What proof would someone need in order to believe in God?

[GreenTea]

I often wonder why people say if "God" existed, he/she/it would manifest itself - my understanding is that if a man comes and declares himself God, then proceeds to kill someone and then bring that person back to life we will believe him. He'd tell us that we could ask him anything in the world and he'd do it immediately. Would we believe him to be "God"?

Isn't the AntiChrist supposed to do something like that? Convince people that he is indeed "God" by all means necessary.

My question is, what evidence would you as an individual need to accept that this particular thing is in fact the creator of the world?

Thanks and all replies will be appreciated!

 

[Lisa]

I thought that it takes faith to believe-not sight?

Anyway...I think many people will believe the anti is god. The Bible tells us he comes with many lying wonders and that many people will be deceived.

 

[AspiringSoul]

you need a balance of left brain and right brain thinking ie understand the balance between the Transcendent aspect of God which deals with core rules/submission etc and the Immanent aspect of God which gives us freedom to shape the world according to our will and creativity.
Ie the passive/active (yin/yang) of religion.

Dajjal being blind in his right-eye symbolises being cut off from the left brain viewpoint ie he effectively represents extreme panthiesm and believes everything is sacred/God inc himself.
it does not help that a religion like islam, today..is being purposely pushed as only a yin/passive/left-brain religion. Ie the rise of salafism was in contrast to the other extreme of sufism. It's why you get so many muppets repeating the phrase "you worship a sky daddy". what happens as a result is the other viewpoint ie the Immanence of God, is hijacked and credited to the other side rather than understanding both sides belong to the same religion. This is true for all the abrahimic religions btw.

 

[Camidria]

We are all very unique individuals, so for each person it will require many different things. In my case I was privileged to have a relationship with God (Yahuwah) since I
was young. And it just grew into maturity as the years went by, everything I questioned about and needed He answered.

 

[SkepticCat]

What proof would someone need in order to believe in God?

I'm not going to answer your question because I find it hilariously absurd. Let me counter-ask: What proof would someone need in order to not believe in God?

You have this magical world of mathematical perfection around you inhabited by sentient, intelligent beings capable of of pondering their own existence and their place in the world, of questioning the nature of reality, of engaging in philosophical, ethical and moral debate, of loving, hating, hoping, doubting, despairing and believing - yet some people somehow still doubt in whether there's a greater meaning behind it all...

It's divine comedy, I tell you.

EDIT: Actually, let me address your point more directly since the above doesn't really engage your point but is more a refutation of atheism: It would be illogical for any one "thing" to come and proclare itself God and actually be God. Any such being could at most be a manifestation of God (same as how we Christians believe Jesus Christ was God made flesh) since any created being obviously also cannot be ultimate Creator.

If one believes God is all powerful and purely benign then it follows He would not allow you to be deceived unless you are meant to be. Any being appearing and working any sort of miraculous magic is not going to be God unless it actually is, by which I mean God will let you know who He is if you are meant to know and you surely won't be in doubt (in the face of an ultimate power). This doesn't really answer your point but what I mean is what must happen will happen and cannot happen any other way; only those who are meant to be deceived will be. In any discussion of God - at least a monotheistic world perspective God - one is dealing with a power so incomprehensibly great there will be no doubt as to His nature if/when He chooses to manifest Himself.

 

[King David]

I often wonder why people say if "God" existed, he/she/it would manifest itself - my understanding is that if a man comes and declares himself God, then proceeds to kill someone and then bring that person back to life we will believe him. He'd tell us that we could ask him anything in the world and he'd do it immediately. Would we believe him to be "God"?

Isn't the AntiChrist supposed to do something like that? Convince people that he is indeed "God" by all means necessary.

My question is, what evidence would you as an individual need to accept that this particular thing is in fact the creator of the world?

Thanks and all replies will be appreciated!

Hi there Green Tea...

I like your name -- green tea brings about purification of the flesh.

The New Testament prepares all to fear the dreaded "Antichrist" and an "Angel of Light."

However, the Old Testament says Michael, an ordinary man will "stand up" (Daniel 12:1) in troublesome times. What does this mean? It means that an ordinary man named Michael (disguised as Michael the Arc Angel) is about to be revealed to the world in His former self - the Commander of the Host.

He will be a world renown Athlete, Scholar, and Judge; He will perform feats that are amazing. Michael will honor the Law of Elohim; the Law that most of the Christians were taught to abandon. He will be antichrist, because He will have rejected the pagan god "Jesus" who was never prophesied of by the Father and was really just a Roman man who changed the Father's Law.

Michael will be the Righteous King (Isaiah 32:1) that leads Elohim's chosen back to Israel (Jer 30-33, Isaiah 35, Ezekiel 34-37). He will only be received by "the thousands" of people (Deuteronomy 33:2). These will follow Him to the mountains of Israel where water will break forth in the desert (Isaiah 35). Later Michael's face will shine (Daniel 9:17, Psalm 80:7, Numbers 6:25) and it will be revealed that He is Yahuwah is flesh form.

