How to Communicate with God

Ali Sina

Ali Sina is the author of Understanding Muhammad and Muslims.

42 Responses

  1. Steve says:

    “What kind of God gives up control of His own creation. Only an impotent one.” Also this God would still be responsible for his decision to allocate certain responsibilities to other beings – beings which he knew would commit evil and wreck his plans for creation. Such a being must be extremely stupid and irresponsible. There is no “free will” loophole available here for the abrahamic God so Christians need to think of a better response – if they can.

  2. Continuum says:

    God, particularly in Islam, is depicted as a totalitarian despotic ruler who controls all aspects of the creation. It is he who makes the leaves move. It is he who allows humans to do whatever they do. All good and all evil come from this God and people and animals are mere automatons.
    =============================================================

    Ali Sina,

    You still have a lot of growing up to do as you are still stuck with the idiotic concepts of Christianity. While the Islamic concept of God has a serious error in its belief, it has much more merits than the silly idiotic primitive christian concept of “3-in1 god”.

    By the way, are you aware Ali Sina, that bible (OT) also speaks of a “despotic ruler” who creates both evil and good.

    Yeshayahu- Isaiah – Chapter 45:7

    Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil; I am the Lord, Who makes all these.

    Rashi’s commentary:

    Who forms light: for the righteous.

    and creates darkness: for Babylon, and the same applies to “Who makes peace and creates evil.”

    Amos – Chapter 3:6

    Will a shophar be sounded in the city and the people not quake? Will there be evil in the city if the Lord has not done it?

    Mishlei – Proverbs – Chapter 16

    The Lord made everything for His praise-even the wicked man for the day of evil.

    Rashi’s commentary:

    The Lord made everything for His praise: Heb. למענהו. He made everything for His praise, as in (Ps. 147:7): “Praise (ענו) the Lord with thanksgiving.” Another explanation: To testify concerning Him. That is to say that His work testifies concerning Him, about His mighty acts. Both are in the Aggadah of Psalms (Midrash Tehillim 19:1).

    even the wicked man: He made, to leave him for the day of evil. All this is for His praise.

    ===========================================

    CLEARLY AS PER THE LAST QUOTED VERSE, BIBLE GOD HAS MADE EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE WICKED AND EVIL PEOPLE, KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT A WICKED PERSON WILL CREATE EVIL ON A PARTICULAR DAY.

    DOES ANYBODY NEED ANY MORE PROOF THAT AS PER BIBLE AND JEEBUS, WHETHER EVIL OR GOOD, ALL COME FROM THE SAME BIBLICAL GOD JUST AS ALLAH CLAIMS FROM QURAN.

    What kind of God gives up control of His own creation. Only an impotent one.

    IF ANYTHING CAN EXIST AND/OR FUNCTION INDEPENDENT OF GOD, THEN GOD IS NO LONGER GOD, FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOD CAN EXIST AND/OR FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY IN PRINCIPLE. THE DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE HERE IS IRRELEVANT, WHERE GOD LOSES HIS INDEPENDENCE TO THAT EXTENT.

    IF GOD LOSES INDEPENDENCE EVEN AN MINUSCULE AMOUNT, HE CEASES TO BE UNLIMITED AND BECOMES BOUND. ANY BOUND BEING IS NO LONGER GOD, AS HE BECOMES LIKE EVERY OTHER CREATURE OF CREATION.

    ISLAM HAS COPIED CONCEPT OF GOD ERRONEOUSLY, JUST AS JUDAISM HAS COPIED CONCEPT OF GOD ERRONEOUSLY. NOW AFTER JUDAISM CAME CHRISTIANITY, WHICH TOOK THE CONCEPT OF GOD TO PRIMITIVE IDIOCY.

    Only Hinduism has a viable, logically consistent concept of GOD. Only Vedic GOD is the true GOD and in time you will realize this truth. The concept of anadi (beginning-less) karma, intrinsic property of souls and absolutely independent Vedic GOD (without Whom nothing can exist and nothing can function) overcomes all logical inconsistencies and need for unnecessary illogical concepts of “free-will” and like.

  3. Vijai Singh says:

    As usual, you missed the whole point of the message A.H. Even if there was no blood, it is no secret they were persecuted in some way or the other for their scientific held views. It showed the ignorance that still persists in the so-called revealed books of the Christian faith.

  4. A.H. says:

    “It never shed the blood of a Galileo, a Copernicus or a Bruno.”

    Because the inhabitants of India did not have a Galileo, a Copernicus or a Bruno. BTW, Galileo and Copernicus did not shed their blood.
    Yes, these two men had problems because of their scientific ideas, but they weren`t killed.

  5. Vijai Singh says:

    “Science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind.” Albert Einstein
    He is simply saying that there is one religion that is in harmony with reason, science and in conformity with natural laws.

