# What kind of God would you believe in and follow **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 22, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643 "2013-03-22T15:12:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/21 "2013-03-22T16:48:58Z")
It seems to be the consensus that God should be known to exist by some manner. What manner should this be? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/22 "2013-03-22T16:53:05Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > It seems to be the consensus that God should be known to exist by some manner. > What manner should this be? Scientific evidence. Consistancy. Agreed upon traits. All the things that no god so far even comes close to fulfilling. Again I inquire: Are you asking two different questions in the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/23 "2013-03-22T16:54:28Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > A god i could believe in would be one that could prove he existed, the same way that i believe in apples or cars. One i could follow would have to not be a dick. Yeah, that about sums it up. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/24 "2013-03-22T16:54:59Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > What manner should this be? Does it matter? You’re pretty much assuming that it’s already happened. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/25 "2013-03-22T16:59:37Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Believe _in_? If there were evidence that a god existed, I might believe that that god existed no matter what traits it had. Whether I would _follow_ such a being would definitely depend on it’s traits, however. Amen. In that case, it would be like believing in a table. Why do I need to believe in a table? It’s right there. I can tap it. I can touch it. I can sit on it. I don’t actually comprehend the need to believe in some higher being. We’re all we’ve got, and I’m ok with that. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/26 "2013-03-22T17:01:19Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > If your God did not interfere with humanity how would you know He existed. He could be a large rock. It would have to have some measurable effect on the universe to be detectable, yes; but that’s not the sort of interference I meant, [this is.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_of_the_Firstborn#10._Death_of_the_firstborn_.28.D7.9E.D6.B7.D7.9B.D6.B7.D6.BC.D7.AA_.D7.91.D6.B0.D6.BC.D7.9B.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.A8.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.AA.29:_Ex._11:1.E2.80.9312:36) ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/27 "2013-03-22T17:03:49Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > It seems to be the consensus that God should be known to exist by some manner. > What manner should this be? The same manner in which anything is known to exist: some combination of measurement, repeatable experiments, and empirical observation. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/28 "2013-03-22T17:09:02Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Does it matter? You’re pretty much assuming that it’s already happened. I don’t think so, I am asking what manner should God let you know He is God. If He exists or not. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/29 "2013-03-22T17:11:14Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > It would have to have some measurable effect on the universe to be detectable, yes; but that’s not the sort of interference I meant, [this is.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_of_the_Firstborn#10._Death_of_the_firstborn_.28.D7.9E.D6.B7.D7.9B.D6.B7.D6.BC.D7.AA_.D7.91.D6.B0.D6.BC.D7.9B.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.A8.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.AA.29:_Ex._11:1.E2.80.9312:36) I don’t except that as God either. Would you like Him to be kind. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/30 "2013-03-22T17:11:41Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > I don’t think so, I am asking what manner should God let you know He is God. If He exists or not. You give us the traits of this god, and we’ll tell you what would be good evidence, o.k.? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/31 "2013-03-22T17:13:45Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > The same manner in which anything is known to exist: some combination of measurement, repeatable experiments, and empirical observation. Are you saying He should be seen on a throne in a city where you can measure and observe Him without Him interfering with you. If not then what? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/32 "2013-03-22T17:15:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You give us the traits of this god, and we’ll tell you what would be good evidence, o.k.? I am asking you to tell the traits of a God you would believe in. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/33 "2013-03-22T17:15:48Z")
> [@simster](#): > > ‘Existing’ does not require “interefering” or even “interacting” with other things. I think a god would have to interact with at least some other things in order to determine it is a god. > [@lekatt](#): > > It seems to be the consensus that God should be known to exist by some manner. > What manner should this be? > [@Human\_Action](#): > > The same manner in which anything is known to exist: some combination of measurement, repeatable experiments, and empirical observation. Now this is interesting. What you’re saying here is that god would have to be proven to exist to the entire world before you could believe it. Does this mean that if only you could witness this godlike behaviors, you would believe yourself delusional rather than believe in a god? FYI, I’m pretty much in that camp myself, except that if my witnessing this godlike behavior was delusional, it is quite probable that I would form an equally delusion belief in the god. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/34 "2013-03-22T17:16:24Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > I don’t except that as God either. Would you like Him to be kind. Getting back to the OP that you wrote, are you of the mind that if we imagine a perfect god or goddess it would somehow be acceptable for people to believe that it exists? Do you understand that atheists don’t believe in gods because there is no evidence for their existence, _not because they don’t like them_? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/35 "2013-03-22T17:18:28Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > FYI, I’m pretty much in that camp myself, except that if my witnessing this godlike behavior was delusional, it is quite probable that I would form an equally delusion belief in the god. I would certainly need something better than a bad dream and voices in my head. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/36 "2013-03-22T17:20:34Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > I am asking you to tell the traits of a God you would believe in. What exactly do you mean by “believe in”? Dou you mean “believe that it exists”, or do you mean “become a follower of”? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/37 "2013-03-22T17:23:47Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think a god would have to interact with at least some other things in order to determine it is a god. As much as a ‘rock’ or ‘table’ would - but not in the sense of “I’ll talk to and/or reward/punish only those that ‘believe’ a certain way” Everything Lekatt (and since the dawn of man) have done is proscribe to ‘their god’ the ideas they want that god to have - its not that “we were made in HIS image” - its that HE was made in the image we want - we want to beat the neighboring tribe? then GOD must not only like war, but he must be on our side as well, etc. So - as others have already said - to first ‘believe’ in a GOD - there must be some tangible/objective evidence that such being physically existed - Interaction with said being could be on a simple 'yup, there it is ’ scale - But its ‘existence’ does not require “interference” - ‘God’ doing things to individuals or stuff to ‘prove’ its a GOD - or “Interaction” - “Hey, i’m GOD” with humans. Now, one has to decide what makes a ‘GOD’ - and to date, its always been as a way to explain things that were not (yet) explainable - “oh, we don’t know why the sun rises, must be apollo making his rounds”. ETA - on the “Follow” aspect - it is only humans that assume a ‘God’ would want to be followed - and they usually do it in the sense of "I asked OG to help SMASH, we prevailed, Praise OG - we shall follow him’ sense - there is _nothing_ outside of what we 'think a GOD would want, because, I know I want it ’ to suggest a GOD would require ‘Followers’. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/38 "2013-03-22T17:40:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What exactly do you mean by “believe in”? Dou you mean “believe that it exists”, or do you mean “become a follower of”? I don’t belie that God exists. Besides, He was a real jerk to me yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/39 "2013-03-22T17:58:30Z")
I’d follow a sexy god. I’d go to church and sing songs and especially enjoy the images of my god. I would love to discuss the many facets of god with my fellow man and read inspirational tracts together. My wife would ever allow me to worship that kind of god though. Its the old man with a beard and his shirtless son with the Fabio hair or nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Bertal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Bertal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bertal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643/40 "2013-03-22T18:02:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You give us the traits of this god, and we’ll tell you what would be good evidence, o.k.? Although I still doubt if there is a God, I’m sure that there is no God that _makes_ us believe. It’s you who makes yourself believe. In evidence, for instance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-god-would-you-believe-in-and-follow/653643.md?page=3)