If no one can understand God how can anyone claim that their idea of God is right?

Question

I read a lot of answers on this forum that state that we as mere humans can not possibly hope to understand God. But many of these same people turn right around say that those who do not follow their idea of God are wrong. Surley they realize how hypocritical that is. If no one understands God then how can you know you are right? It could be that you are wrong. It could be that your idea of God is right but that everyone else's is right as well. Maybe no one is right or all the ideas have some truth in them. What do you think? Do you think we will ever understand God? Do you think that only one idea of God is right or that all have merrit? Are you/do you know of anyone who seems to follow the above description and what do you think of it? Any other ideas you'd like to speak of.

(btw, when I say God I mean any idea not just the Christian one for that too is an idea of God.)

Answer 1

They don't understand, but they believe because of faith, and they worship things they can never understand. The whole thing doesn't make any logical sense.

Answer 2

Good point. No one can hope to complelety understand God

So everyone's idea of God is partial correct and mostly wrong.

For instance, read 2 Samuel 24:1-17 - A God you kills 70000 people because someone took a census, may seem strange to some people, but apparently it makes a lot of sense to many.

Answer 3

I dont think it is right for anyone to claim they understand they know and understand the bible, seeing as everybody will interpret it differently, so no one person or group can say they are right. anybody that says they are right and downs someone else about how they unerstand it is wrong, for the simple fact that if they are able to understand god, they would know its not there place to judge and they would be more willing to except and educate them on the understanding and beliefes. I dont really have a way to understand him, i know that i try to live my life the best way i know how and help as many people as i can along the way and when i'm in need i get the help that i ask for and i get it. it may not be exactly what i ask for, but hen i'm in times of need i get by, and i know i'm not doing it alone.

Answer 4

Humans are very strange creatures. We like other people to be just like us not realizing how boring that would be. We like that others agree with us so when you throw religion in the mix, it's just like politics or sexual fantasies... things tend to get complicated.
I think that the best approach for all of us is to assume that we are all WRONG... but RIGHT to do what we believe in. And we need to, once and for all, understand that different people have different ways of looking at things. So, some people want to cover their whole bodies while others want to show 'everything' Let them be... the rules of society must apply for everyone, but the rules of worship are blurry and tolerance comes in order.
I am happy to have friends that practice different religions and are devoted to their beliefs... I love them, I may not agree with them sometimes, but I still love them.

Answer 5

I predict responses about how the Bible tells us how to live, but you raise an excellent question. I believe everyone's relationship with God is personal. Some people find that their relationship with God is super-charged through belonging to a church, and others don't. The Bible isn't the only religious text that exists, so anyone who quotes it or cites it as a rationale is dodging your question. Never mind that all religious texts were written by men, maybe inspired by God and maybe not, we'll never know...

Anyway, thank you for asking this very good question.

Answer 6

To understand God...one must feel God. And the answer is if you feel good, if you do good, then you understand God. No one can achieve the state of God, but one must try. There will always be times when you will fall short, but the glory is that if you try, you are. Anything that promotes love, kindness, and happiness for oneself and others, promotes God. If the religion is of goodness, it is of God. No matter the name. I can never understand my father, but I know he loves me. And in that love there is a fundamental understanding. To me... the beauty of God is, simlpicity. And that, I understand.

Answer 7

God, any god, is far beyond any mortal understanding or reason. No, I do not believe we can understand any god. They are, if they exist, greater then all we could ever know, which is why we do not know if there is a god or not. We just can't.

Answer 8

Regardless of the generations of bible-thumpers that have inhabited this planet......NOBODY can ever claim to know God.

It's supremely arrogant if anyone tries to make such a claim.

God is. And God is individual and unique to each member of his creation, which he gave life and free will to.

Be alive and be at peace.

Answer 9

ok...i will give you an example:
1. do not steal
2. do not lie
3. don't make false statement against your neighborhood

these are 3 of many commandments that written in the Bible. the why believers have The Bible (God's words). that's why actually people were trying to burn the bible soo many times and guess what it survived :)

god is not just words...its SPIRIT. if want.

Answer 10

you keep saying the word "idea" of God - that is contruction and people will all have different opinions. but if you think in terms of God being a living being, someone you come in contact with, you relate to, who has character, mind, personailty then it changes. there will still be many different stories from people but they are not "ideas" of God, they are "experiences".

Answer 11

We can know we are right through God's book, the Bible. The only way we can form an idea about God is through His written word. I don't think man could fathom God because God is so much more...