    The Vedic religion was not and is not like other present day religions, nor is it exclusive and confined to the inhabitants of India. It is universal and does not derive its authority from any single person, no matter how holy or wise. It humbly maintains that truth was complementary and not exclusive and contradictory and as such, it commands allegiance to all ages. This true religion of the Vedas never feared the advancement of science, nor was it guilty of terrors of the Inquisition. It never shed the blood of a Galileo, a Copernicus or a Bruno.

    All the young and inquisitive minds of past and this modern age are of the fervid impression that the principles of physics, chemistry and of other sciences, had their origin from their European ancestors and that no other race were aware of these before. It is certainly difficult to accredit these sciences to the fallen state of India; nevertheless it is where it all began.

    The fixedness of the Sun, the motion of the earth, of fixed and moving stars (the milky way), the planetary systems, of the moons, of earthquakes and hurricanes and many countless branches of sciences can be incontrovertible be proven by the many branches of Vedic philosophy. Even the discovery of the law of gravitation of which many credited Sir Isaac Newton becomes contradicted when many Vedic verses deal with the law of gravitation, thousands of years earlier.
    http://www.vjsingh.info/true.html

  6. capner says:

    If that damned bozo would have let the Jewish girl talk I would have watched the whole video. But he didn’t . Tiresome. Waste of electrons.

  7. capner says:

    ” God is pure consciousness, ” Nothing about this in the Holy Bible. Or even the ‘cran. So STFU. You don’t know shit and should not be answering questions about G_D.

  8. Abdur Rab says:

    can I write in this website?

  9. Ron says:

    This is a great testimony to watch
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n0f8K0o3AQ

  10. Steve says:

    A.H.

    ” Its meaning depends on the reader himself, wether the interpretation is literal or nonliteral. ” Utter bullshit the purpose of language is to communicate what you are saying effectively- and not to have your own private meaning – which cannot be communicated and nobody else understands.

    “Concerning the bible there are thousands upon thousands of interpretations. Whose interpretaton is correct, who has the authority to interpret it correctly?” Indeed even your God man “Jesus Christ” says he speaks in parables to confuse the unbelievers. He says the believers will understand but it seems even the Christians are confused by their god man!

    ” This is just another interpretation, i.e. just another opinion.” No when Jesus is recorded as saying “Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrahon the day of judgment than for that town.” He is NOT talking in metaphor or telling a parable when he makes threats and curses his “enemies” (people who did not accept his grandiose claims that he is God incarnate and that the world is coming to an end shortly). What authority are you basing this claim on? Nothing. What you say doesn’t make any sense however what the bible commentator Matthew Henry does ” The condemnation of those that reject the gospel, will in that day be severer and heavier than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom is said to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 1:7. But that vengeance will come with an aggravation upon those that despise the great salvation. Sodom and Gomorrah were exceedingly wicked (Gen. 13:13), and that which filled up the measure of their iniquity was, that they received not the angels that were sent to them, but abused them (Gen. 19:4, 5), and hearkened not to their words, Matt. 10:14. And yet it will be more tolerable for them than for those who receive not Christ’s ministers and hearken not to their words. God’s wrath against them will be more flaming, and their own reflections upon themselves more cutting. Son, remember I will sound most dreadfully in the ears of such as had a fair offer made them of eternal life, and chose death rather. The iniquity of Israel, when God sent them his servants the prophets, is represented as, upon that account, more heinous than the iniquity of Sodom (Ezek. 16:48, 49), much more now he sent them his Son, the great Prophet.” Here Matthew Henry explains about Gods wrath in the Old Testament on the unbelievers and how it is said Sodom and Gomorrah was burnt with fire and brimstone. Gods wrath will again be on the wicked unbelievers – and by wicked he means people who don’t believe in the divinity of Jesus – and particular the Jews – on the day of judgement when he burns them in hellfire. This is exactly what Jesus, means there isn’t any hidden “spiritual jem” contained in this verse – it’s simply the rantings of a dooms day preacher.

  11. Soz says:

    God bless you. Bye. x

  12. A.H. says:

    “Why are you linking to Roman Catholic websites?”

    The articles were written by Protest-ants who came to see that Jesus founded a visible Church.

    “They are not Christians they worship Mary they have false teachings.”

    That`s YOUR interpretation of the bible, you got to have the interpretation of the Church, that`s solid as a rock.
    You have been brainwashed by your denomination.

    “The word ‘Church’ in the Bible comes from the Greek word ecclesia, which means a called out company or assembly.”

    What is in a name! Kuriakē in the sense of “church” is most likely a shortening of κυριακὴ οἰκία kuriakē oikia (“house of the Lord”) or ἐκκλησία κυριακή ekklēsia kuriakē (“congregation of the Lord”).

