I got a few hypothetical questions..

[David F.]

I base this on a few things I commonly hear about God

God:
1) Is not bound by ANYTING (including time)
2) HAS all knowledge
3) HAS the power to do ANYTHING
4) Is unchanging

so of course God can NOT learn new information God has ALL possible information! It can only know. The ramifications of which include God: not learning, not thinking, not loving, not hating, etc . . .

You can't go on what you hear - you have to go on what you read, in the bible.

Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every [thing], and [that] no thought cab be withholden from thee.​

Job is talking about God here. This, I think supports the first and third of your proposals. The second is not so clear, since it says God knows every thought, then I suppose this might be ALL KNOWLEDGE.

Your fourth proposal is certainly wrong, since God is a creator, which means He does change - perhaps his personality does not change, but whenever He creates something He is changing to adapt to His new creation. I think we can safely say God has all knowledge (although I can't off the top of my head show you a scripture which says that) but this DOES NOT mean God cannot create new knowledge, nor does it mean He is not thinking, not loving, not hating, etc... these things are in direct contrast with the scripture so either you have heard something wrong or deduced something wrong.

Your conclusions are wrong because your premise is wrong.

 

[David F.]

Is that true?
Can someone else confirm this?
Because, if so, I don't think it does faithfully translate to omnipotent.
All ruling, could very well simply be "authority of all life on Earth".

The word "omnipotent" is only used once in the bible. You don't have to go to someone else to confirm, just go to a bible web site and look it up for yourself... I'll even point the way. http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineSt...=omnipotent&section=0&version=str&language=en

Just click on the word omnipotent to get the Greek word and its translation.

 

[David F.]

Wow marc, "you, complete dumfounded", well that's what happens, when you show your stupidity.
Lmao:

Wow, more personal attacks... must be getting through!

I think we theists need to be careful here. We cannot argue what we think God is like. We must argue directly from scripture else we get tangled in our own errors. Just a thought.

 

[Jenyar]

I think we theists need to be careful here. We cannot argue what we think God is like. We must argue directly from scripture else we get tangled in our own errors. Just a thought.

That's what I proposed in my post. Otherwise we only create straw-gods that fit our purposes. Any discussion about omnipotence or omniscience is only fruitful if those "properties" are fed with information, something tangible. Nobody can live in castles in the sky, so we hae to be content with more modest abodes down here on the ground.

 

[MarcAC]

First off, if god knows everything, that means in the sentence "god knows (blank)" you can insert anything into the (blank) and it would be correct.

This sort of thinking is dangerous and will definitely lead to self contradiction. The word everything implies all actual things. So let's just kindly make sure what we insert can be translated into an actual thing.

So I say this statement: "god knows every action he will ever perform". This statement has to be true because if he didn't know that, he would not be all-knowing. Now, applying this to god's omnipotence and we have a conflict.

Atheists have conflict... conflict of interests... you don't want God to exist... and the followoing situation can't be used to disprove that. That's the conflict.

If god knows everything he's ever going to do then he can not do anything, he can only do the actions that he knows he will do.

Omnipotence may be equated to all powerful. However, you reveal your lack of omniscience (no harm - no human is) when you allude to the fact that if God can't do anything it means God is not omnipotent. Omnipotence means God can do anything which is possible. Nowhere in the meaning of omnipotence or all-powerful is it implied that the logically impossible can be acheived by God. As was stated a few posts up, God's omnipotence means God defines possiblity. This betrays the fact that previous posts have not been read (yet you resort to personal attacks - pityful). Also dictionaries. You seem to be confused in your grammar as is the case with many atheists on this thread.

So here's a loaded question for the theists on this thread: Since god knows every action he will ever perform, but can also do anything, is it possible for god to perform an action he did not know he was going to do? If you answer yes then god is not omniscient, if you say no then god is not omnipotent.

No and God's omnipotence is wonderfully preserved - no matter what you or I might wishfully think. Omnipotence means all powerful which illustrates the ability to do anything which is possible. Therefore you need to try something else to prove your wish that God doesn't exist. That doesn't work bro.

 

[the preacher]

....

Accolades.

