(June 15, 2021 at 12:04 pm)LadyForCamus Wrote: I was speaking with a long-time friend of the family, who is a practicing Jew, about prayer and why god doesn’t reveal himself to his creation. His explanation was one that I actually had never heard before. Assuming free will for the sake of the argument, I’d say it’s one of the more reasonable (maybe I should say least irrational) explanations for god’s hiddenness that I’ve heard. If our parents followed us around everywhere we went, would we ever really be free to break the rules? Thoughts?
“Just as God's purpose does not allow man to be a physical prisoner, neither does it permit him to exist in an intellectual prison. How would man behave if God were to constantly reveal Himself? Would he really be free? If man were constantly made aware that he was standing in the King's presence, could he go against His will? If God's existence were constantly apparent, this awareness would make man a prisoner.“
It works but it ignores a much simpler explanation. Right now, with just scripture and religion to go on we have jihad, crusade, and a host of other lovingly named varieties of the obscenity that is "holy war". How much of the globe do you think would be consumed by fire in the grandpappy of all holy wars if God were to manifest for even a moment? Did the Muslims get it right? Did the Christians? Neither?!? I don't see many survivors in that scenario.
