Hypothetical: Divinity directly revealed to you

Dauphin · May 25, 2003, 17:18

This is directed at believers of a religion as much as atheists and agnostics.

Suppose an event occured that would lead you to the inescapable conclusion that the world around us was created by a divinity. The event can be something only you witnessed, that a group of you witnessed or even the entire world witnessed. The event may be a scientific and peer reviewed study with an extremely high degree of accuracy. Basically the event is something that would convince you of the existence of a divinity without room for doubt.

Assume the divinity is of a Judo-Christian-Islam leaning.

How would that knowledge effect your life?

I'm interested in whether Christians with absolute knowledge (as opposed to faith) in their God would become more devout.

I'm also interested in how such a sudden change in worldview would effect atheists. Are there any atheists here that could never be convinced of a divinity?

Harovan · May 25, 2003, 17:23

I am a diehard atheist, but would acknowledge facts. I would, however, do all I can to double and triple check that "evidence", before I give in.

Rogan Josh · May 25, 2003, 17:25

It wouldn't change anything for me. God and I talk all the time...

OneFootInTheGrave · May 25, 2003, 17:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Rogan Josh
It wouldn't change anything for me. God and I talk all the time...

that is a true difference between a believer and non-believer, a beliver has to base his religion on experience, and that is it no matter what religion he is or else. In the same way a guy who says he is religious and says he has no experience he is an atheist with a wrong name.

Spiffor · May 25, 2003, 17:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
I am a diehard atheist, but would acknowledge facts. I would, however, do all I can to double and triple check that "evidence", before I give in.

oedo · May 25, 2003, 17:32

as an agnostic I probably would think that I have seen more than I should have.

I probably would try to keep on living and believing like I always used to. but this is all too theoretic to make a clear statement.

OneFootInTheGrave · May 25, 2003, 17:33

I would jsut say that the evidence cannot be "third person" as it has to be my own experience, if that God can talk to him, he has to be willing to reveal himself to me somehow to.

FireBrand · May 25, 2003, 17:41

i would have to kill myself.

i currently live every day of my life thinking that i am god.

Rogan Josh · May 25, 2003, 17:47

I think most atheists would find some way to 'rationalise' it away, no matter how startling the revalation. No conclusion is inescapable, so they would just block it out and go back to living as they always did. They could always put it down to a mass halucination of something.

Inverse Icarus · May 25, 2003, 18:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
I am a diehard atheist, but would acknowledge facts. I would, however, do all I can to double and triple check that "evidence", before I give in.

same here

if i saw jesus' face in a tortillia, however, i'd ask my self why an omnipotent being chose to manifest himself in a low price foodstuff.

Soul Survivor · May 25, 2003, 18:21

I would change very little in my life if it was proven to me that God exists, (unless it was allah - then i might go to a mosque and curse bush a little more often

)

But otherwise, if there is something you'd change, regardless of whether there was a god, or whether existence was meaningless "what you see is what you get", then you're not living life the way you should be.

At this point in my life I have complete faith that one day the true nature of the universe will be revealed to me, whether by God or by some other beings ala the Matrix or whether this is all some creation of my own imagination, either way I look forward to whatever awaits - but I'm in no rush to get there.

Jon Miller · May 25, 2003, 18:23

Rogan Josh

I don't know what has been up with my latest visit to apolyton

but I have agreed strongly with everything you say

:d:

Jon Miller

Inverse Icarus · May 25, 2003, 18:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Soul Survivor
then i might go to a mosque and curse bush a little more often

that implies that you do it already. FLAME THE N00b!

loinburger · May 25, 2003, 18:40

I wouldn't expect that the revelation would affect me a great deal, unless God also gave me a rule-book or something (in which case I'd obviously follow the rule-book -- no need to piss off a fellow who's omnipotent...

). I mean, it's not like I'd say "Wow, I'd better stop being so bloody evil, now that I know that I'm gonna get a spanking if I'm naughty!"

Dauphin · May 25, 2003, 18:51

Quote:

Originally posted by UberKruX

same here

if i saw jesus' face in a tortillia, however, i'd ask my self why an omnipotent being chose to manifest himself in a low price foodstuff.

I'd ask why you think that Jesus' face in a tortilla is the evidence that is most likely to persuade you of a God.

orange · May 25, 2003, 18:57

I wouldn't change much. I lead a pretty 'moral' life in the Judeo-Christian sense.

alva · May 25, 2003, 19:03

I would tell 'it' to sod off and find a new universe to sr*w up.

