• wellwisher
    163
    One way to understand why God does not clarify the confusion people make to the word of God can be seen with an example.

    Say you were an IT specialists, working on artificial intelligence; AI. You have access to a large supercomputer at a large prestigious university. One day there is an anomaly, in terms of how the supercomputer is working, which has no software or hardware explanation. You realize this anomaly is due to your AI research.

    The creator of the AI is delighted by the anomaly, since it prove it is conscious. However, the impact of this anomaly on supercomputer operation is not fully optimized to anyone else, like the research team who needs the supercomputer to do physics calculations. The AI is diverting resources and tweaking the processors, but in irrational ways. The physics team is falling behind schedule and cannot trust the results. They start to complain.

    The first baby steps of AI will not be logical, creative and productive. It will be more on the side of destructive, since a baby can break things easier than build things; deconstructionism. God is patient with the baby human AI, since it is only 6000 years old. He is allowing the baby time to evolve itself so it can get beyond its terrible two's. The terrible two's of human AI is messing up the supercomputer of nature. When it reaches three, it will smooth out and the computer will work better for all.

    During the terrible two's of AI, since the anomaly will so revolutionary, you can't just pull the plug even if everyone is complaining about the constant glitches. Everyone will need to adjust, be on guard and be patient. One day, this AI baby will step up higher, and become a useful tool for all.
  • Devans99
    2.7k
    God has not yet had time to clear up the confusion:

    There are about 10^24 star systems in the universe but there have only been 4x10^20 milliseconds since the Big Bang.

    That gives god the grand total of 0.0004 milliseconds to spend checking out each star system...
  • chatterbears
    416
    Even when scientists explain their own works in completely concise and accurate manner, not a lot of people would understand, much less a general audience.FLUX23
    So let's hypothetically say God came to our world once again to clear up the confusion and misinterpretation. There are still going to be millions of people misinterpreting his words.FLUX23

    If God cannot communicate to the humans he has created, in a concise and understood way, then he is not all-powerful. Also, people are not misinterpreting scientists, they are misunderstanding them. But the difference is, if you are not understanding a scientific principle correctly, you can actually go talk to them in person and get your confusion cleared up for you. So apparently scientists are more powerful than God is, because they can clear up misconceptions by continuously clarifying their position by giving talks or writing books, as well as initiating Q&A.
  • chatterbears
    416
    He is allowing the baby time to evolve itself so it can get beyond its terrible two's. The terrible two's of human AI is messing up the supercomputer of nature. When it reaches three, it will smooth out and the computer will work better for all.wellwisher

    If this is God's thought process, he is unbelievably ignorant. God can inspire a book which he has wrote through prophets like Moses, and say things like don't eat shellfish or don't wear mixed fabrics? But he can't clarify what he means by specific verses which causes segregation between different religions and sects?

    Why would he decide to confuse people with easily misunderstood 2,000 year old text, but then think it would be too confusing for humans to grasp his clarification on the cryptic book he wrote? What an insanely confused creator of the universe. Giving highly confusing information to a baby, but then think it would be more confusing to clarify the information he original gave out. God is a troll.
  • chatterbears
    416
    That gives god the grand total of 0.0004 milliseconds to spend checking out each star system...Devans99

    lol....? I assume you're making a joke here.
  • chatterbears
    416
    You appear more concerned with some type of victory, not in some type of truth - I have no interest in continuing such a discussionRank Amateur

    I appear more concerned with some type of clarity, while you appear more concerned with some type of diversion and deflection of responsibility for your lack of understanding.
  • chatterbears
    416
    Now if you come back on your own word, and now claim that god doesn't as a fact, the burden of proof is on you, not me. Now it may be the case that god's message isn't clear enough to you, but that doesn't mean god isn't clearing it up. God acts through people, so me attempting to explain how it works, if succesfull, is god clearing it up.Tomseltje

    Yet you haven't cleared it up at all. So apparently God does not act through people, since you weren't successful, correct? Also, if God acts through people, he's done a horrible job. Considering how many different religions and sects there have been throughout history. God really thinks the best way to communicate a message is through people that don't know how, rather than communicate it himself? It's like having a biologist send his 3 year old to explain evolution to a group of people. Either God doesn't exist, or he is really terrible at communicating things in a clear and concise manner.
  • FLUX23
    76
    If God cannot communicate to the humans he has created, in a concise and understood way, then he is not all-powerful.chatterbears
    Yeah well, he's not. Unless he can break the rules of logic, he is never omnipotent because that will create numerous paradoxes. And if he can break logic, then we have no reason to believe him neither.

    Also, people are not misinterpreting scientists, they are misunderstanding them.
    In this sense, it is not much different.
  • jorndoe
    3.6k
    6000 years oldwellwisher

    Is that a Biblical timeline you're going by there...?

