Does God speak to all people?

[FLOWERGIRL]

What do you believe about God speaking to people?

I mean I have heard some people say that God only speaks to a certain amount of people. I have also heard some say that God speaks to all people (christians) How do we know who these people are and whether or not you or I could actually be one of these few people, if it is that God only speaks to a few selected people?

Do you believe your church leaders are spoken to by God?

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Terrence]

What do you believe about God speaking to people?

I mean I have heard some people say that God only speaks to a certain amount of people. I have also heard some say that God speaks to all people (christians) How do we know who these people are and whether or not you or I could actually be one of these few people, if it is that God only speaks to a few selected people?

Do you believe your church leaders are spoken to by God?

Thanks in advance for your input.

God speaks to those who love Him. Those who love Him Keep His Commandments by Repenting of their sins and Trusting in the reperations that God made for people - namely, Christ. Prior to Christ, we are seen as Children of Adam and Children of wrath who cannot please God, because He declears our righteous deeds as "dirty menstration rags." But, to those who repent and trust Christ, they have been given power to be called the "sons of God."

 

[shadowman]

do any christians ackowledge the circular reasoning of all this? or is this an idea that is not understood, not even in a "playing devils advocate way" or a thought that is simply not allowed or not safe?

 

[Terrence]

do any christians ackowledge the circular reasoning of all this? or is this an idea that is not understood, not even in a "playing devils advocate way" or a thought that is simply not allowed or not safe?

Whats up Shadowman?

What do you think Christanity is about? I ask cause you seem to talk about it much.

 

[shadowman]

i think it is about control! if you know what people beleive you can have power, have control, make money. like any religion. tell people there is something wrong with them and offer a cure. its like a miracle tonic from the old west. christianity makes people feel shitty becuase of the idea of original sin. the cure is jesus.

 

[Faithfulservant]

i think it is about control!

Actually... its about freedom.

 

[shadowman]

i agree that it is about freedom and love as well.

 

[shadowman]

Actually... its about freedom.

but can u see the point i tired to make?

let pretend there is a world. like seriously, another dimension. where there was no god. not even a god of all dimensions. just this world.


now lets say there were people nad things on it, just like in this world

lets say that a few men started preaching that people where under the influence of gods, and were also made unperfect and had something wrong with them, and needed what they were offering knowledge of to ficx that probem.

would it work? what do you THINK?

 

[Faithfulservant]

What do you believe about God speaking to people?

I mean I have heard some people say that God only speaks to a certain amount of people. I have also heard some say that God speaks to all people (christians) How do we know who these people are and whether or not you or I could actually be one of these few people, if it is that God only speaks to a few selected people?

Do you believe your church leaders are spoken to by God?

Thanks in advance for your input.

If people would listen.. yes He speaks to all who will.

 

[cyberpi]

i think it is about control! if you know what people beleive you can have power, have control, make money. like any religion. tell people there is something wrong with them and offer a cure. its like a miracle tonic from the old west. christianity makes people feel shitty becuase of the idea of original sin. the cure is jesus.

As an engineer I was drawn to study control theory, which is literally all about control. It is amazing how people develop control feedback loops through their senses.

Faith is to Control as... Love is to Hate... Truth is to Lie... Hope is to Fear...

 

[BlaznFattyz]

i think it is about control! if you know what people beleive you can have power, have control, make money. like any religion.

money given to the church is for running costs and for the spreading of the gospel to all parts of the world. it is not to make a pastor donald trump rich.

 

[shadowman]

would we elect a president that didnt beleive in god?

would "teh muslims?"

 

[shadowman]

As an engineer I was drawn to study control theory, which is literally all about control. It is amazing how people develop control feedback loops through their senses.

Faith is to Control as... Love is to Hate... Truth is to Lie... Hope is to Fear...

i dont understand how faith is the opposite of control?

what is a control feedback loop?

 

[moseslmpg]

I don't think those are meant to be opposites per se, just different poles of the same thing. The opposite of love, and hate, is indifference, I've heard.

I don't personally believe that God speaks in an audible fashion to everyone, but I do not think it is impossible either. I'm fairly sure he doesn't talk to W, and if he does Bush ignores him.

About your hypothetical world: If people were unaware of the nature of their world and bad things were happening, I think they would truly believe in this, yes. If they were aware of the nature of their world, then they wouldn't, but bad things would still be happening wouldn't they? Better to suspend your disbelief, I say, for the greater good than to cling to your ultimate truth and damn yourself and others (granted, "darn" would be a better term, since only bad things would be happening rather than eternal hellfire and whatnot).