  13. Soz says:

    Why are you linking to Roman Catholic websites? They are not Christians they worship Mary they have false teachings. The word ‘Church’ in the Bible comes from the Greek word ecclesia, which means a called out company or assembly.

  14. A.H. says:

    “It’s almost overwhelming the amount of dogmatic literal Bible interpretation in these comments.”

    If you believe in the doctrine of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), then the bible is your sole authority. But the bible, like any other book, cannot have authority, it`s a dead thing. Its meaning depends on the reader himself, wether the interpretation is literal or nonliteral. Concerning the bible there are thousands upon thousands of interpretations. Whose interpretaton is correct, who has the authority to interpret it correctly?

    “bible commentator Matthew Henry tells us….” This is just another interpretation, i.e. just another opinion.

    Mathew 16,18 reads that Jesus founded a Church (at that moment the New Testament did not exist). Jesus gave his Church authority (a living body) and promised her that the gates of Hades will not prevail and that he will keep his Church in all truth (in faith and morals).

    The christian faith was spread over the face of the ancient world by preaching of the Church, before any New Testament scripture had been written. Decades after the dead of Jesus, christan scriptures emerged. Just at the end of the fourth century/beginning of the fifth century the Church canonized some of these scriptures as being the New Testament.

    Some interesting links:

    http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/christ-founded-a-visible-church/

    http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/the-canon-question/

  15. Steve says:

    Eric said

    “It’s almost overwhelming the amount of dogmatic literal Bible interpretation in these comments. When the mind closes so tightly, there is no room for inquiry and the nature of intelligence is inquiry. When it ceases, intelligence ceases.” Where does the mythical “Jesus Christ” of the New Testament speak about karma and reincarnation for example? Trying to find a “spiritual” interpretation in a book of nonsense and rantings of a dooms day preacher is a waste of time. Let Jesus speak for himself 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” (Matthew 13). So good Jesus says he purposely speaks in parables – not to convey a “spiritual message” but to confuse people – people who God has already decided are destined for hell – such as atheists and Hindus and of course the Jews..”Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrahon the day of judgment than for that town.” Or as the bible commentator Matthew Henry tells us. “There is a day of judgment coming, when all those that refused the gospel will certainly be called to account for it; however they now make a jest of it. They that would not hear the doctrine that would save them, shall be made to hear the sentence that will ruin them. Their judgment is respited till that day. [2.] There are different degrees of punishment in that day. All the pains of hell will be intolerable; but some will be more so than others. Some sinners sink deeper into hell than others, and are beaten with more stripes. [3.] The condemnation of those that reject the gospel, will in that day be severer and heavier than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom is said to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 1:7. But that vengeance will come with an aggravation upon those that despise the great salvation. Sodom and Gomorrah were exceedingly wicked (Gen. 13:13), and that which filled up the measure of their iniquity was, that they received not the angels that were sent to them, but abused them (Gen. 19:4, 5), and hearkened not to their words, Matt. 10:14. And yet it will be more tolerable for them than for those who receive not Christ’s ministers and hearken not to their words. God’s wrath against them will be more flaming, and their own reflections upon themselves more cutting. Son, remember I will sound most dreadfully in the ears of such as had a fair offer made them of eternal life, and chose death rather. The iniquity of Israel, when God sent them his servants the prophets, is represented as, upon that account, more heinous than the iniquity of Sodom (Ezek. 16:48, 49), much more now he sent them his Son, the great Prophet.”

  16. Soz says:

    Eric, I’ve followed you too, I respect you but I disagree with you. x

  17. It’s almost overwhelming the amount of dogmatic literal Bible interpretation in these comments. When the mind closes so tightly, there is no room for inquiry and the nature of intelligence is inquiry. When it ceases, intelligence ceases.

  18. Soz says:

    Please, listen Ali, I have followed you for many years and know your journey to Jesus. Please understand, you are veering in the wrong direction. This is all part of the anti-Christ’s (Satan, yes he exists) big deception. You cannot cherry-pick parts of different religions (all the nice bits) to suit yourself. The New World Order, One World Religion deception is to corrupt Gods word and turn us away from Jesus. The falsehood is that all these religions worship the same God, THEY DO NOT! The Bible is clear, the only way to God is through Jesus Christ ONLY! All other religions are false. The One World Religion seeks to band all religions together to accept the anti Christ when you appears (Revelations), bringing ‘world peace’. This new religion will DENY JESUS THE SON. Don’t be fooled. God Bless. x

  19. Soz says:

    Read the KJV Bible and New Testament and you will not be confused about God. All other religions are FALSE, so please beware.

