Why would a god waste its time?

[EdipisReks]

i was just musing to myself that, if a god/goddess/gods exist/existed, why would they waste their time with us? would a deity really spend its time going "hmmmmm. you had sex outside of marriage. you go to hell. hmmm, you irritatingly spread the word of jesus amongst the heathens. you REALLY go to hell. mary, cancel my appointments for the afternoon, bunch of buddhists had a car accident and i have to do what i do best". doesn't that sound like a waste of time, for man, beast, or godling? lets assume that there is a god/goddess/gods. if they go about wasting themselves on us, then they certainly aren't worth worshipping, imo.

i guess i just find it slightly bizarre that any people, ancient or modern, would be so full of themselves as to think that any possible higher power could POSSIBLY be interested in man, even as entertainment. especially when man was rooting in the ground with a stick for dinner.

[Skeptical Greg]

You have some very valid points...

A little thought should reveal that the idea of the existance of a God/s, and their supposed concern about the day to day behaviour of human beings, emanates from a markedly exagerated sense of self importance...


I believe this falls in line with my recent thoughts on " The Arrogance of Prayer.. "

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by Diogenes
You have some very valid points...

A little thought should reveal that the idea of the existance of a God/s, and their supposed concern about the day to day behaviour of human beings, emanates from a markedly exagerated sense of self importance...


I believe this falls in line with my recent thoughts on " The Arrogance of Prayer.. "

oh, i'm well aware of the reasoning behind gods. i just find the level of self importancce and selfishness to be a bit beyond the pale.

[uruk]

If there is a god and it has characteristics that we would call anthorpomorphic, I think its interest would be that of an artist to its creation. Being an artsy- fartsy type, I can understand the desire to create something. There is really no rhyme or reason to it, just a drive to create. The artist desires its creation to endure and fulfill it purpose (whatever that may be)

All those rules and condemnation stuff is created by man. I don't think god really cares one way or the other just so long as the creation endures long enough to runs its course (again, to whatever that may be). As to what and why, only god knows. we just do whatever it is we were made to do. And what that is we may never know. So in my view god only has relavence in reference to its creation. god exists to create. why? maybe even god doesn't know why.

anyhoo that's my view of god if there is a god.

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by uruk
If there is a god and it has characteristics that we would call anthorpomorphic, I think its interest would be that of an artist to its creation. Being an artsy- fartsy type, I can understand the desire to create something. There is really no rhyme or reason to it, just a drive to create. The artist desires its creation to endure and fulfill it purpose (whatever that may be)


Yeah, but this might be indicative of an artist who realized he did a really sh*tty job, and was tearing things up and starting all over again.. Such a God would seem to bear out a lot of current belief systems..

[uruk]

True, but if it did that we would never know about it. previous iteration or attempts would have been wiped into oblivion. There would be no info or knowldege of it to exist for us to detect. Kind of like the oscillation theory. and I think the "tearing-up" process would be quick and not dragged out. So if this creation sucks by god's standard then we would never know about it because it would have been erased already.
That's unless god and creation are interwined. Then God cannot end this creation without ending itself. After all what is a creator without a creation?

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by uruk
.... After all what is a creator without a creation?


Uuuhhhhmmm.. An out-of-work artist?

[Tricky]

Playing devils's advocate (nyuk nyuk) I would expect the theist position to be:

A) God has infinite time, so there is no such thing as "wasting" it.
B) With infinite time, He's probably bored out of his gourd and needs a hobby.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Originally posted by EdipisReks
i was just musing to myself that, if a god/goddess/gods exist/existed, why would they waste their time with us ...

Boredom and sadism.

He tells you how to have sex to make you hop to it and be miserable.

God does not equal the cosmic sugar daddy. No Santa Claus for grownups.

God is a bored geek playing 'The Sims', only it ain't Sims. It's you.

[uruk]

Uuuhhhhmmm.. An out-of-work artist?
exactly! A burger flipper for McDonalds!

[triadboy]

The gods you are referring to are Tribal Gods. These gods are created as "Heavenly Fathers" watching over us. Dispensing punishments and blessings. So yes - these Tribal Gods involve themselves in everyday human life.

[uruk]

oops!

