<i>&gt; In practice it might be impossible to tell the difference.</i><p>I agree there is no perceivable difference. As far as I&#x27;m aware, the &quot;goodness&quot; of those deities is imbued to them <i>by definition</i>, not because their actions are objectively ethical or even moral by today&#x27;s standards.<p>If an artificial (whatever that may mean) being someday chooses to present themselves as that sort of deity, it could exploit this exact same mental vulnerability in humans. It&#x27;s the ultimate <i>might-makes-right</i> assertion. The only difference would be this being actually exists outside of people&#x27;s imagination.