Atheists: What would the universe look like if a god existed?

[PureX]

But none of that is part of the OP question.

Of course it was. As an atheist it is understood that no God ever proposed to you by anyone else, ever, is real. So when the OP asks "if God existed" that would have to be a God of YOUR OWN design. Since you've already rejected every God of everyone else's design. So inventing your own God is the only possible speculative option left.

There was nothing about what sort of god we'd prefer. And why do you think atheists would have an opinion about these things?

Well, they clearly think they are far smarter than any theists, and they seem driven to remind is all of it at every possible opportunity, so it was reasonable to expect lots of opinionating. (And there it was.)

What would be the point of even considering these questions anyway, when we have zero evidence that any sort of god actually exists?

Well, speculation is a good way to learn new things.

Even if some god does exist, why would anybody's preference matter? It would be what it was.

The question was not about whether or not God exists. It was; IF God existed (in your worldview), what then? You (the atheist), were being invited to speculate on the possibility of your concept of God existing. If you had no intention of bothering to speculate, that's up to you. But why the need to insult anyone else who finds such speculation meaningful, informative, or otherwise interesting?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

First, let's ask ourselves what conceptual niche our imagined "God" would be expected to fulfill. And that alone could lead to some interesting self-evaluation. I mean, if we wanted our God to stand in some sort of meta-judgment over all that is, what does that say about us? Or if we didn't, what does THAT say about us? And do we expect our God to have a purpose for having created us, each other, and 'the world'? And what might that purpose be? What would these say about us? Is our God omniscient or not? And so on

@ratiocinator beat me to it. The OP is not asking what kind of god we would wish for, but what the universe would look like if it had a god, which covers any conception of god including irrelevant ones like the deist god and malevolent gods. You want to make it some conceptual Rorschach test.

You also failed to honor a simple request.

you would have to stop attacking theists and theism

I don't attack people, and I reject all forms of belief by faith, not just belief in gods.

take some time to contemplate the possibility of a God

BT;DT, or have you forgotten my years as a Christian and my years discussing gods with believers on message boards? That line or investigation is over for me. There are no further answers available. The question is undecidable and will remain so for the remainder of my life, like the question of where the universe came from and whether free will is actually free or an illusion.

I've also stopped looking for some keys I lost a few decades ago, which actually still has a chance of resulting in a find unlike these other matters.

you automatically presumed that nothing involving theism ever has any value

Not for me it doesn't. God belief and religion have nothing to offer the atheist who is comfortable without them. The concept comforts you somehow, but I'm good without it. My life has been better outside of that world than it was within it.

 

[ratiocinator]

Well, they clearly think they are far smarter than any theists...

Baseless assertion. I don't think I'm smarter than all theists, I just disagree with them on the matter of god(s).

Well, speculation is also a good way to learn things.

Yes, if there is at least some starting point or basis for it, but If there isn't, then why? It's just daydreaming or fiction.

You (the atheist), were being invited to speculate on the possibility of your concept of God existing.

I don't have one. All I have is a vast number of other people's concepts of god(s), none of which I find credible.

But why the need to insult anyone else who finds such speculation meaningful, informative, or otherwise interesting?

This is a debate forum and I'm addressing a question directed at a group I identify with. If somebody is insulted by opinion, they shouldn't have posted the question in a debate forum.

 

[We Never Know]

Of course it was. As an atheist it is understood that no God ever proposed to you by anyone else, ever, is real. So when the OP asks "if God existed" that would have to be a God of YOUR OWN design. Since you've already rejected every God of everyone else's design. So inventing your own God is the only possible speculative option left.

Well, they clearly think they are far smarter than any theists, and they seem driven to remind is all of it at every possible opportunity, so it was reasonable to expect lots of opinionating. (And there it was.)

Well, speculation is a good way to learn new things.

