How can God read your thoughts?

[Tinie]

Is that true? How can He? I believe in Him but I don't go to church. So I don't have anyone to ask.

[angel.eyes]

Here is a link to an online Bible.

 

BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages.

 

In terms of translations, if you aren't very familiar with the Bible, the English Standard Version (ESV) or New International Version (NIV) might be easier to read.

 

As bentnotbroken points out, the Bible is in some ways one of the most complex books, despite it's simple message. I don't go to church to be good. I go because speaking with other believers helps me get more out of God's Word than I ever could on my own. My faith isn't dependent on church attendance, but my ability to live my life authentically based on my interpretation of the Bible is helped by speaking with other Christians.

 

We all face similar questions and problems. I'd encourage you to try attending church sometime rather than isolating yourself. In terms of churches, visit a few until you find one that speaks to you and feels like "home."

[Esoteric Elf]

How can a software programmer read a program?

[ErosOcean]

Well there's another way to understand it besides reading the bible.

 

If you study a monistic idealist point of view you will see that God and you are one. There is no separateness from him. Which means that all of us are within God and are generated from him.

 

Quantum physicist on consciousness alludes to the same principle. That we are consciousness. Consciousness is everywhere and nowhere. Etc etc.

 

So God knows your thoughts and everything that you do, not because he is sitting on a throne in heaven. But because he is a part of you. He is you and you are him.

[Feelin Frisky]

Why do you think you are so important that as big as this universe is and how much is in it that something of anything outside of nature personally enters your mind? This is called anthropocentrism. Google it. It's an element of the lunacy that keeps the world shedding the blood of the innocents.

[ErosOcean]

Why do you think you are so important that as big as this universe is and how much is in it that something of anything outside of nature personally enters your mind? This is called anthropocentrism. Google it. It's an element of the lunacy that keeps the world shedding the blood of the innocents.

 

So what you are saying is that by suggesting that God can read our thoughts. This way of thinking makes us feel important. Which then leads to the shedding of innocent blood?

 

I don't know if you see a gap in drawing such a conclusion. Unless, I misunderstood you.

 

But suppose you are right.

 

But wouldn't the thought of God being able to read our thoughts deter most people from doing harm. Supposing that they follow God's law that you shouldn't kill.

 

Wouldn't knowing that God knows a persons thoughts, that same person would be abhorred to even think about shedding the blood of an innocent for fear of retribution from God?

 

Well we know that is not always the case, since the history of religion shows different.

 

But we also know that in other cases, some people wouldn't even dream of committing the act for fear that God would condemn them.

 

So what does that say about our conclusion?

 

Now Anthropocentrism is defined as a person who views the human life to be more important than nature or any other living creature.

 

So does a belief in God, or God knowing our thoughts, make a person self centered and devalue nature and the life of other creatures?

 

Such a conclusion doesn't seem true.

 

Are there not animal activists and tree huggers who do have a belief in God?

 

So anthropocentrism has nothing to do with an idea of believing that God can read our thoughts. It is more clearly defined for someone who is selfish and does not value the life of other living creatures regardless of religion, race, or creed.

 

Well I feel important for the day.

 

Bye!

[dichotomy]

Right now there are crude interfaces that read brain waves or nerve impulses and control robotic interfaces. Here is an amazing example.

 

Toyota's mind-controlled wheelchair boast fastest brainwave analysis yet, most stylish EEG cap

 

It is inevitable to me (as an engineer) that within a few generations we will have the ability to read brainwaves and thoughts... and even transmit thoughts between each other. Apple introduces iMind 1.0

 

In the last 2000 years, and particularity last 200 years look how far we humans (made in God's image) have come in our abilities. And there is a question about what a super being (lets say GOD) who has been around forever (lets say billions of of years) could do?

 

Heck - if we humans live long enough - in another 2000 years we will do things that we think are fantasy and impossible now.

 

So if you are willing to believe or even consider God exists - then - ya he can read your mind.

Edited April 27, 2013 by dichotomy

[quankanne]

good question, and I don't really have an opinion, but I *do* believe he reads our hearts ... and that's more telling

[Feelin Frisky]

So what you are saying is that by suggesting that God can read our thoughts. This way of thinking makes us feel important. Which then leads to the shedding of innocent blood?

 

[/Quote]

 

You kinda took a big leap there in going from feeling important to killing. I just watched a show called VICE on HBO where children are manipulated because of their innocence to believe that suicide bomb jackets will only blow toward the vitim and not hurt the wearer. But even if they die they are told there is a Paradise. They aren't even able to read the Quoran themselves because of their poverty. My point of my post is that anyone can elevate a sense of urgency to anything if they fall into blind faith and take religion to literally mean that there's a god who knows who you are. It's such an ignorant concept because it gives no thought to the number of other people there are. How does this one figure monitor the thoughts of 6 billion human beings all of whom are thinking their own thoughts. You see, it's not only antropcentrsim where man sees the universe as revolving around him but it is ego centrism in which incividuals convince themselves of their personal righteousness. This appears to be what happened to that older brother of the two who killed the innocents in Boston last week. That elder brother mixed religion with his own brand of self-righteousness and he is a suspect in a triple murder now unrelated to the bombing. He saw his younger brother smoking marijuana and playing video games and his elevated sense of delf righteousness seems to have resulted in the murder of the three men--one of which was a personal friend of the older brother. The crime scene was unusual in that the three men had been killed with a knife but instead of their drugs and money being stolen, their marijuana was strewn over them and $5,000 in cash left undisturbed sitting plain sight. No one but a crazed zealot seeking to make a moral statement would do that. There are things about beliefs like ignorant ones which discount that others believe and think differently that is so close to what we call insanity that I'm sorry if anyone gets offended but the priorities of the world are being run around the mill trying not to offend what is insane in its base.

