An unanswerable question

[Ryantology]

All I was going to ask was how would you be totally sure "God" was doing the telling.

Good question. I assume I'd know at the time.

An ass out of u and me both, I think is how the saying goes.

[fr0d0]

Hmm ... then what if you had died not giving god(s) an answer either way, where do you think he would send you then?

If you really couldn't know, then pure justice, ie God, couldn't punish you for that.

[Angrboda]

One problem is that some mentally ill people think that God is talking to them when he's not and do terrible things.

Why do you assume that mental illness is the correct diagnosis in those cases? How do you know God didn't tell them to kill? What's your criteria for distinguishing a God sanctioned killing as opposed to one caused by mental illness?

[Cyberman]

That's a very important question, Lek, particularly since (in our little hypothetical) you would hope to assume to know that difference. I'm sure I'm not the only one envisioning a scenario involving you being led away in handcuffs and insisting that "God" made you do it.

[Esquilax]

Yes, if I was totally sure God was telling me. God might be ready to bring the child home, which would better than staying here. When God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham obeyed only to be stopped by God at the last second. It was a test of his obedience. Abraham knew it would be for the best and also believed that God could bring his son back to life if he desired. One problem is that some mentally ill people think that God is talking to them when he's not and do terrible things. (Please, nobody come back and say that all christians are mentally ill. I know I left myself open for that one.)

So if someone you knew went to church- ahem- religiously came up to you and explained that god told him to kill you, would you let him? What would your reaction be?

[Chad32]

One problem is that some mentally ill people think that God is talking to them when he's not and do terrible things.

Why do you assume that mental illness is the correct diagnosis in those cases? How do you know God didn't tell them to kill? What's your criteria for distinguishing a God sanctioned killing as opposed to one caused by mental illness?

There isn't a criteria, since we can't prove that gods exist, or that they talk to people. Until you can prove that someone who genuinely hears voices isn't just a schizophrenic, we're going to call it that and try to keep an eye on them.

[Alex K]

There isn't a criteria

If anything, there's a criterion

sorry, couldn't help myself

[Lek]

Yes, if I was totally sure God was telling me. God might be ready to bring the child home, which would better than staying here. When God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham obeyed only to be stopped by God at the last second. It was a test of his obedience. Abraham knew it would be for the best and also believed that God could bring his son back to life if he desired. One problem is that some mentally ill people think that God is talking to them when he's not and do terrible things. (Please, nobody come back and say that all christians are mentally ill. I know I left myself open for that one.)

So if someone you knew went to church- ahem- religiously came up to you and explained that god told him to kill you, would you let him? What would your reaction be?

I would try to stop him. Going church religiously doesn't mean someone is a christian and, as far as I know, God hasn't told anyone to kill somebody in the last 2,500 years. I believe God could tell him to kill me, but I wouldn't accept his word for it unless God also revealed it to me. This a far out hypothetical discussion, but the principle does apply. I believe if God wants a true believer to know something, then that person will know.

[Angrboda]

I would try to stop him. Going church religiously doesn't mean someone is a christian and, as far as I know, God hasn't told anyone to kill somebody in the last 2,500 years. I believe God could tell him to kill me, but I wouldn't accept his word for it unless God also revealed it to me. This a far out hypothetical discussion, but the principle does apply. I believe if God wants a true believer to know something, then that person will know.

Did this 'God' reveal to you that all the God mandated killings in the bible were in fact God mandated, and if so, how? How is your evidence that what is in the bible is God mandated better than a person (or group of people) telling you that they have a mandate from God? How is the bible or whatever you base your belief in God's prior mandates on better evidence than either verbal or written claims made today?

[truthBtold]

So if someone you knew went to church- ahem- religiously came up to you and explained that god told him to kill you, would you let him? What would your reaction be?

I would try to stop him. Going church religiously doesn't mean someone is a christian and, as far as I know, God hasn't told anyone to kill somebody in the last 2,500 years. I believe God could tell him to kill me, but I wouldn't accept his word for it unless God also revealed it to me. This a far out hypothetical discussion, but the principle does apply. I believe if God wants a true believer to know something, then that person will know.

U say god hasn't told anybody to kill in 2500 years?? R u soft?? What about all the news clips of people killing cause god told them to? Are u saying that they got it wrong?? And u got it right? What a piece of work u are