If GOD Is Real, Why Isn't He More OBVIOUS? (Responding To Atheists)

In this video, @TruthUnites unpacks the compelling question of "Divine Hiddenness". A question that has been recently popularized by @CosmicSkeptic but that also extends back as long as humans have pondered the divine. I hope you enjoy the dialogue!

[michaelbradley]

The wisest prayer Ive ever heard was, HELP! Not kidding. Being broken and realizing it, was the best thing that ever happened to me. ❤

[-TheSamurai-]

I’m new to learning the faith, and I just wanted to thank you for the videos I’ve seen from you so far. They touch upon many subjects that are helping me seek knowledge on all fronts. This interview is no different! I look forward to more🙏🏼❤️

[bran]

My late father taught me so much in this regard. I went to him one time saying I wish I could figure out God, and without any hesitation whatsoever he replied, "I don't, if I could figure Him out then I would by no means want to follow Him, for if I could figure Him out, He is a VERY small God. Thank God He is a Divine Mystery in whom we are meant to seek.

[BangMaster]

I lost my faith back in College, went on a wild ride of drinking, partying, smoking, and just being a degenerate prick. Had a terrible existential crisis at age 25, almost decided to end my Life. Went out looking for answers to Life's simplest but biggest questions, like 'why does anything exist at all?', 'why is there suffering?', 'what's the purpose/meaning of life?', 'where does all this end?', 'what is the grand scheme of things?', etc.
Couldn't find any solace in Post Modernism, which is just a bunch of woke nihilist degenerates who seek nothing in Life but mindless pleasure. Eventually, i found my way back to God. And this channel has also helped me a lot get back on the path of God by helping address some of these simple yet big questions that all Human Beings think about at some point in their Life.

For me, Life has inherent meaning, value, Life's purpose is to live a good but wholesome life, try to leave the world a little better, be of service to your loved ones, go after your childhood dreams, make life better for yourself, your family, and give back to Humanity through charity and good causes, and seek the eternal truth of God, find your spiritual connection with the divine.

And hey, i still don't know why there is suffering, but i do know that majority of People are just suffering with overthinking, and i don't try to be pompous or egotistical about my new found worldview, I just tell People what helped me get back on the right path.

[besknighter]

I usually avoid watching this type of content on YouTube because either the video gives some really weak and sometimes straight up wrong answers, or the comment section is filled with hatred from either side trying simply cursing and mocking each other out. But I decided to give this one a chance and I'm so glad I did. What a wonderful conversation and comment section. You got a amazing community here and such respectful content. You treat people with respect, specially intellectual respect, and that is something we need more of in the world. I'll certainly come back. Thank you!

[michaelbrickley]

As Dallas Willard said, “if God wasn’t hidden we couldn’t avoid Him.” His arms are everlasting and are below bottomless, Dr. Gene Scott. Imagine a God whose arms are that long. I’m glad we have to seek. Even when I’m in trouble and can’t seem to see Him. It makes me seek all the more. Shalom

[danieladedosugbadero]

How else is God expected to be obvious? He became a man, died in full view of hundreds if not thousands and pronto, He rose from the dead. Take it or leave it, God had more than adequately revealed Himself in Christ Jesus.

[talljohn]

If God were more obvious people would be more oblivious. Give a child everything and they’ll only want more. We are to seek the Lord not wait for Him to show up.

[hogfarmer]

Just reading the title my first thought was, are they looking for Him where THEY THINK He 'should' be or are they sincerely searching for Him wherever He is 🤔? He's hiding in plain view for those looking beyond themselves to see Him. He wants to be found ❤️

[davidlarsen]

Really love this conversation guys. I learned a lot, especially to have more compassion for those with different experiences…

[lyngruen]

When I step OUTSIDE MYSELF.... SELF.... I see more clearly ....GOD IS....
GOD IS IN EVERYTHING. The biggest stumbling block is PRIDE.

Stay well and be safe ☝️ 💖
Texas Nana 🤠
Psalm 91

[elliottberkley]

If it were easy, we would get bored. Thats how we are. Life being on hard difficulty by default is not an accident. Finding the hidden is one of many things that drive us. If life were easy and obvious, with all answers laid out in front of you, how long before you would become bored or uninterested?

[mrdevonscook]

Really enjoyed this video. As someone trained in secular humanism, I can appreciate the clarity both you and Dr. Ortlund brought to this topic. These are not always straightforward concepts, and you guys did a wonderful job laying things out. I wanted make a comment on something you said in passing about Mormons and a "burning in the bosom." I myself am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as a "Mormon"). The phrase "burning in the bosom" comes from Doctrine & Covenants Section 9. Here is a larger portion of that passage for context:

"Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings"

As you can see, this passage makes some pretty important claims about how God will reveal his will to individuals: 1) that the matter should be studied out through reason first, then 2) that a visitation of God's Spirit will either confirm the knowledge or decision as good, or no such visitation will occur.

