The Imposter

[Bradski]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

 

[snarflemike]

Interesting question.

Could this technology raise somebody from the dead after 4 days in the Levantine sun?

But let’s say the answer is yes. There are a few problems with such a scenario.

-How has the Church guarded and taught the original truths it received over 2000 years -without error?

-How do we explain the miracles that have happened after the Ascension?

-There are still strong arguments for the existence of God - much stronger than any arguments for the non-existence of God.

-Where did the universe that brought forth such a being come from?

And a few more practical ones:

-What was the point of the fraud?

-Why hasn’t anybody come back?

And finally, what part does Occam’s Razor play in all of this?

 

[Ion]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

You mean, how to put him to the test?
You see, some jews condemned Jesus thinking “Mesiah would do something godly and avoid the crucifixion, if he is not then he deserves the punishment”, for them it seemed very logical.

 

[Love4All]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

Discernment.

 

[Bballer32]

To test if he is God, i would ask him some Catholic apologetic questions and see how he answers them

 

[R_C]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

We would know, because we already have intelligent spiritual beings who appear to us pretending they are God or some of his saints. The Church has always been able to discern these apparitions, and we have twenty centuries of experience and a corpus of well-proven methods that always work, while the world (and especially you who post) doesn’t even know God.

So, without arrogance or pride, I can say that the blind men will neither lead nor rescue the blind men, but those whose sight has been restored will see.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

Any actual moral slip up or self contradiction whatsoever. Whether or not they contradicted what has already been revealed. Otherwise, if we assume they had sufficiently advanced technology to do pretty much any work they wanted to, then it’d be very hard. We’d find out at death though.

 

[jimmy]

I think in these discussions there is a misconception about God. Non-Christians assume that God is just a really big and powerful man in the sky. He is so big and awesome he can lift any stone, he is omnipotent, all knowing, etc. the difference between man and God is a matter of quantity. But Christians (atleast Catholics and Orthodox) have a doctrine of God as completely other. The difference between man and God isn’t just of quantity, but rather of quality. No matter how smart we become or how technologically advanced we become, the gap between man and God will always remain the same. So it seems that everyone talks past each other.

That said, your question is interesting. What if a civilization becomes so advanced that it seems all knowing? Or that it can do anything, even destroy the earth in order to build an intergalactic freeway. How would we know the difference between them and God?

 

[Bradski]

How has the Church guarded and taught the original truths it received over 2000 years -without error?

I’m not suggesting that The Imposter is an indication that God does not exist. I’m assuming for the purpose of the question that He does. It’s just that The Imposter says that he is God.

If someone turned up tomorrow and said: ‘I am God’ and did nothing more than that, then he’d be ignored at best and probably be treated as delusional (there have been enough people claiming it over the years).

But if someone turned up, said the same thing and then regenerated an amputated limb, raised the dead and stopped the sun in its tracks, then how many people do you think might take him seriously?

Or that it can do anything, even destroy the earth in order to build an intergalactic freeway.

A Hitchhikers fan no doubt.

 

[Dorothy]

I’m not suggesting that The Imposter is an indication that God does not exist. I’m assuming for the purpose of the question that He does. It’s just that The Imposter says that he is God.

If someone turned up tomorrow and said: ‘I am God’ and did nothing more than that, then he’d be ignored at best and probably be treated as delusional (there have been enough people claiming it over the years).

But if someone turned up, said the same thing and then regenerated an amputated limb, raised the dead and stopped the sun in its tracks, then how many people do you think might take him seriously?

Almighty God does not put on circus shows!

 

[snarflemike]

I’m not suggesting that The Imposter is an indication that God does not exist. I’m assuming for the purpose of the question that He does. It’s just that The Imposter says that he is God.

If someone turned up tomorrow and said: ‘I am God’ and did nothing more than that, then he’d be ignored at best and probably be treated as delusional (there have been enough people claiming it over the years).

But if someone turned up, said the same thing and then regenerated an amputated limb, raised the dead and stopped the sun in its tracks, then how many people do you think might take him seriously?

Ah, that’s a very different scenario than I was imagining. I guess I would say that God would provide his Church with the ability to discern that this creature is not God.

