TEC: I also understand that what was 'beaten into you from birth' can be very loud... and perhaps got in the way of you being able to hear Him. Perhaps you could not hear Him because you did not recognize His 'voice'.
I understand that there are also some things that I cannot hear (yet) because my preconcieved bias and or ideas are loud and in the way.
TEC, do you realize how frustating it is to be told that it is some fault of my own that I couldn't make contact with my "father"? I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE SINCERE IN MY SEARCH. How many tears does a kid need to shed before dear old dad speaks up a bit more, huh? Why does a heartfelt search not count more than blind faith? Or do you just assume we weren't sincere enough? Why would a caring father permit 'what was beaten into me from birth' - at no fault of my own - to interefere with his message??? What a petty douchebag! Can't he speak a bit louder and more clearly for those of us who are hard of hearing?
If my kids are in danger, I make damn sure they can hear me.... I don't whisper and then let them walk off a cliff and then be all, "Well, I know that background noise was loud but Jr should've perked his ears up a bit more and recognized that I was calling him." I'm so f*cking tired of sharing the title "father" with Christianity's concept of god. I'm a helluva lot better father than any invisible deity they've dreamt up... because I AM HERE FOR THEM, WHETHER THEY LISTEN TO ME OR NOT. Even when they get bad attitudes, my kids don't have to wonder if I love them, how important they are to me, whether I'm proud of them, if I'll support them, or if I'm protecting them.
I AM NOT SO AMBIGUOUS AS A FATHER THAT I COULD POSSIBLY BE MISTAKEN AS A FIGMENT OF MY CHILD'S WISHFUL THINKING.
The same cannot be said of any Bible god.
Debating you is like trying to nail jello to a tree, TEC. Cofty summed it up best when he said you've made god your own cosmic sock puppet.