Would the world be better or worse if we had proof of God's existence?
At first I wanted to ask "Why won't God heal amputees?".
But then it became evident that at the core of that question lies another one: Why doesn't God perform an act that proves his existence to the satisfaction of all humanity?
Would such an act have more negative consequences than positive ones? Is that why God doesn't want to do it?
Please take some time and use your imagination before you submit your thoughts. Imagine yourself in a world where we have definite and unquestionable proof of God's existence. How would that world be different to ours? Is it better or worse, and in what ways?
BETTER
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WORSE
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in a world of gods proven existence, all theists would be logically correct, in a world of no proof of gods existence, all atheists would be logically correct. hell if the case was that there was a god and we just never found any prove, but people were preaching about him, then people just made a lucky guess (which is highly improbable), or someone saw it for themselves but couldn't show it to anyone else (also improbable for less obvious reasons). these are the two hypothetical worlds we can imagine. if god was real and did prove his existence then he could answer all our question, He could have done something much differently with this world, and it wouldn't be any inconvienence at all, cause he is all powerful. Side: Neither
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Assuming for the sake of argument God did exist of course, and also assuming that the God that existed was something resembling the Judeo-Christian concept of that entity (all wise, all powerful, the source of all morality and goodness who wants us to act a certain way, etc...) Of course it would be better. Prove he exists and 99.9...% of the human race instantly decide to do what he wants, practically guaranteed. The only holdouts would be people safely classified as clinically insane. And we can stop dancing around this issue of everyone having to guess what he wants and he could just freaking SAY SO so there were no arguments over the proper interpretation of this or that translation of a copy of some bit of 2000 year old scribblings. You would effectively end religious conflict overnight and achieve near universal commitment to moral conduct as defined by the surpreme being in the universe. Name one negative consequence of knowing God existed that would outweigh that. Side: Better
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If we had proof of God's existence the world be worse. Right now we have a whole bunch of people wanting God to prove his existence. They point to all of the misery and claim that there is no God. But if God would prove his existence, then those same people would want God to provide for them. They would argue that they are living in misery and that wealth redistribution would be the fair, humane, thing to do. They would want God to give them a nice big house, an iPad2, a Porsche and anything else they feel they are entitled to. I don't think God likes liberals enough to placate them so He refuses to prove anything ;) Side: Worse
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Well..., if you were to say, "God cannot possibly exists because if God existed, there wouldn't be so much misery" and then if God were to prove His existence, then your next logical statement might be, "Fine! Now take away the misery." Now, liberals have been trying to take away misery by taking from the rich and giving to the poor since as far back as I can remember. God can effectively do the same thing by just giving to the poor, but that would devalue money. I mean, why would you place much value in money if God was going to provide for you? Once money loses its value, it is effectively the same thing as taking money away from the rich and giving it to the poor (wealth redistribution) because in both cases the rich end up with less purchasing power. So..., that's how I start at God and end up with wealth redistribution :) Also, when I go upstairs, I skip a few steps. And finally...., I try not to miss an opportunity to spin things in such a way that allows me to pick on liberals :) Side: Better
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sooo god is incapable of saying no? that everyone it's created can just boss it around, it has no disciplining skills? talk about a total push over. secondly why would it be any problem for it? it being all powerful he should be able to do it without even having to try. and if there was a reason it did nothing as he did that humans just couldn't understand, an all powerful god couldn't make them understand? Side: WORSE
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There are plenty of social groups out there that already structure their lives with a self assured "knowledge" that God is indeed up there. What I have observed so far is that a common theme running through all these groups is that personal liberty is almost always sacrificed and squashed. Free will is suppressed and the members live in constant judgment. Just consider what man has done in the name of God when man didn't even have concreted proof of God's existence. Now imagine if man did have that proof. How much would that cement his conviction to perform atrocious cruelties on other people, guilt-free. But let's say that the proof prompts people to be good. Would anyone ever trust a good deed? Think about that. Right now, you can choose to do something good for someone, for no return, out of your free will. But with that proof of God in place, will anyone ever be able to trust that those good deeds are not motivated through fear or reward? So, that proof would effectively install a heavenly dictatorship right on our heads. Side: Worse
I don't understand how God should prove it's existence? By being seen? By talking for real. Or just doing miracles. I think it is already a miracle that mankind hasn't killed each other a long time ago. I think it is already a miracle that blacks and whites and browns live together quite normally. By a message that comes from a strike in the Brain which we term Conscience. And isn't that what really God is? If you expect God to do miracles. I think he is already doing that. Through us.. . Every problem that needs a solution is solved by a man. Every disease that can now be cured,is cuz there is a God that resides in us and asks for faith, in oneself. In oneself to do the Good, that is God. Well... If your asked for faith to do the bad. I guess that's the devil or something. Side: Worse
Worse. It would confirm god is either unmercifully cruel or impotent, or both, and we would be left with increased fear and a valid reason for real hopelessness and despair. Who would want to spend eternity with a god that creates or allows so much suffering? It would be a guarantee of eternal pain. With no god there's no one to be angry at, or fearful of. There's the sure knowledge that our suffering will end, and only lasts the relatively short span of our lifetime. There's an exquisite New Yorker cartoon that expresses it perfectly. Just a picture of two people, one says to the other, "If indeed there was a reason for all of this, that would be so much worse." Side: Worse
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