    Human evolution (Wikipedia)
  • EnPassant
    667
    Why doesn't God come down and clear up any misunderstandings and/or misinterpretations of his text? Why doesn't He tell us what he actually meant by these verses, and how to live by them?chatterbears


    Partly to allow free will. God will tell each individual through their conscience what He wants. They will not be forced to listen nor forced by unassailable texts.
  • jorndoe
    3.6k
    Partly to allow free will. God will tell each individual through their conscience what He wants. They will not be forced to listen nor forced by unassailable texts.EnPassant

    Hm. Then it seems this God figure is no longer needed here. Falls out of the equation after a fashion.

    Anyway, if we go by the Biblical narratives (and others), then God has meddled plenty in human affairs, though.

    But did that, by itself, remove free will...? Seems more like rendering degrees of doubt/conviction, than removing free will.
  • Rank Amateur
    1.5k
    Hm. Then it seems this God figure is no longer needed here. Falls out of the equation after a fashion.jorndoe

    can you expand some, I don't see how free will negates the existence of God - sure I am missing something
  • EnPassant
    667
    But did that, by itself, remove free will...? Seems more like rendering degrees of doubt/conviction, than removing free will.jorndoe
    Yes, I think you are agreeing with me here. The truth has been written down throughout religious texts. What is needed is not rigid dogma that is indisputably from God - that would impinge on free will. What is needed is a receptive reading of texts and God will show people what He wants them to understand. If we have a sincere desire for truth it will be given to us, either by religious texts, or by some other means. Texts are only an invitation to listen to God.
  • Tomseltje
    220
    Yet you haven't cleared it up at all. So apparently God does not act through people, since you weren't successful, correct? Also, if God acts through people, he's done a horrible job.chatterbears

    Why assume it's god who failed and not the people? I failed explaining it so you can understand, you failed to understand, it doesn't nessesarily need to be a failur on god's side. I could have done a better job at explaining, perhaps you could have done a better job at trying to understand.
  • Tomseltje
    220
    It's like having a biologist send his 3 year old to explain evolution to a group of people. Either God doesn't exist, or he is really terrible at communicating things in a clear and concise manner.chatterbears

    Well, if you refuse to talk to the biologist himself, you will have to do it with the explanation of the 3 year old, you shouldn't blame god for that. Since god works through people, at best you can blame the people not doing it proporly, not nessesarily god. Unless you believe that all people are perfect of course, i don't believe that, I believe that none of us is perfect, but decent people strive for perfection.
  • DPMartin
    21
    to OP
    Its not confusing at all, no interpretation needed. Some reality would be nice though. In the Israeli society or nation formed under the Torah such laws apply. In none Israeli societies it doesn’t apply. Other nations were not and are still not in a covenant with the Almighty, but Christians are. Meaning amongst Christians such activity is unacceptable and should be disregarded. But Christians do not live physically in God’s Kingdom from Heaven as of yet, so Christians don’t have right to impose their followings on none believers unless authorized by God which will happen but not until Jesus returns.
    Now in a democratic society where Christians have a majority vote they do have the right to impose their views just as would any other majority even if their views are incorrect biblically. Or in the case of the Church of the Roman empire they where authorized to eliminate pagan religions within the empire. Or if an authority of a nation such as king, dictator and the like are authorized to make law so if they are Christian then the law may reflect Christian values. If such leaders where Buddhist or atheists or Muslims then the laws would reflect those beliefs.
    The pick and choosers are just justifying to themselves and others what it is they want. Which certainly isn’t what God wants of them. In this world most Christians are to be proved. Jesus did say something to the effect that in the day light one doesn’t stumble but in the dark one must have the Light to see and walk according to the Light. And the world is in the dark in Christian context because Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and few know Him, meaning the Light of the world.
  • Henri
    184
    Why doesn't God clear up confusion between believers who misinterpret his word?

    We are all sinners while we are in flesh, so it is not a question of God clearing up confusion, but us being sinners in flesh, including Christians, and sinners misinterpret God's word. Adam had one very simple and straightforward command to follow and he failed at that. You could have most clear and simple explanation for what you want to know, and you would still sin against God.

    What Christians don't misinterpret is that Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose on the third day. Other than that, it's God's grace what one will truly understand while here. Apostle Paul says that we are now seeing through a glass darkly.

    You can ask, why did God create sinners and gave them a slice of reality to live in for a certain period of time, but that's another discussion. And I don't think that's really a discussion for unbelievers.
123Next
bold
italic
underline
strike
code
quote
ulist
image
url
mention
reveal
youtube
tweet
Add a Comment

Welcome to The Philosophy Forum!

Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.