 

[Michael]

I asked what ALL POWERFUL ment to YOU.

Here are the definitions you souced:
Having absolute power; omnipotent: “a world ruled by an all-powerful gerontocracy” (Paul Krugman).

having complete or sole power

Could you explain their meaning to us?

I wrote: MarcAC, so you can do things God CAN NOT do? Is that true?
MarcAC asked: Where'd I state that?

In response to my question: Can God make a mistake?
You wrote: No

As we know humans make mistakes (I’m guessing you’re human) therefore according to you, you can do something God can not do. In terms of possibility of make mistakes you have it and God doesn’t!

Another misconception. Are you hinting at some thought that the impossible exists (is possible)? You seem to think that God's ability to do everything that is possible means there is something impossible that God can't do. However, there is no real limit there if you try to think about it for 5 seconds. God's ability to do everything possible simply means God defines possibility. What God can't do cannot be done. Simple. God Is The All-Powerful.

That’s funny because just one second ago you worte that God the ALL POWERFUL can not make a mistake. Now your saying what God can not do cannot be done? I’m sorry to tell you MarcAC but mistakes are done and do happen – why just your reasoning alone proves that!

There was no point made there. Not even an elusive one. Do you care to clarify what you stated previously then? You didn't discount my response. You just stated my inability to understand your way of thinking. Explain please.

This was dealing with God as a concept. What limits the “God” concept? According to you it’s the “Possibility” concept!! Therefore, possibility (as a concept) is above God. Woohoo Marc thanks for that Grammatical Instruction I think you just Grammatically omitted God

PS: This was in jest.

Anyway the joke occurred to me when thinking of a response to your defining God as not having the ability to do the logically impossible.

Originally Posted by MarcAC
I don't see where anything in the meaning of all powerful implies doing the logically impossible. I would also ask the question; 'Is God amused by such a silly statement?'

Funny huh?

My post stated "as knowledge goes to infinity". Regardless of convergence or diveregence all functions to which such thinking is applied tend to infinity. So, I see you grasp the possibility of God knowing all there is possible to know? Good

I was thinking in terms of sequence and series and whether or not knowledge reaches a limit (converges) when taken to infinity. Regardless, as God knows ALL there is to know (that includes all permutations of information) to God, knowledge is static. Basically God knows ALL.

Simple as that.

Do we agree? God can not learn something new? That God does indeed know ALL there is to know?

YES or NO?

So you have no idea why you carried on about God's inability to be amused. Why state it then? It just wastes time and space: or did you have some thought in mind?.

I think It was explained quite clearly. God can not be amused because amusement is thought process that starts with some information and carries on to a conclusion – God doesn’t think and therefore God can not be amused.

As a matter of fact your own Bible states God does not change state - as I referenced (I think you should be reminded that the tribal peoples who worshipped God didn’t have the convenient knowledge of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle when making up a belief system. By the time this was copied into Christian Mythology it was dogma that the One God Head knew EVERYTHING without exception – as is apparent in the Good Book Maybe you should take it up with the Great Hard-drive in the Sky? (John 16:30, John 21:17, Matthew 17:11 . . . . )

PS: The point about the Chopsticks is: Can God make a round square out of a chopstick without changeing the chopstick? That would out of nessesity occur in 3D space not 5D) So Can He?

 

[Michael]

Your fourth proposal is certainly wrong, since God is a creator, which means He does change - perhaps his personality does not change, but whenever He creates something He is changing to adapt to His new creation.

Chnage occurs over time. Is God bound by Time? If not then God does not change.

Also, I referenced in the Bible the passages that states God doesn't change. There are many that state that.

PS: Are you saying that God doens't know all there IS TO KNOW? So before Heisenberg God didn’t know about the Uncertainty Principal?

PSS: Can you give an example of things God is likely to NOT know about?

PSSS: One last time: GOD does or does not know everything there is to know?

