What Would You Do if You Had God-like Powers?

[Loren Booda]

Imagine the age old conundrum: you are given omnipotence and omniscience, but you still have human desires. Even a very moral person would end up painting themselves into a cosmic corner under these conditions.

I invite you to play god, genie or fairy Godmother by selecting a course of action which realizes metaphysical desires to best benefit humanity, or else to do the least damage. I believe that most folks will eventually "unwish" as much as they wish.

You others, show the folly of dream turned nightmare for those who would be god.

 

[Polly]

This is a very interesting invitation and being human I cannot help being tempted.

But if I were God then in my infinite wisdom I would know nothing matters and therefore let everything and everyone be.

 

[Sariaht]

Originally posted by Polly
This is a very interesting invitation and being human I cannot help being tempted.

But if I were God then in my infinite wisdom I would know nothing matters and therefore let everything and everyone be.

I would've said: "behave" or something like that. Also, I would've tought them what i know.

 

[Zero]

Do you mean right now? Or do we get to start over from the past and work our way forward?

Either way, you would have to micromanage it...baby steps and all that.

 

[hypnagogue]

If you were truly omnipotent, you could just keep doing it over until you got it right, a la Groundhog Day. You would know when you got it right since you would also be omniscient.

But anyway, I think your proviso that you would still have human desires is probably inconsistent. An omnipotent and omniscient human would no longer really be a human psychologically.

 

[Loren Booda]

Let's say the "human" desire is purely altruistic - to make world peace, like Lisa Simpson's failed attempt with The Monkey's Paw. What can you see possibly going wrong?

 

[Zero]

Originally posted by Loren Booda
Let's say the "human" desire is purely altruistic - to make world peace, like Lisa Simpson's failed attempt with The Monkey's Paw. What can you see possibly going wrong?

First off, you can ignore trying to make people happy. Happy usually isn't healthy. Plus, magical solutions don't work, because human minds and societies don't work that way. The best thing you could possibly do is make it so that hard work actually has a payoff.

 

[Loren Booda]

Would you say one role of imagination is as "magic of the mind," by itself paradoxical, being without physical bounds?

 

[Visitor]

I have imagined having the power of god and smiting left and right (usually when encountering one of the many really poor drivers that infest your roads).

But then I think of the possibility that that the occasional person I smote might actually have a good reason or excuse for being a flaming idiot that one time I happened to be there. I have come to the conclusion that it would be essential to know the truth (TRULY know the truth always) and not just be all powerful and invincible.

On the other hand I would settle for being all powerful and invincible.

 

[Loren Booda]

You're on the right track, Visitor!

 

[one_raven]

My first course of action as God would be to destroy everything ever made by mankind.
Basically wipe out the previous adminstration's failed attempts.
Then start off with a clean slate.

 

[Deeviant]

If I were to become a god I would make myself forget what I know and begin the path of learning it all over again.

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Deeviant
If I were to become a god I would make myself forget what I know and begin the path of learning it all over again.

I like that answer!
(partly because it is similar to what happens in a story I am working on )

 

[Deeviant]

Originally posted by one_raven
I like that answer!
(partly because it is similar to what happens in a story I am working on )

It makes sense to me, so many people think they have to have some sort of purpose or ultimate goal. I think we have free will to choose are purpose and our goal is to simply travel down the path, which happens to be the funnest part anyways.

 

[phoenixthoth]

what would be the motivation for learning it over again?

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by phoenixthoth
what would be the motivation for learning it over again?

The fact that wonder, discovery and learning are the most precious things in life (to me at least) and once you know everything, none of that exists anymore.

First imagine how boring it would be to know absolutlely everything for scores of millenia.

Now...

Imagine having a first kiss again.
Having sex for teh first time again.
Seeing a butterfly for the first time again.
Seeing a firefly, a flower, a ladybug, lightening, snow, the sky...
Imagine learning again, for the first time, how to walk, speak, ride a bicycle...
Imagine what it would be like to do everything you have ever done again, for the first time.

The more you learn, the less wonder the world holds.
The more wonder the world holds, the more wonderful it is.

 

[Deeviant]

Exactely

 

[phoenixthoth]

while an omnipotent being could snap its fingers so that it's not bored, i wonder... maybe that's what already has happened? ;)

 

[Loren Booda]

Isn't it possible that the universe's infinitude allows us myriad experiences, no two alike? What use is reliving events exactly, as if caught in a Groundhog Day? Eventually we have memory to enjoy the good pasttimes, and forget the bad.