The question was not about whether or not God exists. It was; IF God existed (in your worldview), what then? You (the atheist), were being invited to speculate on the possibility of your concept of God existing. If you had no intention of bothering to speculate, that's up to you. But why the need to insult anyone else who finds such speculation meaningful, informative, or otherwise interesting?

"when the OP asks "if God existed"

To be clear, the OP asks if "a god" existed.

 

[ppp]

Do you require a rational justification to employ your imagination?

Yep. Provide a rational justification for my spinning out some random idea of a god. You do get that your feels are not a rational justification for my actions.

That would be quite bizarre.

That would be an example of your aforementioned uncompelling feelings.

 

[ppp]

"a god"
Pick one and go

No.

 

[McBell]

A reverse offshoot from the thread "Theists: what would a godless universe look like"

What would the universe look like if a god did exist and how would it be different from the current universe?

Apparently nothing would be different.
And that is with all the currently existing deities.
There is really no need to add another, is there?

 

[jes-us]

A reverse offshoot from the thread "Theists: what would a godless universe look like"

What would the universe look like if a god did exist and how would it be different from the current universe?

It would look identical to now except there would be no animals anywhere .

 

[We Never Know]

Sorry. Too vague. In order to evaluate, I would have to be presented with a description of a specific god.

Definition of a god...

Definition of GOD

the supreme or ultimate reality: such as; the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped (as in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism) as creator and ruler of the universe… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[ppp]

Definition of a god...

That is an excellent job of googling for a definition. It's an incomplete definition, but no matter. Even were it complete, you be addressing someone who asked you for general definitions of the word god. Are you under the impression that I asked you for general definitions of the word god. You seem to be under the impression that I asked you for general definitions of the word god.

 

[We Never Know]

That is an excellent job of googling for a definition. It's an incomplete definition, but no matter. Even were it complete, you be addressing someone who asked you for general definitions of the word god. Are you under the impression that I asked you for general definitions of the word god. You seem to be under the impression that I asked you for general definitions of the word god.

You mentioned for a specific god. The OP says "a god" meaning any god.

 

[ppp]

You mentioned for a specific god. The OP says "a god" meaning any god.

Ah. I see. You only read those two words from my reply to the OP. That would explain your apparent confusion.

 

[We Never Know]

Ah. I see. You only read those two words from my reply to the OP. That would explain your apparent confusion.

You specifically said you would have to be presented with a description of a specific god.
Its not my fault you didn't understand "a god" isn't referring to any specific god.

Sorry. Too vague. In order to evaluate, I would have to be presented with a description of a specific god.

 

[bobhikes]

A reverse offshoot from the thread "Theists: what would a godless universe look like"

What would the universe look like if a god did exist and how would it be different from the current universe?

It would highly depend on the Nature of the God. I could see multiple types of universes as well as the universe we have today. If the universe exists as it is, then God that exists would not be defined by any of the current religions.

 

[ppp]

You specifically said you would have to be presented with a description of a specific god.
Its not my fault you didn't understand "a god" isn't referring to anything specific.

You think that rejecting your basic rationale of your question as a whole is equivalent to not understanding the question? I don't believe that you are actually that silly.

 

[We Never Know]

You think that rejecting your basic rationale of your question as a whole is equivalent to not understanding the question? I don't believe that you are actually that silly.

Sure thing. Take care

 

[ppp]

Sure thing. Take care

 

[Heyo]

Definition of a god...

Definition of GOD

the supreme or ultimate reality: such as; the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped (as in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism) as creator and ruler of the universe… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

That's why it is important to be precise. Nobody, when talking about god, has this definition in mind or expects an audience to imagine the god they are talking about to be in that set.
And, to be precise, the dictionary doesn't give a definition, it gives a set of usages. Try to compile a list of attributes from that list that fits all uses and world creating, transcendental, omni anything, immortal are out the window. God can mean anything and thereby nothing.

 

[osgart]

The common denominator of most all Gods is that they are living entities that can wield dominant power and have special knowledge, character and authority over reality.