# What would convince you that someone was the messiah?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787>\
**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:** 3\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/41 "2008-12-29T19:23:33Z")

</div>

> [@LawMonkey](#):
>
> Well, he could…score more goals than Wayne Gretsky.
> 
> Not only would that prove that he was the Messiah, but it’d also be way cool.

No, no no. Jesus would be a goalie.

You know. **Jesus Saves!!!**

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrBerious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MrBerious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBerious)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/42 "2008-12-29T19:28:50Z")

</div>

Really good magic tricks and lots of free wine

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787/43 "2008-12-29T19:35:19Z")

</div>

> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> It’s a pretty easy question to answer, and it doesn’t require any miracles. All he has to do is fulfill the requirements as laid out by [Maimonides](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Messianism#Views_of_Maimonides):

If someone did do miracles of the water-into-wine sort, that would actually make me less likely, not more, to think that person was the Messiah. Water into wine is all very good, but the Messiah really ought to have bigger fish to fry.

World peace, from peace between all countries right down to the murder rate dropping to 0, would be a good start. And a situation like the Cold War, where there’s enmity but technically no shooting, won’t do.

The closest thing to a miracle that I would expect is restoring the Jewish Temple, without causing a war with the Muslims. The Dome of the Rock is on the site of the Jewish Temple, so that one’s going to be tricky. Oh, and reconciling parents and children- that might qualify as a miracle, too.

> [@Boyo Jim](#):
>
> I tend to think of a messiah as a charismatic leader/prophet, and not necessarily an all-powerful god.

You, me, and most Jews all think of the Messiah that way.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-convince-you-that-someone-was-the-messiah/478787.md?page=2)