 

[Michael]

First off, if god knows everything, that means in the sentence "god knows (blank)" you can insert anything into the (blank) and it would be correct. So I say this statement: "god knows every action he will ever perform". This statement has to be true because if he didn't know that, he would not be all-knowing. Now, applying this to god's omnipotence and we have a conflict. If god knows everything he's ever going to do then he can not do anything, he can only do the actions that he knows he will do. So here's a loaded question for the theists on this thread: Since god knows every action he will ever perform, but can also do anything, is it possible for god to perform an action he did not know he was going to do? If you answer yes then god is not omniscient, if you say no then god is not omnipotent.

Great Post!

 

[David F.]

I just have to laugh at the way you justify things in your mind so you can ignore them, because it seriously is funny. You think that people attack you because "your so brilliant that we have to resort insults", which is one of the most hilariously ironic things I have heard in awhile. People call you an idiot because you are one, no ulterior motives here.

But moving onward, the theists here are terribly inept at arguing their position. I have deeper insights and counterpoints when I play the theist in an argument than the real theists. First of all I would like to address this conflict regarding omnipotence and omniscience. Together they say that god can do anything he wants and knows everything. These statements are contradictory, and easy to refute.

First off, if god knows everything, that means in the sentence "god knows (blank)" you can insert anything into the (blank) and it would be correct. So I say this statement: "god knows every action he will ever perform". This statement has to be true because if he didn't know that, he would not be all-knowing. Now, applying this to god's omnipotence and we have a conflict. If god knows everything he's ever going to do then he can not do anything, he can only do the actions that he knows he will do. So here's a loaded question for the theists on this thread: Since god knows every action he will ever perform, but can also do anything, is it possible for god to perform an action he did not know he was going to do? If you answer yes then god is not omniscient, if you say no then god is not omnipotent.

I'm glad your amused... and I'm even more glad you think I am brilliant - I'll take that as a compliment.

First the word omnipotent is only in the bible once and it means "all ruling". However, God several times asks the question "Is anything too hard for God?" which might qualify as what you mean by omnipotent. The word omniscient is not biblical and I don't off hand know of any scripture which would specifically relate to this concept. There is the scripture in Job which says that no thought can be withheld from God which might indicate a part of omniscience. There is also a scripture in John where his followers say to Jesus that he knows all things, but then Jesus himself in another place says there are some things which only the Father knows (the time of the end).

However, you have set the problem up wrong. Let's say, just for this one post, that God really is omniscient in the way you say He is (you might even be right). Omniscience is not a limitation on God. God knows what He will do because that is what He CHOOSES to do. If He chose to do something else then He would know. You are trying to make omniscience a limitation when in fact it is a strength. God is NOT all-powerful because He cannot lie. I suppose this is because he chooses not to rather than that He can't (I'm not even sure I would be able to tell if He did). God knows what He will do because He made that choice. I think what you are asking is: Can God change His mind. I don't know, can He? Would that be lieing? If so, then God WILL NOT lie/change His mind rather than He CAN NOT change His mind. This is God's choice, not a limitation (perhaps it is a limitation He has put on Himself). You seem to be chiding God for sticking to His plan? Perhaps you should better state your premise with scriptures to back it up.

 

[David F.]

I was thinking in terms of sequence and series and whether or not knowledge reaches a limit (converges) when taken to infinity. Regardless, as God knows ALL there is to know (that includes all permutations of information) to God, knowledge is static. Basically God knows ALL.

Simple as that.

Do we agree? God can not learn something new? That God does indeed know ALL there is to know?

YES or NO?

I think It was explained quite clearly. God can not be amused because amusement is thought process that starts with some information and carries on to a conclusion – God doesn’t think and therefore God can not be amused.

As a matter of fact your own Bible states God does not change state - as I referenced (I think you should be reminded that the tribal peoples who worshipped God didn’t have the convenient knowledge of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle when making up a belief system. By the time this was copied into Christian Mythology it was dogma that the One God Head knew EVERYTHING without exception – as is apparent in the Good Book Maybe you should take it up with the Great Hard-drive in the Sky? (John 16:30, John 21:17, Matthew 17:11 . . . . )

PS: The point about the Chopsticks is: Can God make a round square out of a chopstick without changeing the chopstick? That would out of nessesity occur in 3D space not 5D) So Can He?

