Tom Sawyer

... what kind of God would you be?

Personally, I'd prefer to be like one of the Greek Gods. They always seemed to have alot more fun with their divinity than anyone else. They were big and powerful with lots of worshippers but always managed to get into a lot of kooky adventures. It's sort of what godhood would be like if the WB did a series about it.

Omnipotence would be fun for a while but I think I'd get bored of it rather quickly, so I'd need a few limits on my power to keep me interested. Not too much of a limit, though, since I'd still need to send earthquakes and and rains of fire against those who displeased me.

I like the Mormon idea of having a prophet who I give all my commands to and works my will in the world. It centralizes the administration of my religion, making my job easier, and also gives me a buffer so my worshippers talk to him first and aren't incessantly bugging me with their prayers. Plus I could keep giving him wierd, arbitrary rules for everyone to follow, like "Don't eat fish on Friday" and see what they do with them. Every few centuries, I'd send down new rules that directly contradict the old ones to see what sort of mental gymnastics these guys can pull off. For instance, after the no fish rule, I'd say "Trout is now the official Friday night meal." I think stuff like that would really mess people up.

Oh ya, and I guess I'd die for their sins. That seems to be pretty popular for some reason.

Jayjay

I'd be the judeo-christian God. Omnipotent and omniscient in theory, but in practise a rather petty anthropomorphic figure with quite human agendas. I'd use mankind as a toy for my cruel and senseless games, hey I might even create a hell where people could suffer. I'd also make sure to hide from people, and create all sorts of false gods and religions to delude them. Sometimes I'd show myself to people just to say "boo". On top of it all, I could create a heaven where people have all their wishes fulfilled, and all the knowledge they can digest... let's see how long it takes before an average person wishes suicide.

(Okay, now you may think I'm kidding... but I've actually had this dirty little godhood fantasy since I was a teenager.)

HaysooChreesto!

I'd be more of an open ended type of deity. I'd encourage mankind to progress scientifically and socially so that my creation could indeed be all it could be.
The only threats I would make for the afterlife would be that if for example, one of my createes was a violent murderer that that individual's soul would be put through the cosmic spin cycle, reconditioned and given one more chance a few hundred years down the road. If that sould failed miserably again then it would simply be destroyed, never to live again. But no eternal torment.
For living a good life, i.e., not bringing death and destruction down on fellow souls, I would create another reality where my creations would be given more intelligence, longer life, etc.
The mediocre folks would have to go through life again and again until they got it right.
I'd also show up every 10 years on the same date, at the same place and give my holy opinion on things for an hour or so and then sit back and watch until the next decade arrived. I'd do a miracle or two just to reassert my deified coolness and the miracles would consist of moving a mountain, then putting it back, creating a talking and sentient lazy boy recliner out of thin air, etc.
No Q&A though. My godly words would be written down in an easy to read and crystal clear book that would be less than two hundred pages (typed and double spaced of course).
I guess I'd be a pretty much hands off god. More of a benevolent guide than thundering fear monger.

Wyz_sub10

I think I'd like to be a "Dungeons and Dragons"-type god - one with a specific portfolio.

I don't think I'd want to be omnipotent and omniscient (it's fun to be surprised every now an again), and really, I wouldn't want to hassle of tending to every little thing.

Maybe a god of justice would be cool, or something wacky like the god of tricks and pranks.

Cool.

lunachick

I'd like to be the goddess of cheeky naughtiness. My domain would be parties, carnivals, laughter, sensuality, rebelliousness and pretty flowers. I would be a barefoot goddess in a little summer dress and a cheeky grin. The rituals connected to my worship would be quite relaxed and fun, and there would be full-moon parties all spring and summer. There would be no sacrificial animals - but you can pass peace pipes if you must. There would be no conflict in my domain, as there is just no need to not get along. Self-expression through the arts would be my gift to mortals. And fresh fruit. I dig fresh fruit.

Biff the unclean

Bacchus, a God after my own heart.
Let the Biff-bacchanal begin!!!!

Mendeh

Dionysus. Anyone who's the patron god of piss-artists and piss-ups is all right by me. Plus I think those thyrsi are rather sexy.

I ate Pascal's Wafer

I think I would set the world up to run by the constants and laws that I choose. Then I would write a few books and call them "The Bible" and "The Qu'ran". After that, I would hide from the world and see what happens. If people killed in my name, I would send them to hell for a few eons. If people suppressed science for religion, I would send them to hell for a few eons. If people valued life over the afterlife, or reason over religion, and were nice people they could come immediately into heaven.

In the end, everyone will end up in heaven where we'll party, debate, and hang out for the rest of eternity.

-Nick

ashibaka

Well, I would act like the Judeo-Christian-Muslim God, telling everyone that they have to believe in me or go to Hell. Then, everyone who I said was going to Hell would actually go to Heaven, and everyone who I said was going to Heaven would actually go to Hell for about 10 minutes then get taken right back up to Heaven with everyone else. That would definitely amuse all them humans.

Oh, and if I ever got bored, I could just give the Wiccans the supernatural powers they blabber on about for a few days and see what happened.

[ November 26, 2002: Message edited by: ashibaka ]</p>

Amie

I'd be Anubis