(November 15, 2016 at 3:08 pm)Whateverist Wrote: Let's give this putative god a natural foundation as an advanced alien race. Let's further suppose, for whatever reason, that they are just delighted with us and want nothing more than to please and dote on us. (I'm thinking this approximates -nicient/-powerful/-benevolent god conditions without actually exceeding the sub-omni limits which pertain to all but the superdupernatural.) What then should be our interest in said creatures? [1]
Me? I'm thinking we might be better off if we slip through under their radar. While there may be creatures compared to which we are but puppies, infants or even amoebas I question how healthy it would be to live under their protection. I feel like I'm taking a captain Kirk stance here but do we really want to become some higher form's pet or, worse, infantilized by trading in our self determination for their 'divine' protection? [2] As for what they might teach us, unless they have the power to elevate us to their level of understanding wouldn't it be a little oppressive to know how incomplete and inconsequential our best efforts really are? I think we are a sufficiently capable and interesting organism to deserve to live and continue to evolve on our own merits. [3] Besides, until we develop light speed propulsion, any advanced race would know better than to initiate first contact.
But if you're willing to allow that 'gods' might exist in the midjective realm, then I think a meaningful relationship is indeed possible. [4]
1) I'm not sure how helpful that analogy will be according to how I understand a meaningful god. Our relationship with that alien race is not immediately related to our own existence. We could theoretically, as you suggest, "slip through under their radar" with the aliens. But with god, our relationship with it is constitutive of our own being. "Slipping through under the radar" with god would be the same as ignoring a fundamental aspect of what it means to be you.
2) I agree whole-heartedly. Trading in your freedom for divine protection seems like a strange idea. If you are fundamentally a relation with god, as I suggest, then 'divine' protection would be the thing which secures and provides your freedom and self determination.
3) Putting aside the analogy for this... is this to suggest that a relation with god suppresses this capacity?
4) Can you tell me more about what this means?