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by triadboy
The gods you are referring to are Tribal Gods. These gods are created as "Heavenly Fathers" watching over us. Dispensing punishments and blessings. So yes - these Tribal Gods involve themselves in everyday human life.

oh, ok. i'd better dust off my tribal fetish. see ya later!

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Abdul Alhazred
Boredom and sadism.

He tells you how to have sex to make you hop to it and be miserable.

God does not equal the cosmic sugar daddy. No Santa Claus for grownups.

God is a bored geek playing 'The Sims', only it ain't Sims. It's you.
I would think that if God is a geek, then he made you in his image.

That would make you...a geek.

[Suddenly]

Originally posted by Tricky
Playing devils's advocate (nyuk nyuk) I would expect the theist position to be:

A) God has infinite time, so there is no such thing as "wasting" it.
B) With infinite time, He's probably bored out of his gourd and needs a hobby.

I always liked:

God exists outside of time, and to Him it is just another dimension, so an objection that God is "wasting time" is as absurd as saying a person is "wasting height."

[Abdul Alhazred]

Originally posted by Riddick

I would think that if God is a geek, then he made you in his image.

That would make you...a geek.

You have it backward. I made him in my image. :p

[Lemastre]

I can achieve a sense of my own insignificance without contemplating god at all. Merely noting the extent of the known universe should suggest that any pretensions to significance on the part of any person or species, planet, or galaxy is absurd. Saying that people are insignificant because god has no time for them is pointless because trying to imagine what god is all about is merely a way to pass the time. After all, no one has direct experience of god or anything approaching the powers attributed to god. For all I know, everything good, bad, and indifferent that anyone ascribes to god may be true in spades. I have no evidence one way or another. I tend to suspect, however, that the idea of god and heaven is a ploy the human mind has evolved to ward off the disabling fear of inevitable, eternal nonexistence.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Abdul Alhazred
You have it backward. I made him in my image. :p
I've noticed you like to make overuse of that tongue-wagging face a lot. Maybe youthful exuberance.

Forgive me, but I think I can kick your God's A**. :c1:

[Abdul Alhazred]

Originally posted by Riddick

I've noticed you like to make overuse of that tongue-wagging face a lot. Maybe youthful exuberance.

Forgive me, but I think I can kick your God's A**. :c1:

I think not. My God has no ass to kick, what with being non-existent and all that.
:p :p :p :p :rolleyes:

:D

[Gregory]

Originally posted by EdipisReks
i guess i just find it slightly bizarre that any people, ancient or modern, would be so full of themselves as to think that any possible higher power could POSSIBLY be interested in man, even as entertainment. especially when man was rooting in the ground with a stick for dinner.

Why not? I'm interested in my pets; nothing strange about being interested in less powerful/intelligent beings.

[The idea]

Originally posted by Gregory
Why not? I'm interested in my pets; nothing strange about being interested in less powerful/intelligent beings.
What you don't realize yet is that your pets are taking items from your home and giving them to the CIA. They have a file on you, my friend. Don't skimp on the pet food this week at the grocery store.
;)

[Quester_X]

Prayer power, man, prayer power! You can't do anything without it! That's what makes level one so limiting!
...
Oh. You mean we're not talking about "Black and White"? Never mind then.

[neutrino_cannon]

The gods spend thier time dealing with the pitiful humans because time has no meaning to them.

That, and humans are tasty.

[c4ts]

Gods waste their time because they are all drunk and stupid.

OW! What the ****???

Stupid lightning bolts.

[BoulderHead`]

Why would a god waste its time?
i was just musing to myself that, if a god/goddess/gods exist/existed, why would they waste their time with us?
It came to me once, as if by revelation, that a god could be a very lonely and pitiable creature. Imagine the utter boredom faced by an entity all powerful, and all alone. Resorting to acts of creation could be akin to doing something, anything at all, to ease the infinite emptiness (perhaps a Triune God has it better). Now, many people look to a god to fill their own feelings of emptiness while possibly never realizing that god might need them as much if not more than they need ‘him’.

* And now for a special message to god/s;
If you are listening, please know I do not wish for you to feel sad or lonely, for I am thinking of you often, wanting nothing more than to ease your loneliness, boredom, and suffering. Give me call and we'll chat.

Love and respect,
BoulderHead