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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 5, 2015 at 12:01 pm
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: This is a spinoff idea from various questions I've been putting to people. These are a bunch of hypothetical scenarios. Atheists and theists alike can answer. You may, for one reason or another, consider it to be an impossible scenario. If so, just pretend, and give the closest answer. Some of these you'll have seen before I'm sure :p
1) God appears to you. You are 100% sure this is the real, one true God.
A) He instructs you to kill your friends and family. He doesn't say why. Will you do it?
B) Christians: he is Allah. Yahweh is fictional. Allah is just as described in the Quran.
Non-christians: he is Yahweh. He is just as described in the bible.
Will you worship this God?
2) You have just replaced God. You're in full control of everything, and have unlimited power. You can ensure any changes you make have no negative consequences.
A) Would you put an end to the suffering in the world?
B) Would you alter "free will" so that people only have good (non harmful) options and thoughts?
C) Would you request worship and thanks from people? If so, would you reward worship and/or punish non-worship?
D) There is this evil guy satan who keeps messing with your plans. He causes people to be evil, and all sorts of horrible stuff. Would you remove his power to do this?
E) If you wanted to communicate with the people, how would you go about it?
People routinely kill their families for all sorts of reasons so if some deity actually showed up and told them to kill their families they would do it in a second. The Bible has a lot of such stories but what is their real point?
The original idea was that man was basically a dummy until he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and became aware of the difference between them just like God.
So the basic question then becomes: is killing your family a good thing or an evil thing? Does your motive have anything to do with it? Abraham was eager to slice and dice Isaac for his own personal fame and fortune. When Moses came down from the mountain and broke the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 32 he told his henchmen to kill their brothers and companions. In Genesis chapter 38 Judah was eager to roast Tamar for getting knocked up before he found out that he was the one who had knocked her up. When Satan tempted Jesus with the world Jesus told him to take a hike. When Reuben banged his father Jacob's wife Jacob didn't kill him although such behavior became a capital offense under Moses' rules.
A person's answer is dependent upon his commitment to the idea of good and evil. If you think that such an act is basically evil regardless of the circumstances then you would never kill your family even if God told you to do it because you know you would become evil if you did and end up in the lake of fire for being a murderer as it says in Revelation 22:15.
Of course if a person was in such a situation and did kill his family on God's orders God could easily resurrect them and kick the killer into the lake of fire.
So if a person knows the difference between good and evil why would he do evil if God told him to do an evil act when he has never done good as God has previously told him to do? Because he's basically an evil person who has no redeeming qualities.
But since all gods are imaginary collective human experience has proven that it's better to do good than to do evil. Gods can never be more than imaginary beings so it's impossible for them to communicate with humans. Besides, people don't listen anyway.
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 5, 2015 at 6:12 pm
(March 5, 2015 at 10:55 am)Ben Davis Wrote: 1.A: No
1.B: No
2.A: Without hesitation
2.B: No but there's no need because A.
2.C: No. I might be gutted if I didn't get a single thank you (I have an ego, after all) but I wouldn't be doing it for the kudos.
2.D: Yes but he wouldn't be there because A.
2.E: Directly and unambiguously
Ditto.
"I was thirsty for everything, but blood wasn't my style" - Live, "Voodoo Lady"
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 3:10 am
Me too, ditto  Good catch on not needing to fix free will, I didn't think that right through. That would work just as well.
No theist takers huh? I understand. With these questions, no answer is acceptable to them. Any answer highlights a massive problem with their beliefs versus reality. They claim to have a personal relationship with God, but if God actually showed up and told them to do something, they'd tell him that he's not God and so they don't have to obey him.
God don't want to hear that shit.
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 3:57 am
(March 6, 2015 at 3:10 am)robvalue Wrote: Me too, ditto Good catch on not needing to fix free will, I didn't think that right through. That would work just as well.
No theist takers huh? I understand. With these questions, no answer is acceptable to them. Any answer highlights a massive problem with their beliefs versus reality. They claim to have a personal relationship with God, but if God actually showed up and told them to do something, they'd tell him that he's not God and so they don't have to obey him.
God don't want to hear that shit.
One of the points made in the Bible is that that segment of the population really didn't believe in God. The only people who believed in God in the Bible were the prophets and they forced everyone else to go along with their delusions under penalty of death.
The story starts with Adam & Eve and how they had a first-hand relationship with God. They used to chat all the time. But despite that Adam & Eve didn't really believe in God. Noah comes along as a prophet so he was all gung-ho and the God bandwagon. But as soon as he saved his skin he fell off the bandwagon.
