What If God Were One Of Us?

[Nat]

Tomorrow you will wake up and You will be God.

What kind of God would you be? What would you have as priorities on your God agenda? What would your commandments be? What would you consider a sin? What would you do with people when they die? What would you do with the people who had done very bad things?

[Gemme]

I imagine that Ebon would be like Bruce Almighty and I would be more like Morgan Freeman.



As far as your questions, I believe in recycling, so I'd be a heavy advocate of incarnation. I would be a very open minded God, I think. And I'm a natural voyeur, so I think that could work out very well.

As for bad folks, it depends on what they did. Pedophiles and sexual deviants of the not-fun and non-consenting variety would have a special place in Hell.

First on my God agenda? Making the Reunion.

[Medusa]

Bookmarking for later!

[TruTexan]

I've often wondered if Jesus was already one of us here.. I can't really think about this now, it's mind boggling to think what I would say to the questions which you ask, Nat. Hmmm? Time to contemplate more I guess. Bookmarking for a later date.

[PoeticSilence]

Without really giving it too much thought, and without considering if there might be other gods too, my first thought off-the-cuff is, why would I need any people at all? I could fill a world with animals and birds and fish and be just fine. I never really believed in hell, but I do understand the concept of the Christian hell, I just don't really see a point in it.

[imperfect_cupcake]

I'm an atheist so I believe that heavan is upon earth and godhead resides in all. there is nothing supernatural.

what would I do if I rules the universe? make universal laws to govern everything so I could fuck off and not bother.

also, there would be no sin. As someone who lives outside of time and human judgement, there is no such thing. judgement is for mortals. they can sort that out for themselves. I'm surfing around in a supernova.

[Martina]

I don't believe in god either. You can be enlightened, but that's just a human potential that's not often realized.

If I really had god-like powers, I'd blow this pop stand and go see what's out there. Visit the other galaxies and the other planets where there is life.

If I intervened here at all, it would be to do something humane to constrain overpopulation on the planet. No plague. But perhaps something that made fewer -- many fewer -- humans fertile. Whatever social upheaval that caused -- a la The Handmaid's Tale -- would be up to humans to figure out. I'd then restore the forests and the oceans with a blink of my eye and be gone on my extended vacation.

In terms of social engineering, it's up to us to figure out how to live together. If it were somehow to come from the outside, it would not mean much. Our species will live or die. I would prefer we not destroy the large mammals and all the great forests while we're figuring out which it will be.

We can't destroy life on the planet. An asteroid could. But we don't have that power. We could make Earth a nasty place for a long time though. I hope we don't.

I don't have a lot of faith in humanity, and I do wish that the Earth could be returned to a pre-human ecological state, but ultimately it's up to us to make it work. Or not. We are doing horrible things to animals and to each other. To the planet. But the planet will survive for a few billion more years -- with life of some kind. We have to figure out whether our species will become extinct and take a lot of others with us.

[Gráinne]

I don't believe we are God, but I believe all of us are a facet of a Universal "power" or spirit, that many people call God. I believe God is within us, not up in the sky or out there somewhere, running the show.

So, in that belief, I don't believe in a God agenda, like President of the Universe. If I had some kind of power to set the commandments of the world (putting aside the likely existence of other worlds), I think it would only be "Be good to one another". All the commandments stem from that one.

I don't believe in the idea of sin, because whoever comes to power (even "God") gets to decide what the sins are going to be. I can't picture coming up with a list of sins so heinous that they cover every culture in every place and time. What we consider repugnant was or is considered very normal somewhere.

I don't believe in the "traditional" heaven or hell, so that's hard to answer, too. I believe something happens to our spirits after death, but what that is, I have no idea. Maybe we stay here, close to people we loved (or haunting the places that either we loved or that hurt us).

I think it would be impossible to get everybody to agree on a list of "very bad things", similar to the sins list. How bad do you have to be to go way over the line into non-redemption? I can't picture drawing that line as "God".

