Does Bob Want Everyone to Know Him?

stiggy wiggy

Well-known member
Depends. (There's that word again) Not trying to be a Bill Clinton here, but it depends on your meaning of the word "know."

Let's suppose a new guy moves next door to me. I meet him in his driveway. He introduces himself as Bob. I now know his name, but pretty much nothing else. I certainly know he exists. But do I KNOW him the way his wife knows him? Certainly not. And I might have even made some false impressions about him perhaps based on some false impressions the previous guy who lived in that house conveyed about him from the transactional sale of the house.

Does Bob WANT me to know him? Depends. He probably wouldn't mind my knowing him the way his friends know him. But to "know" him the way my ex-neighbor "knows" him, he'd probably just as soon I not even know he exists.

Now here's where some atheist might chime in with "Yeah, but does Bob threaten eternal punishment if you don't know him," or some such nonsense, causing me to once again point out the difference between an analogy and an equation. So let me just summarize my point:

To merely know someone exists is not to know him. Just ask Bob.
 
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God however does not exist.

Oh. Well then, never mind. You just convinced me with that powerful argument. I take it back. I now know that not only does God not exist, but I now know that since I know from your post that you DO exist, therefore I know YOU. Now that we know one another, what are you doing this evening? Would you like to come over for a game of chess?
 
Depends. (There's that word again) Not trying to be a Bill Clinton here, but it depends on your meaning of the word "know."

Let's suppose a new guy moves next door to me. I meet him in his driveway. He introduces himself as Bob. I now know his name, but pretty much nothing else. I certainly know he exists. But do I KNOW him the way his wife knows him? Certainly not. And I might have even made some false impressions about him perhaps based on some false impressions the previous guy who lived in that house conveyed about him from the transactional sale of the house.

Does Bob WANT me to know him? Depends. He probably wouldn't mind my knowing him the way his friends know him. But to "know" him the way my ex-neighbor "knows" him, he'd probably just as soon I not even know he exists.

Now here's where some atheist might chime in with "Yeah, but does Bob threaten eternal punishment if you don't know him," or some such nonsense, causing me to once again point out the difference between an analogy and an equation. So let me just summarize my point:

To merely know someone exists is not to know him. Just ask Bob.
So what?

Are you saying God wants us to know he exists, but not to know him any better than that? Most Christians claim a very personal relationship with God - that they know him, not just know he exists. Does go want that? Or not?

Let me guess... Depends!
 
Are you saying God wants us to know he exists, but not to know him any better than that?

No. What specifically did I say that would make you draw such a boneheaded conclusion?

Most Christians claim a very personal relationship with God - that they know him, not just know he exists

Correct.

. Does go want that?

Yes.

Let me guess... Depends!

Bad guess. Some things are contingent and some non-contingent. Let me give you some examples:

Non-contingent:
Can we count on a Pixie post to illuminate our understanding?

Answer: NO!

Contingent:
Can we count on a Pixie post to be self righteous?

Answer: DEPENDS. Depends on whether he is ignorantly attacking a poster's reasoning or ignorantly attacking a poster's behavior. About 50/50.
 
It's the only sentence bolded in the OP. How could you miss it?
I saw it: "To merely know someone exists is not to know him"

So what? How does that relate to God? I assume it does as this seems to be a a reaction to the "Does God Want Everyone to Know Him?" It would seem to be about whether God want everyone to know he exists, or to properly know him, or both? But who knows? It is clear you will never let on.

But you will, of course, mock anyone who does not get it ("What specifically did I say that would make you draw such a boneheaded conclusion?"). But I guess this is just yet another instance of stiggy jerking us around, presumably on the basis that you think acting like a jerk is a sure fire way to persuade people to your religion. Or it just helps you feel smug and superior.

Ain't Christianity great folks?
 
So what? How does that relate to God?

Check out the other thread with a title the same as this one except God instead of Bob and try to figure it out on your own. Hint: What I put in bold is applicable to both Bob and God. Am I going too fast for you?

It would seem to be about whether God want everyone to know he exists, or to properly know him,

BINGO ! I knew you could do it.

"What specifically did I say that would make you draw such a boneheaded conclusion?"

Correct. That is indeed what I asked, as your quote marks indicate. Now answer the question.

Or it just helps you feel smug and superior.

Coming from Mr. SmugFace, that's pretty funny. You're so smug you make Barney Fife look humble:

 
Being told that somebody is a jerk would keep you from beliveing that they exist?

Yep. If I was told that He is Love and was also given false information about His character, e.g. He "tortures people for eternity," it would definitely keep me from believing He exists. I speak from experience.
 
Check out the other thread with a title the same as this one except God instead of Bob and try to figure it out on your own. Hint: What I put in bold is applicable to both Bob and God. Am I going too fast for you?

BINGO ! I knew you could do it.

Correct. That is indeed what I asked, as your quote marks indicate. Now answer the question.
Still cannot just give a straight answer! Why so coy stiggy?
 
Yep. If I was told that He is Love and was also given false information about His character, e.g. He "tortures people for eternity," it would definitely keep me from believing He exists. I speak from experience.
How do we know which is true and which is false?

When I read Mat 25:41-46, it tells me God will send whose who reject him to eternal punishment in a lake of fire. Are you telling me that is not true? Or that we should not label it as "torture"?

The labelling of it does not bother me. What bothers me is the morality of God choosing to inflict suffering on people to punish them for rejecting him. Is that "false information about His character"?
 
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