Evidence that would make you worship

[Warwolt]

I'd probably still question whatever I'd experience as a god. I mean how do I know I'm not just nuts? Or that it actually IS the god? That everything said about the god is true?

Which, I think is a funny thing some religious people seem to miss. Even if we can prove god, it doesn't prove anything said about god. Its like if vampires would turn out to be real, doesn't mean they automatically all hate garlic and go invisible in mirrors. Or that they do anything but selfcombust in the sun, for that matter. They might just like blood.

 

[Markness]

May I ask why you wouldn't worship said God. Assuming this religion works like Christianity and there is some kind of reward for your devotion, why wouldn't you?

Because simply by proving his existance, the deity has not yet established that there actually would be some kind of reward for worship.

Also, depending on your philosophical viewpoint, if you are doing it for a reward is it really out of your own free will and not bribery?

EDIT: The deity has also not yet proven that he is worthy of worship. Worship is after all a form of devotion and subservience. Would you voluntarily worship an all-powerful Cthulhu? Remember, as I stated in the OP, we have no knowledge if the god is good or evil. I would not want to worship an evil god.

I'm confused as to what you mean by free will. We all make choices and way the benefits against the costs. If the God had nothing to offer (ie heaven after death, not wiping out civilization, free cookies with every coffee) then no-one would worship him/her.

If you're asking whether I would become a fanatic and sacrifice my life if necessary just for the sheer pleasure of serving such a powerful being, my answer is a resounding no. If, however, the God was kind to the believers, I would be willing to do a few hours of sucking up to get eternity in heaven.

 

[FolkLikePanda]

For me to believe in anything it would have to turn into a cardboard box, jump over my back garden fence, rape my next door neighbours dog to make it shut up, kill Bin Laden, kill every arsehole I hate, turn into a person, leap 100 feet in the air, do 5 forward soumersaults, go up side down, do the splits, twirl 10 times, do 7 backward soumersaults, land perfectly, whilst running overtake a Formual 1 car at top speed and then eat a cheese sandwich, either that or just appear before me if I'm not high. O and they have to do all that stuff before my very eyes.

 

[Golden Gryphon]

Like many people have already said I wouldn't believe in the existence of any god unless it appeared before me.

I have always hated being told how to think and act so I doubt there are any circumstances that would lead to me worshiping it.

 

[Zefar]

God would need to apologize for not fixing the problems he made on earth. Like you know, over 1000 religions and people fighting over them.
Claim whichever book he claims is right is wrong because scientist have disproved him.

And show off some of his Godly power like taking us humans to a new planet in seconds. Or changing the moon with his bare hands.

Because right now God doesn't seems to be a nice guy. He doesn't help anyone specially children in need. Families get their kids kidnapped or brutally injured in some way. This is not ok for a God.

 

[SevenStarSonata]

Okay, I like this topic a LOT.

Well, what sort of evidence would I need to believe in this omnipotent god? Well, the same sort of evidence I need to believe in anything, really. or, rather, the same sort of evidence I'd need to know something, since believing implies I have convinced myself of something despite a lack of provable facts.

So, we're following the scientific method here. I want evidence of this god's existence that can be tested and proved under a given set of conditions multiple times. Simply, s/he could simply reveal her- or himself to several people, several times, under conditions when such an appearance could not be a forgery or illusion. These people must have no common factor, being of different genders, races, nationalities, familial statuses, religions, etc... (Thus ruling out a mass con or, simply, mass hysteria). Not-so-simply, s/he could be proven to have mass, or electrical/chemical processes that can be measured and tested multiple times, etc...

Now, assuming I now believe in this omnipotent god, what would cause me to worship her/him out of my own volition? Well, the same thing that would cause me to worship anything/anyone - love. If I honestly and truly in my heart of hearts loved this god, then I would worship her/him. I worship the man I gave my heart to so many years ago, why should an omnipotent god be any different?

 

[Zacharine]

I'm confused as to what you mean by free will. We all make choices and way the benefits against the costs. If the God had nothing to offer (ie heaven after death, not wiping out civilization, free cookies with every coffee) then no-one would worship him/her.

