God the Scientist, God the Writer

[mishalak]

A common idea is that God does not reveal himself because he wants people to have faith. What if it were just the opposite though? What if God existed and believed that faith and worship of an all-powerful being was a terrible idea for his creations. He created the universe, he watches, and sometimes he even interferes in it, but he isn't behind religion and doesn't want the worship of humans? Could a rational investigator distinguish such a situation from god not existing?

And could this be yet another way in which Pascal's Wager is totally broken? How can you tell if God wants faith and worship, but doesn't want to say, from god wanting not to interfere in our lives in not wanting worship? Other than God coming down and saying so in person, I mean.

I thought of this because being a writer is like being god. Only I don't want my characters to know that god is watching and messing about in their lives. That wouldn't make for a good story, in my opinion.

Comments

[melonaise.livejournal.com]

And that is precisely why I am agnostic. If God cares about how it is worshipped, there is no way I could accurately guess the appropriate manner; if God does not care andor does not exist, worship is unnecessary.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

I suppose my idea isn't anything more than a cockeyed deism. But it seemed different at the time.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Island in the Sea of Time had a aside where a character thought about some fantasy novels he'd written. He had nightmares of his characters dragging him into a dark alley to take revenge for what the author had put them through.

Given Stirling's writing he may have had that nightmare himself.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

I don't worry, because I'm the supreme all powerful god. I might give certain characters the satisfaction of beating up my image, but I'm still in charge of their whole universe. And most of the characters I make would "get it" if I explained why I did it.

[siddith.livejournal.com]

god? gods.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, there are other gods, but in my stories I'm the supreme one because I get to say what happens. Everyone else is an adviser or an old fashion satan (critic). <grin>

[siddith.livejournal.com]

a supreme god? no. an arrogant one. don't forget the reader.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

If you're going to take funny comments where I compare myself to Zeus seriously you're not going to like reading my journal. I suggest you'll have more fun reading the journal of some political animal who closely matches whatever opinions you have.