I say, as long as it works, go for it. If believing in something, real or not, makes you a better person, just go with the flow. It's not as if you would be free if these people stopped "controlling" you anyway.

 

[cyberpi]

I don't think those are meant to be opposites per se, just different poles of the same thing. The opposite of love, and hate, is indifference, I've heard.

I'd say apathy but good point. There are a lot of things where there is a quality and then the absence of it. For example:
hot, cold, vacuum.
positive charge, negative charge, no charge
left hand spin, right hand spin, no spin
tension, compression, no force transmission
forward, reverse, neutral
love, hate, apathy
faith, control, isolation
truth, lie, secret
hope, fear, ambivalence

I'm just stating and re-stating that the word Faith means a lot more than 'belief', 'believe', and 'trust'. I saw the word 'control' and seized the opportunity.

About your hypothetical world: If people were unaware of the nature of their world and bad things were happening, I think they would truly believe in this, yes. If they were aware of the nature of their world, then they wouldn't, but bad things would still be happening wouldn't they?

What hypothetical world? Who are you talking to?

Better to suspend your disbelief, I say, for the greater good than to cling to your ultimate truth and damn yourself and others (granted, "darn" would be a better term, since only bad things would be happening rather than eternal hellfire and whatnot).

I say, as long as it works, go for it. If believing in something, real or not, makes you a better person, just go with the flow. It's not as if you would be free if these people stopped "controlling" you anyway.

Could you elaborate what you are saying?

 

[Terrence]

i think it is about control! if you know what people beleive you can have power, have control, make money. like any religion. tell people there is something wrong with them and offer a cure. its like a miracle tonic from the old west. christianity makes people feel shitty becuase of the idea of original sin. the cure is jesus.

So do you consider yourself a good person?

 

[Dor]

i think it is about control! if you know what people beleive you can have power, have control, make money. like any religion. tell people there is something wrong with them and offer a cure. its like a miracle tonic from the old west. christianity makes people feel shitty becuase of the idea of original sin. the cure is jesus.

It is about freedom more so than control. Jesus is the cure if thats the word you choose to use. You maybe a good person I dont know. I just know my bible tells me no one is good enough. I know I was a wretched man till Christ.

 

[cyberpi]

i dont understand how faith is the opposite of control?

what is a control feedback loop?

Exactly what you were stating. Taking information and closing a loop to drive energy so that something can be controlled. It is everywhere you look and hear. It is in all engineering, everything man does, the body, medicine, politics, law, economics, nature, and of course... relationships. It is very fundamental. There is a big difference though between the control loops of something that has no soul actively present, like the hundreds of control loops that operate in a electronic, mechanical, or biological device… and that which does.

I think you were absolutely correct here Shadow... like anything that people do, there are many bible thumpers who find a home as control freaks that would not know Faith if it bit them in the ass. The commissioned salesman and consumer makes a good example of what you are talking about. The salesman wants to make a sale... he can be honest and answer questions or he can try to control the information that he gives the consumer to make the sale. Likewise a consumer can fish for the control loops of a dishonest or ignorant salesman... or even lie to steer one away.

Without being dishonest, the nature of a control loop can be exposed and identified by providing a little information to see what bites. When you see how it bites, then you know. With love, the control that you like can be fed with energy or feedback… or starved by cutting it off and rebuking it. Dishonestly, the control loops can also be deceived or misguided by generating lies. By disrupting the energy it draws from, or simply out-controlling or fighting the controller with another bit of directed energy.

I think a lot of the message from Jesus (pbuh), and other religions, has a whole lot to do with control. I think a person would be wise to study the ways that he controlled... or enabled people via message and faith. That raises the hair on the backs of people. Good! Jesus (pbuh) controlled people with Faith by being a selective servant. I think it is wise to study what he had to say about Faith and to look at the way that he controlled people in the gospels. He was selective in answering questions… he answered some questions with questions. He was selective in healing people. How many religious people or psychologists do you know who are like that?

Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

 

[Dor]

So Cyberpi,

Would you say Islam is all about control as fast as you do Christianity?
After all Islam tells you how to do everything dont they even down to using the bathroom and brushing your teeth?

 

[cyberpi]

So Cyberpi,

Would you say Islam is all about control as fast as you do Christianity?
After all Islam tells you how to do everything dont they even down to using the bathroom and brushing your teeth?

Is that what I said? Or is that what you've said.