Free will being most of the time defined as

1. The ability or discretion to choose; free choice: chose to remain behind of my own free will.
2. The power of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will.

But some choose to add bribery, extortion, emotional blackmail etc into the list of external circumstances. Thus, a promise of some benefit in return for worship from a proven god might, according to some, make the choice no longer 'of free will'.

What I meant by that in my OP was that you yourself might decide that 'This god is just so awesome, He/She deserves some recognition from me." without the though being implanted on your head or the choice somehow forced with threat of hellfire.

 

[Layzor]

I'd require some sort of contact.

Though I wouldn't ever worship a God. Why would an omnipotent entity want something as insignificant as me to worship it?

 

[Zacharine]

God would need to apologize for not fixing the problems he made on earth. Like you know, over 1000 religions and people fighting over them.
Claim whichever book he claims is right is wrong because scientist have disproved him.

Because right now God doesn't seems to be a nice guy. He doesn't help anyone specially children in need. Families get their kids kidnapped or brutally injured in some way. This is not ok for a God.

Notice how in the OP I defined that this god is currently unknown to us: To human on this planet currently worships or believes in this hyphotetical deity. Also, we do not know if this particular god even knows of the blights of mankind. His/hers/its only defined attribute was omnipotence.

Therefore, this god might not necessarily be our creator or responsible for any good/evil on this planet.

Otherwise nice ideas and I can certainly understand them, but you assumed something without pointing it out or it being defined in the OP. I don't care too much of it, but I thought it better to stop the trend of possible misunderstandings here, for if this thread keeps on going and your post was simply one that I picked as an example.

 

[Jirlond]

If the God had nothing to offer (ie heaven after death, not wiping out civilization, free cookies with every coffee) then no-one would worship him/her.

Is God Tim Horton?

 

[BolognaBaloney]

God is not something you will be able to prove or disprove, it's a belief that relies solely on faith. Atheist or Theist, you will end up believing one or the other because of your presuppositions and your relative worldview, not because of scientific evidence.

 

[spuddyt]

To believe: something directly contravening the laws of physics
to worship: Incontravertible proof that they are a force for good, and also that good exists as more than a social construct created by humans to prevent the collapse of society.

 

[Vriggchan]

yo dude had a massive saliva trip last weekend. Completely believe there is something big out there.

 

[Erana]

The thing is, people don't seem to ever get how I am religious. I think any deity that is worth worshiping would be alright with my usual philosophy.
At least, I hope so...
Although purgatory isn't the worst possible thing to happen. But if Purgatory is a miserable place because it is godless, then logically, God=happiness.
So, go! Go worship happiness!
(And of course, that train of thought is also going to be ripped to shreds.)

 

[Jirlond]

yo dude had a massive saliva trip last weekend. Completely believe there is something big out there.

Ha what potency was it? All we got from the 20x stuff was a weird wet feeling.

 

[vampirekid.13]

sorry i dont worship stuff regardless of existence.

 

[Cavouku]

I'm so damn lazy I never would conventionally worship him, but on a constant subconscious level, I always do (somewhat Deist/Christian). If he controlled my body and made me worship him, well, there you go, but of my own free will? I wouldn't start any practices either way. He's a benevolent guy, he should know that such acts should not determine our faith, but our true inner faith. I guess that's what I have, practices don't feel necessary as long as you mean it in your mind, and this doesn't necessarily need to be represented physically.

 

[ThreeWords]

I'd need this deity to prove to me that they're worth worshipping.

Because they might be omnipotent, butt hey could still be an arsehole.

Something like this. Also a Friday at the grounds of worship where they, oh I don't know, serve cake and pie couldn't hurt either.

This

A deity truly deserving of worship would awesome enough to have a worship ceremony that involved having a massive party every week.

And if anyone thinks that's disrespectful, just imagine having people having a huge party every week in your honour. Hard to find a downside for the deity, eh?

 

[MK Tha Rebel]

Said God would have to make a grand entrance right in front of me. This God would have to give me true love, provide financial security for myself and my family, perfect health for all, and put me in better shape. Oh, and make TNA Impact the video game not suck.

ONLY THEN would I worship this God, ONLY THEN!