Simulation

I'm not sure if anyone here has come across the belief that humanity lives in a simulation, etc. I'm just trying to make sense of how or why the God of the bible is the creator of the universe simply only because the bible makes that claim?

I was raised in a Christian environment, I've read the bible, I've prayed, I've gone to church etc. Only recently I've started doubting, there are so many things the Bible cannot and does not answer. It really takes a toll. Maybe the question is vague.

Took a look at your Profile Page, and was surprised to see you identify yourself as a Christian.


female
Marital Statusnot married
Spiritual StatusChristian
When saved2014
Country Flag/NationalityUSA
Country (Location)United States
Favorite Bible VerseHoses 2:19

From your comments in the OP, I would have thought you were agnostic.

I know several people whose journey away from God started in a similar way that you are describing. I would just say to you that you should not let other people's ideas about Christianity interfere with your intimate personal relationship with the One who died for your sins and lives in your heart.

As to the doubts, don't focus on what you don't know, but focus on what the Lord is trying to teach you in this season of your life. And the Bible can help you with this particular struggle. We see in the 5th chapter of John that people were struggling with the concept that Jesus was actually the promised Savior and they needed help to really believe it.

But Jesus told them to not believe it just because He was saying it. Yes, His claim was right, but He gave them other evidence to corroborate His claim. He referenced John the Baptist's testimony (a person they trusted) as one witness. He referenced the miracles He performed (which they themselves saw) as another witness. He referenced God the Father (who gives witness to Jesus from inside all people's hearts) as another witness. And finally, He refernced the Scriptures (that they themselves possesses and read thoroughly) as witnessing that He was the One to come.

Jesus provided them all this evidence in hopes that they would be convinced by one or more of those witnesses that Jesus is who He claimed and that believing they would gain eternal life. He does the same thing today. He is addressing your doubts personally (in your heart). Look for the other witnesses that He undoubtably is providing you (either in Scripture, trusted people, etc.) to corroberate what He is telling you. That's the best way out of these doubts.

Yeah, i came across this several years ago, maybe 10 years ago, when Nick Bostrom (the author) first proposed this theory.
I'm not sure if you realize but every word that these theoretical physicists speak of in regards to Creation, says the idea of God without saying the word God because they'd be out of a job since belief is sort of a career-ending move for a lot of people in science.
For some it isn't and they're proud of it like Francis Collins.
Francis Collins - Wikipedia

So, i'm not sure what makes you doubt when all these theories by non-believers simply reaffirm the existence of God.
Maybe your issue is that you were raised in a harsh Protestant environment where the interpretation of the Bible is "my way or the highway" after they hit you on the head with it, but don't confuse interpretations of men with a powerful Creator.
Look around at more churches or denominations for other interpretations of the Bible and look at the findings of science with an open mind to realize that science simply glorifies God and His work.

It is not the Bible that sets people free. It is the correct interpretation of the message of God in the Bible, left us in risen Son Jesus, where new life (Born again) life is at. and is a gift from God Father of risen Son. That is what I now see, after not ever giving up on: to one day see, and be free. I am free in this now, with Father and Son only, accepted, forgiven and sealed by God (Eph. 1:6,7,13). and all that choose to believe God see this amazing grace given them too.
These change willingly, not forcefully as religion preaches, you better or you not in, flesh nature leading these that do that, not God's Spirit.

"Religion = what are I doing to get a deity to respond to me" God is the initiator, we the people are the responders. At least I see this about me, now and now respond and stopped creating and playing God.

