# God must be a sadist **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 25, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080 "2012-12-25T01:04:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheCrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@TheCrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCrow)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/1 "2012-12-25T01:04:35Z")
What if there is a God/creator/whatever and he/she/it is a sadist? After observing the world around me which contains; pestilence, war, genocide, famine, and human suffering (loneliness, frustration, fear, guilt, shame, embarrassment, disappointment, anxiety, trollment, anger etc.), I have come to the conclusion that if there is a god he is; 1.) Dead 2.) Just doesn’t give a damn 3.) a sadist (the most likely in my opinion) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/2 "2012-12-25T01:19:56Z")
No, God is an iron. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/3 "2012-12-25T01:23:21Z")
The more likely explanation is that humans are pathetically frightened little creatures that tend to talk out of their asses in order to make themselves feel better about their existential plight. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/4 "2012-12-25T01:30:55Z")
I prefer to think of it as being like a big game of The Sims. Sometimes God just likes to delete the pool ladder on you. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/5 "2012-12-25T01:42:07Z")
If God were a sadist, he wouldn’t have created kitties. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/6 "2012-12-25T02:36:39Z")
Man makes God in his own image. If the image of God that people keep telling you about seems too much like a made-up person in the sky, then you aren’t obligated to keep believing in such things. Either don’t believe in God, or believe in a more grown-up version of God, your choice. Either way, stop complaining. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/7 "2012-12-25T02:42:08Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > If God were a sadist, he wouldn’t have created kitties. He created them so he’d have something to kill every time we masturbate, of course! ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/8 "2012-12-25T05:03:28Z")
No, God is [bipolar.](http://www.theonion.com/articles/god-diagnosed-with-bipolar-disorder,348/) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/9 "2012-12-25T09:04:11Z")
> [@TheCrow](#): > > What if there is a God/creator/whatever and he/she/it is a sadist? After observing the world around me which contains; pestilence, war, genocide, famine, and human suffering (loneliness, frustration, fear, guilt, shame, embarrassment, disappointment, anxiety, trollment, anger etc.), I have come to the conclusion that if there is a god he is; > > 1.) Dead > 2.) Just doesn’t give a damn > 3.) a sadist (the most likely in my opinion) 4.) letting humans clear up their own messes and develop a sense of compassion. It’s taking a while. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/10 "2012-12-25T09:20:53Z")
Whenever I read about quantum mechanics, I find myself thinking that if there is a deity, He must be a prankster, like Coyote or the Monkey King. ---
**Author:** ![TheCrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@TheCrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCrow)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/11 "2012-12-25T12:05:53Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Man makes God in his own image. If the image of God that people keep telling you about seems too much like a made-up person in the sky, then you aren’t obligated to keep believing in such things. > > Either don’t believe in God, or believe in a more grown-up version of God, your choice. Either way, stop complaining. [No!](http://i.imgur.com/uKqC9.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/12 "2012-12-25T15:55:40Z")
Well, the system seems to work, we have made it from one celled animals to where we are now. He must be doing something right. He most likely has several billion planets with developing life on them so I doubt he has time for hands on management. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/13 "2012-12-25T16:21:24Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **TheCrow**. Discussions about the existence of God go in our Great Debates forum, so I’ll move this thither for you. Merry Christmas! **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/14 "2012-12-25T16:25:34Z")
Isn’t it obvious? God is a Roman. He made us to fight for His amusement. ---
**Author:** ![pchaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/258eb7/32.png) [@pchaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pchaos)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/15 "2012-12-25T16:53:10Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Man makes God in his own image. If the image of God that people keep telling you about seems too much like a made-up person in the sky, then you aren’t obligated to keep believing in such things. > > Either don’t believe in God, or believe in a more grown-up version of God, your choice. Either way, stop complaining. Your view of God is by far the most mature. But I would go one step further, there are 2 other possibilities. God created evil to test us. Suppose He simply wanted to see our reaction to evil. If our attitude was that we didn’t care, He would downgrade us. Or alternatively, if we reacted like Mother Teresa, we would be rewarded in Heaven. Secondly, man by virtue of his imagination is able to create an all-powerful Being. But suppose God wasn’t an all powerful Being and had his limitations. Remember, Lucifer rebelled against God’s authority. Suppose there are two beings. The merciful and loving God and Lucifer the Rebel who has almost God-like power. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/16 "2012-12-25T17:53:53Z")
4.) He is powerless. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > If God were a sadist, he wouldn’t have created kitties. Those are for drowning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/17 "2012-12-25T18:39:29Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > The more likely explanation is that humans are pathetically frightened little creatures that tend to talk out of their asses in order to make themselves feel better about their existential plight. Somehow, I feel better after reading that. I can’t figure out why. ---
**Author:** ![pchaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/258eb7/32.png) [@pchaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pchaos)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/18 "2012-12-25T19:36:08Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Somehow, I feel better after reading that. I can’t figure out why. The quote states in a nutshell, that we are spoiled brats. Go to a Third World country and they don’t have problems with depression. The reason is they are too worried about where they’re going to get their next meal from. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/19 "2012-12-25T19:47:46Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > No, God is an iron. A 9-iron. With a _hell_ of a nasty slice. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080/20 "2012-12-25T20:27:50Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Man makes God in his own image. If the image of God that people keep telling you about seems too much like a made-up person in the sky, then you aren’t obligated to keep believing in such things. > > Either don’t believe in God, or believe in a more grown-up version of God, your choice. Either way, stop complaining. I like this post. can’t claim to understand God, as she is not completely Knowable by definition, but basically - she does NOT micro-manage. good and bad, love and evil, these things exist but they come from ourselves. in my grandiose opinion! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-must-be-a-sadist/645080.md?page=2)