Let's say God decides to show up one day, and proclaims that he does not exist.

Now, if I said that I didn't exist, you wouldn't believe me, you would think I'm nuts or I just woke up or something. But, in the above situation, it's God speaking. What would the religious people do? Would they decide that God doesn't exist, because he said it (which itself is a paradox)? Or would they use this as evidence that God, despite his now-undeniable presence, is fallible?

Brian: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand?! Honestly!
Girl: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.
Brian: What?! Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!
Followers: He is! He is the Messiah!
Brian: Now, f* off!
[silence]
Arthur: How shall we f* off, O Lord?

Anyway, I am not taking sides on this whole Christian thing that's been going on of late. I learned a long time ago not to argue about God or Guns on the net. I just that that that piece was funny.

------------------
To make an apple pie from scratch, we must first invent the universe.

What would be necessary to prove it? Magic?
But any sufficiently advanced tech has the appearence of magic!

------------------
An unborn scream burst in my stomach,
and spread like cold mercury through my chest.
I covered my face with my hands, but kept looking through my fingers.
"Write that down!", he told the stick.
"Is visibly destroyed, yet unable to turn away".

That's one for the good guys *L*.

------------------
I drink therefore I am.

-Descartes

I, on the other hand, would simply believe what I have always believed: God, if there is one, is either completely off His rocker, or having a huge laugh at our expense.

Life is best explained as a practical joke of very dubious taste.

------------------
*I only SEEM Normal*

------------------
'Sir, you've been ordered not to take Polermo'

'Ring General HQ, ask them if they want me to give it back'.

There was a line that Kira mentioned in that episode where that other guy claimed to be the Emissary. I can't remember the whole thing, but it ended

"....if you have faith, no explanation is necessary"

This I believe explains the whole thing perfectly. Now I wouldn't claim to be a religious person because I don't follow all the guidelines laid out, but I do understand what it is to believe in a god or a divine form of existance. I simply say that this argument end and each side should just accept each others beliefs and let it be because the conflicts that have arisen over the years as a result of religion are just senseless.

------------------
The public is wonderfully tolerant - it forgives everything except Genius.

Here's the proper response:
"To a schizoid person who thinks giant invisible penguins are invading the ductwork, no explanation is necessary. To someone who knows there's no such thing as giant invisible penguins, no explanation is possible."

Yeah, I'll accept their beliefs as soon as they add "the belief that people who disagree should be left the Hell alone and not bothered" to the list.

------------------
You're just JEALOUS because the little voices talk to ME!

------------------
We'rree Baaaccckkk

You never understand anything so well as when you can explain it to another.

--Baloo

Secondly, I do have some beliefs of my own, but I am not one of the people who goes around and tells non-believers that they should believe in god. If you don't believe, that's alright with me, I have no problem with that. In fact, I don't like people who go around preaching be it about religion or atheism. If people want to learn, they'll get a book.

I only talk about it here because it's an open forum and we're discussing. I'm not attempting to convert anyone, nor would I ever try.

------------------
The public is wonderfully tolerant - it forgives everything except Genius.