No gods or many?

[Standing Wolf]

Every moral code ever devised has been the work of men; some just cited a god as its author in order to lend it authority and foster compliance. In fact, no god ever actually stopped anyone from behaving badly; society, with its laws, police, judges and jails perform that role in the real world. Yes, some do fear the wrath and judgment of an angry god and seek to curb those acts and behaviors that they've been taught "their" god disfavors; but there we see superstition in its most primitive form, fear of the invisible, at work - not a god or the power of a god, but simply the rumor of a god, coupled with the human imagination.

[MisterVeritis]

Then it's meaningless to say.

Not at all. Whatever conditions that would allow a god to exist would allow many to exist without regard to the nature of the conditions.

[Chris]

Not at all. Whatever conditions that would allow a god to exist would allow many to exist without regard to the nature of the conditions.

Sure, for physical phenomena it makes sense: "If the conditions exist such that one ice crystal may exist then those same conditions allow for many ice crystals." But God, at least not the Judeo-Christian God, is not physical.

Besides, if it made sense you'd explain and not merely repeat the phrase ad nauseam.

[Peter1469]

How many gods are there?

None?

One?

Many?

If the conditions exist such that one god may exist then those same conditions allow for many gods.

I believe the most likely answer is that no gods exist.

A sufficiently advanced alien race would be a God(s) to humans.

But some creator created the universe.

[MisterVeritis]

Sure, for physical phenomena it makes sense: "If the conditions exist such that one ice crystal may exist then those same conditions allow for many ice crystals." But God, at least not the Judeo-Christian God, is not physical.

Besides, if it made sense you'd explain and not merely repeat the phrase ad nauseam.

No matter what the conditions are that would allow for a single, lonely god, those same conditions would allow many gods.

I understand your god is lonely and make believe. This was not about your singular, lonely god. It is about gods in general.

[MisterVeritis]

A sufficiently advanced alien race would be a God(s) to humans.

But some creator created the universe.

Or not.

How is it that god left no evidence of its existence?

[Peter1469]

Or not.

How is it that god left no evidence of its existence?

Isn't the universe evidence enough?

If I built a house and died, the house is around for a time as evidence of my work.

[Peter1469]

No matter what the conditions are that would allow for a single, lonely god, those same conditions would allow many gods.

I understand your god is lonely and make believe. This was not about your singular, lonely god. It is about gods in general.

Chris doesn't have a God. Lonely or otherwise. He is an atheist.

[MisterVeritis]

Isn't the universe evidence enough?

If I built a house and died, the house is around for a time as evidence of my work.

I don't think the Universe is evidence of anything but the universe. The Universe is not a house.

The god-idea is interesting because, as contrived it is impossible for a god to leave evidence. It is the perfect scam.

[MisterVeritis]

No matter what the conditions are that would allow for a single, lonely god, those same conditions would allow many gods.

I understand your god is lonely and make believe. This was not about your singular, lonely god. It is about gods in general.

Chris doesn't have a God. Lonely or otherwise. He is an atheist.

The god he posits, then.