Abraham wasn't a prophet and all he wanted was personal fame and fortune. So when he thought he was talking to God he was a big fan.
Moses came along and forced everyone in his group to share his religious delusions although they had supposedly witnessed and personally benefitted from being around God. Moses had to kill thousands of his group to force them to at least give lip service to God.
Jesus showed up and claimed that he was God's son. Only a few believed him. Most thought that he was nuts.
People just give lip service to the Biblical God. No one really believes in him and only a handful of the Biblical characters did.
The flip side is that most muslims appear to believe in their favorite deity, Allah, and his mouthpiece Mohammed. The reason is unclear. Maybe they are simply more gullible or more simple-minded as a group. One thing is for sure and that is that no God has ever done anything godly since the first con man created his imaginary deity buddy in his image. And that's Biblical.
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 4:29 am
(This post was last modified: March 6, 2015 at 4:29 am by Thumpalumpacus.)
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: This is a spinoff idea from various questions I've been putting to people. These are a bunch of hypothetical scenarios. Atheists and theists alike can answer. You may, for one reason or another, consider it to be an impossible scenario. If so, just pretend, and give the closest answer. Some of these you'll have seen before I'm sure :p
1) God appears to you. You are 100% sure this is the real, one true God.
A) He instructs you to kill your friends and family. He doesn't say why. Will you do it?
No. And even if he doesn't explain why, I will have the courtesy to explain why not
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: 2) You have just replaced God. You're in full control of everything, and have unlimited power. You can ensure any changes you make have no negative consequences.
A) Would you put an end to the suffering in the world?
For the good, yes. For those with evil bents, their punishment -- a form of suffering -- would come immediately. Haven't really decided what I'd do for punishment, but it would be graded for the severity of offense. Disrespecting the waiter serving you your food might get your short hairs pulled right in the middle of telling him to "fuck off", so that it comes out "fuck me." Trying to kill another human being would be an, ahem, shocking experience.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: B) Would you alter "free will" so that people only have good (non harmful) options and thoughts?
I would not engage in thought-control. But I would converse with my subjects daily, and personally, when they start having bad thoughts: "What's wrong, Dave? Look like you're in a bad mood. C'mon, let's sit down and talk about this."
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: C) Would you request worship and thanks from people? If so, would you reward worship and/or punish non-worship?
I'd strive to earn their respect. And if they disrespected me, uh-oh.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: D) There is this evil guy satan who keeps messing with your plans. He causes people to be evil, and all sorts of horrible stuff. Would you remove his power to do this?
Every time he managed to talk some guy into shooting the President, I'd turn the gun into a banana at the exact moment of truth (thanks, Steve King, great idea). Also, I'd have Satan followed by three novice accordionists at all times, so he couldn't sneak up on anyone without getting on their bad side right away.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: E) If you wanted to communicate with the people, how would you go about it?
The Almighty speaks English, everyone knows that.
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 5:26 am
No.
No. I would ask him how he's able to exist, being omnicontradictory and all.
Yes
Yes
No.
Of course.
I don't think I'd have to.
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 5:33 am
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: This is a spinoff idea from various questions I've been putting to people. These are a bunch of hypothetical scenarios. Atheists and theists alike can answer. You may, for one reason or another, consider it to be an impossible scenario. If so, just pretend, and give the closest answer. Some of these you'll have seen before I'm sure :p
1) God appears to you. You are 100% sure this is the real, one true God.
A) He instructs you to kill your friends and family. He doesn't say why. Will you do it? No. I'd hand him a rope and tell him to go hang himself.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: B) Christians: he is Allah. Yahweh is fictional. Allah is just as described in the Quran.
Non-christians: he is Yahweh. He is just as described in the bible.
Will you worship this God? No. I'd give him a grenade and tell him to pull the pin.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: 2) You have just replaced God. You're in full control of everything, and have unlimited power. You can ensure any changes you make have no negative consequences. (March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: A) Would you put an end to the suffering in the world? Maybe not all of it. Certain types of suffering, such as the type a writer must endure when working on a novel, or an artist when learning how to paint, or an athlete in training, are good. But the truly terrible forms of suffering, such as people mistreating one another, or natural catastrophes that decimate entire towns, or diseases that slowly deprive bodies of life and will, would be put to a halt.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: B) Would you alter "free will" so that people only have good (non harmful) options and thoughts? Sure, why not? Unless we suffer from some mental deficiency, our wills are already restricted to think feces disgusting so that we don't enjoy eating shit, or smelling it, or thinking about smearing it on our faces. Why not make malicious thoughts invoke the same nausea we would probably experience if we handled shit the way I just described?
