The Crassness of Evidence

Originally posted by Suzianne
Actually, no, the onus is on you. God is not on trial here. Man is the one on trial.

And yes, He can and does expect you to believe when there is no evidence. It is called faith.

Well I for one would fail such a trial every time. Why would he expect anyone to believe something without evidence? Seems like a ridiculous expectation to me.

The thing is, people do not choose a plumber without researching them six ways from Sunday, and yet they don't bother to learn about God, thinking they already know it all.
You research a plumber because you are looking for a plumber. You don't research a God if you don't believe a God exists.

Originally posted by Agerg
** Many of us would like to believe in the supernatural and the strength of this desire can be dependent on the circumstances - but testimony is inherently untrustworthy. I, as I'm sure you are well, aware don't keep my non-belief a secret - yet I could have been forgiven for wavering in my conviction when, as I still recall today, on the night my dad died 7 y ...[text shortened]... ysis would probably take it as evidence that their father was saying good-bye for one last time.

I have heard people say that once you finally begin to dream of the departed, it is a sign that they have "moved on" to a higher realm. When my own father died, I too received various signs of his continued watching over me. When I was a child, he would come into my room at bedtime and sit on the edge of my bed and we would talk, about school, about family, about boys. One time, about a month after his death, I had just gotten into bed with a book and I actually saw a depression form on the bed in about the position he would sit and I felt his love for me in my mind. I sat there and talked to him for many minutes, about how I missed him, about how mom was doing, and finally I felt him hug me and I smelled his familiar after shave and then he was gone. That night I dreamed of him for the first time since his passing, and he told me he loved me, he was proud of me and he was sure that I would be okay and not to mourn him for too long. This memory of him I will never forget. I haven't felt his near presence since.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Well I for one would fail such a trial every time. Why would he expect anyone to believe something without evidence? Seems like a ridiculous expectation to me.

[b]The thing is, people do not choose a plumber without researching them six ways from Sunday, and yet they don't bother to learn about God, thinking they already know it all.
You research ...[text shortened]... cause you are looking for a plumber. You don't research a God if you don't believe a God exists.[/b]

As I said, they don't bother to learn about God, thinking they already know it all.

I don't know if this really counts as evidence, but it just struck me. In the Gospels there's this bit about how it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. I suppose God has a sense of humour as London's financial district is centred on Threadneedle Street.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Actually, no, the onus is on you. God is not on trial here. Man is the one on trial.

And yes, He can and does expect you to believe when there is no evidence. It is called faith.

The benefit of learning about Him is yours and the consequences of rejecting Him are yours as well. So make your choice. The thing is, people do not ...[text shortened]... ys from Sunday, and yet they don't bother to learn about God, thinking they already know it all.

its a matter of perspective. he may not be on trial to you, but he is on trial to me. i tried to start a thread on this topic a week or so ago. if god presents himself then i would want him to stand trial, he would need to prove himself.

and expecting people to believe without evidence is all kinds of wrong and no kinds of right.