I'm particularly curious as to why we must believe in God to see him - doesn't he have some mass or energy that could be measured regardless of belief?

You want to measure God using science... Well, I'm not exactly sure how to measure the unmeasurable, but I suppose that the Scriptures tell us to look at creation. The heavens declare the glory of God. Beyond that, if you consider Genesis 1, you will notice that "the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the deep". In the New Testement, Jesus tells us that the spirit will come into the world once he leave it. So that's what I would say to you. The Spirit of God is here. Either you hear the Spirit speaking or you do not. If you can't then I don't know what to tell you. The Bible does speak of people whose have rejected God long enough that their hearts are hardened. They absolutely cannot hear the voice of God because they would rather hear their own voice. I suppose that's why moral relativism will never make sense to me.

I guess what I'll say is that if you cannot sense the presence and voice of God in your own life, then you have noting to measure do you? That being the case, I guess you're all set to settle in to agnosticism. Nothing I can do to argue you out of it. Just know that my experience has been very very different. My hope would be that you would be open to things a little less material at some point in the future.

And why can't God just appear to people to convince them?

The scriptures tell us that God has done a lot to reveal himself to us. But I think the part you miss about Christian theology is the Holiness of God. We read stories in the Bible of how you cannot look directly at the face of God and live. The light of his holiness will burn up sin as he draws near. It's something that I think needs to be kept in mind when people blame God for the evil and injustice in the world. If you want God to do something about evil in the world, I think you had better be careful. Exactly how far do you expect God to go in wiping out the evil that we see? Is he supposed to excuse you personally and all of the things that you have done wrong? For example, I'm a lyar and I'm also selfish at times. When I ask God to clean up the world, to what extent do I expect him to go? Is he supposed to just do the things that I want him to do?

I think that if God is going to do anything at this point, he's going to go all the way. That being the case, I think you should be careful what you wish for in asking to see God face to face. I think there is a very good reason that the holy presence of God is hidden behind a veil. I also think that this is why faith is the only way to encounter God. It is only through faith in the one who took the wrath of God in our place at the cross that we will ever be made perfect. It is only then that we will see God.

It almost sounds like you're putting another limitation on him, that he can't appear to people that dont' already believe - certainly that isn't what you meant?

The only limitation that God has is that which he puts on himself. As the case may be with us, God loves us too much. In order for our relationship with him to be made right again, God has given us time.

2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

That's what is happening in this life, Mork. God is making his appeal through people. People like me I suppose. He's telling you that you are not right with him. He wants you to make that right before the time comes when you will see him.

Romans 5:20
For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

It's that simple really. God wants us to be reconciled to him and he's made the path of faith open through sending his Son to die in our place. I'm not ashamed to say it. That's what I'm all about...

Romans 1:16-17
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

I quote scripture so that you will know that this is not my message. I didn't make this up. This is what has been revealed and passed on to us...

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

So there you have it. Not sure if I can make it more clear than that. I know you disagree with it, but it is what I think. Glad you asked.