The specific phrase "your bosom shall burn within you" is an inspired attempt to describe the feeling of God revealing himself or his will to a person through the Holy Spirit. It seems pretty clear that not everyone experiences these divine manifestations in exactly the same way. For some it feels like a warmth that spreads through their body, for others, it is like a downpouring of light and knowledge, and for others they might hear an actual voice. I think the warm feeling of peace and love pointed to by the phrase "your bosom shall burn within you" is one of the more common manifestations of God's Spirit, but I don't think it's the only one.

Moving to the question you asked Dr. Ortlund about whether or not we can trust these feelings. To me the answer seems obvious. How else do we become Christians? Every single committed Christian I have ever talked to has some kind of spiritual experience they can point to where God revealed himself and His Son Christ Jesus to them. Many refer to this phenomenon as being saved: that moment when you cry out for forgiveness for you sins and that forgiveness is granted. Not only does this occur at the time of being saved, but other manifestations of his Spirit can be felt at other times in a Christian's life: the birth of a child, reading a powerful passage of scripture, or even just a particularly meaningful Sunday worship service. Christ promised that when he left he would send the Spirit to comfort his disciples and remind them of the truth he had taught them. He has continued to do the same for all those who are willing to confess their sins and follow Him. Spiritual manifestations have always been part of the Christian experience and will continue to be. Of course we can trust these feelings, because we know they come from God.

So what do you do when I say I have had one (actually many) of these experiences with the Book of Mormon? One approach is to dismiss the experience and simply say I made it up or got it wrong. But this is the argument made by atheists all the time when they want to discredit people's religious experience. Taking this approach only leads to finger pointing and philosophical name-calling. A wiser approach (the one I recommend) is to say, "Ok, you say this book is the word of God. Let's see what I think." Then, by the exact same process described in the passage above, you can study the book and it's teachings, then ask God if it is right. If you are not ready for this approach, then you can at least say, "Well, maybe there is something good there, " or "that person's journey with God is very different from mine."

I remember listening to a powerful story from a man who converted from Evangelical Christianity to Catholicism on the Pints with Aquinas channel. He describes in great detail a visitation from the Holy Spirit directing him to become Catholic. What am I supposed to do, say he lied? Or that he is delusional? Again, that makes me no better than the atheist. Instead, I (who do not believe Catholicism's claims to papal authority) have to grapple directly with this experience and trust that God will help me understand, at least in small part, his mysterious ways.

[HiddenView]

I don’t think God is hidden. It’s like the parables .. those that choose to hear, do. ❤ Maranatha ❤

[robinkamp]

All i can say is, as i came closer to god i felt his comfort, he answered my prayers when i had no way and was at my lowest point, over time i discovered he does things his way in his timing, as i drew closer things improved, when I drifted away things got hard again, i have now put my faith in god, i am putting my life into his hands, i have come to believe that he knows best and not relying on my own thinking, life has gotten so much better and i feel at peace

[davidplummer]

Those who say God is hidden are like the guy asking where his sunglasses are when they are on top of his head.

[matdarg]

At around 8:00 they say belief is not a choice but you can condition yourself to believe something that lacks evidence.

Why would a person condition themselves to blindly believe something they dont actually believe in purely bc they want it to be true?

Should this be practiced in politics?

Should this be practiced in any scientific field?

This process conditions you not only to manipulation, but zealotry, fundamentalism, tribalism, racism, etc

Practice logical skepticism, not cynicism, and stop telling ppl to set themselves up to be conditioned and manipulated.

[hllymchll]

i followed and agreed with all of these prominent atheists. ive always valued logic and just couldnt accept a god was real without explicit evidence. after a certain experience led me to rethink things, i was able to see God as most likely real but i didnt believe it fully yet. what you said to do is spot on. the more i allowed myself to believe and reshape my worldview, the more it actually happened. now im on the other side and watching christians debate atheists and i cant believe i ever thought their arguments made sense lol

[Adam--]

I stumbled upon this video this morning. I've been on a two year journey and the main thing I learned is that your relationship with God is a very if you know, you know kind of thing, and once you get to that place where he wakes you up it becomes more and more obvious every day.

[JiraiyaSama]

I'm glad he brought up the point that it's not necessarily an intellectual problem. People who supposedly are intellectuals sometimes aren't necessarily aware of all the ways they can just reason their way out of belief that God exists. Perhaps it's best to ask them what is their purpose of gathering knowledge in the first place. There's a whole bunch of ways that conversation can turn out.

Here's something I would add. Some really pride themselves so much in their knowledge that they forget when to be humble.