Hypothetical question for people of faith.

[The Dude]

If, some day, it is revealed that someone is responsible for the creation of God. Someone greater, someone more powerful, would your faith then transfer to that entity instead?

That is to say, what if it turns out that God is not the be-all end-all of creation, but also has his superiors like we do ours. Would you worship the father of God like you do God himself?

[Ummon]

The problem is nonexistent: the Causa Prima is God, all the rest are creatures.

[The Dude]

Well yes. That is the religious doctrine. I'm just wondering what would happen in this hypothetical situation, really. The point of a hypothesis is a what-if question.

Besides, you'd call god's father a problem? That's a rather blasphemous thing to say

[Ummon]

It is a self defeating question, because as long as you move backwards of one step, the creator is always God.

[Bovril]

What a wierd question. Like Ummon said, part of the definition of God is that he is the ultimate. Well, in Theism at any rate. If you simply want to assert the logical possibility of Polytheism, do that, but don't expect theists to go along with you.

[The Dude]

So essentially there is no room for a hypothesis in a religious doctrine?

I guess that just about answers an entirely different but equally interesting question just the same. How disappointing.

[Bovril]

So essentially there is no room for a hypothesis in a religious doctrine?

Just because people don't accept your premise (the logical possibility of a creator of the god of theism-because such a premise is oxymoronic) it doesn't mean there's 'no room for hypothesis in a religious doctrine'. I'm afraid you asked a silly question. You should be glad you got some quite good answers.

[The Dude]

Just because people don't accept your premise (the logical possibility of a creator of the god of theism-because such a premise is oxymoronic) it doesn't mean there's 'no room for hypothesis in a religious doctrine'. I'm afraid you asked a silly question. You should be glad you got some quite good answers.

Well. I was hoping for good answers. Instead I got "no, it's not possible, stop talking silly." Maybe those are good answers to you, but there's a reason I put "hypothetical" in the thread title.

I just think it's an interesting question in essence. One that should always be asked: what if everything we have believed up to now has been wrong. What if the status quo suddenly changes. What then?

Is it a scary question, perhaps?

[AngryTitusPullo]

Well. I was hoping for good answers. Instead I got "no, it's not possible, stop talking silly." Maybe those are good answers to you, but there's a reason I put "hypothetical" in the thread title.

I just think it's an interesting question in essence. One that should always be asked: what if everything we have believed up to now has been wrong. What if the status quo suddenly changes. What then?

Is it a scary question, perhaps?

He or she will convert to something else. For example a Christians believes that Jesus is God the found out that Jesus is actually only a prophet (creature) of God then they'll convert to Islam.

In the end like everyone says, God is the ultimate creator itself.

If they've found there's a God before their 'god' then they've only found the 'truth', as in that they wont possibly (at least in Abrahamic religions) found out that there's a greater creator of God exist, but only that what they 'think' is god before is not actually God.

[Thanatos]

Ultimate means... well, ultimate. You can't get higher than that.

[Manco]

If there is a creator of what you perceived as God, then you perceived wrong. That creature's creator would be God.

By definition (in the abrahamic religions at least) God has to be the first creator.

[the_mango55]

This is even worse than the "Could God create a rock so heavy even he couldn't lift it" question.

[The Cobra]

Someone please close this blasphemous thread.

[bspiken]

Maybe it would be more interesting if it went like? What if there was proof for another god? Say that a three headed Brahma comes down from heaven and starts teaching hinduism, would you change your religion or think him a false god or demon?

[Ummon]

Actually, Brahma is the Hindu equivalent of God. Essentially, and here we enter a complicated field, we have these three groups:

1) Supreme Deity who has offspring: multiple deities result - the supreme Deity is forgotten or loses importance (in the minds of people) or governs only celestial affairs.

2) Supreme Deity who has offspring: two lesser deities result - one evil, one good.

3) Supreme Deity without offspring: creation and emanation are the processes by which created beings result.

We then have several interesting overlappings between these three, due to the creativity of human mind. One is interesting in particular.

4) Supreme Deity has only one offspring, which though is one and the same with the aforementioned.

The reason why this is on topic will maybe result later on.

[gambit]

Pretty much a pointless question, but it brings one to mind.

Say you find out your God lied and he ISN'T a supreme deity but "lives" in supreme power with other God's (much like old Roman/Greek polytheism), would you still believe in him?

[Ummon]

How exactly am I supposed to discover this?

[gambit]

How are you supposed to know God exists at all?

Take a small idea and pour faith over it until it seems solid. It doesn't matter anyway, it's a hypothetical question; it's too make you think about your actions during such a time, not the likelihood.

[Ummon]

The way I am going to discover this is though, very important. There being no way to do so, one follows his heart. If my heart told me so, I'd be a polytheist. But I am not one.

[gambit]

It's important but I'm asking you to look beyond that. Say one of the god's revealed themselves to you, and your god still asks for your faith. He isn't some bastardly liar that is going to torture you for eternity, perhaps he just lied; perhaps he is a bastard but he still loves you.

The details make the question too complex, it's a simple test. If you found out your God had deceived you about something, but not the entire belief, would you still have faith?