[pajama]

Right off the cuff, and so early in the morning, here are some quick thoughts:

First I would reduce the world population by recycling all politicians, war mongers, and criminals. Since I'm god I know who the true criminals are, so if you were still alive and standing in the penal system you would be set free because you were wrongfully incarcerated. I would recycle them into trees, both fruit and non-fruit bearing.

Laws would carry immediate retribution. You have the thought to kill, rape, whatever....the instant you but the plan into action.....poof you are recycled. Don't have time for that, and it would leave your victim uninjured.

I think I would somehow want to work in that I, as god, am not to be put upon a pedestal or used to judge others or used for wars. Which again wouldn't exist because the minute a leader tried to rise that had conquest in their heart....poof recycled.

My first priority after what I anticipate to be a great cleansing, would be to begin the process of healing our planet and our relationships with our fellow man. I would initiate some kind of return to simpler times. Where we spoke to each other, and grew things, and shared.

That's all I got for this moment.

Oh, and I would cure disease, but set a fixed time to die for everyone. You just go to sleep on the night of, say, your 70th birthday and the next morning some family somewhere discovers they are pregnant. Somehow, I would need to control world population, so I think I would probably tie births to deaths somehow.

Incredible thread Nat! Thanks!

If I were God I'd dry up the world's oil supplies so there could be no wars about it. Nations would have to consider other fuels.

If I were God I'd destroy all automotive vehicles that run on oil based fuel.

If I were God bad things would still happen to good people. No God can stop the inhumanity of humans, unless all humans become beings with no self will at all.

If I were God I'd make people who gossip mouths heal up



Not really answering the OP but it's what sprung to mind

[girl_dee]

Hah how super amazing that this thread popped up.

It's been on my mind big time lately.

i don't know what i believe in. No, that's not true, i know what i do not believe.

i do not believe that there is a God who is in charge, if so, God has some explaining to do.

i am learning that for me, God is my higher power, my perfect self.

Raised Catholic its hard to unwire it all, but it never made sense to me. i believe in Deities, the Saints, the Spirits, and as of late i wonder if this is even true.

Some things don't make sense to me, like why men have nipples. i long for something to make sense. None of it makes sense.


We are so perfectly designed, i know it was not a fluke, something with much more intellect than we have, created us and i feel is out there somewhere.


And if i were God in charge i would probably wipe it all out and start over.

[The_Lady_Snow]

If I was God, I'd bring back the McRib all year round not just for its limited time...

[Tony]

My answer came to mind as soon as I read the question.
I am a Christian and I believe very strongly in God. With that said, I could never fathom someone else being God, let alone myself. But if God said to me, "Tony, you're God for a day. What will you change or do?"
My answer would be simple. Nothing. There is a reason and a season for all that God does and I would never presume to be capable to question that. He is my higher power. In the end, He is who I will answer to. No one else. I have complete faith in His judgement and what He has created.
Not meaning to sound like I'm preaching here. Just answering from my own perspective based on my faith and spirituality.

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

to all the believers in God.

Where was that God before the tsunami?

Where was that God before your daughter was abducted, raped and killed?

Where was that God before your home was destroyed by an F4 tornado?

Where was your God before you lost your job 2 years before pension was suppose to set in?

Realizing many need to believe in something to get themselves through the day, it really makes my mind numb when so many folks AFTER tragedies decide it's a great time to thank their God.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by Happy_Go_Lucky

to all the believers in God.

Where was that God before the tsunami?

Where was that God before your daughter was abducted, raped and killed?

Where was that God before your home was destroyed by an F4 tornado?

Where was your God before you lost your job 2 years before pension was suppose to set in?

Realizing many need to believe in something to get themselves through the day, it really makes my mind numb when so many folks AFTER tragedies decide it's a great time to thank their God.

I have no answers for this. Tragic? Absolutely. But again, it's not for me to question God. Only to have faith. I thank my God everyday, regardless. I also pray to Him everyday, regardless.

With that, I believe this thread has the potential to turn bad. I've always believed there are 3 subjects you can never truly discuss: religion, politics and sports. They all are based on our own perspective, opinions and beliefs. I believe everyone is entitled to believe as they feel. It is what it is. Nothing can be proven. Hence, the potential for arguing is huge..
Religious beliefs after all are what most wars are made of..