I started religion and went after it, to read the entire Bible, to know truth and be freed from estrangement, (I had a hole in my heart). Not liked, not accepted by others and accepted by some, whoever I felt accepted by, I went after that and got messed up. That is how troubles started, thought(s) of not good enough, not accepted, then focused on whether or not I sinned and I did and even got worse in sin, once I tried to not sin again as got taught to not sin again by religion or God will get you attitude, of the flesh nature again, misleading people, not freeing people to truly love as God does and did for us by Son on that cross where we all are reconciled to God as if never sinned, Amen, Hallelujah! (2 Cor. 5:17-20) New born again life is in the resurrected Christ, not the dead one.
Troubles brought doubt as doubt brought troubles, and troubles happen to all, whether one is good or better than others. The rain falls on us all, does not discern who is good or better than others, (people do that, not God) the works attitude, kept me from seeing clearly in the truth, that God just loves us all. That being a fact to me now. I left religion in the dust. I saw, "I" cannot do a thing to be liked, Loved and Forgiven by anyone else, even God. God did it once by Son once for everyone to choose to believe God or not (Hebrews 10:10), without doubt(s). Yet doubt is what has kept people out and in a struggle to be one with Father and Son. Which brings confusion as you listened to another person over God who lives with you, waiting patiently for you to let go of works to get or keep God in you that you think comforts you. You know this from within you, you just have gotten sidetracked is all, by people, claiming they know more than you
Not True!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are given everything you need for life, (here and now) by God in risen Son for you. Return to belief to God and you personally.
See Col 1:1-23 (21-23)

It is true, and remains true for you to see and then turn to God and trust God to do through you what you cannot do, and that is Love everyone without a second thought over it, just as God has done for us all by Son going to that cross willingly first. Thanking God Son is risen where new life for us the people begins.
It is finished, under Law to be perfect (John 19:30) so you can now enter God's throne of grace confidently and say, "I need you Father" and you will see new as you have in past
Enter, Hebrews 9:14-17

Several years ago, when we were discovering how to create bigger satellites to research more of the unknown Universe. There was a discovery that led many leading astrophysicists to convert to God. They claim to have pin pointed the time of the Big Bang. But it was the "issue" before the Big Bang took place that made them to reconsider the idea of a Creator, Designer, God.

And that is because for years since the Big Bang Theory originated, Science concluded it had to have involved protons, neutrons, nuclei, singularity, energy, a source to create the Big Bang. And from there they arrived at the idealism of this energy maximizing at its greatest point and heating up, then freezing, then heating until it annihilated itself into this cosmic space of energy that eventually led to smaller objects would gather around bigger objects and created the tenets of what we call the Laws of Physics. And this was how Solar Systems were thought to be created like our own Milky Way.

But what this particular satellite discovered was there was nothing, no energy source or singularity existing. Just nothing and then a Big eruption [Big Bang] and then from nothing suddenly the Universe started forming.

So more modern astrophysicists today like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lawrence Krauss, and others who are [staunch atheists] said oh no this is not God. But if it is some type of Higher Power, but cannot be God, it means we could be like a Simulation, similar to online games that look humanistic but we control them from our keyboards or a program.

I always thought that was odd. It cannot be God, but can still be some Creator manipulating us like a Simulation Game.

Of course my reply to their idealism was [the Stupid is Real with You]. There is a God who is the Creator and Designer.

If you had understood the nature of the Bible, as well as the marvels of the created universe, you would not talk such sci-fi nonsense. So get into some serious Bible study, and research the marvels of all created things.

Yeah we’ve all seen The Matrix

1. It is an irrational position to believe we live in a simulation.
Why?
A. There is no evidence for the "simulation theory." None.
B. However, we do have evidence for REALITY. It comes in the form of common "foundational beliefs", such as "sense of self" and "basic reliability of sense perception", which show we really exist and that we exist in a real world. These kinds of foundational beliefs exist without any requirement for warrant - foundational beliefs don't require an antecedent, they don't require further proof.
C. Conclusion: We all have SHARED EVIDENCE for reality in the form of foundational beliefs, yet there is NO EVIDENCE for the simulation theory whatsoever. It is more logical to believe in a view that has evidence rather than a view that has none.