You may take comfort if you learn and follow the Father's Law. Then you will be among the ten thousands!

"Who will believe Our report? To whom has the Arm of Yahuwah been revelaed?" Isaiah 53:1

Shalom

 

[Sherekeewoman]

I don't know what proof you are looking for. I felt God's presence as a child and different times in my life where I felt a deep connection to something much bigger than me; like a connection to the Universe. As I have continued to study the earth around me, I see miracles of life everywhere. I love that spirals have such deep connection to the earth... the shells in the sea, sunflowers, our DNA, the spiraling nature of our cosmos. The Fibonacci sequence is everywhere in nature. It feels like a code to me. Have you ever watched "The Cosmos"? Those shows show the scientific reality of our Earth and the Universe... looking at the beginning of Life from the deep Oceans. It's incredible. It's simply beautiful.... and I definitely feel that it was designed, not a big accident. God is the spark of life behind our eyes... it is what is in your heart that inherently tells you what is right and wrong. You have to find God within yourself. Keep searching. Keep listening and you will hear.

 

[mecca]

You have to find God within yourself. Keep searching. Keep listening and you will hear.

True

I love that spirals have such deep connection to the earth... the shells in the sea, sunflowers, our DNA, the spiraling nature of our cosmos. The Fibonacci sequence is everywhere in nature.

Yeah it's almost creepy lol (but it's more beautiful)

 

[manama]

The very existence of this universe is a proof
but those who don't want to believe will keep searching for excuses

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

My question is, what evidence would you as an individual need to accept that this particular thing is in fact the creator of the world?

So personal experience and miraculous events witnessed put aside, ones that immediately spring to mind are

- the wonder and complexity of creation (this would appeal to most people apart from scientific materialists)

- the study of fulfilled prophecy, e.g. Jesus fulfilling numerous OT prophecies on the Messiah

-awareness of unfulfilled Bible prophecies (might make a good thread in its own right) especially relating to ones that may even be fulfilled during our time on this forum (Isaiah 17, Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38, Nahum revisited in Mosul even) - If God is truly eternal it would be within his pattern of dealing with people to reveal his knowlege of events before they happen...

Just ideas off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are many other ways God could make Himself known.

 

[GreenTea]

It's interesting to read everyone's take on this. I already feel a higher power somewhere who's definitely present but I dont know how else to acknowledge it. How do we find a balance between finding a purpose in life and just "going with the flow" and is there a meaning to all this, if there is what is it?

 

[grateful servant]

It's interesting to read everyone's take on this. I already feel a higher power somewhere who's definitely present but I dont know how else to acknowledge it. How do we find a balance between finding a purpose in life and just "going with the flow" and is there a meaning to all this, if there is what is it?

God created every human being on the 'fitrah', the natural inclination to acknowledge and worship our Creator, but it is our parents/upbringing/society that lead us to another path. With that in mind, I would say the feeling you have is due to your fitrah.

In Islam, the purpose of life is to worship our Creator - Almighty God, the only one worthy of worship. The Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad are our manual for living a life in submission to God. In Islam, our daily living can become an act of worship if it is done sincerely for God and in accordance with the guidelines laid out in the Quran and Sunnah.

 

[mecca]

It's interesting to read everyone's take on this. I already feel a higher power somewhere who's definitely present but I dont know how else to acknowledge it. How do we find a balance between finding a purpose in life and just "going with the flow" and is there a meaning to all this, if there is what is it?

Maybe our purpose is to go with the flow.

 

[God_Is_Formless]

I really don't think we need any proof at all to believe in a Superior Intelligence Responsible for our own intelligence since we cannot even explain our intelligence's own existence.

 

[Kung Fu]

No matter what signs come down from you Lord many people will still disbelieve.

 

[Lady]

Maybe our purpose is to go with the flow.

Yes,
I think so. Man struggles so much and wants to remain in control rather than let God guide and His will carry us upon the river.
That is why I know satan is the god of THIS world-the whole world is designed to push mankind to go after dreams, achieve, and be the best it can be. The best we can ever be is to be a child of God!

 

[mecca]

Yes,
I think so. Man struggles so much and wants to remain in control rather than let God guide and His current (literally and figuratively) carry us on the river.
That is why I know satan is the god of THIS world-the whole world is designed to push mankind to go after dreams, achieve, and be the best it can be. The best we can ever be is to be a child of God!

Well we should still improve ourselves and the world but yeah I agree.

 

[Lady]

Well we should still improve ourselves and the world but yeah I agree.

We can only really "improve" through God's guidance, if you know what I mean. To be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God.

 

[mecca]

We can only really "improve" through God's guidance, if you know what I mean. To be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God.

Yeah but God made the world so why not embrace it. This is the place we live and we should try to make it a good place for everyone. Stopping wars, improving the environment, taking care of animals, appreciating nature.

 

[God_Is_Formless]

Make a nism
Mechanism

I think what Lady is really saying
Is to detach ourselves from too much worldly pleasurings

Now i may be wrong,
So please never get me wrong