What would you do if offered the chance to become God?

[Photolysis]

Say you were walking along one day minding your own business when the current sole god appears before you, and offers to grant you its current position and power, namely omnipotence (save for causing anything paradoxical) and becoming the only being with such power. Assume for the sake of argument that you're able to be convinced of the legitimacy of the offer, and that you're not hallucinating or being fooled by an illusion or whatever. When it comes to power and abilities that come along with the position, accepting grants you complete omnipotence save for where this would cause paradoxical or contradictory actions. For instance, you could make an unstoppable force or an immovable object but not both at once. You're also not bound by the laws of physics and can alter them on a whim or take actions that are forbidden by them. Omniscience does not automatically come with the position though you do have the power of making yourself omniscient if you so wish. Accepting the offer also grants you the power to modify your own abilities, knowledge, and existence on a temporary or permanent basis. For example, you could permanently destroy yourself, decide to forget knowledge you've already obtained, or place yourself in a 'lesser' form with the option to regain your full knowledge and abilities should the need arise. So, all these things considered: Would you accept the offer in the first place? Would you limit your abilities and knowledge on a temporary and reversible basis? Would you reveal yourself as a god to humanity and/or other sapient species (if they exist)? Would you grant others the same level of power? What would you do if you had such power?

[HeavySleeper]

So basically, the plot line of Bruce Almighty?

[Photolysis]

Similar, I guess. Hopefully without the moronic protagonist part

[ninja9578]

Nothing, I would steer humanity in the right direction, but do so subtly. Man must make it's own mistakes to learn from them. I quote futurama: when you've done things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all. That's how I would rule I'd also give away all my possessions, I mean if I was god I could manifest things and demanifest them at will so I wouldn't need anything, just me and the dog

[Xei]

Inquire about lunch breaks.

[HeavySleeper]

I don't know what I would do, really. I'd probably accept the offer, but make it temporary. Being omniscient and omnipotent would probably feel unbelievably amazing though, so I'd most likely want it to be permanent once I'd got a feel of what it's like. As far as letting people know of my existence, I'd maybe just stay quiet and guide events in secret, like ninja. And I don't think I would grant anyone else the same power. It's tough to decide all of this. If it ever really happens, I'm fucked.

[Marvo]

I'd kill myself, just to spite people who believe in me. I'd thread shit more and better than I ever have before.

[sloth]

Someone is offering me the opportunity to not exist? LOL! I'm just kidding. That's not what I really believe.

[Invader]

First I would ask God why it's offering me Its position.. It seems like an odd thing to do, for a God, so I'd be a bit suspicious. I don't think I'd accept though.. Knowing firsthand that a God actually exists would allow me to approach my current life in a new way, and perhaps I'd have something important to learn from all of it.

[Savy]

It is a very tempting offer, but I hope I'd have the clarity to not accept the offer. If I did accept, I expect I'd spend most of my time trying to make the universe more perfect and free of suffering. I guess.

[khh]

It's kinda funny how the OP left guiding questions, and yet none of those who've answered has cared to pay them any mind. Would you accept the offer in the first place? Yes, I believe I would. Firstly I've always wanted to have "magical powers", and this would be the mother of all "magical gifts". Secondly I, like many others, have an inflamed sense of self importance and self integrity, so I'd probably reason that I could do a better job than some guy/gal/god I didn't know. Would you limit your abilities and knowledge on a temporary and reversible basis? Not right away. First I'd grant myself omniscience so I'd know if I could improve the world. If, however, I couldn't, or after I had made the ideal world (according to my beliefs, obviously), I might do so. Would you reveal yourself as a god to humanity and/or other sapient species (if they exist)? No. This would serve no other purpose than to inflate my sense of importance, and being an omnipotent and omniscient being I probably wouldn't need the boost in confidence. Would you grant others the same level of power? This is a tough question. I would only do so if I was sure it would be for the best, and if I was sure the person could be trusted. Being omniscient that should be possible, but it seems a paradox might arise if you have to omnipotent, omniscient beings with free will. What would you do if you had such power? I'd probably get myself some perks first off, but then I'd try to make the world a better place. The greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people, but not at any expense. I think I'd also take care to make a backup of the world as it was before I started doing anything. Just in case my tweaks didn't turn out right.

[Marvo]

It's kinda funny how the OP left guiding questions, and yet none of those who've answered has cared to pay them any mind. Guiding questions are just that, guiding questions. I believe they were meant to be things to take into consideration, when formulating our answer. Not something to specifically answer.

[khh]

Guiding questions are just that, guiding questions. I believe they were meant to be things to take into consideration, when formulating our answer. Not something to specifically answer. Yes, I agree. However most people answering ignored all but one of those questions. Ideally the answer should probably be worked into a coherent text, but I just couldn't be arsed to do that :p

[COLnop]

I wouldn't. Being God sounds pretty lonely... That and being able to do anything would get old quick

[snoop]

I would legalize marijuana.

[Seroquel]

I would legalize everything.

