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Topic : Re: Why not God as our subject? Certainly there are many Science Fiction writers who touch upon the subject of beings supreme to Man...but always Man is central in writing. - selfpublishingguru.com

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Indeed, why not?

I suspect that to be because most people don't spend a lot of time actually contemplating God or Gods in a realistic fashion.

After all, individual, group, cultural, and theological assumptions keep getting in the way, not to mention there isn't much profit perceived in such activity by most.

Simply put, most people don't actually have a clue what a real God would actually be like. Even those who can trot out a list of characteristics and may even fervently believe in a God or Gods, seldom actually apply any logic or natural conclusion effect to said characteristics and try to figure out what it means in real terms.

You also have the people who reject it out of hand based on little to no thought, others who decide it doesn't make sense and never dig into it, some who associated it with a poor experience, those who simply like to troll, and on and on.

Very rarely do you have someone who studies it thoughtfully and with an (actual) open mind, regardless of outcome.

I will give one possible example of an excellent viewpoint for a stereotypical deity which would make good writing.

Let's even use the Judaeo/Christian God as our example, as that has already been brought up.

An omniscient, omnipotent being. For the purpose of the example, let's suppose this being conceives the desire to not be alone. However automatons just won't do, that's the same as still being alone with toys.

Therefore, other beings who are agents unto themselves, who have the ability to move, to perceive, to act. Also, inherent in that, the ability to NOT do what the being wants, and a commitment to never interfere with these other being's ability to act and choose for themselves.

Second assumption for the example: purity, cleanliness, and holiness/sacredness are also typified by said being. No impure, unclean, unholy thing can exist or dwell with said being. This concept is also pretty well established, even if the nuts and bolts are debated.

With the ability to act, therefore, these other beings can commit acts which render it impossible to dwell with the original being. Therefore a method of teaching not only the knowledge of how to be pure, but a method to cleanse an impure other being is needed, and a way to teach an appreciation for the value and worth of remaining pure or regaining purity and dwelling with the original being.

And so forth. I'll stop here, but I hope my concept can be extrapolated from even this little. In recap: a God who self-limits by never interfering with the ability of mortals to choose but requires purity of all prospective dwellers, life therefore being some kind of school and test all in one, and the desire for other free agents who are capable of being pure enough to dwell with God of their own free will and choice; and you have the makings of all sorts of interesting stories with conflict and drama, successes and failures.

Omnipotence is limited by the non interference clause, and even with omniscience being able to calculate every possible outcome, the being still cannot act in an interfering way, thus allowing for drama and conflict and challenge even from a divine viewpoint.


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