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?

A few slebs too...

Could a Norn show up and smite Nigel Farage, please? If we're doing requests.

I don't believe, (raised and confirmed Anglican, left the church at 25) my husband practices Asatru.
We host Blots on a regular basis, have a small alter and an offering table. Everyone drinks from the horn as it is passed around, offering thanks, boasts and toasts.
It's a chance to enjoy a nice fire, have great food and drinks, and a night with the gang.

I like the idea that you are responsible for your own life, the Gods are not there to save you but to teach and learn from.
I like the idea of the noble virtues,and do my best to follow them at all times.

I don’t think you can actually request a smiting. In fact, I think, particularly with the Greeks, a request would result in someone completely different getting smote, or turned into a random natural object just to show you where you get off......

How about one of those Druidical/witchy/Celtic cults the Victorians invented. Golden Bough stuff?

We host Blots on a regular basis

I had to Google:

A blot, is a ritual sacrifice, to the gods, the wights, ancestors, alfr etc. Any of The Holy Powers. They are a way to communicate with them, to ask for intangible gifts and give them in return. "A gift for a gift as it must always be." There is a debate as to whether or not the word "Blot" is apprporiate for non blood sacrafices, many practionores will also use the term "Faining" as an alternative if it is not a blood blot.

I now need to ask, do you blood blot? Is there one fewer person in the gang at the end of the night? Then again, why would I believe a website that can't spell 'practitioners'?

Just asked Ds. He said, without hesitation “Aristotle’s Prime Mover”.

Barrel of laughs, my lad.

It’s an interesting question.

I think I would be disappointed if some god or gods narrative that human beings have come up with thus far turns out to be real. I imagine something more subtle and complex, perhaps beyond the capacity of the human brain to comprehend, if that doesn’t sound too defeatist!

As far as choosing a belief system that encourages humans to live their best lives goes, I’d envision a system which emphasises the essential interconnectedness of all regardless of creed or culture and deters people from engaging in tribalism or ‘othering’, so perhaps pantheism or panentheism, the divine interpenetrating everything and everybody, rather than a god - or gods - on high presiding over saints and sinners.

I like Granny Weatherwax’s approach: that we take our gods apart, and build them anew according to what we need at the time.

Gods that serve people, not the other way round.

I quite like the native American crowd, certainly the story of iktome the spider and his magic web (dreamcatcher) have done wonders for helping ds with nightmares, and I like the whole 'take only what you need from the land and be thankful /repespectful' aspect too.

I'm drawn to atreyu too but am a bit wary of some quite sinister racist undertones in some circles of it. Freya is a total badass who Does. Not. Take. That. Shit.

Like, no loki, I will not marry a giant to get you out of the hole. Sort your own damn problems out.

I love that story and think it's actually pretty funny.

Native Australians are interesting too- in that absolutely nobody seems to know anything about their beliefs, and they aren’t really telling.....

I don’t think you can actually request a smiting.

Oh that's a pity. I think quite a lot of the Psalms do try to request a smiting or similar but maybe they are not successful:

Psalm 7[edit] Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

I'd have to be boring and go with the New Testament God and Jesus.

I'd like to ask them why, despite having some very good points, it's so flipping sexist! Is it really down to some papal conspiracy to edit out all the female aspects a la the Da Vinci Code, or does objective 'godly reality' actually favour male over female? This has been a creeping concern for me recently.

The Roman's. They had a God for all your needs.
Are you standing at the junction of 3 roads?
Apparently Trivia is the day for the job. Not sure why or how but she is there should you need her.
I like the Roman's
Mount Olumpus is the most beautiful place ever...just if anyone was wondering. We went last year and looking at it I can completely understand why humans would believe divine individuals lives there.

The one Fairuza Balk and her pals invoked in The Craft. Manon I think he was called. Admittedly it turned three out of four of them into mental bitches but I would like the powers of changing my appearance and turning red lights green at will.

By the way if anyone can suggest a God to deal with household flies that would be good. Please dont recommend Beelzebub though, hes a bugger to shift

I’d be a good goddess I reckon.
Turning people into mice if they upset me.
Release the cats!!

I'd like to ask them why, despite having some very good points, it's so flipping sexist!

My take is that about 50 AD someone noticed that women were getting positions of power in the church and SHUT THAT STUFF DOWN PRONTO.

Are game of thrones characters included in this game?

“Are game of thrones characters included in this game?”

Absolutely not. “Real” gods only, Several entries on this thread are out of the running. It Has Been Noticed.

I'd go for Sumerian. Inanna & Ereshkigal (waves to Eresh if she's watching)

The Welsh pantheon for me. They have a great sense of humour!

The Hindu gods for me. Good entertainment, great threads, they know how to accessorise and there are so many of them, everyone can find at least one they like.

Yeah the Hindu pantheon is pretty cool.

Hanuman is a total babe

Even the bad guys aren't really bad guys.

Shiva the destroyer? If you want things, anything to change, there has to be destruction. Want to cook some chicken? The life of the chicken is destroyed, the form it was in before you cooked it was destroyed, and your hunger when you've eaten it is destroyed. That's just a Sunday roast.

He's a bit like death in tarot I think.

Of course there is a god.
If there wasn’t humans would have had to have invented one.
The best thing you can say about god is he’s an under achiever.