  20. Walter Sieruk says:

    According to the Bible only a Christian may have a real ,genuine communication with God. Like it or not. Even then two things for the Christian is required . Which is that first the Christian has to confess all of his or her sin to God the Father . Second , when confessing his or her sins to the God the Father it need to be done ,as well as and other prayers are to be made in the Name of Jesus and the one and only mediator between God and that person. For the Bible teaches in First John 1:9. “If we confess out sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us out sins, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness.” In First Timothy 2:5. the Bible informs its reader “For there is one God and one mediator between God and a person , the man Christ Jesus.

  21. aldrin says:

    ali,i still dont understand the use of improving our spiritual life if we cannot apply it in the afterlife. for example, how can we show or give love if in heaven there is no hate?!

    -drin

  22. "L" says:

    Ali,
    I have read how you believe that Jesus is the lord of heaven because of NDE’s however I believe that there is evidence that NDE’s are not a view of another dimension but a malfunctioning brain.
    There are Hindu’s who do not see Jesus but instead see the Hindu god of the dead.
    If those gods don’t exist how do you explain that?

  23. Steve says:

    “The fact that God knows all things does not mean He is controlling our actions and is responsible for what we do. We are free and whatever we do is our own responsibility.” False, God is responsible by his decision to bring the evil people into existence. Here is a story which demonstrates this and why “free will” does nothing to absolve God of his responsibility for evil.

    “In order to guide our intuitions, I will tell a parable about another fictional character: God’s earthly analogue, Dog.

    The Trial of Dog Almighty and All-Knowing

    “Beware of the Dog,” said his neighbors. They were referring to Dog Almighty and All-Knowing.

    Dog, you see, was a dog breeder who reigned supreme on an island of his own making. Despite his name, he wasn’t really almighty. Not in the sense in which God was almighty, anyway. His powers were limited not only by the laws of logic, but also by those of nature. Within those bounds, however, he had the ability to do anything physically possible. And he wasn’t all-knowing, either. But he did know enough of the laws of nature and their application to be able to predict, without fail, what the future would be.

    One day Dog had an idea. He’d create a breed of dogs in his own image and give them the precious gift of freedom. For, as his defense counsel said, when Dog went on trial for gross cruelty to animals, Dog had judged it better, “all else being equal,” to have his island inhabited by free dogs rather than by no free dogs at all.

    Now Dog had a choice. The only way he could create his chosen breed of dogs was to animate some of the frozen embryos (the earthly correlate of Plantinga’s abstract essences) that were stored in his cryonic freezer. Some of these, he knew, were embryos of a gentle breed that would, if animated, never behave badly. On the other hand, some were of a breed of savage dogs whose actualization, he knew in advance, would lead to the most horrific outcomes he could envisage. Super pit bulls, they were. And among them a giant of a super pit bull, Satan, a dog that would kill and maim many lesser dogs and infect them with his own evil disposition.

    Which breed would he choose? For some unexplained reason, Dog chose to animate the savage breed and leave them significantly free, unleashed, unmuzzled, and undisciplined. The outcome was predictable. Indeed he knew what would happen. Satan and his cohorts made the life of less powerful dogs, and other creatures on the island, a living hell. And in these conditions, these weaker dogs did unto others as others had done unto them. Starvation and suffering, murder and mayhem, prevailed throughout Dog’s world. Yet Dog Almighty did nothing to intervene. Like the God of Genesis chapter 1:13, Dog Almighty “saw everything he had made, and behold it was very good.” Like the God of Russell’s scenario, he enjoyed having his dogs worship him despite their suffering. Like Madeleine Albright, he thought the price was worth it.

    Mind you, Dog’s counsel–Plantinga’s junior partner as it happens–did put up a defense. Reading from the brief Plantinga had already prepared (his “preliminary statement of the Free Will Defence”), and substituting only two words in Plantinga’s text (“Dog” for “God,” and “pit bulls” for “creatures”), he argued thus in court:

    A world containing pit bulls that are significantly free is more valuable, all else being equal, than a world containing no free pit bulls at all. Now Dog could create free pit bulls, but he could not cause or determine them to do only what is right. For if he did so, then they would not be significantly free after all; they would not do what is right freely. To create pit bulls capable of good, he had to create ones capable of evil; and he couldn’t leave these pit bulls free to perform evil and at the same time prevent them from doing so. Dog did in fact create significantly free pit bulls; but some of them went wrong in the exercise of their freedom; this is the source of all the evil. The fact that these free pit bulls sometimes went wrong, however, counts neither against Dog’s omnipotence nor against his goodness; for he could have forestalled the occurrence of these evils only by excising the possibility of good. (p. 167 with specified substitutions)

    Counsel rested the case for the defense by saying that “under these conditions,” and “despite” his near-omnipotence, Dog Almighty “couldn’t” have actualized an island in which no pit bulls ever misbehaved.[21] Snickers were heard in Court.

