my characters have a chance to talk with a god - what would your say?

[gavintonks]

My characters are having a discussion and a god walks in - this is obviously just a paragraph

“We see the same symbolism over and over again,” Horatio replied emboldened by the direction of the conversation, “The Hebraic mysticism of the Merkabah vision of Ezekiel, for instance is the same as the Christian apocalyptic vision of St. John." He walked over to join us, "Both of these visions are images of the Shekinah or Glory of the Divine Immanence riding in an incandescent chariot of flames." He looked up, challenging us, to understand, "They are both drawn with the same four Angelic Beasts, the Man, the Lion, the Ox and the Eagle, the emblems of the Patriarchal Blessing," No one said anything so he continued, "They were later borne on the standards of the four leading tribes who ruled in the South, East, West and North, during the Exodus” Horatio knew his stuff and left his words as an open ended question.

“‘So what is your point?” Balam asked. “It is not often you get a chance to talk with a god,” he was very amiable, “so while you have my interest better make the most of it.”

“The progress of Creation, has reached a boundary of purpose, and the Free Will accorded by the Creator to His human creature, now begins the steep and arduous return journey, back into the Fount of Life and Knowledge,” Horatio paused for effect, he really had his game on, I was impressed,he showed no fear in discussing issues with Balam. “from whence it sprang originally.” He finished as a coup de grace. “So I think my point, is that we are seeing everything repeated, and the question is why?”

[Ophiucha]

God characters are amusing. I've only ever written them once, a few goddess narrators watching the end of humanity, but they never had any direct interaction with the protagonists. I think they were a bit inspired by the Muses from Hercules, now that I look back at it.

For my main project, I think all of my characters are atheists. So any discussion between them and a god would involve them questioning the nature of divinity, and whether immortality and omnipotence can make a man a god. The one sensible one of the group would likely ignore the absurdity and use the opportunity to ask for the solution to the dilemma of their storyline. And the one with the dry wit would try to get himself smote just to prove a point, though not even he is sure of what point that is exactly. For my side project, most of my characters have been excommunicated by the Church, and would likely complain to God about the whole werewolf thing. Except the antagonist, who is Pope Urban V. As a Pope, I guess he must already speak with God in order to do his papal duties?

[Kit]

My MC would cuss God out until the paint blistered on the walls.

[morfiction]

If they met a god? God is a nebulous being. I think that this is sorta like Kevin Smith's "DOGMA" movie.... God is nebulous and to see his true form or hear his true voice would destroy a mortal. So it necessitates that he or she take on a form that is neutral to the witness. Or maybe even pleasing?

I honestly never had an opportunity for God to speak in my writings. Would he even understand English? Would he speak all languages at the same time, since he knows everything? Would he have an accent?

[Queshire]

hmmm..... for most of my characters they'd prolly treat 'im like just any other joe and invite him to hang out, depending on the character that could range from having tea, to play video games, to burning stuff and dancing around the ashes.

[The Dark One]

I've kinda done it twice, but there was no conversation. In the first book (which was published in 2000 by a teensy publisher who has now vanished - sold 124 copies!) the effect of god-type on human was far too powerful and was conveyed with powerful sensation and imagery. The aftermath demonstrated the full impact of what had happened.

My current WIP is a historical novel with two subthemes of a slightly fantastical flavour. One of them is that the main character comes to believe that he communicates with god - in fact, that god is aware of all his desires and gives them to him immediately (in some form or other). This makes him increasingly paranoid and dangerous, but once again there is no dialogue.

A very amusing example of a conversation with god is a short story by Irvine Welsh - The Grantham Star Cause.

[Caged Maiden]

I have had three characters speak to a goddess. They are her servants and for her, they search for the ancient dragons who are lost. So yes, she is powerful, and often toys with them a bit for her own amusement, but she loves her servants.

When another man was told that this goddess saved his life, he made a trip to see her with one of those who serve her. This is his scene:

“Her altar is this one,” said Logan, leading the way to a white altar.

“What do I do?” asked Aethan nervously as they approached the stone slab. “I’ve never prayed in my life.”

“Just kneel at her altar," said Logan reassuringly, “she will do the rest.”

Cautiously, Aethan got onto his knees. He didn’t know if he was supposed to say something or whether he should just think words in his mind. Should he close his eyes? He decided to close his eyes.

Nothing happened.

