# Is God getting weaker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505 "2009-05-06T02:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/1 "2009-05-06T02:25:37Z")
In six days, God created the universe and all thats in it. God flooded the planet in a 40 day rainfall. God “Nuked” Sodom and Gomorrah. God parted The Red Sea. As time goes by, The Almighty’s power seems to manifest in less and less powerful displays of might. Indeed, as the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God Himself is not purging the land of Canaanites, but instead instructs The Israelites to do the wet-work. Why does God display apparently waning power? ---
**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:** [May 6, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/2 "2009-05-06T02:37:12Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Why does God display apparently waning power? Well, it’s known that God can’t handle iron chariots. The most logical explanation for this is that God is actually one of the Sidhe, and humanity’s increasing use of iron has weakened his powers and prevented him from making many personal appearances since the beginning of the Iron Age. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/3 "2009-05-06T02:38:13Z")
Well, in the future, he resurrects all the dead people and rebuilds heaven and Earth, so apparently he gets more powerful again. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/4 "2009-05-06T02:48:55Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Well, in the future, he resurrects all the dead people and rebuilds heaven and Earth, so apparently he gets more powerful again. Nah, that’s just the zombie apocalypse. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/5 "2009-05-06T02:50:04Z")
The fact that the universe exists is, in the tradition of the Abrhamic religions, a result of God’s continuing intention that is should exist. The manifestation of power contained in the parting, on one occasion, of one body of water, or the destruction of two settlements, is trivial compared with the maintenance in being of the entire universe, given that it might just as easily not exist at all. So, no, God’s power hasn;t waned. We’ve just become less impressed with it. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/6 "2009-05-06T02:52:42Z")
I don’t believe in God but if he did exist, just because his miracles got less impressive (to the point where they seem to have stopped entirely for a couple millennium) it doesn’t have to mean his power is waning. Maybe he just needed an extra firm kick start to get everything in motion, and once it’s rolling he can back off, bit by bit. Maybe he did things the way he did because he knew that someday it would make YOU ask that very question on this board and so set in motion some sort of other mysterious chain of events that we as mortals can’t comprehend. Maybe he saw something shiny and forgot all about us. You can think up pretty much any reason you’d like but without any evidence it’s just so much celestial fan fiction. ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/7 "2009-05-06T03:07:43Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Why does God display apparently waning power? He doesn’t really have to impress us anymore. Pan and Zeus are out of the running, a few billion people believe in him one way or another, and he doesn’t want to seem too needy. He wants to be that cool, aloof God that has an air of mystery about himself. “What’s the matter, God?” “You wouldn’t understand, man.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/8 "2009-05-06T03:11:38Z")
Senior-itis? ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/9 "2009-05-06T03:15:50Z")
Almightyzheimers? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/10 "2009-05-06T03:30:57Z")
Heck, He could be stymied by iron chariots (Judges 1:19) , so I figure modern tanks would just roll right over Him. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/11 "2009-05-06T03:51:16Z")
> [@AdmiralCrunch](#): > > He doesn’t really have to impress us anymore. Pan and Zeus are out of the running, a few billion people believe in him one way or another, and he doesn’t want to seem too needy. He wants to be that cool, aloof God that has an air of mystery about himself. > “What’s the matter, God?” > “You wouldn’t understand, man.” Nah, he’s more of a **Starving Artist** kinda guy. “Bah, youngsters these days, couldn’t even drop the joint to gimme a fattened calf ! Why, in MY day, fathers would sacrifice their own flesh and blood, doublequick ! I blame the liberal Huns… spending all their days on the saddle, looting and plundering, never doing an honest day’s work…” ---
**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:** [May 6, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/12 "2009-05-06T04:20:35Z")
One book on the subject: [The Disappearance of God: A Divine Mystery](http://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-God-Divine-Mystery/dp/0316294349) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/13 "2009-05-06T06:06:46Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Heck, He could be stymied by iron chariots (Judges 1:19) , so I figure modern tanks would just roll right over Him. What’s this? You’re reduced to following **Der Trihs** around and recycling his _bons mots_? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/14 "2009-05-06T06:07:09Z")
The universe is continuing to be created. The Big Bang is happening now. The sound of the “blast” continues to travel in sound waves. Scientists have seen them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/15 "2009-05-06T06:12:04Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > What’s this? You’re reduced to following **Der Trihs** around and recycling his _bons mots_? 😛 Whoops! I usually search for keywords before posting, but this time I forgot. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/16 "2009-05-06T06:16:12Z")
You just have to clap. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/17 "2009-05-06T06:24:44Z")
> [@Ro0sh](#): > > You just have to clap. I thought that was to save the life of Tinkerbelle, not God. ---
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/18 "2009-05-06T11:11:21Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > The universe is continuing to be created. The Big Bang is happening now. The sound of the “blast” continues to travel in sound waves. Scientists have seen them. No, that’s not how it works. I think you’re trying to talk about the cosmic microwave background radiation, but you’ve screwed it up. The Big Bang is not happening now. The universe continues to expand, but is not “continuing to be created.” Go read a few books on the subject, then come back and talk sense. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/19 "2009-05-06T11:24:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@Simplicio](#): > > > > Well, in the future, he resurrects all the dead people and rebuilds heaven and Earth, so apparently he gets more powerful again. > > Nah, that’s just the zombie apocalypse. Man, I don’t know if that horror movie’s been made, but it needs to be. It’s _either_ the Second coming, or it’s a zombie uprising - we’re not sure. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505/20 "2009-05-06T11:47:35Z")
Well, there’s this \*amazing \*miracle in Isaiah 38:8 > [@](#): > > “Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down. At this point in God’s career, he was reduced to doing parlor tricks. He then spent a few hundred years getting his son ready to perform a better act. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-getting-weaker/495505.md?page=2)