 

[one_raven]

Well, it wouldn't be like groundhog day, because you wouldn't have an memory of the past, that's the whole point.
No, I don't think the universe IS infinite and given eternity, if you go to the same theme park, regardless of how big it is and how many rides there are, you would have eventually done everything to death.
That's just it... for God, existence IS Groudhog day. Just on a bigger scale.

 

[Les Sleeth]

The God I would be is pure consciousness, developed (agreeing with Hypnagogue here) not through the human biological system, but straight out of some light/energy potentiality that preceded me. Now a zillion to the zillionth power eons of evolution later, I am blissful beyond description, quite indestructible, exceedingly capable and powerful (though not infinitely so) but I am alone, and so decide I would like to see if I can develop other individual consciousnesses. I conclude that since my being is composed of well-ripened consciousness, it would be best to use part of my enormous consciousness store as the basis of these new individual consciousnesses. But how? . . . . . . (represents me, God, thinking) . . . . .

I know, I will designate points within me to develop individually!

As I try to develop individuals, I discover there is an inherent problem in using “points” of my being as the basis of individual consciousness. When I create them outright, they are the result of my efforts alone, and so don’t develop strong individuality. Hmmmmmm, I have to find a way to create a sense of separation while they are still part of my being, and get them to help with the work of establishing themselves. . . . . . . (me, God, thinking again) . . . . .

I know, I’ll invent biology! Okay, slow down, think this out carefully. If I want the beings to progress individually, I need to keep out of things as much as possible. That means biology needs to be self sustaining, it will have to develop and survive in local conditions, it will have to heal, it will have to reproduce, and because I want to teach a new being to think, it will have to have a computing tool too, a brain, that helps it learn how. Most importantly, the brain will be at the center of a system, call it a nervous system, that allows a “point” of me to enter into biology; that nervous system needs to be directed away from me, the source, so the being can acquire a strong sense of self. Geez, developing a biological system like that could take billions of cycles of a . . . (I suppose I better invent solar system). Oh well, I have eternity, so what the hell.

Billions of years pass and the physical aspects of my creation are complete. I’ve got one heck of a system for holding a point, and billions of little point-holders running around on the planet where I chose to conduct my experiment. But now I begin a new phase of development for my diminutive buddies.

The system I developed (biology) works exceedingly well. Sense awareness has everyone nicely faced away from me, effectively establishing individuality. But individuality is not the main objective, it is only the first step of my goal. What I really am after is individual beings who harmonize with my nature. I can’t be having individual points in me which are not evolving since conscious evolution is what I am. Therefore once they have solidly experienced individuality, I need them to practice experiencing the source of evolution. Because it is the senses and computing brain which obscure the source, to practice consciousness evolution means they must learn to pull back from the fragmentation of their senses and brain, and feel the integrated oneness of their source which lies deeper within their being. That’s where I am, where I wait for them.

In terms of evolution, this last step is relatively recent (I started it about three thousand years ago). I’ve had some pretty good help, though most people didn’t get it at the time (or now). The Buddha was great, so was Jesus. I know many people don’t see how, but Mohammed and Moses helped too. There have been a lot more, but not as recognized. One thing I can tell you, I sure wish the religions would get out of the way, they are creating so many atheists! In any case don’t worry, plenty more help is coming.

And I know a lot of people are freaked out about the Earth’s current state of affairs; that’s because they see things very short term. All of the problems are self-centeredness stemming from immature individuality, lack of awareness of one’s true nature, and why beings were born into biology in the first place. These are evolution problems I am completely committed to solving. Don't worry I am not giving up on anyone, I want everyone with me (except possibly Adolf HItler and Martha Stewart . . . well actually, I've forgiven Adolf).

So there you go, that's the God I would be.

