Theists: Why do people have differing views on God?

Question

Doesn't the fact that if we ask twenty theists to describe 'God' we get twenty different answers bother you?

How do you have confidence in your belief in God when no one agrees with you 100%?

Personally, I don't think it's bad to realize your idea of 'God' is personal (I think it’s worse to insist your idea of ‘God’ must be everyone’s idea of God), but I'm just curious if this is your realization, or if there is something I'm missing.

Answer 1

I agree. we all ask ourselves this type of question. We know we are blessed when we come to the realization that you have because it means you have a personal relationship with God. You know what he is to and for you and that he may not be that for others because not everyone has the same needs. God of course is wise enough to approach us each on our on level and speak to us in the way we need, at the time we need it.

Answer 2

They do not have the same experience, the same revelation or the same understanding. This applies not only between me and thee but within each of us at any given time. I could say it is partly because we do not have the same attachments.

Your question and many answers, show that everyone has had to deal with or resolve the issues you raise.

Let us assume for a moment that you are a popular and musical God. Now I do not know you from Adam. There are several ways I can know about you. I can research what is already available or follow what is going on.

To know about you is not however to know you. Knowing you, let alone God, requires that you reveal yourself. This is true even if I read and think I understand everything you have ever written about yourself. So research and being part of what is going on does not equal revelation. .

If you reveal yourself, and we become friends, my idea of you is not only going to be personal; but far different from the idea of fans who read the tabs, buy the music and attend concerts. So I think I have good reason to present my ideas about you; and suggest they be considered, even by those who insist on talking about you off the top of their heads.

Having said the above, I must agree with you in part about the Must"* preachers. If I know you as a friend of great quality I will tell people they should get to know you. I will even say you are a must see! But, am I going out and demand that people must know you or else? The answer is no.

Preaching is nothing but a personal testimoney to truth in ones own life. Teaching or making use of doctrine and dogma from Scripture, in place of personal testimoney, puts most Christians, priests, preachers and church members, in a calling to which they have not been called.

If you were a musical God, and we were friends, I am certainly free and would desire to speak wisdom about our relationship. Still I would not be your appointed spokeman to the tone deaf.
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**There are many who claim the name Christian who believe that "following what is going on" is revelation. They can name the songs, quote the lyrics and even play and sing. Problem is they have never been backstage nor have they a commission to represent the artist. They are members of or promoters of fan clubs wherein certain members, living or dead, may or may not have known the artist despite their strongest claims.

What is missing. Life is missing. The question is not right or wrong. The real question is empty or full.

Being right or wrong in relation to life is meaningless. You cannot draw other people to the life of Christ if you do not have it to begin with. You cannot argue people out of that life once they have it. If they really have it they should not be defensive nor argumentative in spirit.

My confidence is not built on others. My confidence comes from being backstage with an excellent catering service.

If you don't care for the music the morning stars made when they sang together, if you don't care for or have songs in the night, if you are full and your tables are full all the time, if you are free, regardless of what this world can hand you: well what can I say.

You won't find me handing out free backstage passes to people who don't ask, people who don't care and people who claim there is nothing backstage, based on their latest scientific findings...

Answer 3

There are several different kinds of religious people out there. Some belief a more accepted vision of what God is, and others see God in a more unique way by their individual views. I personally think that a person should base their view on God (or a God-like figure) from their own experiences, not by what another person instills in you.

Look at the world around us...difference in religion is one of the biggest causes of violence today. The difference in what we believe is what sets us apart from each other and makes us individuals, so it doesn't bother me one bit that I have a different view than someone else. Your own perception is your greatest asset.

God can't be scientifically proven, so it is technically just a theory, created by us in our own image. Some people find a lot more fullfillment believing that there is something "more" out there, and for them that's good. Just remember the point...science answers "How?" and religion is supposed to try and answer "Why?"

Answer 4

As there is nothing to base god on everyone's concept of him is simply an idea. Not to say god doesn't exist but there's no way of detecting this source.

Maybe you pray and you have a "feeling" come over you or you're walking in a meadow or a shopping mall and you have an experience that seems more real than anything in your entire life. How would you know where that experience originated from?

For something to be tangible, it has to be experienced through the senses not only through the mind.

Answer 5

For the same reason that 20 scientists can look at raw data and form 20 different theories.

I'm assuming that you are an atheist based on your question, if I'm wrong, no offense intended. But, an atheist's viewpoint on God is simply just another opinion based on observation. Therefore the question has to be; What makes your opinion the right idea of God?

Answer 6

First of all God is logic not magic. He can be realized only through self awareness. Different opinions and religions about god is something like the ways we have to reach a place. We can goto a plce by means like walk, air, water etc. Religions or opinions are just like the means we have to reach the destination, the super natural power. There are two types of thoughts in this contest
1. I believe god
2. What ever I believe is god
The first one makes you a devotee or believer and second one makes you god or closer to him. Atlast its you to believe your belief and realize the same. You don't need others opinion for the same.

Answer 7

Why do some people see purple while others see dark red? Why do some say ToMATo, and other TomAto? Still referring to the same object.

Also remember that there is more than 1 religion that claims "God" as their leader. Some are referring to the "same" God, others are not.

Answer 8

You are right , even theists cant agree on what god is , this is because god is a man made entity .
When asked to prove the existence of god you are told "" you must have faith"" which is just another way of saying we don't know .

Answer 9

Everyone understands their God their own way.

People who do not believe in any God at all, have their own thoughts of the non-existent.

People who believe in many Gods, have their personal beliefs also.

You could only be missing the fact that we are all individuals with our own individual thoughts, beliefs and experiences.

One God with many creations?
Or many minds with no creator?

Answer 10

Just the fact that you have to ask this question is demoralizing.
We are on our own with no god nor home like a rolling stone ...
High time we work at fixing our remiss.