[BullDog]

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Nat

Tomorrow you will wake up and You will be God.

I'm torn between saying oh shit and it's about time.

If I was God, I would do the following:

1. command someone to build a new ark so we could start over. Free will has made a mockery of the perfect design. Need to redefine free will too.

2. replace the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with George Lucas, Steven Speilberg, and Ron Howard - with their creativity and imagination, I figure they can create an awesome human epic.

3. the only stipulations I would place on them would be:

~Snow gets her McRib request providing BK brings back the bacon mushroom cheeseburger.

~the weather and temperature would be to my liking always

~abolish hot flashes. They serve no purpose except for creating more laundry.

~replace the Body of Christ wafers with pizza bagels, keep the wine (for recovering Catholics like myself)

~matriarchal rather than patriarchal society

~men would have wombs. I figure if they want to control reproduction, they should have a bigger role in the process and the booboo outcomes

~abolish praying. The whining, wishing and bargaining are annoying and cutting into my internet and arcade time.

~abolish man made, self serving religion. I figure with FB and twitter, I can handle what people need to know.

~create do overs like Groundhog Day, the movie. Can do it over and over until you get it right.

I just had to account for 1 day right? Tomorrow someone else is God right?

[Jaques]

Im not sure theres a God, I like to keep an open mind - I wouldn't want to be God, he/she gets blamed for everything - yet the believers - when disaster strikes really come to Gods aid and say things like "he works in mysterious ways" or "its Gods will" - when children starve or people are being tortured to death. Its unpalletable to most people, esp. in the west to even consider that what happens to us is a result of karma and that theres actually no such thing as an innocent child - we are all born according to where we left off in a previous life - I think if God does exist and he created the universe - he probably said "here you are - you got the basics - get on with and lets see how you do" - the free will thing - we are blaming man for global warming - I don't suppose chopping down rain forests etc helps much but then pollution didn't cause the ice age! God is also said to be our judge - and I also wouldn't want to do that - I feel we can only judge ourselves in a moral and spiritual way and we know whats right or wrong - its inbuilt in our conscience as spiritual beings.
So - if I were appointed as God (it wouldn't be of my own choosing) I wouldn't produce commandments, I would ask people to think before they act - how would I feel if someone said/did that to me and as no one would want to be hurt, murdered, tortured, starved, beaten, raped etc etc etc, then they wouldn't do it to others - its simple, we'd all then be perfect and there wouldn't be any need to believe in a God.........if only

[Smiling]

Great thread, tough subject matter! It's so subjective, really; but here is how I personally feel [without getting too pedantic] about it right now. Subject to change at any moment, of course, because I'm a Gemini and we have been known to do that from time to time, lol.


If I were God, I would be duty-bound to preserve free-will above all other principles; because without it, no good will follow.

Unfortunately, this means a lot of awful, wretched things will befall many innocent parties. I hate that; but I truly feel that lasting change can only begin on an individual level and that everyone must, therefore, be given governance over all of their own actions. [The revolution starts within, so to speak].

Conversely, it is important to note that this also renders everyone entirely responsible for any and all harm they cause and I, as God-for-a-day, would have to see to it that commensurate consequences were meted out. I think there are ways of accomplishing that without resorting to "eye-for-an-eye" tactics, which I find equally abhorrent.

On the other hand, if I were to wake up one fine morning as mere mortal, but Supreme Dictator; The Honorable and Amazing Huge-Smile, Benevolent Ruler of All Countries and Peoples, heads would roll!

[And if the thought of me in charge of all of that doesn't get all the world immediately praying; well then, all hope for humanity is truly lost, lol].

[sofimichi]

Originally Posted by honeybarbara

I'm an atheist so I believe that heavan is upon earth and godhead resides in all. there is nothing supernatural.

what would I do if I rules the universe? make universal laws to govern everything so I could fuck off and not bother.

also, there would be no sin. As someone who lives outside of time and human judgement, there is no such thing. judgement is for mortals. they can sort that out for themselves. I'm surfing around in a supernova.

HOLY SHIT THIS!!!!