Would a Theist accept any evidence of God?

[Smoke]

If God himself came down and appeared right before a theist, and denied all the tenets of the theist's religion, would the theist believe it, or rule it out as a hallucination or a demonic deception?

Suppose God appeared in the form of a wolf, and said that he had created the wolf in his own image, and had created humans to serve the wolf and to be food for the wolf.

Suppose God said he didn't create the world or any living beings; that the universe had always existed alongside him, and that while he found it mildly interesting it wasn't particularly important to him.

Suppose God said there was no life after death, no heaven, no reincarnation, no salvation, no enlightenment. Humans have no way of perceiving spiritual things, and when you're dead, you're dead.

Suppose God said that he doesn't answer prayers, that he has never ever answered a single prayer, and that he find prayer and worship annoying.

Would the theist believe him?

 

[enchanted_one1975]

I'd figure it was another Witch messing with me. :witch:

 

[Sunstone]

My guess is a minority would believe him, a majority would not. After all, it seems that one of the main causes of belief in any particular religion or religious belief is that one was born into a family that believed in that religion or held that belief. Furthermore, people who have been taught since childhood to believe something tend not to be open to opposing views. So, if that's the case, then we might suppose most religious people would be opposed to anything that conflicted with what they'd been taught as children.

 

[Riverwolf]

Most theists would probably attribute it to an hallucination or a demon.

 

[Sunstone]

Here's another way of looking at the same question: People who have transcendental experiences -- or, if you will, religious experiences -- tend to interpret those experiences in terms from their cultural background. That is, a Christian tends to interpret a religious experience as involving the Christian diety, while a Taoist tends to interpret a similiar religious experience as involving the Tao, and so forth. In other words, what's new and novel about a religious experience tends to get poured into the old and familiar forms.

So, if someone was confronted by a genuine religious experience, they would be most likely to believe that it was in line with what they already knew or had been taught about.

 

[Azakel]

Well, I'm a Polytheist. So to be he/she/what ever would just be one of many gods. Now whether what they are say is true or not is another thing. They maybe telling the truth, in one of many ways.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I would

 

[Azakel]

If God himself came down and appeared right before a theist, and denied all the tenets of the theist's religion, would the theist believe it, or rule it out as a hallucination or a demonic deception?

It depends I guess, I've had hallucination before and I don't believe in Demonic deception. After such experiences I'd have to think about them and come to my own conclusion about them. Which I still do when thing happen.

Suppose God appeared in the form of a wolf, and said that he had created the wolf in his own image, and had created humans to serve the wolf and to be food for the wolf.

I would must likely think that this 'god' might have created wolves and this is what it meant, but I would believe it to be any 'The 'God' just one of many, and would have no need to follow it.

Suppose God said he didn't create the world or any living beings; that the universe had always existed alongside him, and that while he found it mildly interesting it wasn't particularly important to him.

I could believe that. Hell that's how I think the gods are anyway.

Suppose God said there was no life after death, no heaven, no reincarnation, no salvation, no enlightenment. Humans have no way of perceiving spiritual things, and when you're dead, you're dead.

Might be true for some people. But not sure if I would believe some random god coming down and saying this.

Suppose God said that he doesn't answer prayers, that he has never ever answered a single prayer, and that he find prayer and worship annoying.

Since I see pray as more of a way to communicate with the gods then to beg for help I'm not sure here. I do believe that the gods help those that help themselves....

Would the theist believe him?

For me depends, since I am a (Hard) Polytheist I would have to wounder about this god/goddess and there means.
Though this is all just my opinion.

 

[Azakel]

I would

So if the Wolf god that Smoke mention appeared to you would you go and sacrifice yourself to a hungry wolf?

 

[enchanted_one1975]

So if the Wolf god that Smoke mention appeared to you would you go and sacrifice yourself to a hungry wolf?

The way I have been feeling lately it's possible, even if I don't believe it is God.