An alien with Vast Powers and Intelligence came to Earth

[Diogenes]

An alien with vast powers and intelligence came to Earth.

He gained the world’s attention by announcing that at an exact time all of the world’s religious shrines would disappear, as if evaporated, without violence or trace, leaving not even a cloud of dust or hint of residue.

He claimed not to have created the universe, but to be its oldest inhabitant, an observer who took a special interest in the Earth and its people; that he had guided the development of the world for their benefit. He offered peace, prosperity and health to all. He had but one condition, that the people of Earth would recognize him, love and worship him as their protector and benefactor.

There were some who took instant offense. He destroyed them utterly. Much of Russia and several countries in the Middle East were laid waste. Men, women, children and their possessions simply disappeared, along with half a dozen obscure and isolated tribes in Borneo, Brazil, and South East Asia.

Gardens flourished, poverty vanished, major disease and birth defects were cured. His power, wisdom, and kindness were almost universally acknowledged. He promised an eternal life of bliss after physical death.

Questions for debate:
Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?
If not, why not?
In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?

[oldbadger]

An alien with vast powers and intelligence came to Earth.

He gained the world’s attention by announcing that at an exact time all of the world’s religious shrines would disappear, as if evaporated, without violence or trace, leaving not even a cloud of dust or hint of residue.

He claimed not to have created the universe, but to be its oldest inhabitant, an observer who took a special interest in the Earth and its people; that he had guided the development of the world for their benefit. He offered peace, prosperity and health to all. He had but one condition, that the people of Earth would recognize him, love and worship him as their protector and benefactor.

There were some who took instant offense. He destroyed them utterly. Much of Russia and several countries in the Middle East were laid waste. Men, women, children and their possessions simply disappeared, along with half a dozen obscure and isolated tribes in Borneo, Brazil, and South East Asia.

Gardens flourished, poverty vanished, major disease and birth defects were cured. His power, wisdom, and kindness were almost universally acknowledged. He promised an eternal life of bliss after physical death.

Questions for debate:
Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?
If not, why not?
In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?

I'm a little late to this thread, but Hey-Ho-have-a-go!

1. Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?
If he had vast powers and he deluged me and mine with peace, prosperity and his power, wisdom and kindness..... yes.
If all my loved ones and friends had been utterly destroyed and mutilated in places like Russis I would detest and despise the tyrant.

2. In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?
Being the Universal most ancient and wise creature, having taken interest in Earth and come here, I'm thinking he might be a more tangible and real entity than the Abrahamic God..... So I would be effectively terrified of him, I'd even be frightened if he was being kind and feeding me, etc. After all Man is more powerful and intelligent than your average lamb, feeds and provides for it, etc....but eventually..... the abattoir!
Are we going to be roast dinners at some point?

[Purple Knight]

Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?
If not, why not?

Maybe, but I wouldn't claim [honestly] that it was moral. It's might-makes-right and that's all it is. It's dirty too, a monetary transaction, for two greedy pigs to sit down and figure out how they can be even greedier pigs, by giving this and getting that. It's not spiritual. It's not higher - in fact it's the lowest of the low. Give this, get that.

But that's not to say I shouldn't do it or even that it doesn't become true. This fellow just eliminated quite a lot of strife in what he did, and I might well thank him honestly. I might even say, you saved this planet is what you did. You, and you alone, saved the planet. You actually are the saviour. Nobody else could, or at least, nobody else bothered.

But it's still just might-makes-right, and give this, get that. Am I the only one who's looking for something higher, something that transcends reward and punishment, something more than a monetary transaction, in all this?

In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?

If he really created the universe, it's not, unless by being specifically the Abrahamic God and no one else, you get some special moral privilege.

[Miles]

.

................................FOUND THE VERSE!...... FOUND THE VERSE!

....................Where god demands to be worshiped, Sorry for having overlooked it.

Exodus 20 2-3
2 I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.
3 Do not worship any god except me.

I was fairly sure I had seen it before


.

[1213]

...
Exodus 20 2-3[/b]
2 I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.
3 Do not worship any god except me.[/indent]

I was fairly sure I had seen it before

Thanks, but I think that means only, person should not worship any other God, not necessary that person must worship Him.

[TRANSPONDER]

I can have a check but as I recall from last time, it is not God that demands to be worshipped, but others make the claim for him. Well, it isn't surprising. The Bible wasn't written by God but by those making claims for and about him.

Mind, there's this Exodus 3:12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

But (wearing my Theist hat) He is not so much saying they should do it but 'Well, if you really must, I suppose you could do it there..'

And hereExodus 24:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, and even there, wearing my Bible apologist hat, I could ague that is not ordering them to worship but how far away (out of earshot) they should be when they do it.r

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to Diogenes in post #1]

I would wonder how he could offer life after death if he himself began to exist.

[Diogenes]

[Replying to Diogenes in post #1]

I would wonder how he could offer life after death if he himself began to exist.

1st, There's nothing in the OP about 'him' "beginning to exist."
2d, What difference would it make? He has powers as described and can do virtually anything that can be done. After the body's physical death why could he not preserve the intelligence and consciousness of the individual, or put it in a new, permanent body?

I don't know why some are hung up on this business of "beginning to exist." Having always been is something they grant 'God' without question, but such a possibility is denied the universe. Why the exception for 'God?' This alien could have been the product of natural forces in the universe, just as man and moss are.

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to Diogenes in post #37]

He claimed not to have created the universe, but to be its oldest inhabitant

If you are the oldest inhabitant, then you began to exist.

[POI]

[Replying to Diogenes in post #37]

He claimed not to have created the universe, but to be its oldest inhabitant

If you are the oldest inhabitant, then you began to exist.

I'm sorry, but I feel I have to interject here.... Below are the questions for debate:

Questions for debate:
1) Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?
2) If not, why not?
3) In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?

*********************************

In light of the (3) questions, is your position that if some being could demonstrate that they always were, this would be THE criteria for which you would follow or not follow? This is kind of a rhetorical question. Meaning, I doubt this would be THE criteria.

Thus, I have to ask... Why are you harping on this 'condition'?

[oldbadger]

Questions for debate:
1) Would you join the billions who acknowledged him as their sole lord and savior?

No

2) If not, why not?

Because it wouldn't/couldn't be my sole Lord, since Mother Nature is one already, and is probably its Lord as well.

3) In what ways would this alien be effectively different from the god of Abraham?

If I had seen it then it would be real.