(oh and before he/she/it goes, to wipe out all spambots

)

Ramo · May 25, 2003, 19:08

Most likely, such evidence wouldn't change my actions to any significant degree.

I've never cared much for taking orders from humans due to their power. And the same would hold true for a deity.

Skanky Burns · May 25, 2003, 19:17

My actions wouldn't change.

Although I might possibly start a thread on Apolyton letting others know of the proof.

orange · May 25, 2003, 19:40

maybe that's what CivNation was all about

Lincoln · May 25, 2003, 19:57

I don't think I would change much. I already have plenty of evidence of his existence. An earth shattering revelation would be embarrassing to me because it would expose my lack of faith in one who has been so faithful to me. And I agree that an undisputed revelation would not convert most die hard atheists. In time they would explain it away.

Soul Survivor · May 25, 2003, 22:55

you'll never find proof of God's existence by looking for it, but as soon as you stop looking for proof, stop begging for it, stop demanding it... it will come, and often in the strangest of ways

Urban Ranger · May 26, 2003, 01:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Rogan Josh
I think most atheists would find some way to 'rationalise' it away, no matter how startling the revalation. No conclusion is inescapable, so they would just block it out and go back to living as they always did. They could always put it down to a mass halucination of something.

Of course, a believer will always push his god back further when it is shown that no supernatural entity is required at a particular level.

Yes, they even posit that their god is completely beyond anything we know, including logic and laws of nature.

Urban Ranger · May 26, 2003, 01:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Big Crunch
This is directed at believers of a religion as much as atheists and agnostics.

Suppose an event occured that would lead you to the inescapable conclusion that the world around us was created by a divinity. The event can be something only you witnessed, that a group of you witnessed or even the entire world witnessed. The event may be a scientific and peer reviewed study with an extremely high degree of accuracy. Basically the event is something that would convince you of the existence of a divinity without room for doubt.

Assume the divinity is of a Judo-Christian-Islam leaning.

How would that knowledge effect your life?

Assume the divinity is not of a Judeo-Christianity leaning.

How would that knowledge affect your life, esp. when you are a Christian?

Rogan Josh · May 26, 2003, 05:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Yes, they even posit that their god is completely beyond anything we know, including logic and laws of nature.

Isn't that the very definition of 'omnipotent'?

Az · May 26, 2003, 07:56

As said before, I'd double and triple check all facts. Then, I'd probably believe in god. But my behaviour wouldn't change much. Why do I have to think that this god wants me to not drive on saturday, abstain from mastrubation, etc.?

Rufus T. Firefly · May 26, 2003, 08:06

It wouldn't change anything. Why? Because even if I know there's a J/C/I deity running the show, I haven't a clue as to what He wants or expects from me. Assuming that my "knowledge" of him is just knowledge of his existence and not of His will, I don't know a thing about Him -- because all I've got is this Bible/Koran thingie, and that's our creation, not His.

Alternatively, I suppose, the Bible could really be His word -- in which case I now have proof that all existence is presides over by a misogynistic, homophobic, sadistic meglomaniac. Again, no biggie; I've worked under that kind of a$$hole before.

Ben Kenobi · May 26, 2003, 08:16

Quote:

How would that knowledge effect your life?

I'm interested in whether Christians with absolute knowledge (as opposed to faith) in their God would become more devout.

Depends on what you mean by 'revelation'. I have seen, as some of the other Christians, evidence for God in my life.

Besides, God's there when I need to talk to Him anyways.

Quote:

got is this Bible/Koran thingie, and that's our creation, not His.

Rufus:

Technically, it's his creation anyway because are we not all a part of God's creation?

UR:

Quote:

Assume the divinity is not of a Judeo-Christianity leaning.

How would that knowledge affect your life, esp. when you are a Christian?

Without further clarification, I would conclude that these were demons.

Rufus T. Firefly · May 26, 2003, 08:20

Quote:

Originally posted by obiwan18
Rufus:

Technically, it's his creation anyway because are we not all a part of God's creation?

Then, technically, aren't all religions part of God's creation? An dthen, techically, aren't those Jews, Christians, and Muslims who declare their religion the One True Religion actually blasphemers?

Spiffor · May 26, 2003, 10:17

Quote:

Originally posted by obiwan18
UR:

Quote:

Assume the divinity is not of a Judeo-Christianity leaning.

How would that knowledge affect your life, esp. when you are a Christian?

Without further clarification, I would conclude that these were demons.

At least your position as a believer makes things much more simple than for an atheist