    The flaws in Dog’s defense were evident. The prosecutor argued that Dog, knowing what he did from the start, was guilty of psychopathic criminal intent when he chose to animate the pit bull embryos; guilty of recklessness when he set the pit bulls free; guilty of negligence when he failed to intervene; and guilty of moral turpitude when he failed to attend immediately to those animals who had suffered as a consequence. Dog was free to do otherwise at any point. True, Dog didn’t do any of the biting, mauling, or killing himself. He wasn’t the direct cause of these evils. But he was responsible for them nonetheless.

    Judge and jury agreed. Dog was found guilty, sentenced, and put away.

    Now all the while, another case was proceeding, with another accused on trial.

    The Trial of God Almighty and All-Knowing

    “Beware of the God,” his accusers had long been saying. They were referring to God Almighty and All-knowing, the God of theistic faith.

    In addition to the charges of which his human counterpart had been found guilty, he faced the graver charges of committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and using the powers of nature–disease and disasters–as his weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, every calamity and crime, every sin and misdemeanor, had been laid at his feet as Creator and Supreme Commander of the universe: the primary planner and deliberate initiator of all that’s wrong with it.

    Mark Twain had made the accusation back in 1909. Referring to “Disaster, Disease, and the rest” as “the Creator’s Grand Army” and to God himself as “Commander in Chief,” he’d argued

    The Christian begins with this straight proposition, this definite, this inflexible and uncompromising proposition: God is all-knowing and all-powerful.

    This being the case, nothing can happen without his knowing beforehand that it is going to happen; nothing happens without his permission; nothing can happen that he chooses to prevent. That is definite enough, isn’t it? It makes the Creator responsible for everything that happens, doesn’t it?[22]

    A specially convened tribunal of the International Criminal Court was hearing God’s case, and Plantinga was Chief Counsel for the defense. Plantinga advanced his carefully prepared Free Will Defense–a covert form of the classic Defense of Necessity or “duress of circumstances.” But the judges noted that the only conditions limiting God’s actions were self-imposed, circumstances entailed by his own plans for creation. Adopting a verbal distinction that Plantinga’s acolytes later used when commenting on the case, they noted that the unfeasibility of God’s doing otherwise did not entail the logical impossibility of his doing otherwise.

    They wondered at the moral myopia of someone who would advance a defense which, if accepted, would absolve Hitler of all his crimes on the grounds that he himself never fired a shot in anger or pulled the levers that released gas into the chambers of Auschwitz. The free will of Hitler’s subordinates, they noted, wasn’t “buck-stopping”; it did nothing to absolve Hitler as the person who planned and initiated all operations with full knowledge of their outcome. Would defense counsel, they asked, mount the same argument on behalf of other moral monsters of human history, men who have brought about suffering on an incalculable scale: men like Genghis Khan, Stalin, and Pol Pot, or others like George W. Bush and the mythical Moses, both of whom claimed God’s own sanction for their crimes? Was he suggesting they, the judges, adopt double standards, holding God Almighty and All-Knowing to lower standards than his weaker, benighted subordinates?

    They reminded defense counsel that the accused was being judged according to the moral principles concerning Command Responsibility as recognized by Ping Fa around 500 B.C.E., principles that were eventually enshrined in the Hague Conventions of 1907, the Geneva Conventions of 1948, and the Nuremberg Charter of 1950 (Principles III and VI of which explicitly assign responsibility to Heads of State who have “planned” and “initiated” crimes against humanity). And, quoting from Article 7 (3) of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, they pointed out that the fact that a subordinate committed crimes

    does not relieve his superior of criminal responsibility if he knew or had reason to know that the subordinate was about to commit such acts or had done so and the superior failed to take the necessary and reasonable measures to prevent such acts.[23]

    This principle, they observed, is a particular instance of the more general moral truth:

    If a person knows that a morally reprehensible act or state of affairs will occur or continue to occur unless they prevent it from occurring, and has the ability to prevent it from occurring, then that person is morally culpable for the occurrence of that event or state of affairs.

    By virtue of his omnipotence and omniscience, God was found to be an accessory, before, during, and after, the fact of all evils.

    The judges found God guilty on all counts: criminal intent, recklessness, negligence, and moral turpitude as well as the major charge of crimes against humanity.

    Before passing sentence, they asked the accused, God Almighty and All-knowing–previously also known as the “Good” Lord–whether he had anything to say. But, like his son before Pilate, he was virtually mute.

    Sentence was pronounced and carried out. He was transported to the graveyard of the gods, thence to fade through the mists of forgetfulness into the final oblivion that all gods deserve.

