own adult son.

[goodlife]

True Christians are not driven into their faith by fear . If people adopt Christianity because of fear of communism, this is not pleasing to God.

No, faith does not come through fear, nor is it built upon fear. The Scriptures show there is one true faith and one way to attain it.

And if you want definition or description is found in the eleventh chapter of the Bible of book of Hebrews.

[modeller]

goodlife A simple question : If it's not Fear why does God, Jesus , the Prophets and all their followers constantly use Threats to enforce their beliefs. ??
I suggest whilst reading Hebrews 11 you go onto 12 : 18-21 where the fear was so great even Moses was trembling .
See Exodus 20;4 Threat of punishment sins of the parents unto the 4th generation.
See Numbers 15.32-36 God orders the stoning man to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath.

Maybe you prefer singing Psalms try 137-9 No Fear there just glory in violence by the author.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stone.

[goodlife]

Mod@Well for some one who do not understandthe Bible, yes.

But if you keep in mind that there are different kinds of fear.

Like you think of fear, in mind a morbid feeling that destroys hope and makes you discouraged, Obviously.

Here one for you Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man proves to be a snare,
but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe. (WEB)

[naomi24]

Goodlife, //True Christians are not driven into their faith by fear .//

All Christians, true or otherwise, - are driven into their faith by fear - fear of death. Without that fear your faith would be redundant.

[modeller]

gl //but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe. //
gl:
The problem I have putting my faith in Yahweh is that it is him and his prophets who are threatening me and my descendents , in this life and for eternity . The only other persons who have told me I am doomed have been clerics . They were never threatening just stating it as a matter of fact. A fact that I am very happy with.
PS. I suppose you know what Yahweh means !

[naomi24]

//I suppose you know what Yahweh means ! //

I know that isn't addressed to me, but I thought I did - but maybe I didn't. Tell me.

[scorpiojo]

Thought it was another word for Jehovah?

[modeller]

When God was asked his name Exodus3:14 he answered by saying
" I am that I am " The words in Ancient Hebrew translates into YHVH however that couldn't be translated so was changed to JHWH which gave you Jehovah but was never used at the time. . This resulted in a further change to YHWH pronounced Yahweh.
IMO there is no reason to use it instead of the simpler word God apart from in biblical quotations.

To sum up he hasn't got a name ony an unidentifiable concept.
This might help.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_that_I_Am

[naomi24]

Modeller, oh, I see. When you said //I suppose you know what Yahweh means !// I thought you had evidence of something I was unaware of.

[beso]

God also said his name was "Jealous" but the believers don't like to use that name.

[goodlife]

Jealousy—is it a quality that Christians should cultivate? As Christians, we are encouraged to “pursue love,” and we are told that “love is not jealous.” (1 Corinthians 13:4; 14:1) On the other hand, we are also told that “Jehovah . . . is a jealous God” and are commanded to “become imitators of God.” (Exodus 34:14; Ephesians 5:1)

Yes is the seem contradiction?

And that is it for you lot, you read what you want too, but do understand.

Because if you understand Hebrew and Greek words a little you see is translated “jealousy” in the Bible carry a wide range of meanings.

So first step to understand why the Bible is so little understood is to take a major step toward understanding God’s Word itself.

[beso]

I don't know Hebrew or Greek but God seemed quite clear about the things He is jealous about.

Moreover, presumably goodlife quotes from the translation authorised by his church and they used the word jealous. So is the JW translation wrong?

God is a nasty piece of work. He killed a man's whole family to show Satan that His devotees remained loyal even when their god ruined their lives. Sick or what?

It is the faithful with the blinkered vision. They will reinterpret anything to fit their notion that their god iswonderful.

[goodlife]

Poor you,yes you are sick mentally & spirituallyt

[naomi24]

Goodlife, that's a cop out answer. Why don't you respond properly to Beso's post? Do you think what God did to Job was justified?

[beso]

OK so apparently goodlife can post that I am sick but my response gets removed.

[Old_Geezer]

Surely God requires nothing from you. You are supposed to have free will (whatever that is) and you do as you please.

There is no punishment, merely consequences.

Perhaps the best way possible is the way one travels.

Like as not showing itself would ruin whatever was being achieved. You are not obliged to believe.

I think you are interpreting it all wrong.

[redman41]

The Church says the earth is flat. But I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more Faith in a shadow than in the Church..... “ Ferdinand Magellan

[naomi24]

OG, // Surely God requires nothing from you. You are supposed to have free will (whatever that is) and you do as you please. There is no punishment, merely consequences.//

But unless your choice in utilising that free will adheres to God’s wishes, the consequence is punishment.