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The main point was that she was demanding God perform some stupid little magic trick to prove Himself and earn her belief in Him. In effect, she was saying she would accept a 'god' she could command.

Yes, I agree, that's asinine, and immature. So many atheists are angry with God for some unexplained reason, and the only thing that would satisfy them would is, as you say, a 'god' they could command, a 'god' who would place himself at their feet.

Her disbelief was so great she had no rational concept of God.

I don't have a rational concept of what God is, but I don't see it as disbelief, rather as agnosis (lack of knowledge). I can't disbelieve something I have no rational concept of. She, on the other hand, seems to have a highly irrational notion of what God is and what he "must" do to satisfy her unfounded anger with him.

I, on the other hand, demand nothing from God. I am only saying that if he is to communicate with me he would have to do so in a manner compatible with my human nature.

A person wanting to know God must first believe that He IS (cf Heb 11:6)

It's that a priory leap of faith, as they say. When the LDS make a leap of faith that the Egyptian Plates really were written by God, the Book of Mormon becomes "scripture".

Likewise, once the Muslims make a leap of faith that there is but one God, Allah, and that Mohammad is his messenger, and repeat it to themselves three times, they become "born again" Muslims (the triple repetition of these a priori premsies is the actual process of conversion to Islam) , and the Koran becomes "scripture"!

And once you accept that Jesus is the eternal Logos Incarnate who died on the cross and resurrected on the third day, the New Testament becomes "scripture." Otherwise only the Old Testament is "scripture," etc.

The pattern is the same, the names and scriptures change: one must make the first step by assuming that God exists, i.e. believing a hypothesis.

But the one in far worse shape than she was in is the one who understanding God-ness, nevertheless denies that God IS.

I think they are both in equally bad shape. Anyone who can a priori believe something without knowing what it is cannot possibly know what he or she believes in.

A true atheist doesn't believe and doesn't mind if you do. He is oblivious. But one, like Dawkins, who claims to be atheist but obsessively denies God obviously believes that God IS but deplores Him - otherwise he would be insane, i.e. hating someone he says does not exist.

I think you are absolutely right about a "true atheist" (which I don't believe exists; just as every believer has doubts, so does every atheist; we all know that we are not perfect and that we all believe imperfectly; but some of us can admit it, others can't; so there is an agnostic/atheist in every believer as there is a believer in every agnostic/atheist; we all at some time say "what if")

But as far as Richard Dawkins is concerned, his anger is directed as a man-made God, i.e. the philosophy, teachings of the God man created in different cultures, etc. His criticism is more an attack on human doctrines of God and, more so, and corrupt practices of religion.

I, on the other hand, demand nothing from God. I am only saying that if he is to communicate with me he would have to do so in a manner compatible with my human nature.

YES AND NO.

Definitions are important.

"compatible"

and

"my human nature"

are important constructs.

The creature is not likely to be construed by an Almighty God as the one to define either

"compatible"

"my human nature"

more . . . defnitively . . . more functionally, . . . more . . . rightly . . . MORE AUTHORITATIVELY . . . more usefully . . . more legally, . . . more operationally . . . more truly . . .

THAN SAID creature's CREATOR--ALMIGHTY GOD does.

Not only does ALMIGHTY GOD have an infinitely greater perspective on

BOTH

"COMPATIBLE"

AND

"MY HUMAN NATURE"

than even I [or anyone else] . . .

ALMIGHTY GOD ALSO HAS THE ROLE, POSITION, AUTHORITY, PERSPECTIVE

to require of the creature whatever level of

cooperation, reaching toward, stretching toward, acceptance on faith, etc. etc. etc.

THAT SUITS THE CREATOR, ALMIGHTY GOD.

ALMIGHTY GOD SETS THE CRITERIA, THE STANDARD FOR THE CREATURE FOR RELATIONSHIP.

The Creature does NOT remotely effectively, functionally, legally, even audaciously

set THE STANDARD, THE CRITERIA

FOR

ALMIGHTY GOD

in the context of the relationship, the dialogue nor for anything else.

Talk about God having such creatures and notions in derision--that's likely putting it mildly.

Besides, Christ came IN THE FLESH. That was the beginning, middle and last word on communicating as God-man to man on man's level.

Thank you for sharing your views, dear kosta50!

We've been down this road many times and I'm fairly certain that nothing I say will change your mind but I must refute the above statement for the record.

To one without "ears to hear" Scripture is just text on media like any other manuscript.

But to those of us with "ears to hear" they are not at all like common text on media because we know His voice.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. – John 10:3-5

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: - John 10:27

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. – John 8:43

And again,

For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. - John 6:63

And again, The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. – Psalms 12:6-7

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. - Isaiah 55:11

Miracles and reasoning will not do - only "ears to hear" which is a gift of God.

And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. - Deuteronomy 29:2-5

And again,

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. - I Corinthians 1:18-25

God's Name is I AM.