so what do you think?

[Brainstormy]

is this epiphenoma going to make for fewer, or more, believers? Will the "good God" have his reputation besmirched? Will the unanswered prayers create more doubts? Or will the flattened curve testify to Providence? What are you seeing or hearing and how do you think the global virus outbreak will alter global religiosity?

[Laelth]

1. Usually, epiphenomena like this create more believers, afaik.

We shall see what we see, I suppose. Interesting question, either way.



-Laelth

[LakeArenal]

2. I don't care one way or the other.

If it gives some folks comfort fine.

It doesn’t affect what I think.
But if they don’t believe science fixing god’s will, then screw them.

[Brainstormy]

4. OK. I get that you don't care

I don't particularly either. But this is a HUGE challenge to traditional religious postures. Certainly the greatest in recent history. My question pertained to which way you think folks will jump. (I know you know that religion is under seige.? Will this add, or detract, from that?

[LakeArenal]

6. I don't care if religion is under siege.

We all are under siege.

If they want to bless end of times fine.
If they want to blame godless folks like me I don’t care. But as long as prime time pastors keep asking for donations, gullible people going to cough it up.

Desperate people I hear resort to divinity.

[Karadeniz]

3. I hope...but don't expect...people would question a God who dabbles in earthly affairs. We have

Souls which contain the nature of "God," ( the Good) and that is being manifested by all those individuals putting themselves at risk to help others. Because people don't understand Mind and its relationship to soul, people won't see that it is our souls at work which is how the God system works. This is the basis of Jesus's teachings on soul, but who would know?

[Brainstormy]

8. as an atheist, I don't relate/

understand, affirm any of this. Perhaps you're in the wrong forum?

[uriel1972]

14. There is no evidence for souls

as I have said before, we have seen to the end of the universe and down to the Planck length and still no shadow of a skerrrick of any evidence for a soul..

Oh and please don't peddle religion in an atheist group, it is very rude and against the rules. Be cautious.

[gibraltar72]

5. Based on the Arkansas Ass of Gawd thing.

I anticipate he's gonna call a bunch home.

[Brainstormy]

7. me too, and

He might owe a tad of explanation to the Fox News demographic.

[thucythucy]

9. God's song, by Randy Newman:

"How we laugh up here in heaven
at the prayers you offer me..."

Been thinking about that line that a lot lately.

[Brainstormy]

10. wonderful!

Thank You!

[thucythucy]

11. Randy Newman is amazing.

Most people know him I guess because of "Short People" and the Toy Story soundtracks, but he's written some amazing lyrics.

Among my favorites:

"It's Money That I Love" (a GOP anthem)
"Old Man on the Farm"
"Jolly Coppers on Parade"

and of course, "Louisiana 1927" which enjoyed some fame after Katrina:

"The river rose all day
the river rose all night
some people got lost in the flood
some people got away all right
the river has busted through clear down to Plaquemine
six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline....

President Coolidge come down in a railroad train
with a little fat man with a notepad in his hand
President say 'Little fat man isn't a shame
what the river has done to this poor cracker's land?'"

Best wishes.

[Warpy]

12. There will be fewer believers in President Putin's Piggy

but I'm convinced the god stuff is hard wired in some people. They are likely in the minority, as I've heard doubts voiced by many more people than I've heard true belief with no doubts. IOW, I don't bug anyone about it, it's none of my business.

I think the larger number of vocal doubters and outright vocal nonbelievers in Europe can be traced to having two world wars fought on their soil with a depression between them. I know that the Black Death in the mid 1300s broke a lot of faith in the inerrancy of Rome, although god seems to have survived it quite nicely.

This isn't nearly drastic enough to get god to disappear entirely. Churches headed by liars who convince the faithful that Jesus will save their bacon are not going to be nearly as popular once the number of dead is added up, especially among the fellow true believers whose faith was so strong they were total pains in the ass. We might see basically sensible people becoming Deists.

But while this might stir the pot a bit, believers are still going to believe in something.

[Brainstormy]

13. You offered some good points

I agree that believers are still going to believe. but history does suggest that the "Punishment from God" thing does backfire sometimes.