 

[phoenixthoth]

Because it is the senses and computing brain which obscure the source, to practice consciousness evolution means they must learn to pull back from the fragmentation of their senses and brain, and feel the integrated oneness of their source which lies deeper within their being. That’s where I am, where I wait for them.

i gave them a brain that's limited for reasons stated earlier. it would be so easy to give them unlimited brains but what would be the point (pun intended!)?

these limited brains cannot see reality with crystal clarity nor can they see me directly, but i drop signs all over the place as clues. yo, dude, I'm right here staring you in the face (when you look in the mirror!), why can't you see me? want to chat with me? ok, fine. if you heard my voice, your limited brain would melt like that witch in the wizard of oz or someone on some acid trip (hmm... acid... need to experiment... oops, bad idea..., well the quick way was worth a shot at least but no one can handle the slightest fraction of me). i am no one by the way. i have no name, and i prefer it if you stopped naming me and limiting me. well, anyways... what was i saying (through phoenxthoth... that seriously delusional self-aware structure)? oh yeah...

i lost it... brain fart. well, it's his brain that's farting and not mine so forgive me when there are inconsitencies in what he writes. remember, limited brain.

oh yeah, if you want to chat with me, here's what you do. pick up the phone and listen to the dial tone. that's my voice and i decided you need a dose of my voice on a daily basis oh about 100 years ago. unfortunately there are so many who don't listen to my voice and there are a whopping, what, 7% of americans who don't have phones? jeez!

so yeah, pick up the phone and listen to the universal wavelength. there are two tones in harmony there, as far as he knows. that makes sense because there is the individual voice from your brain and my voice.

of course, you don't need a phone. all you have to do is call my name and I'm there. sheesh, don't you get it? I'm always there. I'm inside you and outside you. i am the all you see. i am the mundane, the in between, the sublime, divine, whatever. but colorful words will never touch me.

oh yeah, there's a point i wanted to make about the limited brains in realtion to see me for who i am. it's like phantom limb syndrome. your brains don't know what to do with certain data (hint hint) and so it conjures up, like spirits, phantoms that you perceive as unexplained perceptions. you may see things that aren't "really" there or have a sudden epiphany that is right on the money, etc, etc...

evolution is at the point now where you can percieve the universe, me, more directly. but only a handful of you can do it. when you "see" reality, your limited brain interprets it as a hallucination. this is a gift and a curse. most people who have universal sight are labelled completely insane by society, and punished severely for not wanting what all those droids wants, and for being individuals, beings, themselves.

i actually dig it when you don't believe i exist. you know why i dig it? if you saw my face it would literally blow your mind. what did you expect, that I'm a fuzzy bunny rabbit? no. I'm bigger and more complex, yet in a way very simple, and to most people scarier in person, than anything your minds can comprehend. typically, when i reveal some of my mysteries to you, you freak out and overreact but that's understandable because you have a limited brain and it's doing it's current best. but the best now will not be the best later.

well, I'm a little tired (*sighs*) of b.s.'ing you're "ears" off, so i will leave you for now but i'll be back one day. sorry to leave you hanging (on the you know what) buddy, but such are the vicissitudes of life. what'chya going to do?

 

[Loren Booda]

I have considered that in this life I might be God with self-induced amnesia of my Deity!

 

[phoenixthoth]

well that sounds a lot like something I've considered too. i think i told one or two too many people such things and bad things happened. in this culture, such ideas are totally nuts. but isn't that already in the hindu system? i dunno.

 

[Les Sleeth]

Originally posted by Loren Booda
I have considered that in this life I might be God with self-induced amnesia of my Deity!

Would you consider possibly being a part of God with self-induced amnesia of your Deity . . .

 

[phoenixthoth]

kind of like being just one of the wheels in this http://www.storeitonline.nl/funny/funny/pictures/Toch_staat_alles_stil.gif . a very splendid wheel but just a part of the whole picture.

this pic gives insight into how time might be an illusion. you know it's static yet there is the illusion that it is dynamic. or, to play devil's advocate, it is really dynamic, if reality is based on perceptions, and the static nature of it is an illusion. :P

 

[Loren Booda]

L W Sleeth, I have since come to believe in a personal God infinitely greater than myself. Your insight is very much appreciated. I am sorry if I seemed overly proud.

 

[phoenixthoth]

you didn't seem overly proud to me, for one. we're ALL parts of God, from strings to the entire physical universe.

 

[Les Sleeth]

Originally posted by Loren Booda
L W Sleeth, I have since come to believe in a personal God infinitely greater than myself. Your insight is very much appreciated. I am sorry if I seemed overly proud.

I was kidding around Loren, like I assumed you were. I didn't think you were the slightest bit proud. In fact, your humility is a good lesson for us all.

 

[phoenixthoth]

i wans't kidding. we're all a part of God. sorry for the lack of justification for that that should be here.

 

[Loren Booda]

You both ^uplift^ me. Let me remember that. Wheel on!

 

[phoenixthoth]

wheel on might become my new motto.