He waited, but did not feel anything. He wondered what it was to have a god speak to you. Did they speak in the mind, as Rhianna had done? Maybe he needed to still his mind so he could hear. A god might “speak” by giving one feelings or images. What if he were missing them because he was so nervous? He decided to just wait for a feeling to happen, but he couldn’t help wondering how he might get answers to his questions if he could not ask them. Did gods know everything in a man’s mind when he knelt before their altar?

“Are you quite through being silly?” a woman’s voice asked from behind him. He opened his eyes and turned to see who was speaking to him. He was startled to see he knelt before a copper-haired maiden in a white dress.

“I can hear your thoughts when you kneel at my altar,” she said.

“You’re Kitsaya?” he muttered in disbelief.

“I am,” she smiled, “and I’m ready to answer your questions Aethan.”

He began to rise, but then stopped. “Shall I keep kneeling?” he asked.

She laughed. “Of course not, make yourself comfortable. You can start by following me.”

The young woman led him away from the altar, which appeared in a forest glen then, and sat beneath the spreading branches of an ancient tree. She patted the ground next to her, implying he should take a seat as well.

He did, struggling to focus on the forest knowing he was sitting beside an immortal being.

“Tell me, Aethan, why you have come to me,” she said.

He swallowed and said, “I have been struggling with an inner conflict, and was advised to seek your wisdom rather than relying on my own... which was probably good advice.

“The day my wife and son died, you sent Rhianna to save me. I headed for Brazelton per her command, and I realized I was dead in the eyes of my people, and that Andruain was fallen. I went to Brazelton in hope of finding an answer, but I never heard any more from your servants while I waited for the dragon boat which never came.”

“There’s no question in there, is there?” the goddess asked.

“Not yet,” he said.

“Since then, a few people have discovered my true identity and each seems to have a different agenda for me. I know these people mean well, but they have certain expectations that I’m not sure I can live up to.

“I’m not sure how I feel about Andruain’s crown. While I will always love my land and her people a part of me feels like less than a king. I feel wounded by the incessant wars, and crushed by the murder of my whole family.”


Kitsaya crawled over until she knelt in front of him. She stared into his eyes with her gem-blue ones. Taking his chin into her hands, she leaned in and brought her lips to his.

Her touch was intense; riddled with energy, and her lips were sweet. She was intoxicating. His mind reeled as she pulled away.

“Are you ready to ask me your question now?” she breathed, still so close to him.

“Why did you spare me?” he asked weakly.


Now admittedly, there are more powerful gods in my world than this one, but in my world, I always imagined gods as spirits who were strong in the spirit plane, but relatively weak in the mortal world. So they must rely on mortals to do their work there. I hope you enjoyed it, the scene goes on to show a glimpse of history in a seeing pool and is one of my very favorite in this book. Thanks for the thread.

[Ireth]

The vampires in my WIP all get to speak with the Celtic Goddess who created their kind in the moment they are turned. She tells them the basics of what they need to know about being a vampire, often advises them to stay close to their sires to learn more, and answers any questions they have. I imagine it would come as quite a shock to many of them who are Christian. XD

[Saigonnus]

Mine has a rather one-sided conversation with the avatar of a goddess... but he doesn't say much beyond "what's your name?" since as a general rule, most of the humans in my world are heathens, believing more in money and physical things than spiritual ones. Not to mention that the experience was more imagery and sensation than physical words, so to be technical, he's the only one who speaks while she uses other ways of communicating.

“Most of my power is now yours to use in any way you see fit, I must give it away, lest it be subverted by the Master in Shadows. What remains will keep me alive and cannot be touched except by those who serve me. To use it, you must simply believe in me and focus your will.” The voice is a whisper, yet even that seems to echo in his mind.

“Who are you?” Damon’s mind asks, but his mouth doesn’t work. “The earth is my immortal soul, the sea is my blood, the wind is my breath and the stars in the heavens adorn my hair.” the voice responds in his head. “I am love; I am hate, all things of man, and none. I am the creatures of the earth, of the sea and of the air, and they are me. All things are bound to me as I am bound to them; it is the way of the universe.”

[ArielFingolfin]

A couple of my characters are descended from gods, so that would be interesting. I'm pretty sure one would start hollering at them to fix things and the other would be too dumbstruck to speak. Then my other guy wouldn't believe they were real. But it depends on the type of god. Some are large and intimidating, some more comical. The gods in my story are based off celtic gods, which were considered normal people who were just exceptionally good at magic and/or fighting.