No, I strongly disagree that God cannot learn something new... Where does this come from? Are you still back there at static God? God is absolutely NOT STATIC (perhaps you need to learn something new since we have gone over this a couple of times). You have to get past the idea that all-knowing does not allow something new - it might to you but it doesn't to God since God can create new things.

God specifically CAN BE ammused, get angry, love... If you are going to criticise God then at least let it be the same God we are all talking about - you don't get to make up a new one.

I think you need to check your references again. The first two are people telling Jesus that he knows everything, not God claiming He does. While they might be right, wouldn't it be better to find something a little better? Jesus himself claims not to know at least one thing - the time of the end (only the Father knows). Is this still true since Jesus is with the Father - we don't know. The third reference is to Elijah. What does this have to do with God?

Michael, you don't get to start with a false premise and then accuse God based on your assumptions - you have to stick to what scripture actually says about Him. If you want to claim that God cannot learn something new, then find a scripture which says that God cannot learn something new - until then, get off this untruth. When you start by stating what is obviously at odds with scripture then you are just blabbering. Garbage in = Garbage out.

 

[robtex]

Rosamagika:

The math is accurate. About 33 % of the population is Christian. If one contends that people are more bad than good than at least (bare minimum) 51 % of the people are good. If the only way to get into Heaven is to accept Jesus (being a Christian) than 67 (non christians) minus 51 percent (good people)=16 % get damned per lifetime. It is a very simple equation based on the notions of

33 % are christian
at least 51 % are good
only way into heaven is jesus (thus 67 % don't make the cut).

What i am not rejecting is the idea there is a God. The post does not say therefore there is no God. The arguement is not a arguement against his existance. I am rejecting the idea that belief in Jesus is the way to-whatever happens-after-you-die based on the notion that in order for that to be correct God would have to condem good (rightous) souls which is in contradiction for a good natured loving God.

I am not sure what you mean by unfair? But the reason I presented the arugment is that I would contend that the morally righteous are in fact closer to God even if they don't get "the message" right or don't have a theory that approximates reality. I would say that a moral athiest is closer to what is divine than an amoral Christian or amoral Muslim who guessed/predicted/hypothized the closest to the nature of the divine but was not kind/benevolent/accepting loving or moral to his fellow man.

Morality is the link to the universe and God not accurate alignment to a set dogma in my estimation.

Mathematic is just a way to describe certain phenomena; it is not the only way. .

Point taken..throw out a different theory based on that statement or with your mathimatical intrepretation please.

 

[Michael]

Then lets summarize: God does not know all things. He does not presently know that which is not created and thus He can learn. And if he has emotions then we can say he specifically ONLY knows that which is happening presently. And if that’s the case then yes God can have emotions and think and basically be just like us in that respect. And so God is bound in time just like us. Then you are right; the Bible doesn’t indicate God is ALL knowing. Just SOME knowing – like us.

For Example: God could not see what the Sodomites had done without first going down to Sodom to find out: I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.[Gen 18:21]

What else does this say about God? What about his “omnipresence” – He did have to “go down there” to check things out “for Himself”. What does being Ignorant say about God’s so called Omnipotence? If as you say He isn't ALL KNOWING and NEEDS to LEARN somethings, what kind of "God" is that?

 

[robtex]

T Ignorant say about God’s so called Omnipotence? If as you say He isn't ALL KNOWING and NEEDS to LEARN somethings, what kind of "God" is that?

A one that is prone to deism by choice and or universal contrainst constructed by the forumalic universe created by it?

 

[David F.]

Then lets summarize: God does not know all things. He does not presently know that which is not created and thus He can learn. And if he has emotions then we can say he specifically ONLY knows that which is happening presently. And if that’s the case then yes God can have emotions and think and basically be just like us in that respect. And so God is bound in time just like us. Then you are right; the Bible doesn’t indicate God is ALL knowing. Just SOME knowing – like us.

For Example: God could not see what the Sodomites had done without first going down to Sodom to find out: I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.[Gen 18:21]

What else does this say about God? What about his “omnipresence” – He did have to “go down there” to check things out “for Himself”. What does being Ignorant say about God’s so called Omnipotence? If as you say He isn't ALL KNOWING and NEEDS to LEARN somethings, what kind of "God" is that?

