Time only exists in our limited dimensions. God is outside of our time domain. This allows God to see the beginning from the end, as he is outside time. So in a sense, it doesn't matter what "road" you choose, he sees where both roads lead too, because he shares extra dimensions. If you get a REALLY large piece of paper and draw small two dimensional people, buildings, roads and what not, and stand back and look at them. It doesn't matter where they go, or what they do, you see everything. That is because they exist in a two dimensional plane of existence. But you will be outside their dimensional plane. They wouldn't be able to see you if they tried, as they are two dimensional, and you are not. You could go right up close to them and they wouldn't be able to see you. You could poke a hole into their world (through the paper), but all they would see is the hole form, they wouldn't be able to see the figure that made the hole because they do not share the extra dimensional qualities.
The "Outside of Time Argument" An obvious criticism of God being outside of time is that this does not seem to grant free will. Predestination, regardless of how God perceives time, still seems to mean a person's actions will be determined. A logical formulation of this criticism might go as follows: 1. God timelessly knows choice "C" that the human would say s/he "will make". 2. If C is in the timeless realm, then it is now-necessary that C. 3. If it is now-necessary that C, then C cannot be otherwise (this is the definition of “necessary”). That is, there are no actual "possibilities" due to predestination. 4. If you cannot do otherwise when you act, you do not act freely (Principle of Alternate Possibilities) 5. Therefore, when you do an act, you will not do it freely. Please check it here -Argument from free will . The rest will be replied when I have some free time.
God may be aware of any decisions that you make, but he does not interfere with any decisions you do. There is free will nice link Sid
This assumes God is a temporal being, like us (human), ie exists in the temporal frame (hence it makes sense talking of "what God knew yesterday" and "what God will know tomorrow"). However, if God exists temporally (outside of time), then it makes no sense to talk of "what God knew yesterday" and "what God will know tomorrow", since God simply possesses knowledge, period (unrelated to time). An atemporal God can know everything, without this posing any threat to human free will (if the latter exists).....
God lives in a "continuous" present. "Past & future" are attributes of the "human mind", which is incapable of perceiving what happens around it in a moment around it, thus "created" time, which in absolute terms is an illusion. Human has the free will, but is not using it properly, because most of humans of this planet have no idea what free will is, even though they use it (or better say those who know how to use it manipulate "the sheep") unconsciously, thus they limit their own free will. The simplest example is breath. How many people are conscious of it ALL THE TIME (aka present)? Maybe 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of the population of this planet. Maybe less than that. My dear ones, who mingle in the mind, become conscious of your own breath and you'll discover FREE WILL. You will also discover something else, far more important and you will ROFLMAO.
God is a clobbering tool for the "great unwashed", since they are by definition "unruly" and "without self-control", of "feeble mind" and have "no conscience", hence they need to be kept in fear of "something greater than us". Religion and its earthly enforcers have been used for a very long time to keep the brutal force of the brutal mass in check. Successfully, sadly. This is how Feudalism, for instance, lasted as long as it did. One could go on but search a bit for those studies and ye shall find... P.S. All those stories of "this is God's mind" or "this is how things are for God", i.e. "I know God's mind/powers/intentions/etc." and whatever similar - that is all sheer blasphemy!!! You naughty children!!!
This 'logical' way is flawed 'by design'. -One cannot speak of an eternal entity that does perceive time. Only something that is temporary can perceive time since it is time that makes it temporary. Eternal = no time at all. -One cannot use 'the instance' that relies on time... to think about timelessness requires time itself. 'predestination' requires time. To 'think' about the paradox of time, we don't need the term god. But it is time that creates most of the issues when it comes to 'god'. To 'resolve' this one can put 'god' aside first. On one side: How can we deny time? We need time to finish works, we need time to grow up and to learn, study... Everything seems to be subject to time, but it all happens in the now. This is the paradox. There is NO direct evidence that time exists. One cannot perceive time directly. It is either a retrospective or thoughts about a imaginary future. When you think about the future you are thinking about it now. When you remember past events you are remembering them now. You ever experience what happens in the present. Concerning ‘free will’. When the present =god ‘offers’ infinite opportunities there is free will. When one chooses one of them all the others become ‘unchosen’. But this can only be a result of an instance which relies on time. (Retrospective). Then one might ask: Did I have free will or was I forced by god to do so? Being ‘present’ means to have all opportunities ‘every’ moment. Yeah, Gorski, tell it those children! God is never that what one thinks ‘he’ might be. He explicitly said: “You shall not make yourself any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above…” It is simply not possible. In other words: When perceiving god as object what is with the subject=observer? Summary: Put god aside. Resolve the paradox of time Resolve the issue of subject /object dualism. (The observer never observes itself, it IS the observer) Then you know ‘god’…
Santa, Easter Bunny, God etc same rubbish different package. When someone can give me a proper factual reason as to why God needs to exist at all, then I will take it seriously.
God is just a term. Are 'you' taking your-self seriously? To give you a proper factual reason you could give a 'proper factual reason' that you exist and how you'd determine your existence. Assuming that you exist and you are the observer anything you observe are objects of the observation. What is 'left' then and how can its existence have a proper factual reason without to become an object of the observation? And how can there be an observation without the subject=observer (the issue of subject /object dualism.) Determining the subject means to objectify it....but 'who' is doing it? When the subject / object dualism resolves then the god / your self dualism resolves, this/that..and the anything/god dualism as well. God is just a term, you can replace it with anything you want. At other languages it even has a different term. If the 'subject' does not exist, then 'nothing' exists. The subject is indeterminable since it requires to become objectified (an object of observation) Short: You ask for a proper factual reason of the existence of 'the subject' itself....curious how it should be possible and 'who' is doing it then.
I know there is no answer to it, which is why i asked, subjective reasoning to give an objective answer.
God created us in his image and originally designed us to live with him in the garden of paradise, because he loves us as his own (because we originally were) He even sent his own son to be the final sacrifice as a forgiveness of our sin, yet we (some) still think of him as a fantasy figure, So who's fault is it that we are left alone to other forces that wish to "clobber" us?
The Bible has been saying from the beginning that we are a subset of a much larger reality, and that God is outside of our space-time domain. Here is an article you may find interesting: http://no_short_urls_allowed/nszphpy
It's funny that you list the Bible as saying something without any proof and then post an article that is pointing out an Indian concept, not sure what you're trying to say exactly !?
Really? that's the best you've got? I don't normally reply to stupidity, if you don't believe, then good for you, but if your going to reply, please try to put some effort into actually using some intelligence. I've looked at your past postings on this site, and you don't come across as an idiot but as someone who actually uses their brain. But now "not sure what you're trying to say exactly !? " and you expect me to believe you? Certain topics discussed on this forum you come across as someone with intelligence, yet with this topic you have these one liner questions "Define other forces with factual information !" ... The above article I linked IS NOT CHRISTIAN. You know, trying to show an alternative source of information that isn't biased to what I personally believe? But Oh Noes! that ain't good enough, because it also sites indian mysticism? - how confusing .... Did you also read the bit about SCIENTISTS, NOT CHRISTIANS who have some amazing insights about coding found in the fabric of space-time and the larger reality beyond what we perceive? No, obviously that doesn't meet your agenda, so you deliberately look for the one thing you can find to question (and a stupid one at that)