Fellow atheists: Can you imagine a god that you could love and respect?

Question

Not some tyrant with an eternal roasting oven for the naughty kids in class; but instead a truly loving creator-type who somehow rewarded his creation with a utopian afterlife. Would you want a god like that to exist?

Answer 1

A deity like that would be nice, but I think it'd end up being a goddess. ;-)

Answer 2

What bothers me most about the tyrant God is that he doesn't keep his oven roasting for just the naughty kids. He tells us--or at least his followers tell us for him--that it doesn't matter whether we're good or bad, at least not as far as getting into heaven or being consigned to eternal woe are concerned. He punishes those who refuse to believe unbelievable things.

I could at least respect the idea of a God who rewarded moral behavior with a utopian afterlife and had a period of punishment for those who acted immorally before being advanced to Utopia. No eternal sentences. No crime, however heinous, is deserving of an eternal sentence.

The bottom line, though, is that it just isn't so. We should be moral because society works best when people follow the rules and make an effort to get along, balancing their own needs and wants against those of others so that everyone has a fair shot at happiness. That should be reward enough.

Answer 3

Yeah some religions do have a deity like that. Some have the idea that he comes down and lifts you up to a better place. Life is a challenge where you prove your worth.

I can imagine a god like that. Very similar to other good creatures like pegasus and leprachauns. I can imagine it.

But then logic jumps in and it seems so irrational to believe that such a being really created this. Just to create this world--they have to not be quite so pure. It's a lot easier to imagine Zeus created us all b/c he was a constant adulterer, had a lil sinister streak, filled with human flaws--quite easy to believe we are all created in his image.

But even imagining any type of pure god, truly loving, creating a utopian afterlife...I have to come back with how could someone like that create something so bad without getting a lil kick out of it?

Answer 4

I can't imagine it to exist, sorry. But it would be a nice idea. I'd prefer a god that would let me choose my own afterlife. I mean, an eternity sounds like much too long, anything that's eternal is bound to become empty and useless. Only something that ends can have true meaning.

So, I'd prefer a god who would give me an afterlife of, let's say, 1000 years or so. That's really long enough.

Answer 5

I would not want such a creator god since then the universe would not be able to work the way it does. It would be rather static and boring without the strife and challenges, paradoxes and such. We perceive by contrast and evolve through challenge. The existance of such a nice god is only acceptable to me if it has an equally unfriendly and powerful counterpart.

It may be that the nice and unfriendly god are not actually in true balance since we have no cadre of reference to find true neutral, but I am willing to accept that our universe is not true neutral, just balanced with itself.

Answer 6

I live by the law, work hard and appreciate everyone for who they are and don't judge. That is what I believe in. Why would I want to be told I am going to Hell by someone who believes in Christianity? That's not a very Christian thing to do now is it?

Answer 7

I'm not an atheist, but I can certainly imagine a higher power like that. If one exists, I really don't see he/she/they being any other way. Maybe that's why I refuse to accept the Christian version....

Answer 8

your a scorner and and love to make fun of people who put their trust in the living God, why do you waste your time on questions or concerns on The God you don.t even think exist.. you people don,t have much to do but make light of people who want to have God in there lives..i have some news for you stringy white headed Atheist there is a spiritual God that sees and knows the thoughts and jesters of man including and old atheist like you..quit mokeing the God of the universe...your a low life atheist faithless past feeling for anything or any body...dry roots bring no buds or green dead roots die for the want of rain what type of root are you stringy head ? i have seen many men just like you void of understanding ..heartless and .with malice and hatered for all that live Godly and faithful lives in Christ Jesus..why dont you take a quarter and call someone who cares about your theories.... your and enemy of the lord God who formed you in your mother womb...Proverbs 19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
Proverbs 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?JOHN 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Answer 9

I am not sure I would believe in a god like that either.

I don't feel that I get to pick and choose god's attributes. Either there is one or there is not one; not that I will choose to believe in one that behaves the way I think it should.

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Answer 10

Someone like Buddha... I know he is not supposed to be "god", but he sure represents a better god than the Judeo-christian-muslim god who is petty, vengeful and full of contradictions.