I dont believe in "God" but say (this is purely an example) i was baking a cake, and i was wishing and hoping it turned out well. And "God" heard me, would he make my cake turn out bad? Or would he just leave me alone. Could he sort of reverse it on me, because i dont believe, and make what i didn't want to happen...happen?
People say "god" answers prayers, does he only answer prayers directed at him? If this is so, why does he not feel compassion for people who wish and hope for good things to happen, even though they dont believe?
2007-02-27 09:45:22 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God, at least the Christian God, is a God of Love. He does not do bad things to people. If you call Him, he will hear you. But why should anyone listen to you if you are not addressing yourself to them? If you were talking to a friend you would in some way make it know that it was them that you were talking to. Same with God. He stays out of your life until you ask Him to come in. He is a gentleman in that way. He respects your rights.
2007-02-27 09:57:05 · answer #1 · answered by tonks_op 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To begin, if you don't believe in God, then why are asking a question that deals with Him and prayers??! And God does not force Himself on anybody. He will try to bring you to Him through patience and gentility, but cannot make you believe. And it is not His way to spite people. It's hurts Him that you do not believe, and I'm sorry that you don't, but He isn't going to show any kind of hostility towards you. And why should God answer your prayers for good things, if you doubt that He can do them? He does answer all prayers; He may say yes, no , or later. Just because you don't get the answer that you wanted, doesn't mean that He's not listening to you.
2007-02-27 18:02:20 · answer #2 · answered by ilovejoshgroban! 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know. If you mean the Biblical god, I think he's rather capricious and never does exactly the same thing twice.
After all, look what happened to poor Job. He did believe in the Biblical god, and supposedly never did anything that p!ssed god off, but god sure kicked his @ss.
Then on the other hand, look around the world at some rotten people who have prospered and done well. Either the biblical god helped them, or he left them alone, 'cuz they aren't hurting.
IOW, I think there is no rhyme or reason to the Biblical god's decisions to favor someone, hurt someone or leave them alone.
2007-02-27 18:04:08 · answer #3 · answered by catrionn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hon, God likes a good joke as well as any person on this planet. Even if you 'don't believe' in Him, He believes in you ... and he may 'do things' in your life to 'point you in the right direction' (toward heaven) but he really doesn't 'care' one way or the other about your 'cake' ...
I had a friend who prayed to God to give him 'patience' every night, because he had a job where people were always asking questions that seriously 'tried' his patience every day. One night he woke up and realized that God was sending those 'trying' people to teach him patience ... and after that they didn't 'try his patience' any more, because he had 'developed it' with that realization. That is God being a 'good joker' ... and if a person 'doesn't believe' but prays for 'good things to happen' just in case he exists ... then the ones who 'need good things' will get them, and the ones who 'don't really want good things' will get that ... and that, too is God working in their lives.
2007-02-27 18:34:11 · answer #4 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a really good question. I wish that God would always do good. He should never punish anybody because the consequences of thier actions are always enough. He could also get people to believe in Him by faithfully answering prayers.
2007-02-28 23:59:26 · answer #5 · answered by NICE LADY 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John 15:7 Jesus says, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you"
-if you remain in him and his words. Remain in him = believe in him. Remain in his words = follow his commandments.
James 1:6-7 says, "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord." God answers only believing prayer, not doubting prayer.
also... there is another verse (i think in Matthew, but i cant seem to find it right now) that states the things God will seek to fulfill in your prayers are the things that are not selfish of you.
and most importantly understand, sin blocks out our prayers to God. in other words, if you have not been forgiven of your sins, God can not hear your requests. Other than that, you have to recognize that Jesus is the one who delivers the prayer to God the Father. so you would pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, then seek Jesus to accept your prayer, then for Jesus to pass it on to God the Father.
Prayer is so much more than just bowing your head and thinking to yourself "i really hope this cake comes out well"
its funny though, once i learned the power of prayer, i started to do it often. for all kinds of things. and something even cooler is that every single one of my prayers has been answered by God.
Just believe
God bless you my friend
2007-02-27 18:07:05 · answer #6 · answered by Kenneth H 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Once upon a time, God baked a planet. He baked it for billions of years. He left it alone . . . end of story.
Where would we be if God had left this planet, a void wasteland as discribed in Genesis 1:!-2? Where would you be if your parents didn't really love you when they saw you headed for trouble and did nothing to help you and prevent you from getting hurt, . .maybe seriously?!
God is a gentleman. The Holy Spirit which compells us to get to know and love God, will not over power our 'free wills'. He won't go where He is not wanted. But God, so loving us, won't give up on us until we die!!! The Bible tells us, 'It's appointed unto men to die once, and then the judgment.' There God must and will judge you for He is after all, . . .God and the appointed judge of ALL His creation. Read John 3:16 . . again.
God does not obligate Himself to answer any prayers of unrepented people! He does obligate Himself to answering ALL prayers of His repented children! The only pray that God will hear and answer from the unrepented is a sincere heartfelt prayer of repentance!
Would you obligate yourself to answering someone who doesn't really want to be your friend and get to know you? Who doesn't really want to trust in you as a friend? Who may even ridicule you to scorn behind your back?
I will say this, because the Spirit just now quickenth me, that although God will not obligate Himself to answer a sinners prayer, He will answer the prayers of those (your parents, Christians who know you,etc.) in order that you might come to repentance and be saved. PTL!!! For as the Bible so states, God's Holy infallible Word, "For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." . . . . .May the 'hound of Heaven (the Holy Spirit) hound you until you come to a saving know of God!
2007-02-27 18:10:12 · answer #7 · answered by Old Truth Traveler 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are many different beliefs and many different "gods". God is love itself. It is not a he or a she. Love is responsible for creation. God is not mean to you if you dont believe in him. That would make god very childish and human-like, which is absurd. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. and people learn from it because they are supposed to learn from it. Bad things will happen to you regardless.
People are slanted and biased these days. You have to trust yourself and your own beliefs. there are alot of bible hugging freaks out there who will say you'll go to hell if you dont believe in god. they're just ignorant and futher away from the truth than you are. just be a good person. be the best you can be and you'll do fine.
2007-02-27 17:57:35 · answer #8 · answered by slave 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God listens to all, who are willing to do his will. It has to be a conscience effort on your part and sincerity is utmost in his response. More so than all else, you must work proactively towards your prayer requests. Be mindful, when it does happen that it was obviously in line with his will. He is very merciful, yet as imperfect humans we have to have lessons repeated to us ,over, over, and over again. Yet, he will never stop loving those who love righteous works. He knows your heart, despite your perceived actions by others. This why you pray to Jehovah not Satan.
2007-02-27 17:58:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
He will not help you unless you ask him to. He will leave you alone, which in turn leaves you vulnerable to Satan's schemes. He does feel compassion, but he is the perfect father and gives us true freedom of choice. He will let us make mistakes and suffer the consequences. Best wishes.
2007-02-27 18:00:52 · answer #10 · answered by Ripplediane 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