NationStates Jolt Archive

There have been many hot debates of late, everyone seems to be duking it out over God's existence or lack thereof. So, dear readers, I would like to know what you think would happen if:

God's existence was proven/disproven.

Would world leaders be denied the luxury of doing things in His name?

Would extreme anti-gay legislation be introduced to protect the public?

Would there be an era of peace across internet forums?

Would there be worldwide panic?

All thoughts, opinions etc welcome.

Proven how? With what methodology? Logic? Empiricism?

As for what would result, that would depend on how many people accepted the proof, and exactly how much territory it covered.

Well I couldn't what'd happen for everyone else, but for me, nothing would happen either way. I have a lifestyle that doesn't harm anyone and I'm not willing to change it.

People might start to be a little nicer to one another though, might see a bit more charity, I'm guessing. Government wouldn't change. I'm not entirely sure it actually can...

There have been many hot debates of late, everyone seems to be duking it out over God's existence or lack thereof. So, dear readers, I would like to know what you think would happen if:

God's existence was proven/disproven.

Mmmh... it would depend on which god it was that was proven. Maybe it's Zeus and the gang, things could get interesting.

And if it's proven definitely that there's no god, I don't think anything will happen, at least in Western countries where for legal purposes, no god is assumed.

There have been many hot debates of late, everyone seems to be duking it out over God's existence or lack thereof. So, dear readers, I would like to know what you think would happen if:

God's existence was proven/disproven.

Would world leaders be denied the luxury of doing things in His name?

Would extreme anti-gay legislation be introduced to protect the public?

Would there be an era of peace across internet forums?

Would there be worldwide panic?

All thoughts, opinions etc welcome.

It would be irrelevant if God was firmly disproven. It would not make the blind bit of difference to most as faith is a state where facts, logic or scientific reasoning are irrelevant to the claim being made.

I would immediately drop to my knees and spend every waking minute in service of God. Eternal life is quiet the motivator.

I can't exactly tell you *how* it would be proven, I'm pretty much relying on mass amounts of handwavium here.

I would immediately drop to my knees and spend every waking minute in service of God. Eternal life is quiet the motivator.

Eternity with a total arse? That has it's downsides, you know.

Eternity with a total arse? That has it's downsides, you know.

Yeah, but if God does exist then it's either eternity with a total arse or eternity being tortured while a total arse laughs at you. Lesser of two evils.

Disproven: Nothing at all. It's a faith thing. You can't disprove a faith thing.

Proven: Chaos of global magnitude. So many religeons whould go into chaos over it. Also, an increase of suicides by %1000 by apathetic people who already know they are going to hell (this is assuming the christian god was proven real).


-Brian

Eternity with a total arse? That has it's downsides, you know.

Yes, but if it was proven that this God fellow existed, you'd have to consider the alternative.

I belive that if god was proven to exist, most of these science guys would belive it to be true. However, if god were proven to be all a big myth, I'm sure most Catholics could really care less, they wouldn't change their ways.

Well, if God were proven to exist, ie through manifestation and blatent display of power, I imagine the world would be immensely more peaceful, as that show of power would probably be smiting all the people who do horrible things in his name.

Since it is impossible to disprove God's existence, I will say that nothing happens. Religious people would ignore whatever method of disproving him was used.

If god suddenly came down and said, "Yo I'm God. Whats happening?", I'd say "Well met, God" and go on with my life. All that would change is that I would pray for forgiveness more often, and maybe give more to charity.
If, for some reason, he was disproven, I'd say,"Ah, well. He was a good idea anyway", but still believe he might be out there. So, in effect, I wouldn't change one bit either way.
And the forums would still argue day in and day out, regardless.
But there would be many converts among the people. . .
and Bush would say something stupid.

Here's something I just realised, premarital sex would be made illegal.

Proving god exists would just prove that god doesn't exist.


HHGTTG and all that..

If God was proven to exist, world leaders would get together to conspire how to eliminate him. A Theoretical God is a source of comfort. An actual God would be seen as a threat.

Proving god exists would just prove that god doesn't exist.


HHGTTG and all that..

Eh? What do you mean by that?

If God was proven to exist, world leaders would get together to conspire how to eliminate him. A Theoretical God is a source of comfort. An actual God would be seen as a threat.

The War on Temple?

Here's something I just realised, premarital sex would be made illegal.
Why would it? It's one thing to prove that god exists and another thing to know what it's thinking. And, let's say that it was those Greek gods that are proven, those guys know how to get down.

Eh? What do you mean by that?

