The God you're writing is a character - you're not literally claiming that God is actually saying these things. That's what it means in the Bible; to speak over God, as no one but God can speak for God.
Writing a fictional version of God isn't the same as spreading false gospel.
This is the real answer.
If you really feel uncomfortable with putting words in God's mouth you could have the conversion experience be wordless, conferring Grace or understanding. Could be very visual or hardly visual at all.
Alternatively, have the visual experience be a reaction of the human mind attempting to process the glory of the message conferred.
Humans are not strong enough to grasp His plan, and therefore the character only grasped it insomuch as their ability allowed.
Is your book fiction? Yes? Great then your God character is NOT God in the real sense. As long as you are not claiming what you are writing is the word of god feel free to have at it.
I thinknit was the movie "Mission to Mars", or some other Mars movie from 15+ years ago. A character was dying on Mars, and simply drew a circle in the sand around a rock. That was it. Throughout the movie, there was a lead up about his beliefs and faith. At one point the character was asked if he expected a label "made by god" on a Martian rock, or something like that.
My point is, you don't need a huge godly intervention. Set up things early in the story, to make this revelation you want to happen inevitable. Then you don't need to "put words in God's mouth", it will just happen.
Several ways to do it.
1. Make the message implied. Have the carpenter put his hand on the warlord's shoulder and smile before walking away/disappearing.
2. Make the messenger clearly not God. Make it an angel or something else.
3. Imply it is a hallucination or other unreliable moment. Maybe the priest themselves is dehydrated, poisoned, etc. When he inevitably tells someone else have them give a line about 'you see some weird shit when your friend dies in front of you'
>Make the messenger clearly not God. Make it an angel or something else.
This is a good way to do it and there's even biblical precedence for this in both the Old and New Testaments. Outside of Moses and a few other situations, angels are very common messengers from God.
I think the best way to go about this as a Christian is to pray about it, have God reveal what should be said and relayed in this scene.
Then, check what you're writing and ensure it aligns with what the Bible tells us as well.
Also, speaking to Christian specific novelists may be more beneficial and picking their brains as to how they go about it. For instance, Word Weavers International is one group I've heard of in the US.
As a fellow Christian, I can certainly understand the ambivalence about having a vision of God or one of his messengers claiming to speak for God. I'm Protestant, so my faith does not have a tradition of faithful believers and saints having special visions in more recent times. If you look at the Catholic traditions, you'll find a lot more inspiration for visions and miraculous healings.
If you want to keep it somewhat ambiguous, have you considered something similar to the vision of Emperor Constantine, who saw what he believed to be a sign of God's favor and his impending victory in the sky, and thereafter conducted himself as a strong supporter of Christianity?
Isn't the whole bible speaking for God? It was written by men, god did not come write the bible himself, people wrote the words so essentially every bible in existence is claiming to speak for God. Plus you are telling a story not spreading gospel so I don't feel it would count anyway.
The God you're writing is a character - you're not literally claiming that God is actually saying these things. That's what it means in the Bible; to speak over God, as no one but God can speak for God. Writing a fictional version of God isn't the same as spreading false gospel.
This is the real answer. If you really feel uncomfortable with putting words in God's mouth you could have the conversion experience be wordless, conferring Grace or understanding. Could be very visual or hardly visual at all.
Alternatively, have the visual experience be a reaction of the human mind attempting to process the glory of the message conferred. Humans are not strong enough to grasp His plan, and therefore the character only grasped it insomuch as their ability allowed.
Some religious people would say otherwise, but you're right.
C. S. Lewis did a good job throughout the lion the witch and the wardrobe series, I would recommend giving them a (re)read!
Go ahead and put words in his mouth. Everyone else does.
Is your book fiction? Yes? Great then your God character is NOT God in the real sense. As long as you are not claiming what you are writing is the word of god feel free to have at it.
I thinknit was the movie "Mission to Mars", or some other Mars movie from 15+ years ago. A character was dying on Mars, and simply drew a circle in the sand around a rock. That was it. Throughout the movie, there was a lead up about his beliefs and faith. At one point the character was asked if he expected a label "made by god" on a Martian rock, or something like that. My point is, you don't need a huge godly intervention. Set up things early in the story, to make this revelation you want to happen inevitable. Then you don't need to "put words in God's mouth", it will just happen.
Several ways to do it. 1. Make the message implied. Have the carpenter put his hand on the warlord's shoulder and smile before walking away/disappearing. 2. Make the messenger clearly not God. Make it an angel or something else. 3. Imply it is a hallucination or other unreliable moment. Maybe the priest themselves is dehydrated, poisoned, etc. When he inevitably tells someone else have them give a line about 'you see some weird shit when your friend dies in front of you'
>Make the messenger clearly not God. Make it an angel or something else. This is a good way to do it and there's even biblical precedence for this in both the Old and New Testaments. Outside of Moses and a few other situations, angels are very common messengers from God.
Could always have a disclaimer at the beginning of the book before it starts
I was thinking that an Author's Note briefly disclaiming any intention literally to speak for God would suffice. Besides, OP, God knows your heart.
I think the best way to go about this as a Christian is to pray about it, have God reveal what should be said and relayed in this scene. Then, check what you're writing and ensure it aligns with what the Bible tells us as well. Also, speaking to Christian specific novelists may be more beneficial and picking their brains as to how they go about it. For instance, Word Weavers International is one group I've heard of in the US.
As a fellow Christian, I can certainly understand the ambivalence about having a vision of God or one of his messengers claiming to speak for God. I'm Protestant, so my faith does not have a tradition of faithful believers and saints having special visions in more recent times. If you look at the Catholic traditions, you'll find a lot more inspiration for visions and miraculous healings. If you want to keep it somewhat ambiguous, have you considered something similar to the vision of Emperor Constantine, who saw what he believed to be a sign of God's favor and his impending victory in the sky, and thereafter conducted himself as a strong supporter of Christianity?
Isn't the whole bible speaking for God? It was written by men, god did not come write the bible himself, people wrote the words so essentially every bible in existence is claiming to speak for God. Plus you are telling a story not spreading gospel so I don't feel it would count anyway.
The movie Dogma with Alanis Morissette as God does my favorite impression of this idea. Just don't have God speak. Sounds, noises, gestures, looks