Where do you come up with this stuff? Certainly not logically. How are you tying emotion to knowledge or thinking. Emotion is often the absense of thinking. Emotions do NOT bind God to time (you're just teasing aren't you - trying to pull my leg????)

For the umpteenth time, in God's case All-knowing does not mean nothing new! Does God know everything? Probably, but I can't prove it through scripture. Since God made everything you would think He would know all about everything that He made? But, can God forget? Isaiah says: Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul [delivered it] from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. What does behind thy back mean - perhaps forget? I don't know.

God did know what the Sodomites were doing. The scriptures say:

And the LORD said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.​

God knew because the cry of it came to Him. Does this mean God did not know before the cry of it came to Him - I don't know and I won't try to add to scripture. Even if God is not bound in time, the Sodomites were. I don't know exactly what it means by the cry of it - maybe some communication path known only to God. In any case, God went to give them one more chance. My personal opinion is that God (the Father) knew but this was Jesus (only we won't call him Jesus until the NT) and Jesus does not know everything. Maybe God (the Father) sent God (the son) on an errand? I don't know. This passage certainly does throw doubt or at least uncertainty on the idea of omniscience - which changes nothing in my mind since I never found omniscience in the bible anyway.

Let me ask you a question... Why is it necessary that there be any proof of God? It sounds like the atheists here want God to submit to the scientifc method. They want repeatable, justifiable results from God. Yet, people don't give repeatable results (just try asking your wife for sex three nights in a row) so why should we expect God to be repeatable? Why should God submit to their tests?

 

[Michael]

Where do you come up with this stuff? Certainly not logically. How are you tying emotion to knowledge or thinking. Emotion is often the absense of thinking. Emotions do NOT bind God to time (you're just teasing aren't you - trying to pull my leg

Hence why I stated you are brainwashed. I posted YOUR own posts showing that you not only directly contradict your earlier posts you seem to have lost your faculties of reason.

Emotion is a response David. To experience emotion you go from a state of not knowing to state of knowing and by gaining this knowledge you then experience a response to it called emotion.

THAT is what you don’t seem to comprehend.

But if you can do better describe an emotion that is not a process as I described.

Secondly, The passage clearly indicates that God had to “go down” and check things out for himself. That indicated that God didn’t know what the hell was going on down there. If not God wouldn’t have had to go investigate to FIND OUT. The passage is clear that God didn’t know and THEN found out. As such God doesn’t know much at all and obviously isn’t omnipresent as he had to GO and find out. The passage unmistakably shows that God is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. Which make sense for a God that get mad.

Now about God’s omnipotence: Well Judges 1:19 says that the Lord was unable to help the men of Judah drive out the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots.

- Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
- And Jehovah was with Judah; and drove out 'the inhabitants of' the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. ASV
- And the Lord was with Judah; and he took the hill-country for his heritage; but he was unable to make the people of the valley go out, for they had war-carriages of iron. BBE
- And the LORD was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron. DBY
- And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. KJV
- And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. WBS
- And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. JPS
- and Jehovah is with Judah, and he occupieth the hill-country, but not to dispossess the inhabitants of the valley, for they have chariots of iron. YLT



What kind of God doesn’t know all, is not omnipresent and can not even duke it out against some iron chariots?

 

[Michael]

For the umpteenth time, in God's case All-knowing does not mean nothing new! Does God know everything?

What is the difference between knowing EVERYTHING there possibly is to know (I refer you to respond to TheMatrixIsReal post) and (I quote) does not mean nothing new!

Either God knows all or He doesn't.

Please explain what you mean when you say:does not mean nothing new! in context of God knowing EVERYTHING. Are you saying God doesn't know something or God knows everything?

Is there something "new" (as you put it) that God does not presently know? Or does God know everything including "something new"?

 

[Michael]

Let me ask you a question... Why is it necessary that there be any proof of God?

It isn’t necessary. There is no necessity for proof of God or proof of dragons or proof of unicorns or Leprechauns or that Charlie Manson is the son of God or that the world is flat or the Coke tastes better than Pepsi or etcetera.