    And all people wise and good said “Amen.”

    https://infidels.org/library/modern/raymond_bradley/fwd-refuted.html#formal

  24. Steve says:

    Ali

    “Matthew 10:29 speaks of the knowledge of God. God is aware of all things” In this article you said “We humans have very distorted understanding of God. God, particularly in Islam, is depicted as a totalitarian despotic ruler who controls all aspects of the creation. It is he who makes the leaves move. It is he who allows humans to do whatever they do. All good and all evil comes from this God and people and animals are mere automatons.” I then quoted Jesus saying exactly that -not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God willing it.

    “All spirits are aware of everything.” Then these spirits should also be able to prevent evil then but either watching enjoy people suffer, don’t care or are not able to do anything- just like God.

    “So, God answers prayers.” Yet he lets evil run riot. Even though Jesus says “He told them, “Because of your lack of faith. I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17.20). Surprisingly no Christian has ever demonstrated such an ability.

  25. Ali Sina says:

    Steve,
    Matthew 10:29 speaks of the knowledge of God. God is aware of all things. This power is not limited to God. All spirits are aware of everything. We are ignorant only in this world. Once we get out of this material world all limitations are lifted and we become aware of all things.
    One person said in the moment he was drowning, he knew the number of water molecules surrounding him. Another person said while he left his body and flew over the scene, he knew the inner thoughts of l the people around. Another person said during her operations she could read the minds of the doctors working on him and heard the prayer of her doctor. When she reported this to him later, the doctor was shocked. He never verbalized his prayer.
    Often people who come back say they were told by other spirits that it is not their time and were also given a glimpse of their future. Obviously, spirits know a lot of things we don’t know.
    When we leave this physical world, we are no longer limited by its limitations such as time and space. We become infinite, like God. Infinite means not bound by time and by space.
    The fact that God knows all things does not mean He is controlling our actions and is responsible for what we do. We are free and whatever we do is our own responsibility.

  26. Ali Sina says:

    I do not believe God is an impersonal reality. That is what I used to say before accepting Jesus. I now recognize God as a person. He is the source of our consciousness. If we are made in the image of God, it means God is like us, a conscious being.
    A conscious being hears you and answers you. So, God answers prayers. We can have a personal relationship with Him. This is what set Christianity apart from all religions. While I agree that there is a lot of truth in Bhagavad Gita, which are now confirmed by near death experiencers, such as the concept of reincarnation and karma, only Jesus exposed the filial paternal relationship we have with our heavenly Father. This relationship transcends intellectualism. Its foundation is love.
    I do not reject Hinduism and I believe there is no reason why Hindus should not believe in Jesus as the son of God or why Christians cannot learn from Hinduism. Hinduism is not like Islam, which is sheer lies and pure evil. We must hate Islam in all it manifestations. But I find gems of truth in Hindu thinking.
    We must be after truth, no matter where it is found. I find truth in Hinduism, while I accept Jesus as the son of God. I would invite Hindus to accept Jesus while at the same time, Christians should recognize many truths in Hinduism.

  27. @TruthFinder – Don’t you kind it sort of funny that any of us think our intellect can wrap itself around something as big as the Infinite?

  28. Soz says:

    “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

  29. Truth Finder says:

    Hey Eric,
    You are trying to put God in a box. God is the creator.
    The creation cannot become the Creator. This quantum leap is just not possible.
    The attributes of the Creator like giving life to the dead, creating life, doing miracles, healing the sick, giving eyes to the blind, making the forces of nature (wind, seas, rain, earth, animals, plants, fish) etc to obey you was only observed in Jesus.
    There were many pretenders who came and died and never rose again and who came to show the way and established religions but none of them had the attributes mentioned above.
    God is not Atman, not Ironman, not Batman and nor Superman.
    God is above man and created man

  30. Steve says:

    “We humans have very distorted understanding of God. God, particularly in Islam, is depicted as a totalitarian despotic ruler who controls all aspects of the creation. It is he who makes the leaves move. It is he who allows humans to do whatever they do. All good and all evil comes from this God and people and animals are mere automatons.

    The critics of God such as Dawkins and Stephen Fry have a point when they attack this notion of God. If God exists and He is good and omnipotent why he allows so much evil? That is their argument and it is a valid argument until you realize our whole understanding of God is erroneous.”

    Unfortunately Jesus had the same understanding of God.

    “29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10

  31. Steve says:

    “All of that said, I don’t know what to make of this notion that there is an eternal punishment of fire. Yes, I get that all actions have consequences, both on the material plane and the spiritual. If you put your hand in the fire, it burns. Not as punishment, but because one broke a law of nature, essentially. Don’t put your hand in the fire and you won’t burn your hand. Fair enough.” I would like him to answer my question as to why his God created the evil people in the first place and set them loose on humanity. Since Ali admits we don’t need them and they cause nothing but misery and then they will go to hell for eternity anyway (whatever your concept of hell is). Either this Creator is a sadistic asshole, extremely stupid and clumsy perhaps or simply indifferent or unaware. There’s no other possibility (apart from there is no creator). Either way such a creator is not God.