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: C) Would you request worship and thanks from people? If so, would you reward worship and/or punish non-worship? What? Care what you apes think about me?? I am God, remember?!
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: D) There is this evil guy satan who keeps messing with your plans. He causes people to be evil, and all sorts of horrible stuff. Would you remove his power to do this? His power comes from me! He's not an evil guy! Just the most misunderstood of my projects...like ever.
(March 5, 2015 at 4:43 am)robvalue Wrote: E) If you wanted to communicate with the people, how would you go about it? Film a youtube video while riding on a lightning bolt.
He who loves God cannot endeavour that God should love him in return - Baruch Spinoza
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 12:21 pm
1) God appears to you. You are 100% sure this is the real, one true God.
A) He instructs you to kill your friends and family. He doesn't say why. Will you do it?
No, an omni-benevolent being would not instruct an individual to harm another. In obeying such an order, I would become as much a monster as that god.
Non-christians: he is Yahweh. He is just as described in the bible.
Will you worship this God?
Absolutely not. Such a monster as described in the so called holy book does not deserve worship.
2) You have just replaced God. You're in full control of everything, and have unlimited power. You can ensure any changes you make have no negative consequences.
A) Would you put an end to the suffering in the world?
Absolutely. If I am truly omnipotent, there should be no reason for me to allow unnecessary suffering to persist.
B) Would you alter "free will" so that people only have good (non harmful) options and thoughts?
I would not alter the human psyche, but I would step in and help anyone who was being unnecessarily harmed by another's actions.
C) Would you request worship and thanks from people? If so, would you reward worship and/or punish non-worship?
I would not request any form of worship, but I neither would I request that they not do as they wished. If they want to worship me, that is their prerogative.
D) There is this evil guy satan who keeps messing with your plans. He causes people to be evil, and all sorts of horrible stuff. Would you remove his power to do this?
I would indeed completely remove this evil guy's power. What would be the point in keeping him around in such a capacity as to inflict harm on others? I am not a monster, after all.
E) If you wanted to communicate with the people, how would you go about it?
It certainly would not be through a game of telephone with only a certain select few who would write in a book and claim to be spreading my message. Rather, I would speak to the entire world on a daily basis in order for them to know and understand me personally.
"Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat."
~ Erin Hunter
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 12:48 pm
1) God appears to you. You are 100% sure this is the real, one true God.
Which god are we talking about here?
A) He instructs you to kill your friends and family. He doesn't say why. Will you do it?
No
B) Christians: he is Allah. Yahweh is fictional. Allah is just as described in the Quran.
Non-christians: he is Yahweh. He is just as described in the bible.
Will you worship this God?
Not a chance
Quote:2) You have just replaced God. You're in full control of everything, and have unlimited power. You can ensure any changes you make have no negative consequences.
A) Would you put an end to the suffering in the world?
B) Would you alter "free will" so that people only have good (non harmful) options and thoughts?
C) Would you request worship and thanks from people? If so, would you reward worship and/or punish non-worship?
D) There is this evil guy satan who keeps messing with your plans. He causes people to be evil, and all sorts of horrible stuff. Would you remove his power to do this?
E) If you wanted to communicate with the people, how would you go about it?
This one is harder, I suppose I would create 2 or more worlds. One for people who want free will and one for people who don't. Possibly others for people who want something in between or something different entirely. In a world with free will, I'm not sure I could completely eliminate suffering while allowin people free will, but I would limit suffering as much as possible.
No thanks to the worship, ain't nobody got time for that. In fact, I would make my presence known and specifically request that people respect the world around them and the environment in lieu of worship. I would make it quite clear than any worshiping would be ignored and no worshipers would be blessed and more or less than non worshipers.
Satan isn't actually an evil guy. He was made out to be evil. The Christian god called him evil because he didn't want him to be taken seriously when he tried to expose what a worthless shite job god was doing. I would introduce him to everyone and show them what a chill guy he was and we could be a team. Because managing worlds might be tough and I need plenty of time to create sex gods to sate my godly needs.
If I need to talk to someone I'll just show up and talk to them. Though, I would occasionally troll people especially grumpy people. Just randomly popping up and scaring the shit out of them.
(August 21, 2017 at 11:31 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: "I'm not a troll"
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Hammy Wrote:and we also have a sheep on our bed underneath as well
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RE: Various scenarios: what would you do?
March 6, 2015 at 2:59 pm
(March 5, 2015 at 5:53 am)Norman Humann Wrote: 1) no
2) kill everyone
That's a full mark, right?
1. No
2.
(no more stds  )
I reject your reality and substitute my own!
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