"The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to prove that I exist,'says God, `for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'
"`But,' says Man, `The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.' (s.42)
--The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy

it should be added that in the next line, or something, god disappears in a puff of logic, or so I recall.

"The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to prove that I exist,'says God, `for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'
"`But,' says Man, `The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.' (s.42)
--The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy

it should be added that in the next line, or something, god disappears in a puff of logic, or so I recall.

Thanks cheif.

Here's what would happen:

God proven to exist -- War of religion (we're the ones who worship him correctly) would commence immediately

God proven not to exist -- lots of despairing suicides, and then mass lynchings of atheists followed by the announcement that it was all just an atheist conspiracy.

Why would it? It's one thing to prove that god exists and another thing to know what it's thinking. And, let's say that it was those Greek gods that are proven, those guys know how to get down.

Sorry, I failed to take other Gods into consideration. But, if the God that was to be proven to exist was the Christian God, it would be made illegal because it says it's wrong in the bible (or it could, I've never read, correct me if I'm wrong) and the bible is all the governments would have to base these new laws on.

Sorry, I failed to take other Gods into consideration. But, if the God that was to be proven to exist was the Christian God, it would be made illegal because it says it's wrong in the bible (or it could, I've never read, correct me if I'm wrong) and the bible is all the governments would have to base these new laws on.
No, it doesn't forbid it. Just to be on the safe side, someone would have to ask god which version of Christianity is the right one.

No, it doesn't forbid it. Just to be on the safe side, someone would have to ask god which version of Christianity is the right one.

Hmm, too clever by half, you are. Let's say it's the overly evengelical, shove-myself-down-your-throat God that everyone on Nationstates seems to dislike.

Sorry, I failed to take other Gods into consideration. But, if the God that was to be proven to exist was the Christian God, it would be made illegal because it says it's wrong in the bible (or it could, I've never read, correct me if I'm wrong) and the bible is all the governments would have to base these new laws on.
Don't forget that the 'Christian' God was the Jewish God long before, so should we not ask them what we should do?

Hmm, too clever by half, you are. Let's say it's the overly evengelical, shove-myself-down-your-throat God that everyone on Nationstates seems to dislike.
Oh, in that case it's good that I already bought the net domain.
-------------------------vvvvv

I think that those who did not like the outcome would simply reject that reality. There are people who believe that ever single line in the bible is fact (and a lot of other things such as that the Holocaust never happened) even when other evidence proves some parts are not fact (or that the Holocaust did happen; I just used the bible [and Holocaust] because as an example I do not intend to start anything over weather or not the bible is fact or not).

Denial is not just a river in Egypt, as a saying goes

I think that those who did not like the outcome would simply reject that reality. There are people who believe that ever single line in the bible is fact (and a lot of other things such as that the Holocaust never happened) even when other evidence proves some parts are not fact (or that the Holocaust did happen; I just used the bible [and Holocaust] because as an example I do not intend to start anything over weather or not the bible is fact or not).

Denial is not just a river in Egypt, as a saying goes

Hehe, I can imagine someone like that, imagine what they'd think when the bible says something like "And the angel came upon to Mary".

Don't forget that the 'Christian' God was the Jewish God long before, so should we not ask them what we should do?

Sorry, I have a tendency to lump all monotheistic religeons that just call their guy God together as christianity. Perhaps this God revealed himself to the populace and finished his sermon with "By the way, Jesus says that nails are now banned."

Whose god is it gets proven/disproven? (I know, but I want it clarified.)

Sorry, I have a tendency to lump all monotheistic religeons that just call their guy God together as christianity
The Jews and Muslims won't be too happy...

Whose god is it gets proven/disproven? (I know, but I want it clarified.)

Yes, perhaps I should've made myself clearer. Basically, it's all of religion that gets the boot if it's proven wrong.

Now, if it is proven right, I'm thinking more of the single Christian God, Jesus and all. Sorry, but Zeus and Vishnu don't really get a whole lot of screen time here and I just assumed people would know which one I'm talking about.

The Jews and Muslims won't be too happy...

Yeah, sorry, but I think they should all be called the same thing, the insignificant differances don't really make up for the huge glaring similarities, in my mind.

From now on I shall refer to all as God-speak.

And yes I realise that Jesus being the son of God is not an insignificant differance.

And yes I realise that Jesus being the son of God is not an insignificant differance.
Thank god for that.

Thank god for that.

Yeah, could you just indulge me and pretend I get my religious knoweledge from the back of Weet-bix boxes? It's just that most of the time with monotheistic religions, it's usually a prophet there, or a golden plate here.

But anyway, back to the origional point of this thread, what would be the side effects if my poorly described version of God was found to be proven or disproven?