Many people did/do believe in many of these things. But, using our faculties of reason we have concluded that it just isn’t so or it is so or they just don‘t exist or they do.

If someone says they do exist or it is so, well we challenge them on it. That’s just human reasoning and we use it everyday all day in all sorts of circumstances. However, when you put your brain on hold and begin to believe something because someone told you to (say like Charlie Manson is the son of God) expect people who think otherwise to challenge you on it.

In this case I was particularly curious about your statement that God was both ALL POWERFUL and ALL KNOWING and so I posted a few questions regarding that.

Now I think we at least agree it's not as simple as it seemed.

It sounds like the atheists here want God to submit to the scientific method.

No God needn’t show one scrap of evidence in any form regarding His existence. But then don’t expect people to believe in Him just as they wouldn’t believe in any fairy creature.

As is fair.

Back when people were telling their Myths about Gods they seemed to have made appearances on regular basises. It’s only in the age of reason that for some reason Gods no longer present themselves to the masses. Maybe that’s because they were just stories written by many tribal people over a long period of time about a world they were trying to explain. Now a days we can effectively explain the world and it’s creation with no need for postulating Gods. We’ve outgrown the need for such simplistic explanation. And when we did they rarely did us any good - if ever.

That isn’t to say that there isn’t a need for a belief in God. Maybe there is? I don’t think so, but maybe the belief in God is what it has always been: A tool used by some people to control the actions of others. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up to society to decide. But I personally am glad I live in a society that allows me the freedom not to believe. Thank God for THAT

 

[Jenyar]

What kind of God doesn’t know all, is not omnipresent and can not even duke it out against some iron chariots?

Judges 1:19 AMP:
The Lord was with Judah, and [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country, but he could not drive out those inhabiting the [difficult] valley basin because they had chariots of iron.​

"He" in the other translations refers to Judah - it's peculiar to Hebrew that. Judah was probably more impressed with the iron chariots at that stage than the fact that God was with them. And even though God was with Judah, their victory always depended on them being faithful to Him:

Judges 2:1-3:
Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?* Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ”​

The targum to this passage states therefore: "after they had sinned, they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley''.

Besides, in Joshua 17, God only promises them the hill country, anyway:

18 But the hill country shall be yours; though it is a forest, you shall clear and possess it [the forest] to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.​

Could their sin have been that the Israelites were afraid of the iron chariots, even though God a)said they would not be a problem b)was with them? Just the fact that God was with them doesn't necessarily mean they trusted Him. All evidence seems to point that they didn't.

Please explain what you mean when you say:does not mean nothing new! in context of God knowing EVERYTHING. Are you saying God doesn't know something or God knows everything?

Please define "everything". Do you mean everything "there is" to know, or everything "there isn't" to know? What "is there" that God did not put there, and what is there "not", that God should have to be aware of? Is the moment God knows something and the moment we become aware of His presence the same? If God knows something, is He automatically *present* in that knowledge - was He waiting there in Sodom until they sinned?

God also "came down" to see what the builders of Babel were doing. They thought they were so grand that they could build a tower that would reach the heavens, and yet God had to come down to see what they were doing. There's a bit of irony written into the text.

When God comes down to check things out, it's in the same sense that He went into Eden and asked Adam where he was hiding (Gen. 1:9)*. Did God spend all day looking for Adam? No, you're right: it's a response. God responds on our terms, whether it only seems like that or it's really like that is impossible to know, because we can only think "in our terms". We have no knowledge of God's inner thoughts as it strictly feels to Him. We would have no language to express it, no experience to draw from.

We only know emotion from human experience. When we apply them to God, it's a neccesary anthropomorphization - a kind of simplification. It doesn't also mean God is limited by the same rules that govern our emotions.

*See in both cases how the question doesn't mean God doesn't know. God is "surprised" when we "surprise" Him. It's a comment on our behaviour, rather than a revelation of God's behaviour. It's God interacting with us at a specific moment and in a specific way, as humans bound within time.

 

[water]

To all those discussing God's omniscience, I would like to hear some concise answers:


What does it matter if God knows everything?
What consequences does this knowing everything supposedly have for us?