Day 299 Question 299:
If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
I went to Google and typed in thought provoking questions to search and the first question that slapped me right in the face was this one. If I could ask God one question, what would it be? So many people would say, “You don’t believe in God so that is not a valid question to even pose.” I never said I didn’t believe in God…I have said I don’t know complete truth about what I have learned in regards to God but I do believe God is what I want him to be. God is an important entity in my life. God is nothing simple….at least that is what I choose to believe.
I guess if I were to ask God a question it would be: Why do people’s convictions differ so greatly? There is so much I don’t understand or know about this world and so many times I catch myself wondering why I fall into a category so different from the masses. So many people have this solid and sure belief in God and the story of the Bible and I have so many questions (well, I also don’t know much about the context of the Bible). I guess to explain my question, I am curious why I have doubts and questions and wonders about what God is and about the ultimate truth and why other people believe whole-heartedly without question. If God does “exist” in the sense that many people portray him, I would want to know why I have a difficult time believing the story of the Bible and believing in his existence and his purpose.
Being able to ask God only one question would be an almost impossible task. If I were to ask him more than one question, that would prove my belief in him….isn’t the thought just so strange? I guess I just want to know the purpose of our differences….is there a purpose? Are we so different because we are all supposed to learn…to be challenged???
As I sit here I keep thinking about people I know and even those I don’t know. I do find religion to sometimes be an uncomfortable topic to discuss because of my not knowing what I really think or believe. I do, however, want to know how some people just know?? For my friends that are reading right here right now….if you believe in God…why do you believe? What makes you so sure? I do not ask in any demeaning manner…I ask to learn how people develop such convictions. Was there something that happened to you that made you just know that his existence is real? I have now answered 299 questions and I just want to ask those that read this one question that is constantly lingering in my mind. Well, actually there are different questions lingering in my mind. Because of my being unsure and having doubts about God and the Bible, do you look down upon me? What does that make you feel about me? Do you feel that one day I will come around and accept God into my life? Does it bother you that I may never accept God the same way you do…or maybe not at all? Do you believe that it is these religious differences that have caused such mass chaos and violence in the world?
I am always thinking about where we have come from and why we are here. I study creation and I study evolution and I never feel an absolute connection to either because all I truly know is the Now! I love the ideas of both but without the experience I am unsure. My curiosity gets the best of me sometimes and I am always itching to hear other people’s thought process….sometimes I laugh on the inside of how angry I am able to make people because of all of my questioning. I don’t enjoy people’s anger but I find amusement that those that call themselves devout Christians can get so upset at others that may think and feel differently(actions like that seem very UN-Christian like to me). I strive to do good in this world and treat people well because there are no other options….I guess I am just asking how others just know how it all began and believe in this entity that they have not had personal experience with (or have they?). I am open to hear anyone and I am always intrigued by my experiences. I have found that it is my senses that give me the answers more than my thoughts….I go with what feels natural in the moment. There is possibility that one day I may believe in God….at least in the sense that the majority believes in him but there is also the possibility that I may never see God in that light and choose to make him what I believe he was/is. Is that wrong? Am I going to Hell because of this? I would really love some dialogue here and some words of wisdom if anyone has any to share. I do not ask anything out of disrespect….my mind is this continual cycle and if I don’t ever ask the questions I will never have an understanding of others.
It's a New Day... 
I would highly recommend the book The Source by James A. Michener. It really doesn’t give clear answers as to what to believe, but instead explores where religion and the need to believe in something bigger than ourselves has originated from.
My question for God: Why, if you new what was in their hearts already, did you test so many and let them go through so much suffering to prove their devotion to you?
Some people, though God has planned their lives out, think they know better than Him. So, like a good parent, He lets us “fail” so we can learn a lesson. (Buy that? It sounded good in my head.)
I’m fond of stating during trying times: I know He doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle, but I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.
B@Peace
What was the point of creating insects like roaches, gnats and centi-millipedes?
“…If you could ask God one question, what would it be?….”
I would ask “Which of our civilisation’s many religions are you the god/ goddess of?”
Just to not be presumptuous I would quickly add, “…or are you another god / goddess entirely – one which no human on planet earth even knows about?”