2. Scripture isn't required to understand the universe had a divine origin.
A. There are many evidences and arguments which logically show the universe was created.
B. If the universe was created, then there had to be a creator.
C. If you're interested, there are countless works on these topics by great scholars of today, as well as great scholars going back for many centuries.


CONCLUSION:
There is no reason to continue with doubt if you're willing to search out the answers.
There are plenty of answers.
No one leaves the faith because they can't FIND answers, they leave because they don't WANT answers.




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You're missing the most important message of the Bible: Christ died and rose again so we can be saved from a sure eternity in Hell. Stay out of the weeds; the Bible doesn't answer every single question, but it answers the truly important ones. Ya know, science and human knowledge can't answer a lot of questions either. I'll take my chances with a loving God who cares about my eternal soul over the "wisdom" of men who can't answer questions about this world or the next.

there is, and this God, the Father of the risen Son, is as real as the air I breath.
How by this Big Bang, has it caused such intricasies, of natural healing, that when people get cut and bleed, the body heals naturally. How is it when a bone gets broken it heals naturally. It takes a doctor to set the bone back in place and put a cast on the arm of the broken bone, but it is the body that heals, created by God. A Big Bang did this, really? God did the Big Bang and here we are, people, many of us here on earth to get along. Can we ask for the new life to not harm others and see to know not to and do not harm others. Is that not the best for us all to do. not harm each other.

Love all is what I see on that cross of Son for me and all others also (Is that not what he did by going to that cross willingly?). So why not love all, and let them each be themselves, without harm to anyone else. The Law is in place for the Law breakers, those that are, stealing, killing and destroying, others over their selfish wants.
I think the call is, to not harm others over your desires of the flesh wants, selfishly against others free wills.
I do not know how to say it, but to turn to God and ask for the new life offered in the risen Son Jesus for you, Believe, receive and see, thank you

Like I said, there was nothing and when God SPOKE [Big Bang] (noise to silence) nothing became something.

Perhaps your faith is misplaced? Rather than trying to understand the bible - which is inspired by God - through man's (so-called) scientific lenses, perhaps you should be trying to understand man's scientific lenses via the bible?

It might be argued that we live in a simulation. People having recovered from Near Death Experiences report being able to sense reality in a much more real way than we do in this life. But that is consistent with the existence of a spiritual reality, and in turn, a second life and a second death, which is the reason for the gospel.

Do you have a specific doubt?

Mark 9:16-26
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

The Bible is not the evidence of a Creator. The very world we live in shows us thought and intelligence in what we see in the world.

Even Charle Darwin struggled with this truth. The Peacock feather Charle darwin said
" “The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me feel sick.”

why? Because the human mind when looking at something can not deny what is clear seen as Creation or intelligence. Charle Darwin had to suppress what his brain was telling him.
Roman chapter ons says :


18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.

20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Only a fool would say there is no God

Yeah....
As physicists try to unravel the secrets of the universe....they have come across something. Energy and matter are the same. They aren't different.

The whole universe is held together by God's Word. And that same Speaker can undo the universe just as easily as He spoke it into being.

Genesis is not a manual for "How to build a universe". The focus of Genesis is truths that God wants you to understand.

You can't build a Universe. Mankind as a whole cannot build a universe even if somehow we were able to unite together and try.

God did it....that's enough for me.

And the other things that Genesis speaks to are very valuable lessons that you need to know in order to have peace between you and God instead of Him treating you like an infection that needs to be eradicated.

I'm going to disagree with you about this.
As a student of literature throughout history the Bible is unique on many levels. 66 books and letters written by 40+ authors over a span of 1700 years that are in perfect agreement with each other?
We can't get one author to agree with himself on religious matters much less 40+ authors over that length of time.
Even the Early Church Father's were all over thecplace with their theologies...not a single one agreed about much with the other fathers.

Today we cannot reproduce scripture or write in the same way as the 40+ did. (Despite real efforts made throughout history)

Read and weep, Mr. Charles Darwin, read and weep.

The Bible is not the only evidence I see I let out that word sorry