In my private beliefs, much more of a mixed bag. On number, though, I would have to say that I believe that when you get to those levels of power/knowledge/reality, number and individuality aren't concepts that have meaning the way they do for us. So zero, one, and multiple could all be true (and all be not-true) at once (not that simultaneity has a simple meaning at that level either.) Even standard Christian doctrine takes as fundamental the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity, and while I don't necessarily take that particular version as the only true one, I would say that for me to accept as a capital-G God I would expect that question to not have a straight or simple answer.
As for proof: well, again, partly coming from my Christian background (where there's this thread in the New Testament that true God is not something that can or should be subject to proof, and that if a god or prophet is leaning heavily on hard evidence they are probably a false prophet), there isn't really anything proofwise that would convince me of a capital-G god? I think that someone who changes the world around them (preferably for the better!) just by being in it and being themself, someone people have faith in who is worthy of that faith, is all we need of God anyway. And that true faith in true Godhood is almost always something that comes from the self, that can't really be forced by external factors.
For more general supernatural stuff, and for creatures-of-greater-than-Earthly-powers who I might be willing to call gods if they really wanted me to, they would have to pass the JREF challenge. If they can't be bothered to do that, then I can't be bothered to pay attention to any of their other attempts at 'proof'. It's not like the JREF challenge is that difficult, if you really do have supernatural powers, and you can always give the money back if it's below your godly notice. (Even the people in the skeptical community who really dislike JREF in general have never that I've seen criticized the validity and impartiality of the Challenge.) Once they've won the challenge, I'll consider further proofs.
As for what other people will do -- well, I dunno, there are plenty of RL examples of mass religious manifestations! Probably the same as for any given manifestation of the Virgin or statue that drinks milk or whatever. People who are predisposed to believe would believe even more loudly, people predisposed not to believe would loudly express all their reasons not to, people who are withholding judgement would talk about what more they want to see before they decide, and the vast majority of people (regardless of what they believe) would continue their lives as before, just with some slightly louder lunch conversations for awhile. Even passing the JREF challenge or similar impeccable scientific evidence wouldn't change the lives of more than a small group of science aficionados; just look at global warming and evolution.
I think to have something that really changed a lot of folks' minds on a passionate level you would have to have something that *directly* affected their lives - and I don't mean just witnessing an event, I mean threatening their routines and livelihoods. But even then, mostly you're just giving more people a reason to want to believe. Or you'd have to do it slowly over the course of a generation.
I think for me, part of what makes God is being without limit, and any attempt by a story-world to define what is or isn't God is going to make me start rolling my eyes - because wherever you draw your lines, Godness is more than that (and also less than that.) I think leaving the basic question open, or at least confusing as shit, is the only way that works for me.
That doesn't preclude having many many lesser Powers and gods and angels, squabbling around though. (and Gods too, because God is many, and all of the lesser Powers are God too, even the false ones that lie, because God is all things.)
no subject
In my private beliefs, much more of a mixed bag. On number, though, I would have to say that I believe that when you get to those levels of power/knowledge/reality, number and individuality aren't concepts that have meaning the way they do for us. So zero, one, and multiple could all be true (and all be not-true) at once (not that simultaneity has a simple meaning at that level either.) Even standard Christian doctrine takes as fundamental the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity, and while I don't necessarily take that particular version as the only true one, I would say that for me to accept as a capital-G God I would expect that question to not have a straight or simple answer.
As for proof: well, again, partly coming from my Christian background (where there's this thread in the New Testament that true God is not something that can or should be subject to proof, and that if a god or prophet is leaning heavily on hard evidence they are probably a false prophet), there isn't really anything proofwise that would convince me of a capital-G god? I think that someone who changes the world around them (preferably for the better!) just by being in it and being themself, someone people have faith in who is worthy of that faith, is all we need of God anyway. And that true faith in true Godhood is almost always something that comes from the self, that can't really be forced by external factors.
For more general supernatural stuff, and for creatures-of-greater-than-Earthly-powers who I might be willing to call gods if they really wanted me to, they would have to pass the JREF challenge. If they can't be bothered to do that, then I can't be bothered to pay attention to any of their other attempts at 'proof'. It's not like the JREF challenge is that difficult, if you really do have supernatural powers, and you can always give the money back if it's below your godly notice. (Even the people in the skeptical community who really dislike JREF in general have never that I've seen criticized the validity and impartiality of the Challenge.) Once they've won the challenge, I'll consider further proofs.
As for what other people will do -- well, I dunno, there are plenty of RL examples of mass religious manifestations! Probably the same as for any given manifestation of the Virgin or statue that drinks milk or whatever. People who are predisposed to believe would believe even more loudly, people predisposed not to believe would loudly express all their reasons not to, people who are withholding judgement would talk about what more they want to see before they decide, and the vast majority of people (regardless of what they believe) would continue their lives as before, just with some slightly louder lunch conversations for awhile. Even passing the JREF challenge or similar impeccable scientific evidence wouldn't change the lives of more than a small group of science aficionados; just look at global warming and evolution.
I think to have something that really changed a lot of folks' minds on a passionate level you would have to have something that *directly* affected their lives - and I don't mean just witnessing an event, I mean threatening their routines and livelihoods. But even then, mostly you're just giving more people a reason to want to believe. Or you'd have to do it slowly over the course of a generation.
I think for me, part of what makes God is being without limit, and any attempt by a story-world to define what is or isn't God is going to make me start rolling my eyes - because wherever you draw your lines, Godness is more than that (and also less than that.) I think leaving the basic question open, or at least confusing as shit, is the only way that works for me.
That doesn't preclude having many many lesser Powers and gods and angels, squabbling around though. (and Gods too, because God is many, and all of the lesser Powers are God too, even the false ones that lie, because God is all things.)