Would you worship God if He were real?

[ichneumon]

just suppose that some time next week, a giant luminous being appears on earth, an event televised world wide, and announces that he/it is God Almighty. He then proceeds to raise up a mountain upon which is carved words from the qu'ran, bible, torah, etc. as final proof, he reincarnates several dead people, from heaven and hell, then vanishes. the not-dead continue here, have full memories of their lives and times in the afterlife, and proceed to the talk-show circuit. science is helpless - there are dozens of "explanations", none of them complete.

okay - i'm not interested in "that can't happen". one, this is hypothetical. two, in the 8000+ years of recorded events, it apparently happens fairly often - that it hasn't happened lately is meaningless.

i want to know if the so-called rational atheists would then turn tail and worship God to avoid hell. if you consider it, as a thought experiment, this is a telling question.

for my part, buddhists don't worship gods. period. it doesn't matter if they are real or not, it's not a good idea because people should be responsible for their own messes, etc and, beyond that, we *know* how to have peace and joy with any of that God crap. besides, if there are good, honest people in Hell only because they never kowtowed to some random divinity, that's where i belong.

[BreadBros]

In 8000 years of recorded events this has happened fairly often? What leads to believe that? People's personal writings? As far as I know theres no physical evidence of mountains being formed by God, people being resurrected, etc.

Anyway, if it happened, would I worship God? :unsure: ... Nah.



:redstar:

[An archist]

Nope, as you said, people need to be responsible for their own mess. If I kill 10 people and then say I'm reeeally sorry I'm forgiven and will go to heaven? what kind of bullshit is that? that's just the easy way out.
'Even if god existed, it would be necesary to get rid of him' just like capitalism and the state.

[Black Dagger]

If god was actually proven to exist that would make me even less inclined to 'worship him', because if god exists 'he' should get the fuckin' sack! I mean, the dude is a grade-A fuck-up as far as super-beings go, 'he' doesnt do shit, and when 'he' is doin' something it ranges from stuff like isolated murders to genocide.

God is the ultimate boss, we dont worship bosses - we kill them.


Originally posted by ichneumon
i want to know if the so-called rational atheists would then turn tail and worship God to avoid hell. if you consider it, as a thought experiment, this is a telling question.

The existance of god does not entail the existance of 'hell', and if 'hell' does exist god is a fuckin' hypocrite.

[MrDoom]

If God were real we would have to kill him.

[BurnTheOliveTree]

I 'd immediately open fire on thin air. He's omnipresent, right? Easy target.

-Alex

[ATG]

i doubt it unless he fixes the whole world cure all the diseases end the hunger the war the hate then maybe

[Comrade J]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 03:56 pm
just suppose that some time next week, a giant luminous being appears on earth, an event televised world wide, and announces that he/it is God Almighty. He then proceeds to raise up a mountain upon which is carved words from the qu'ran, bible, torah, etc. as final proof, he reincarnates several dead people, from heaven and hell, then vanishes. the not-dead continue here, have full memories of their lives and times in the afterlife, and proceed to the talk-show circuit. science is helpless - there are dozens of "explanations", none of them complete.
Well I wouldn't worship him for two main reasons:

He is simply not fit for worship at all, if he exists, he is petty, pathetic and not deserving of respect.

Secondly, according to your scenario, he carved bits of the Qu'ran, the Bible and the Torah etc on a mountain - sounds like one very confused God to me. I wouldn't know which way to worship him etc, and it sounds like he's forgotten his initial plan and prophets anyway.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I know for a fact that god doesn't exist. But even if I had doubts, I would not surrender my freedoms to him.
However, if I knew for a fact that there was a god, and thet he was omnipotent, omnipresent, etc... then that would basically mean that the struggle of humanity -- the acquisition of freedom -- would be void.
There would be no way to resist, since God is all-powerful. So I would commit suicide or worship him. Probably commit suicide.

[LuXe]

Or nuke god.

Nah, I would simply not care. Or as dr. rosenpenis, commit suicide. Maybe we could stage a mass where hundreds of people commited suicide altogether.

But however if he appeared physically it could be done to nuke him. Not that he would die, it would just piss him off.

[LSD]

in the 8000+ years of recorded events, it apparently happens fairly often

um...what?


i want to know if the so-called rational atheists would then turn tail and worship God to avoid hell.