 

[john78]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

i am a lil miffed that this title is misleading as i thought it would be in reference to obama.

 

[snarflemike]

i am a lil miffed that this title is misleading as i thought it would be in reference to obama.

Well, some people do seem to think he is a higher form of being than us mere humans.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

I respectfully submit that Satan has already thought of similar things. In fact we were warned by Christ that it would happen ( not necessarily the scenario you have given but in general outline ).

The fact is that God has proven over a period of about 5,000 years that he is exactly who he said he was. But thanks for reminding us again that false gods will come again and again. Linus2nd

 

[Bradski]

Almighty God does not put on circus shows!

It’s not God. It’s an imposter who can do God-like miracles.

 

[davidv]

It’s not God. It’s an imposter who can do God-like miracles.

Which is the basis of the answer.
A. Circus show
B. Therefore not God.

 

[Della]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

How do sheep know the voice of their shepherd and follow only him/her? How does a child know his own mother/father? By knowing him/her. We know God. We know what he would do and what he wouldn’t do. The Church has been discerning spiritual happenings for centuries and has never gotten it wrong because it too knows its Master’s voice.

 

[Bradski]

Which is the basis of the answer.
A. Circus show
B. Therefore not God.

So Fatima was a circus show. Therefore…

How does a child know his own mother/father? By knowing him/her. We know God. We know what he would do and what he wouldn’t do. The Church has been discerning spiritual happenings for centuries and has never gotten it wrong because it too knows its Master’s voice.

A child does not know its own mother. And vica versa. If a woman gives birth without seeing the child and is later put into a room with half a dozen babies, she will have no idea which is hers.

And you know God? The Unknowable? I’m not sure you could say that. If you do, you’re way ahead of many people across the ages who would disagree with you.

As an atheist, I have been asked on more than one occasion what it would take for me to believe in God. The other side of that coin is: how do you know when your belief is wrong? Take a stroll over to Rapture Ready and I will cast iron guarantee that the majority of people that post there would be 100% convinced the Rapture had arrived if they all started floating skywards. Most of them seem to think the afterlife is like a scene from Heaven Can Wait. Not too difficult for The Imposter.

So I’ll partly answer my own question. A huge proportion of the world’s population would be convinced that the Second Coming had arrived. What I am asking you is what would need to happen to convince you personally that it was happening and how would you know that it was genuine?

 

[Aloysium]

Just a simple thought experiment:

There’s an alien civilisation that is so far ahead of us technologically that they appear god-like (imagine what people in biblical times would think about what we can do today, just over two thousand years later, then extrapolate that to a few million years).

If a member of this civilisation decided to visit us and, for whatever reason, decided to appear to us as God, then how would we know that he wasn’t?

Ok, so these beings appear on earth, give themselves completely to us and we crucify them. They would not resurrect, so end of story. Can’t see it being much of a box office hit.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

So Fatima was a circus show. Therefore…

A child does not know its own mother. And vica versa. If a woman gives birth without seeing the child and is later put into a room with half a dozen babies, she will have no idea which is hers.

And you know God? The Unknowable? I’m not sure you could say that. If you do, you’re way ahead of many people across the ages who would disagree with you.

As an atheist, I have been asked on more than one occasion what it would take for me to believe in God. The other side of that coin is: how do you know when your belief is wrong? Take a stroll over to Rapture Ready and I will cast iron guarantee that the majority of people that post there would be 100% convinced the Rapture had arrived if they all started floating skywards. Most of them seem to think the afterlife is like a scene from Heaven Can Wait. Not too difficult for The Imposter.

So I’ll partly answer my own question. A huge proportion of the world’s population would be convinced that the Second Coming had arrived. What I am asking you is what would need to happen to convince you personally that it was happening and how would you know that it was genuine?

For myself, I’ll act with the Catholic Church. Belief in God starts philosophically, from that we get that God wouldn’t allow such a deception that couldn’t be seen through.

As to the far ahead of others through the ages - well yes, in some sense. We’re standing on the shoulders of giants. But they weren’t entirely wrong, and had imperfect knowledge. We weren’t separated from Him entirely at birth, we only have dulled senses.