[Ineluctable]

deleted

[thecrimsonidol]

That's not exactly being spoken to 'by God' now. The woman may have had an idea who he was from some place or another.
'God must have done it' is a ridiculous argument. Stop looking for easy answers.

[Dobrzynski]

Lies.

[Steezy]

There are too many uncertainties in your story. I'll list some:

1. You could be making the whole thing up
2. Your friend could have made the whole thing up
3. The woman may have heard someone say his name & decided to **** with your friend
4. Your friend may have dreamt the whole thing.

There are many more.

[Serano]

Stalker alert

[Leon Trotsky]

Schizophrenia.

[TheJ0ker]

Ah it's you again...

[katehlouise]

Word of mouth doesn't prove anything.

[Good bloke]

(Original post by Ineluctable)
I think the only possible explanation for a stranger reaching out to somebody with doubts is because God is working through them and rekindling their faith.

Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, was also reached out to by God. He was commanded to kill women, so he did - and was later convicted of killing thirteen and attempting to kill others. Why don't you use this example to vindicate the existence of your god?

[boba]

if I took each time someone knew my name without me having talked to them before or told them as "God speaking to me" I think I'd have to come to the conclusion that I was a prophet

[james22]

I think you are being a bit unfair ridiculing the OP for this. While this argument is flawed it does lead to some very intersting and strange areas of phycology.

[Id and Ego seek]

Psychosis.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Lol they are plenty of stories out there of people talking to god, being auducted by aliens, seeing ghosts, talking to the dead, prediciting the future, seeing big foot etc. All equally as compelling as yours. However to date in the history of the human species of which homo sapiens have been around for 45,000 years, not one of these stories has ever been proven to be valid in any shape or form. Infact there is a $1m prize waiting to be won by the randi fund for anyone that can prove supernatural stories. How is this any different from the rest of them. Because she apparently (i.e. not verifiable) knew his name. Maybe she overheard someone say it before she approached him. There can be a million and one explanations for this account.

[Steezy]

(Original post by james22)
I think you are being a bit unfair ridiculing the OP for this. While this argument is flawed it does lead to some very intersting and strange areas of phycology.

Such as?

[rock_climber86]

(Original post by Ineluctable)
I know of at least two people who have been spoken to by God when they were in a time of uncertainty, bringing their faith and commitment back. I'll give you an example. Someone I know quite well was on holiday in America and he heard a woman with a small child singing and praying. She came over to him and told him that God sent her to deliver a message to him, but addressed him by his name, despite having never met her before. They prayed together and afterwards his commitment and faith was redoubled. This is not the only time I know it has happened.

I think the only possible explanation for a stranger reaching out to somebody with doubts is because God is working through them and rekindling their faith.

i stopped reading when i got to there. You can't take anything serious after that! Americans are a bunch of religious loons! of course someone would 'talk to god' there

[Cephalus]

I am a Christian and I have asked God for messages/signs in times of uncertainty. I have never received one. I don't think this is God's work. Messages are for the faithful, not the faithless

[Good bloke]

(Original post by james22)
it does lead to some very intersting and strange areas of phycology.

Is that pharmacology (and some pharmacological products do lead to sightings of strange things) or psychology (and, again, some psychological symptoms are commonly interpreted to be manifestations of gods)?

[Gofre]

Oh Ineluctable, I have missed you so

[Medved]

the thing is basically if you don't have faith you'll never accept what's offered as proof coz most of it's going to have holes you could drive a bus through that's just life most things have them. if you have faith you don't need proof i'm not sure where i stand ion it tbh

[Id and Ego seek]

(Original post by Good bloke)
Is that pharmacology (and some pharmacological products do lead to sightings of strange things) or psychology (and, again, some psychological symptoms are commonly interpreted to be manifestations of gods)?

Latter: he's referring to the objectivist thesis and subjectivist thesis of religious experience or William James's book 'The Varieties of Religious Experience.' When in fact he should look into Freud's book 'Obsessive Actions and Religious Practices.'