Absolutely not, especially not if we're talking about the Judeo-Christian "God". The "God" of the Bible is a despicable monster and I would never "worship" that creep.

Besides, since "loving God" is a prerequisite for "Heaven", I'd be damned no matter what. There's simply not way that I'm ever going to "love" a creature that orders the death of homosexuals and the glorification or sexism.

An omnipotent "God" is pretty much impossible to destroy, but maybe I could team up with "lucifer" and his buddies down in "Hell" and help mount another rebellion. I'm sure there'd be centuries-worth of dead revolutionaries willing to chip in. ;)

[freakazoid]

Besides, since "loving God" is a prerequisite for "Heaven",

No its not.

[Comrade J]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 09:34 pm

Besides, since "loving God" is a prerequisite for "Heaven",

No its not.
Many Christians would argue otherwise; they say that if you love God then your actions will reflect this (ie - do everything he says) so you will get to heaven.

[Pirate Utopian]

i would start saying he sucks and start a revolution if he throws me in hell

[MrDoom]

A thought just struck me...

Who's God(s), anyhow?

[Ol' Dirty]

If an omipotent, omniscient, omnevolent creature that created the universe were to prove its existence to me in a real way, I would have no reason to deny its existence. I wouldn't go as far as worshiping it, though. Worship is often a conformist act. If it showed me any particular kindness, I would return the kindness. I would accept it, of course, as it has the same rights of any other sentient being. I will not, however, show any particular reverance. Hopefully it would assist us in asscending to a level as great as its own.

I still don't believe in god, though. There's simply no proof in its existence.

[freakazoid]

Many Christians would argue otherwise; they say that if you love God then your actions will reflect this (ie - do everything he says) so you will get to heaven.

hm.... You don't have to believe in God to do good things. Its not up to people to decide who does and who doesn't get in to heaven, it is Gods.

[MrDoom]

^That's why Christianity is incompatible with Anarchism, as it implies hierarchy.

Why can't God come down from his high horse and be like the rest of us "wretched mortals"?

EDIT: Well, he'd probably be executed for crimes against humanity, but still...

[Forward Union]

God is not fit for worship.

I'd look upon him in teh same way I look at dictators like hitler.

[Pow R. Toc H.]

I think most people like the "idea" of god. They like the idea that we arent completely alone in the universe. I think it would make no difference whether people saw him or not. Some people will be converted but most people will stay the same and look to science for some answers. However, I think there would be mass panic from the religous people in this country and probably some kind of riot would insue.

[Comrade J]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29, 2006 04:17 am

Many Christians would argue otherwise; they say that if you love God then your actions will reflect this (ie - do everything he says) so you will get to heaven.

hm.... You don't have to believe in God to do good things. Its not up to people to decide who does and who doesn't get in to heaven, it is Gods.
I know, I'm an athiest. And God doesn't choose who goes into Heaven, as neither of them exist.

[ichneumon]

okay, so, no one would.

have any of you ever tried this as a line of argument against the faithful? "i don't worship your god" is actually a more sound position than "god isn't real", simply because it can be debated on common ethical grounds rather than trying to reconcile two incompatible belief systems. besides, it completely baffles the xtians - it's fun.

[Cryotank Screams]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 11:56 am
i want to know if the so-called rational atheists would then turn tail and worship God to avoid hell. if you consider it, as a thought experiment, this is a telling question.

Actually no, I have made sure that I am damned in every religion, via symbolic ceremonies which would do so, and really if I am dead wrong, and their is a such a things as souls, spirits, afterlives, and such, and such an event as you described would happen I would proudly say "Hail Satan!" and join in Satan's rabble.

I will never worship, bow, or serve any god, if I am wrong, they won't have to cast me out of heaven, I will gladly skip that and walk straight and proud into hell.

"Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heaven."-John Milton.

"In heaven all the interesting people are missing."-Fredrich Nietzsche.

Hail the Devil! Hail Thyself!

[bezdomni]

I 'd immediately open fire on thin air. He's omnipresent, right? Easy target.
:lol:

Any God that demands you worship them is not worth worshipping. Any God that must insist its existance (through humans as proxy) doesn't exist.