Great post and I do not think you are alone. I am a religious person. I haven’t always been. I grew up with religion and when I was in my early twenties I did my own thing. I was very unhappy. I went back to religion/God and found I was happier. I am never offended by other’s beliefs or questions. we would be stagnant and content if we did not ask questions of ourselves or others. I become offended when people who claim to be religious bash on others beliefs. I do not get the point in that.
with regards to your question of why there is violence in the name of religion. In my opinion, people have a difficult time separating the religion from the person/people. I have come across atheists who have such a hate on for any believer but that doesn’t mean every atheist has a hate on. No different if you meet a Muslim… doesn’t mean they are out to kill non believers. People tend to claim to do things in the name of religion but I wholeheartedly believe that God does not want someone to go around killing people. This is been something that has happened since the beginning of time. We can dislike the actions of a person but not the religion. People are imperfect beings participating in what they believe to be a perfect religion. If we separate the actions of people from the Religion/beliefs than we may be better able to understand the Religion and possibly the person (does that make any sense??)
If one were to look at the different religions of the world, they would find differences for sure but I guarantee you would find similarities in every one of them.
For me personally, I find that believing in God makes sense. Let me explain, I believe in life after death. Why? I honestly do not see the point of doing everything we have done in our lives for nothing. What would the point of learning and growing in life if we were to end up in the ground and that’s it. Doesn’t make any sense to me. Along with this belief I believe in eternal families. Part of believing in life after death is believing that we can be with our families forever. To me, that brings great comfort. I am married and have one child and one on the way. The thought of losing one of them and not being able to see them again is saddening. I never liked the idea of being married until death do you part. We are born into families, why would we die and not be reunited with them?
I believe everyone is different because 1) life would be boring if we were all the same. 2) we need to learn to not tolerate people but accept them and love them as they are. If you believe in God one would be led to believe that God loves everyone – EVERYONE regardless of life circumstances and choices.. if one is to be like God than we would have to learn to love and accept everyone as they are. Which is a huge challenge when we all differ so much.
With the election that just occurred religion has been, inadvertently, thrust in our faces because Mitt Romney declares himself as a Mormon. I have read blogs and comments about this and it AMAZES me how people are so quick to hate him because of this. The same can be said of Muslims. People assume if you are muslim you must want to kill Americans in the name of Jihad. I think of the film made by a group of people who make the Prophet Muhammed out to be a womanizer or fraud… Muslims were up in arms and they banned this film. Then on the other hand, in NY you have a play that openly mocks another religion and somehow it is okay – political leaders have seen it and raved about this play. How is this okay? I believe if you are accepting of all people than you probably wouldn’t support anything that openly mocks another’s beliefs. It’s sad that in this day and age we need to have conversations about respect of others and about not bullying. People say things are done in jest and we need to have a sense of humour. Why do we need to have a sense of humour about mocking people and what they believe? don’t get me wrong – I’m not perfect and without fault in this regard.
I respect your beliefs and your questions. I love when people question why I believe what I believe. It reminds me of why I believe it and where I have come from. I respect that you are capable of asking these questions. I find some people are so closed minded and unwilling to ask questions such as this because they don’t see the point.
I believe God is there to guide, protect, and teach us. When I was in my early 20s I was on a road trip and we were driving through some crazy winter weather. On the way home I was falling asleep in the back seat. I took my seatbelt off because I hate trying to fall asleep with a shoulder belt on. so uncomfortable. About 2 mins later I had this ‘impression’ in my mind to put my seatbelt on. I ignored it at first and then I had the impression again. So I begrudgingly put it on. Not 5 mins later we were doing 360s down the highway and slammed into the ditch. I would hate to think what would have happened had I not put on my seatbelt.
I have seen how God works through miracles (which is in one of my blog posts). Which is why I am unable to deny the existence of something greater.
My advice: if you are going to inquire about a specific religion – go to that place of worship and ask them directly. I would never go to a BMW dealer to ask about Ford. In the same regard I would never go to a Jehovah Witness to ask about Buddhism.
Ok… I think this reply is unnaturally long. haha. Sorry. When I get on a tangent I tend to go on and on. Good luck in your quest.
Thank you for all that you have shared 🙂
If I only had one question, I would ask “what am I supposed to accomplish in this life?” and hope the answer isn’t too complicated!
“what am I supposed to accomplish in this life?”
Perhaps discovering the answer to that question through life experience and self examination IS what life is all about. If god just told you the answer that would ruin everything!
For me the answer was management consultancy…. (I jest of course).