# What would convince you that someone was the messiah? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787 "2008-12-26T23:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/1 "2008-12-26T23:12:18Z")
Another thread in GQ makes me wonder somewhat frivolously what kinds of things would indicate to the masses that someone who was claiming to be the messiah actually was IT. I’m thinking that there’d have to be some level of miracle, predicted ahead of time and confirmed conclusively. I said that something like three consecutive Cubs World Series, or the end of spam as we know it - with the attendant prediction/promise ahead of time, might convince me. You? ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/2 "2008-12-27T00:31:45Z")
Nothing, honestly, since I don’t accept the idea OF a messaiah. In the face of accurate predictions, seemingly miraculous healings or other amazing feats, I’d be more inclined to accept the idea that the individual was simply a fellow human gifted with certain powers or as yet unrevealed technology (assuming there was absolutely no doubt the feats were legitimate). I wonder how Christians would answer this, since I’m aware of the warnings of false messiahs (“if anyone says to you, I am the Messaiah, believe him not”). I would assume nothing along the lines of what you suggested would convince them either, but that they would, at most, conclude the individual was the ANTI-Christ/Messiah or some other false phrophet. (I guess it is assumed that when Jesus returns, everyone will just “know”, but what do I know?) ---
**Author:** ![Ruminator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Ruminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruminator)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/3 "2008-12-27T00:36:32Z")
> [@CC](#): > > Another thread in GQ makes me wonder somewhat frivolously what kinds of things would indicate to the masses that someone who was claiming to be the messiah actually was IT. I’m thinking that there’d have to be some level of miracle, predicted ahead of time and confirmed conclusively. I said that something like three consecutive Cubs World Series, or the end of spam as we know it - with the attendant prediction/promise ahead of time, might convince me. You? Some similar threads… What Would It Take to Prove God’s Existence to You? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33749](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33749) Using the OT, prove that Jesus is the Messiah > **[Using the OT, prove that Jesus is the Messiah](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279669)** > > Often when I ask the question, “How do we know Jesus was/is the Messiah?” I get a response similar to, “He fulfilled all the OT prophecies about the Messiah.” Can anyone here prove this? ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/4 "2008-12-27T00:49:10Z")
They’d probably have to walk on water. During the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/5 "2008-12-27T00:52:38Z")
I often say that if God Himself came down and introduced himself to me and performed some miracles that only a god can perform, then… I’d go to a psychiatrist and seek treatment, letting them know that I am having delusions. I don’t know that anything would convince me. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/6 "2008-12-27T00:59:06Z")
Honestly? I’d suppose that a Messiah could very well overwhelm my scant mind and put it into a state beyond space/time, hopefully with the grace of overarching Bliss. Yep, I’ll go with that. ---
**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 27, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/7 "2008-12-27T01:04:32Z")
> [@InterestedObserver](#): > > Nothing, honestly, since I don’t accept the idea OF a messaiah. Same here. I can’t think of any “proof” for something so absurd that would be convincing, when there are so many better explanations ( drugs, time travellers, aliens, we’re all in the Matrix, say ). It would be like someone trying to convince me he’s Bugs Bunny. ---
**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 27, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/8 "2008-12-27T03:50:59Z")
A Chicago World Series, White Sox vs. Cubbies-and the Cubbies win. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/9 "2008-12-27T12:19:36Z")
Two kinds of photo ID. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/10 "2008-12-27T12:34:54Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > They’d probably have to walk on water. > > During the summer. But not in Antarctica 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/11 "2008-12-27T13:37:56Z")
Coming down from the heavens in glory, accompanied by a trumpet blast among other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/12 "2008-12-27T15:47:39Z")
Take me for a trip through our galaxy without the ingestion of drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/13 "2008-12-27T15:53:22Z")
> [@InterestedObserver](#): > > I wonder how Christians would answer this, since I’m aware of the warnings of false messiahs (“if anyone says to you, I am the Messaiah, believe him not”). Which always struck me as rather stupid. What happens when he does come back? Jesus: “I’m baaaccckkk!” Human: “And you are…?” Jesus: “The Messiah!” Human: “Yeah, right. We were warned about people like you.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/14 "2008-12-27T16:00:35Z")
I reckon he’s probably already come back dozens of times, but keeps being locked up in the funny farm. Or it’s Derren Brown. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/15 "2008-12-27T16:08:48Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Coming down from the heavens in glory, accompanied by a trumpet blast among other stuff. Gee! That’s an interesting concept! Where’d you come up with that?:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lightning\_Tallulah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lightning\_Tallulah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightning_Tallulah)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/16 "2008-12-27T16:10:47Z")
Nothing could convince me. The only real one (jesus) is dead. All the others will just turn out to be like David Koresh or Osama Bin Laden- some sick twisted wannabe demented troublemaker. It wouldn’t make much difference today if someone alive could be a/the messiah. Besides, what could the messiah possibly do these days to save the world? just magically arrive and everyone calm down, don’t think so- you see what happened to the last real one. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/17 "2008-12-27T16:11:50Z")
Fish sandwiches. Lots of fish sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/18 "2008-12-27T18:59:55Z")
If he denied his divinity. _Only the true messiah denies his divinity._ Also, if he can make the juniper bushes bring forth juniper berries. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/19 "2008-12-27T19:04:29Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Fish sandwiches. Lots of fish sandwiches. And water into Guinness. That would convince me ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/20 "2008-12-27T19:54:15Z")
Well, if he could turn water into vodka, and was willing to do so for me as needed, I’d be happy to worship him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787.md?page=2)