  32. Steve says:

    Eric said

    “I don’t believe we ever understand God at the level of intellect. We experience God. As Ernest Holmes said, “God in me, as me, is me”.” Unfortunately Ali Sina believes in the concept of God that is in Christianity – a God-man who is all good who loves human beings and answers prayers etc. To try to solve the problem of evil he claims his God is impersonal – much more like the concept of God in Hinduism. Brahman however is not a God-man but a principal or reality that underlies this universe. You can’t pray to this pray and this God is not all good either – he/it contains literally everything in the universe- which includes evil. Evil is just as much a part of God as good is from this view. Like another commentator said he seems very confused and bundles up ideas from Christian and Hindu and other eastern ideas which results in an incoherent mess. So if he is being intellectually honest he either has to admit that the argument from evil disproves the notion of an all good personal God and the “God” he is talking about is impersonal. Or admit his concept of God is identical to the “religionists”. I.e the ridiculous concept of a God man who is all good and answers prayers etc. Despite the fact there is suffering and evil in this world and no “religionist” has ever come up with a logical answer to this problem (the ridiculous “defences” given by the religious apologists notwithstanding). And no God-man has ever answered any prayer or done anything ever.

  33. This is an excellent article. You have clearly illustrated that in understanding oneself, as a free conscious being, one understands God. There is no short cut and to simply intellectualize it will fail.

    My personal view is that the Bible is not a historical document or the only word of “God” but rather a work of literature, produced by man. But then again, what is man? A free and consciousness being, created in the image of god.

    The Vedic way of saying this is, “Atman is Brahman”.

    I don’t believe we ever understand God at the level of intellect. We experience God. As Ernest Holmes said, “God in me, as me, is me”.

    All of that said, I don’t know what to make of this notion that there is an eternal punishment of fire. Yes, I get that all actions have consequences, both on the material plane and the spiritual. If you put your hand in the fire, it burns. Not as punishment, but because one broke a law of nature, essentially. Don’t put your hand in the fire and you won’t burn your hand. Fair enough.

    I can accept most of Christianity as metaphor. I can accept the resurrection in the form of spirit, but the idea that the physical body of Jesus rose from the dead, I believe these special effects were a way to communicate something to the people at the time. The only way that the Jesus story will survive is as metaphor. When it is taken literally, we can see that attendance at churches is down over recent decades as rational and scientific thought becomes more available.

    Ali, I really liked this article. I appreciate your wisdom and I thank you for sharing it with us.

  34. I am unable to post my comment. If I write more than one paragraph, the “post comment” button disappears.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for this wonderful reply

  36. Anonymous says:

    Wow! I really loved this article. It was wonderful and had helped me to see things differently.

  37. Hi Ali, I’m sure you remember me, im an ex Muslim who used to write for you, I too believe all is one and divinity is pure consciousness. Is there any way I can interview you?

  38. Soz says:

    Mr Sina, with respect, you sound confused, you should read the Bible and New Testament. The only way to God is through Jesus Christ forget silly eastern mysticism.

  39. Steve says:

    “God is free and hence we are free and as free beings we get to choose our thoughts and our actions. The terrorists have chosen the path of evil. They can turn around and follow God if they want to any time.” “Free will” is irrelevant. God is free yet always freely chooses the good. Why? Because it is his nature. You say we humans also share that nature. So you have to explain where the evil comes from? And also why God allows it and the evil people to exist?

    “No, we don’t need the like of Muslims and other evil people who kill for their demonic cause. But we come here to deal with evil. That is the purpose of coming to this earth, to face evil and to overcome it. ” You admit we don’t need the evil people and they serve no purpose, God is responsible as he let them loose on us. By the standard of international law God is guilty of crimes against humanity.

    “I already explained in the article that God does not allow evil.” He certainly does allow evil – since being omnipotent he could destroy all the evil people or banish them or better yet not let them loose on humanity in the first place.

    “However, we are free to rebel. Evil is the act of rebellion. God cannot force us to do anything. Otherwise we would not be free. That is not how the creation works.” God knew if he decided to create Muhammad what he would do. God with this knowledge still decided to create him and put him on earth. Therefore God is responsible.

    “Conscious beings are free. All beings are free, not just humans. As the soul grows its freedom increases. So, we humans have more freedom than an ant. But even an ant is free. Even animals can do good deeds or do evil.” God is also a free being but yet never chooses to do evil and this is no problem for him. Likewise God could have created a world that contained only good people who always freely choose to do good. Since this “always choosing good” is not a problem for God it shouldn’t be a problem for human beings.