 

There isn't anything in your head or mine or anyone else's taking notes in every language and keeping score on what we think. Mine is what is called a "liberal" mind. I can't say why it is that I am that way but I'm permissive and unafraid. There are many who have what's called the conservative mind which is repressive and fear-based. Perhaps there is no reconciling of one with the other. But it is consistently the conservative--repressive fear based mind that clings to ancient faith lore and is willing to shed blood before questioning it. If you don't understand the decency in my perspective then I'm afraid upu may be one of the infected.

 

 

 

I don't know if you see a gap in drawing such a conclusion. Unless, I misunderstood you.

 

But suppose you are right.

 

But wouldn't the thought of God being able to read our thoughts deter most people from doing harm. Supposing that they follow God's law that you shouldn't kill.

 

Wouldn't knowing that God knows a persons thoughts, that same person would be abhorred to even think about shedding the blood of an innocent for fear of retribution from God?

 

Well we know that is not always the case, since the history of religion shows different.

 

But we also know that in other cases, some people wouldn't even dream of committing the act for fear that God would condemn them.

 

So what does that say about our conclusion?

 

Now Anthropocentrism is defined as a person who views the human life to be more important than nature or any other living creature.

 

So does a belief in God, or God knowing our thoughts, make a person self centered and devalue nature and the life of other creatures?

 

Such a conclusion doesn't seem true.

 

Are there not animal activists and tree huggers who do have a belief in God?

 

So anthropocentrism has nothing to do with an idea of believing that God can read our thoughts. It is more clearly defined for someone who is selfish and does not value the life of other living creatures regardless of religion, race, or creed.

 

Well I feel important for the day.

 

Bye!

 

I commend our politeness. But what people who believe they are a "created being" seem to argue is in absolutes as if everyone is the same and 100% logical and lucid and rational all the time. In truth we are not a "created" being above nature but an animal being very much a product of nature. We spend years as children and if we are lucky as elderly. If not taught language we would be ferel and grunt and gesture our intentions--language isn't put in our head by a god, it's handed down to us by our families and elevated in education. Human beings get tired, some anger while others don't. All need love and validation and ego strokes or feelings of depression and hurt result. The believer who sees us as a created being so high in the pecking order that there is a god who provides for us assumes and argues right and wrongs as if people are flawless when in reality flaw is the norm--not the exception. There is spirituality in embracing the truth no matter what it is--but I would argue vehemently that there is no spirituality in blind faith and assumed self-righteousness which goes so far as to take the lives of others or even the self to earn martyrdom. It's nothing but pure delusion gone to worst case scenario and the numbers of innocents whose blood has been shed over the millennia should speak for themselves. Blind faith is used all the time by exploiters trying to gain earthly powers. They manipulate the gullible and justify murder. How someone places a bomb next to a child and tells himself he has spoken some kind of truth to the world escapes me. But as long as religion is unchallenged for it rationality, this will go on and impact the priorities of the world in negative ways.

 

Bye bye!

[ErosOcean]

Very good.

 

So your argument then is that self-righteousness and blind faith of a religious individual are the cause for so many killings?

 

But I think that self-righteousness and blind faith in any ideals can cause people to kill on a mass level. Not just within the institution of religion. Was it not the blind faith and a self-righteous attitude of the fascist Nazis that lead to so many killings?

 

And what about Communism? Didn't the blind faith and self-righteous attitude of the communist party in China kill off millions of their own people?

 

Yes, it is true that there are religious zealots who commit terrible acts of violence. But to solely put the blame of violence upon religion and God is a fallacy. Because blind faith in any ideals, such as government, can lead a person to do incredibly stupid things.

 

But to be honest, I'm not sure how much blame we can put on religion. I'll admit that I don't believe in what most religions today preach. And I agree with you that we shouldn't blindly follow any spiritual teachings.

 

But let's say that you are right and that religion is to blame.

 

How would we challenge religion?

 

Should we ban religion and the worship of God?

 

But wouldn't it be possible that once religion and the worship of God has ceased that people would blindly follow another ideal or belief and resume killing?

 

Before religion, much of the land of what is formally Tibet was dominated with superstitious beliefs, magic, witchcraft, and forms of cannibalism. The Buddhist religion helped to cultivate peace within the area. Religion has throughout history been pivotal in reforming the cultures of civilization for the better.

 

And suppose that materialism was the only thing that existed in this world. Would there be peace then?

 

I wouldn't think so. For the element of ignorance and greed would still exist within the human being. Look at the greedy giant corporations operating in foreign lands. They destroy the lands and destitute a population of natives. These corporations hold a self-righteous attitude and blind faith in profit and power.

 

But to argue that these corporations couldn't be worse than a religion for they don't strap bombs to children would seem illogical. For they slowly kill off, not one, but a population of innocent children by poisoning their water and food supplies.

 

There is a lot of injustice in the world. To which I don't think religion or a belief in God is the main culprit.