[tommo]

Based on your answers, I choose Seroquel. Anyway, I would observe everybody on every planet and kill the ones I didn't like. Then I would come to Earth and bring all the dead great scientists to life and gather them with all the living great scientists and tell them to suck my dick keep searching for the answers, and to spread their knowledge to everybody that they can, so that we can stop destruction and greed. I could do that myself obviously, but humans need a goal, something to occupy them. I would also give all the people I didn't kill the most ecstatic orgasm they've ever had every night for an hour (not by having sex with them lol, just make them have it). I would converse with other life forms on different planets and on Earth, like dolphins, dogs and monkeys. Everything really lol I suppose I would have to give power to another person. Because evidently the previous god gave me power, and since I would be the same as that god, due to knowledge, it would be inevitable that I would eventually do the same thing. I would also find out, and see, how the universe/s began. Depending on how it happened and how I feel about it, I would keep that memory or discard it and keep wondering about it. Oh and to the people who said and will say that they would refuse the offer. Load of shit. Why do you LD? To feel like a god.

[stormcrow]

I would explore the cosmos. With an entourage consisting of Buddha, Carl Sagan, Finn the human, Diogenes, Lewis Carroll, James Joyce and probably Andre Breton and we would laugh on into the night and go on adventures.

[Photolysis]

Yes, I agree. However most people answering ignored all but one of those questions. Ideally the answer should probably be worked into a coherent text, but I just couldn't be arsed to do that :p Yeup, the questions above were merely designed to be thought-provoking, and not something specifically to answer. As for me, I'd accept the offer (though I would have to ask why the offer is being made), and whilst I'd use that power to improve things, I'm still undecided on how exactly I would go about that. Stopping all the suffering I would be capable of preventing would tip humanity to the fact that something was very different, unless I also conducted mass memory edits at the same time. On the other hand, making some drastic changes to the way the universe operates and giving humanity the "things are going to change around here" speech has some benefits, but also some negatives as well. But I certainly wouldn't give away all kinds of answers to the universe if I did take that route, because I feel the journey of finding out such knowledge has value in itself. If you take the covert approach of guiding humanity in the right direction behind the scenes, then that would seem to lead to a lot of unnecessary suffering. At some point I would have to limit my own abilities and knowledge, to avoid becoming bored out of my mind. Plus it's not really much fun doing everything effortlessly.

[JussiKala]

I'd accept it, do some changes to the world, and finally, incorporate myself into the world again, and at the same time, make myself unable to use any of my powers anymore. Still me, but the world is now a better place. And no godly powers left.

[khh]

At some point I would have to limit my own abilities and knowledge, to avoid becoming bored out of my mind. Plus it's not really much fun doing everything effortlessly. You would be omnipotent. You could make yourself never be bored.

[Marvo]

You would be omnipotent. You could make yourself never be bored. I think this kind of moves the meaning of omnipotence into a realm where it becomes hard to think about. Redefining "being bored". Maybe we are all gods and we have simply limited our own understanding, so we can attach meaning to an otherwise seamingly meaningless existence as a god. Maaaan.

[Photolysis]

You would be omnipotent. You could make yourself never be bored. I could but would prefer not to; not my style. I'd rather entertain myself instead of taking divine crack.

[tommo]

That reasoning is so flawed. You wouldn't care if you did it. If you want to suffer needlessly, I guess it's okay.

[spockman]

Based on your answers, I choose Seroquel. Anyway, I would observe everybody on every planet and kill the ones I didn't like. Then I would come to Earth and bring all the dead great scientists to life and gather them with all the living great scientists and tell them to suck my dick keep searching for the answers, and to spread their knowledge to everybody that they can, so that we can stop destruction and greed. I could do that myself obviously, but humans need a goal, something to occupy them. I would also give all the people I didn't kill the most ecstatic orgasm they've ever had every night for an hour (not by having sex with them lol, just make them have it). I would converse with other life forms on different planets and on Earth, like dolphins, dogs and monkeys. Everything really lol I suppose I would have to give power to another person. Because evidently the previous god gave me power, and since I would be the same as that god, due to knowledge, it would be inevitable that I would eventually do the same thing. I would also find out, and see, how the universe/s began. Depending on how it happened and how I feel about it, I would keep that memory or discard it and keep wondering about it. Oh and to the people who said and will say that they would refuse the offer. Load of shit. Why do you LD? To feel like a god. EDIT: Okay, but seriously, no one can begin to answer this question. It is like asking someone what they would do if they were a praying mantis. No clue. I would be such a different being I would essentially cease to exist. If I were a praying mantis I would do praying mantisy things. If I were a god I would do divine things. Except that I couldn't be a praying mantis because then I would be a praying mantis... Not me. Just like I couldn't be a god. If I were a god I would be a god... not me. This may sound very self defeating but I assure you that it makes sense in my head. Pinky swear. So, yeah, I would refuse the power because I would not want to stop existing. If possible, I would take a portion of the power, maybe.