God has poor communication skills

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There exists a huge number of religions, including thousands of denominations of Christianity. There are many different interpretations of scripture. If God intended one interpretation to be transmitted to humans, he seems to be a very poor communicator. Any reasonable deity would provide a clear way to avoid ambiguity and confusion.

This point can be used as the basis for the argument from nonbelief, which claims that God doesn't exist because a God that exists would be more obvious.

Examples

"Why is there any question about what these things mean at all? Why is there confusion? Why can't God communicate well with the beings he supposedly created and has an important message for? This seems to be the single most significant thing. [...] Why would anyone communicate by text a very important message for such a long span of time, when we know that text can be altered, that it can be misunderstood, that languages change and languages die out? You can't put all the responsibility for the confusion on the wicked hearts of men when it is plainly obvious that even in a scenario of a god who was conveying a message, he chose an awful way to attempt to communicate clearly with countless people over millenia. What kind of communicator is this God? Why can't he interact in a way that is clear?[1]"

"He was also indistinct. How he raged at us, this wrath-snorter, because we understood him badly! But why did he not speak more clearly? And if the fault lay in our ears, why did he give us ears that heard him badly? If there was dirt in our ears, well! who put it in them?"

Friedrich Nietzsche
"In fact, almost everyone has a different view of this God even if the differences are subtle.[2]"

For this reason, we can conclude that there is no single correct interpretation (and that Biblical literalism is false) or that God is an incompetent communicator. A separate argument relates to God's bad planning skills.

It is also practically impossible to distinguish between true and false prophets. God's communication either directly with humans, divine sense, or though prayers, seems to be contradictory, at least according to testimony.[2]

Counter arguments

"What makes you thing God wants everyone to understand? Maybe this message is intended for a chosen few.[1]"
"God actively hides His message from disbelievers. [...] Christ revealed the nature and will and plan of God to those who would listen, and with the same words He concealed God from those who would not.[3]"

If that is the case, then God could be said to be the author of confusion (contrary to 1 Corinthians 14:33 Bible-icon.png).[1]

The apologist may make bald assertions, but that does not make it true:

"God has terrific communication skills. God is communication. [...] Whether we know it or not God is inspiring us and convicting us. [...] God wants us to know about him, and has done a perfect job communicating his message.[2]"

Also, the no true Scotsman fallacy may be used:

"True followers read it themselves and allow it to speak to them. [...] True Christianity is one faith, one word and ONE GOD.[2]"

See also

References