If God Existed, What Would He Be Like?

Debate Room
1

I grew up in a small village where religion was everywhere: in the culture, the morals, and daily life. From a young age, I was taught that goodness and justice existed only because God had defined them. In my view, without Him, there would be no order in the world. Biblical stories reinforced this idea: the faithful were blessed, while non-believers lived in chaos and immorality.

However, one day, I watched a video about Denmark, a country where most people are atheists. I was surprised to see an organized society full of good people living in harmony without any belief in God. This shook my certainties and led me to reflect: if God existed, what would He need to be like to make sense?

If God is all-powerful and good, His laws should be universal, clear, and eternal. But as I studied religious texts, I began to question the reasoning behind some rules. For example, why only 10 commandments? Wouldn’t it make sense to include more, like an 11th, forbidding polygamy, and a 12th, abolishing slavery? The justification that polygamy protected women seems weak when compared to the idea of a God who could provide for everyone. Similarly, why permit any form of slavery, even a milder one? Wouldn’t a perfect God be the first to advocate absolute freedom and equality for all?

Moreover, a just God should judge people by their actions and intentions, not merely by their faith. Why condemn someone who is just, loving, and upright simply because they were born in a context where belief in God wasn’t taught? A truly just supreme being would value the good that each person brings to the world, regardless of their religion.

If God existed, I imagine He would embody perfection: supremely just, clear in His words, and capable of inspiring humanity to improve without causing divisions. His laws wouldn’t be shaped by historical customs but by eternal principles that transcend cultures and generations. Above all, He wouldn’t require worship to offer His love and mercy; He would love unconditionally, valuing goodness and justice in all forms.

This is my vision, but how do you see it? Imagine this sweet fantasy, and think about what you would do if you were a god for a year. I don’t claim to have all the answers and am open to being wrong—this simply reflects my personal opinion.

2

If god existed he wouldn’t let anyone speak for him, or allow anyone to do anything “in his name”, as he would have the ability to speak and act on his own.

IOW, if god were real there would be no unauthorized biographies supposedly about him, her or it, nor any organization religions.

Thus, the existence of the Bible, The Koran, The Torah, etc., and all of the “great” DBA’s purportedly doing god’s work for him, are probably as close as we will ever come to having absolute proof that the omnipotent god these people claim to be working for is utterly nonexistent.

:wink:

1 Like
3

I believe that if God created the Universe, then God must–necessarily–be more complex than the Universe.

So God would be unknowable and undefinable because to know God would require more complexity than the entire Universe.

But maybe I’m wrong.

1 Like
4

Ineffable is a word that comes to mind……

:wink:

1 Like
5

“That effing God of yours” works too.

6

I tend to steer clear of these sorts of hypotheticals tbh. I am a simple soul, so it’s pretty simple for me, demonstrate something approaching objective evidence that a deity exists or is even possible, otherwise they get filed under fiction, dragons, fairies, mermaids, unicorns etc…

If anyone’s making moral proclamations it’s just their subjective opinion, just like my moral assertions are just my subjective opinion, and they will be weighed on their own merits, and I don’t care which deity anyone wants to assign them to (see above).

Abortions are wrong you say, great explain why, in the meantime you’re free to not have one if that’s how you feel. You think gay sex is a sin, then don’t do it, next! You think people who leave you waiting at a roundabout or junction, because they’re too lazy or selfish to indicate they’re turning left, are worse than Hitler and should be shot? Yeah I am inclined to agree… :face_with_raised_eyebrow: :wink:

2 Likes
7

There are objects.

I suspect this is probably as close as we’ll ever come to having objective evidence that there is a reason for, or maker of, those objects.

For example, there are chairs.

In my experience, typically the reason for the existence of any particular chair is sitting near or on it.

IOW, I can’t prove this-or anything else for that matter-but I suspect that we’ve already met our maker (or “god” for an even more poorly defined term) and it is us.

:wink:

1 Like
8

“Thou art God” said Valentine Michael Smith.

1 Like
9

‘Grok’ means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed.

Dr. Mahmoud, Part 2, Chapter 21

:wink:

1 Like
10

Still not seen a coherent definition of what “God” is. Constrained by the requirements of faith?

1 Like
11

Me, personally?

I have no more belief in the existence of needs (i.e., existential requirements or moral imperatives) than I have faith in the ill-defined, but mostly fickle god of the Bible.

Or was the question intentionally cryptic and rhetorical?

I certainly have no desire to argue about either.

:wink:

12

That just seems like a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy. That something exists, in no way objectively evidences it was designed. EDIT possibly a begging the question fallacy? Either way I’d need to see sufficient objective evidence that a creator deity was possible first and foremost.

This is a common false equivalence fallacy theists use, think Paley’s watchmaker fallacy, we have objective evidence that chairs are designed, we can see the designs at every stage, and the creation of them, and rather tellingly, like all designed things, that is all things we know unequivocally are designed, they don’t occur naturally. If everything in nature were designed and created, how would it differ from things humans design and create? Only Paley starts by placing a manmade watch on a beach, and contrasting it against nature, suggesting we know instinctively it doesn’t belong there. He’s right of course, just wrong about why, and what this means.

2 Likes
13

Nothing is personal unless I name names. Otherwise it’s just an observation.

2 Likes
14

Watches are not designed.

They are timepieces that have evolved to reflect the desires of conscious beings.

Makers, IOW.

:wink:

1 Like
15

You’ve read The Mote in God’s Eye then?

1 Like
16

I haven’t but will check it out.

Thanks.

:wink:

17

The connection with your post above will become clear when they arrive in the Mote system.

1 Like
18

I’ve seen no objective evidence for the existence of needs.

BTW, did you ever watch the TV show called “Big Bang Theory”?

Did you get the fact that very often the joke is on Sheldon who seems to think that reasonable arguments, logical deconstruction and a genius level IQ are all one needs?

This without him, or anyone anywhere, ever having provided any evidence that he, his brain and his show are somehow an existential component of the cosmos.

IOW, if you need evidence for the existence of god-or anything else, for that matter-I’m fairly certain that neither I, nor anyone else in the world, is going to be able to satisfy that craving.

:wink:

1 Like
19

As such a being is patently impossible that’s hardly a surprise.

1 Like
20

If you look carefully at me avatar, you will see it plays on the irony in that show. I’ve watched it several times, as it is also hilarious.

I don’t need it, nor is it specific to god claims, it’s just the threshold I set for credulity.