To anybody not strictly theistic: if you had any say in the matter, would you prefer for there to be a god?

Question

A lot of theists say sentences like 'I couldn't bear living in a world with no God' or 'You just don't want there to be a God so that you don't have to be held responsible for your actions'.

I have, personally, never met an atheist, agnostic, non-theist, deist or pantheist who is unable to seperate wishes from beliefs.

Having said that, completely setting aside what you do believe, here are some strictly speculative questions:

1. Would you like for there to be a God or divine force?
2. Would you like a personal, judgemental creator or a more abstract trancendental force?
3. Would you like there to be an after-life?
4. What form would you like it to take?

A lot of people might say 'What's the point? What is is.' I accept that, but there's nothing wrong with idle speculation... That's all any of us are doing on R&S, when it comes down to it...

Please, no theistic trolls condemning us all to hell... We've heard it before...

For the sake of fairness, here are my answers personally:

1. Most of the time, kind of. It might be reassuring.
2. Not the Abrahamic vision of a personal god, so probably something more transcendental and non-judgemental.
3. Yes.
4. I really have no opinion. Someplace nice is all I can say.

Answer 1

Great question.

1. Yes, because things may be very interesting in an afterlife.

2. I'd say, the transcendental force. I'd like a chance for us, as sentient beings, to be able to experience alternate realities and transcend our own nature.

3. Yea! Think of how interesting science may be in the next level.

4. Surprise me!

Answer 2

1. Yes. It'd give me a reason to be alive.
2. Either works, but "more abstract transcendental force" is what I would prefer. It's more impressive, and seems a bit nicer.
3. Yes.
4. Reincarnation after every, say... well after a fair amount of time. It'd be great to be able to know who one's former self was, too - that'd be ideal. Clean slate, get raised again, but you get to see who you were, and you know you'll never be gone forever. As long as we're dreaming...

For the people saying "you just don't want there to be a God so you don't have to be responsible", etc. etc., that's a load of sh*t. I don't believe in anything - I don't know what I *should* believe in. I haven't been convinced to believe in God, although it'd sure as hell be nice to know there's a reason I shouldn't just wake up and die. I would believe if I could convince myself, or if someone could convince me, but that hasn't happened & I don't know if it ever will. It's not because I want to "keep sinning". I hate the word "sin" anyway - sounds so self-righteous when people say it. At any rate, I tend to be a good person, and I do it of my own volition, not because I'm afraid some God will strike me down or something silly. I do it because I'm not an evil sonuvabitch, and hurting others isn't something I like to do at all.

Answer 3

I would like there to be a God and a heaven, I think that there'd probably have to be a hell too, but I'd hope it'd just be temporary punishment, and then I think heaven would be pretty much like earth, except bigger and everyone could do whatever they wanted, but if they did something wrong, they'd have to go back to hell for a while, depending on the degree of badness. And I'm not sure of all the details, but I don't know if there is a heaven if it would all be comprehended. I think we might have to live through the lives of every living thing so as to cast off our ignorance and increase tolerance. I've got some ideas, but I have no idea if I'm right. So I guess I'll either find out, or I won't.

Answer 4

We're all God, as I see it. He's not in a bible or behind a flowing white beard. He's you and me and everybody and everything on this planet and on all the other worlds, and in all the space between. I see God as the ultimate energy source - the cosmos. And collectively we all come from that big-bang entity and we are pieces of it.

There's no 'personal savior' element at work and no judgmental nature to God, as I see it. We are masters of our own fate, but we're pretty much stumbling around in the dark as long as we refuse to recognize the responsibility we all have to the other bits of God around us (other people, animals, the oceans, air, the planet itself).

We're like babies crying in a crib, waiting for someone to pick us up and take us to paradise, but we're all connected together. We can't make any real progress as long as the world we live in is such a mess. We have responsibility not only for our individual lives but for all the lives we touch.

As a Reincarnationist, the afterlife I believe in brings us back to life. We come back a little wiser each time.

Answer 5

1. yes
2. Real but not with human stuff like judgment projected on Him.
3. Yes.
4. I have no clue as to how to describe it. I hope it will be as challenging as this life.

Answer 6

Not sure what I would like, what I want, or how I feel about that.
But the form should be a 100ft Stay-Puffed Marshmellow Man.

Answer 7

yes, i would like there to be a God. It would be nice to know that there is someone who would be willing to take the time to create all of this for us

Answer 8

love joy caring happinest compasion laughter is god so the anser would be yes what gives people these things along with hope is always good

Answer 9

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Trapped in desire, you perceive only the form.

Answer 10

u are ur own god, just don't judge ur self, u will do fine.