A question for the ages

b00tleg · Post by **b00tleg** » 2006-07-17 12:25pm

What would the political, sociological, scientific, and philosophical ramifications be around the world, if God finally revealed himself. No more bullshit, no more burning bushes and voices from the sky. What might happen to our world of one or more supreme beings finally came forward, revealing themselves with incontrivertible proof that they exist.

Post by **Surlethe** » 2006-07-17 12:33pm

Well, first we'd need proof that it's actually a supreme being, instead of an uber-powerful alien or something.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-07-17 12:35pm

Surlethe wrote:Well, first we'd need proof that it's actually a supreme being, instead of an uber-powerful alien or something.

What's the difference?

Post by **Surlethe** » 2006-07-17 12:43pm

Darth Raptor wrote:
Surlethe wrote:Well, first we'd need proof that it's actually a supreme being, instead of an uber-powerful alien or something.
What's the difference?

Not much; the question boils down to, "Is it really a Biblical God/supreme being, or is it lying when it tells us that?"

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2006-07-17 12:47pm

Darth Raptor wrote:
Surlethe wrote:Well, first we'd need proof that it's actually a supreme being, instead of an uber-powerful alien or something.
What's the difference?

"Kneel before your god Apophis", "Hallowed are the Orii", etc.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-07-17 01:03pm

If he's sufficiently powerful, there is no functional difference. Imagine an alien which has the power to create worlds and biosystems with a wave of his hand; such a being would functionally be God, at least as we envision him.

A simple test for this being would be to ask him to turn Mars into a thriving biosystem. After all, he supposedly did something similar once before.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2006-07-17 01:10pm

I hope He's not a jealous and vengeful God.

King Kong · Post by **King Kong** » 2006-07-17 01:32pm

The specific ramifications would largely depend on what this god's intentions would be. For example, does he want us to simply praise him forever or does he reveal some ethics system for us to follow, then mostly leaves us alone? I don't think you can really predict any historical or philosophical specifics for this general kind of situation.

However, there would certainly be people who will blindingly follow this god, others who will try and justify their previous religious beliefs with this new revelation, skeptics (such as contributors to this thread) who will want proof of this god's power, and a few who will denounce it as an instrument of Satan. But these are just basic human reactions that have happened as a result of any major religious change; the only thing that I can really predict is that these reactions will be much more intense and widespread than ever before with the revelation of an actual god.

Perhaps there won't be really be any radically new changes, only more intense variations on effects that have already happened in our history.

Cos Dashit · Post by **Cos Dashit** » 2006-07-17 01:38pm

Darth Wong wrote:If he's sufficiently powerful, there is no functional difference. Imagine an alien which has the power to create worlds and biosystems with a wave of his hand; such a being would functionally be God, at least as we envision him.

A simple test for this being would be to ask him to turn Mars into a thriving biosystem. After all, he supposedly did something similar once before.

See this could possibly be that uber-alien referred to above. A God would be able to answer any and all questions; the meaning of life, personal memories, the last digit of pi, et cetera. This would be irreputable evidence, if coupled with a feat like the one Wong mentioned.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2006-07-17 02:08pm

A God would be able to answer any and all questions; the meaning of life, personal memories, the last digit of pi, et cetera.

Can pie be completly computed ? Because otherwise it is like asking god if he can make a rock even he cant move. There are things even omnipotents cant do.

OmegaGuy · Post by **OmegaGuy** » 2006-07-17 02:37pm

Asking for the last digit of pi isn't exactly a good test, since there would be no way to verify it.

For example, I could say that the last digit of pi is 7.

There's no way to prove that I'm wrong.

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2006-07-17 02:59pm

Darth Wong wrote:If he's sufficiently powerful, there is no functional difference. Imagine an alien which has the power to create worlds and biosystems with a wave of his hand; such a being would functionally be God, at least as we envision him.

A simple test for this being would be to ask him to turn Mars into a thriving biosystem. After all, he supposedly did something similar once before.

There is no functional difference, but there would be philosophical differences, though - with ramifications upon science: the actual creator of the universe and life as opposed to some egomanic asshat who had the benefit of several billions of years of evolution and technological development more than us.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2006-07-17 03:10pm

There is no last digit of pi. If there were, pi would be rational. The irrationality of pi has been proven in several different ways.

LEARN MATH, FOOLS!

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2006-07-17 03:15pm

See this could possibly be that uber-alien referred to above. A God would be able to answer any and all questions;

I disagree; two of your three example questions are questions without answers. Last digit of pi? Shame shame, Dashit. You even have it in your avatar.

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2006-07-17 03:27pm

It depends on the message he or she brings. For instance, if this God doesn't agree with one of the major religions out there, I can see a massive war against this 'demon' or jihad, or whathave you.

Cos Dashit · Post by **Cos Dashit** » 2006-07-17 10:48pm

Sarevok wrote:
A God would be able to answer any and all questions; the meaning of life, personal memories, the last digit of pi, et cetera.
Can pie be completly computed ? Because otherwise it is like asking god if he can make a rock even he cant move. There are things even omnipotents cant do.

There are things all-powerful beings can't do? All.. powerful...

The last digit of pi statement was intended to be facetious. An omnipotent being wouldn't even need to explain anything, anyways. He could just put the understanding of anything in your head.

Granted, your head might explode..