    “The evil thoughts are the result of our selfishness. When we forget that we are divine beings, made in the image of God, that we are leaves of one tree, connected to each other and to our creator, that the happiness of each one of us depends on the happiness of all of us, we become selfish and abuse others in order to satisfy our own selves.” If our nature is the same as Gods (we are clones of God you say) how can evil be part of our nature?

    “We are like cells in a body, individuals but interrelated and interdependent on each other. Just as the health of each cell depends on the health of the entire body, the happiness of each person depends on the happiness of all the people. Once you see this interconnectedness you cannot hurt even an animal. The suffering of other creatures of God affects you the same way that your own suffering does. Anger, greed and selfishness are the result of our lack of understanding of our spiritual reality.” So evil people are like a cancer then? Now the question is where did this cancer come? A perfect God cannot create something imperfect. Nor can it be part of him. So why if God exists the humans (who share Gods all loving nature) have it?

    “God is not a physical being. God is a spiritual being. The only way to see Him is through our spiritual eyes.” 1)Everybody is a spiritual being. 2) Given this everybody should be aware of Gods existence but yet billions of people believe in false gods or no God.

    “If you are spiritually blind, you can’t see God. That is not His fault. ” So whose fault is it then? God could reveal himself to everybody – even the most evil people – and transform their life and the lives of everyone – yet he chooses not to do this. Why?

    “God is pure consciousness. He can be perceived through consciousness. God is love.” Everybody should perceive him but they don’t.

    ” You can’t see God if you are filled with hate.” Yes and where this hate comes from if we have an all good and loving nature (clones of God)? This is the question you need to answer.

  40. Ali Sina says:

    Yes, even terrorists are made in the image of God. Even the Devil is made in the image of God. God is free and hence we are free and as free beings we get to choose our thoughts and our actions. The terrorists have chosen the path of evil. They can turn around and follow God if they want to any time.

    No, we don’t need the like of Muslims and other evil people who kill for their demonic cause. But we come here to deal with evil. That is the purpose of coming to this earth, to face evil and to overcome it.

    I already explained in the article that God does not allow evil. However, we are free to rebel. Evil is the act of rebellion. God cannot force us to do anything. Otherwise we would not be free. That is not how the creation works. Conscious beings are free. All beings are free, not just humans. As the soul grows its freedom increases. So, we humans have more freedom than an ant. But even an ant is free. Even animals can do good deeds or do evil.
    The evil thoughts are the result of our selfishness. When we forget that we are divine beings, made in the image of God, that we are leaves of one tree, connected to each other and to our creator, that the happiness of each one of us depends on the happiness of all of us, we become selfish and abuse others in order to satisfy our own selves.

    We are like cells in a body, individuals but interrelated and interdependent on each other. Just as the health of each cell depends on the health of the entire body, the happiness of each person depends on the happiness of all the people. Once you see this interconnectedness you cannot hurt even an animal. The suffering of other creatures of God affects you the same way that your own suffering does. Anger, greed and selfishness are the result of our lack of understanding of our spiritual reality.

    God is revealing Himself to all humanity. But you can’t see God with your physical eyes. Physical eyes can only see physical objects. God is not a physical being. God is a spiritual being. The only way to see Him is through our spiritual eyes. If you are spiritually blind, you can’t see God. That is not His fault. God is pure consciousness. He can be perceived through consciousness. God is love. You can’t see God if you are filled with hate.

  41. Steve says:

    “We, i.e., the entire universe, are conscious beings, because we are made in God’s image. ” Are the terrorists, serial killers, dictators and other criminals and hate mongers also made in the image of this all loving God?

    “They think this world is all there is and the goal is to have a pleasant life.” So then do you think we need the likes of Isis who burn people alive? Who force a whole people on top of a mountain to die in the blazing heat? Who rape the women and take the young boys to use as their soldiers? Why the hell we need them to progress spiritually?

    “they conclude God must be a cruel being, or helpless to do anything or maybe he is unaware of what is going on and therefore, dismiss him.” That’s what we would call a human being who allowed such things so why is your God different?

    “If we replace the thoughts of hate with thoughts of love, vengeance with forgiveness, anger with compassion, greed with generosity, and selfishness with altruism, we will be able to change the world.” So where do all the thoughts of hate, anger, greed and selfishness come from if we are made in the image of an all loving God?

    “God is revealing Himself to anyone who wants to see him and is communicating to anyone who wants to hear him” Why doesn’t God just reveal himself to the whole humanity? Wouldn’t this be easier than allowing all the false religions, cults, and philosophies to exist which are believed in by millions or in islam’s case billions of people?