Theists, some questions

[T.J.]

I find the lack of theists responses saddening, so I'd like to take a shot at this if you don't mind.

In claiming something to be a miracle, is it necessary to know of all possible natural explanations for said event? If so, how can you ever claim it to be a miracle since you cannot possibly know of all possibilities? If not, how can you claim it to be a miracle? (miracle = suspension of the natural order)

Had you got to me while I was still a theist I actually wouldn't have known how to answer this question and I would have been up front about it. I accepted that I didn't have all the answers and saw no shame in admitting it. Something I notice a lot of theists don't like admitting, especially in the company of atheists.

If god commanded you to kill someone (for all intents and purposes let's assume we both agree that it is in fact god itself/himself/herself who did indeed tell you to do so), is following god's orders and killing them a moral action? Why or why not?

Now this on the other hand would have been easier for me to approach as I would have been able to easily imagine myself in such a hypothetical scenario. Reluctantly asking why God wanted me to kill the individual and then begging that person to be spared if he persisted. Ultimately I would have refused and feared being turned into ash for disobeying God with the hope that the test was a mix of bewaring falsehoods and showing compassion for my fellow man. Knowing God's tales in the OT it wouldn't surprise if me such a scenario had ended with you failing if you opt to go through with the murder.

As for the moral question I either would've said no with the justification that God's endgame wouldn't have been to kill the person in the first place, or yes because a creator would dictate what is right and wrong and who should die.

I'm curious if any of the other theists you mentioned in the OP that answered this question off-site have given similar responses.