I say if God wants us to understand him, he should eliminate all the sects that aren't preaching the Truth. He's got his lightning bolts. He could do it.
This would only work if you accept the ancient-European Pagan idea that G-d "benefits" from human "worship", in that then of course G-d, wants to "get the word out" to gain more from his increased number of supplicants.
But this is rather far from the Jewish perception of the relationship between G-d and Creation. In that we believe G-d to be immutable, and that G-d made Creation for our benefit. We believe that Reality [Tm] was specifically designed, in such a way that G-d is "hidden", and that it is through our Free-Will chosing to fulfill G-d's expressed will, by observing the Torah, that G-d is revealed in the World. Also if you check, you will find that most of the commandments in the Jewish Torah, relate to interactions between humans on the personal and national level. There are very few, that can be thought of as relating to "worship of G-d".
It is our position that the racial human consciousness is constantly evolving. In Biblical times, big pyrotechnic miracles abounded. But even then this was mostly for a rather short period (60 years around the Exodus), with decreasing frequency the later in time you get. But we have since moved beyond that stage in our collective development. Back then, when people were much more simple-minded, miracles were required to counter the rampant idol worship, to show that indeed, while the idols did nothing, there WAS in fact a real Living G-d, that was part of the world. But today, if the world was exposed to a manifest miracle (especially of the "Smiting type" you refer to), then our mission-critical Free-Will would be seriously compromised, in that we would be cowered into following G-d's Wishes, not from our Free Will, but out of fear of Divine Retribution! It is very sad that throughout the ages the Christian Church has consistently used Fear of G-d and Hell-Fire Retribution, as a weapon to control their believers. This has only harmed mankind, and interfered with the Divine Plan.
You might also notice that with one or two rather extreme exceptions (like the overturning of Sodom, and the Exodus), G-d only uses the lightning bolts type of retribution (I don't think actual lightning is ever used, that would be the damn Greeks), against the Jews. This is because the Jews already know that G-d is manifest, and their Free-Will would not be as strongly effected, considering that, already knowing, they had Chutzpah enough to go against G-d's Will.
Thunder and Lightning! Very very Frightening
But this is rather far from the Jewish perception of the relationship between G-d and Creation. In that we believe G-d to be immutable, and that G-d made Creation for our benefit. We believe that Reality [Tm] was specifically designed, in such a way that G-d is "hidden", and that it is through our Free-Will chosing to fulfill G-d's expressed will, by observing the Torah, that G-d is revealed in the World. Also if you check, you will find that most of the commandments in the Jewish Torah, relate to interactions between humans on the personal and national level. There are very few, that can be thought of as relating to "worship of G-d".
It is our position that the racial human consciousness is constantly evolving. In Biblical times, big pyrotechnic miracles abounded. But even then this was mostly for a rather short period (60 years around the Exodus), with decreasing frequency the later in time you get. But we have since moved beyond that stage in our collective development. Back then, when people were much more simple-minded, miracles were required to counter the rampant idol worship, to show that indeed, while the idols did nothing, there WAS in fact a real Living G-d, that was part of the world. But today, if the world was exposed to a manifest miracle (especially of the "Smiting type" you refer to), then our mission-critical Free-Will would be seriously compromised, in that we would be cowered into following G-d's Wishes, not from our Free Will, but out of fear of Divine Retribution! It is very sad that throughout the ages the Christian Church has consistently used Fear of G-d and Hell-Fire Retribution, as a weapon to control their believers. This has only harmed mankind, and interfered with the Divine Plan.
You might also notice that with one or two rather extreme exceptions (like the overturning of Sodom, and the Exodus), G-d only uses the lightning bolts type of retribution (I don't think actual lightning is ever used, that would be the damn Greeks), against the Jews. This is because the Jews already know that G-d is manifest, and their Free-Will would not be as strongly effected, considering that, already knowing, they had Chutzpah enough to go against G-d's Will.