If it turns out that one god or set of gods is actually real....

[BertrandRussell]

.....who would you like it to be? I’m currently favouring the Mount Olympus lot because all of the totally selfish, quarrelsome, touchy behaviour goes some way to explaining the state of the world. And there were some pretty cool women. The rapeyness is a bit of an issue- but maybe a Training Day would sort that out?

Yeah, they were basically a divine soap opera. They'd have made great reality TV.

They were very 'human' Gods weren't they?

Oh dear, yet another goady atheist post.
I’m sure God forgives you, OP - He forgave our torture and crucifixion, so presumably can handle sneery pisstaking about His existence, but I find it wearisome at best and offensive at worst.
God does exist - the variations in style of worship and belief are just due to humans finding different routes to God, envisaging Him in the way they can best understand.

@Babdoc I believe in God too, but I certainly didn't read the OP as being goady.

And, if you believe that different religions are different routes to God, then surely the Greek gods are also legitimate?

Either way, I'd chill out a bit. Extreme reactions like yours do not help bring people closer to God - quite the opposite, I'd say.

We could do with Jehovah and some smiting right about now I think.

(Also not atheist IRL).

I like the Norse gods - also very human. I think pantheism is much more fun than monotheism.

did anyone hear Zeus as a swan on R4 last night, v funny

I rather like the Tuatha de Dannan.

The Hindu gods would be a good soap opera too.

I think there is a lot to be said for the pagan gods - all very natural and probably opted for a plant-based diet, which is apparently the best way to stop the world burning to a crisp.

Seriously, Babdoc?

I don’t know about the Greek lot. If they turn against you, you’re screwed, and if they like you too much, you keep ending up being impregnated by random golden showers and passing swans.

newt yes it was the marvellous John Finnemore.

😂 training day 😂😂 maybe a therapy retreat like in Fleabag?

I'd vote for the Egyptian bunch.

Osiris, Isis and Set? Proper drama.
Sobek? God with an alligator head? How cool.

Women are well respected as powerful beings what with all the magic of childbirth and such.

Incest may be a problem though... pretty sure Isis and Osiris were brother and sister? Again, nothing a training day can't sort out, I'm sure.

I would bend the knee to the Ruinous Powers of the Warp, with special loyalty to Slaanesh, the
androgynous Prince/ss of Depravity.

warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Slaanesh

Slaanesh wants to love you... messily.

Great idea for a thread Bertrand.

I'd like it if Neil Gaiman's Endless were real, they're not so much gods as... administrators maybe. Overseers.
But they do rule in that Mount Olympus style, less rapey though.

Does anyone remember God, The Devil and Bob?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God,_the_Devil_and_Bob

@Babdoc well I find it offensive that you're forcing your beliefs on to others here.

The Greek gods would be interesting at least. Bit like a divine reality show with all that drama.

Me! I've always fancied Jainism as an ethos. Just working through my karmas, little by little!

I did dither between Greek and Norse. Both have that random tantrumy smiting thing going on that would make life interesting.

The Hindu gods are cool though- and probably much more relaxing to live under.

I did dither between Greek and Norse

Me too. I think the Norse gods are even more human that the Greek gods though and they certainly aren't all powerful. They get hungry, they die. They're not as actively petty.

The Hindu pantheon is just too over-populated for me to get my head around, and I have been mildly intimidated by Jains ever since a friend's observant granny gave me the hairy eyeball for eating a potato curry in front of her (am a strict vegetarian, and not used to people looking reproachfully at me as I eat).

Shinto? No actual gods, as far as I understand it, but you can worship kami in the form of rocks, trees, mountains, waterfalls etc?

Though I'd quite like a Valkyrie in my corner...

What if there are both and it’s like a giant game of blockbusters, single God on one team and a whole pantheon crowded round the second buzzer. It all depends on who just won a hexagon as to who’s gonna smite you.

Questions would be something like:

“What is a legitimate smitable offense?”
“Sex with mortals: verboten or just frowned upon?”
And...
“How do you make shit from literally nothing?”

We could do with Jehovah and some smiting right about now I think.

He's probably resting after all that smiting in the OT. Enough to take it out of any divine being I'd have thought. A teeny little burnt offering might perk him up though?

I can think of some politicians who wouldn't be missed.