Questions for Atheists and Agnostics

[QuestioningMind]

Is there any reason to think that God, if God exists, would want 100% of people in the world to believe in Him?

If God wanted everyone to believe in Him, what do you think God would do in order to accomplish that?

youDo think that God can show up on earth? If so, how would God do that?

Is there any reason to think that God, if God exists, would want 100% of people in the world to believe in Him?
Yes, because I am often approached by theist who claim that their God WANTS me to know Him and His eternal love.

If God wanted everyone to believe in Him, what do you think God would do in order to accomplish that?
I can't speak for EVERYONE, but I can speak for myself. IF there is a creator god then this god knows that I will require verifiable evidence for its existence.

Do you think that God can show up on earth? If so, how would God do that?
Of course, I have no reason to believe that any god actually does exist. However, I've often been told by those who do that their god is capable of ANYTHING. So according to THEM it would be really easy.

 

[QuestioningMind]

Only if you aren't concerned about clarity, or accuracy. As there are lots of theists that do not accept the Abrahamic God-concept. By your logic they would be both atheists and theists, which pretty much renders both designations pointless.

Atheist just means a lack of belief in a god. So if you don't believe in Odin, then you have an atheistic stance when it comes to the god Odin... that is, you lack any belief in Odin. That doesn't necessarily mean that you lack belief in ANY god. So saying that someone is an atheist when it comes to the Abrahamic god is a perfectly clear and legitimate statement.

 

[PureX]

Atheist just means a lack of belief in a god.

That's not SPECIFICALLY what it means. "Theism" is the philosophical assertion that God/gods exist in a way that effect our experience and understanding of reality. It doesn't really have anything to do "belief", except that we tend to "believe" that which we have deemed philosophically (reasonably) true. But such a belief is not a requirement. So "atheism' is not the "lack of such belief", it's the rejection of the (whole) philosophical proposition.

 

[ChristineM]

That's not SPECIFICALLY what it means. "Theism" is the philosophical assertion that God/gods exist in a way that effect our experience and understanding of reality. It doesn't really have anything to do "belief", except that we tend to "believe" that which we have deemed philosophically (reasonably) true. But such a belief is not a requirement. So "atheism' is not the "lack of such belief", it's the rejection of the (whole) philosophical proposition.

Read the definition,i provided it earlier, seems you still haven't bothered.

 

[suncowiam]

God created everything including superficiality and vanity.

 

[ERLOS]

The situation may have changed from science rightly refusing to allow theology to influence its research, to actively and loudly proclaiming that God cannot possibly exist?

Nobody knows that. God's existence cannot either be disproved. It's out there as a matter of opinion, nothing more.

Demanding physical proof of what lies outside and beyond Man's five senses and the scientific extensions: radio and infra-red telescopes etc -- is actually quite disingenuous and the strident a(nti)theists do certainly not have the scientific ethos or method on their side by refusing to acknowledge the possibility of 'God' in a universe which science -- truly wonderful as it is -- has so far unravelled 4% of, and of that 4% still 50% to 90% of that 'known' energy is still to be found.

Never mind the remaining 96% classed as dark matter and dark energy: as if putting words to it means anyone knows what it is, of even if it is ...

 

[QuestioningMind]

That's not SPECIFICALLY what it means. "Theism" is the philosophical assertion that God/gods exist in a way that effect our experience and understanding of reality. It doesn't really have anything to do "belief", except that we tend to "believe" that which we have deemed philosophically (reasonably) true. But such a belief is not a requirement. So "atheism' is not the "lack of such belief", it's the rejection of the (whole) philosophical proposition.

 

[QuestioningMind]

That's not SPECIFICALLY what it means. "Theism" is the philosophical assertion that God/gods exist in a way that effect our experience and understanding of reality. It doesn't really have anything to do "belief", except that we tend to "believe" that which we have deemed philosophically (reasonably) true. But such a belief is not a requirement. So "atheism' is not the "lack of such belief", it's the rejection of the (whole) philosophical proposition.

It is the rejection of the philosophical proposition of based on a LACK OF BELIEF. My rejection of the philosophical proposition of Odin is based on my lack of belief in Odin. Should anyone ever offer me verifiable evidence that Odin exists, I would no longer reject the philosophical proposition of Odin.

 

[oldbadger]

Is there any reason to think that God, if God exists, would want 100% of people in the world to believe in Him?

If God wanted everyone to believe in Him, what do you think God would do in order to accomplish that?

Do you think that God can show up on earth? If so, how would God do that?

Oh dear......... this could be seen (one day) as a devious interrogation, especially if the World should ever be so misguided as to allow a theocracy to take power.

You see, all those who had not declared themselves to be believers and followers could be 'tagged' as 'unworthy of God's interest'.

....... back on the road to untamench.... ?

 

[ERLOS]

It starts from the assumption that consciousness is created by the brain, as an article of faith, and works from there based on that assumption. There's little difference from assuming the universe was created in 6 days and working from there, based on that assumption.

 

[ERLOS]

And it ends up with the conclusion that Man is without any possibility of doubt or argument the highest intelligence in the known universe. And what could be sadder than that?

 

[Trailblazer]

My guess would be God does not need us at all, but an all embracing Love would indicate to us, that all are invited to partake.

Your guess would be right. God does not need anyone to believe in Him because God is fully self-sufficient, far far above the need for any of His creatures or their belief. God wants us to believe in Him for our sake, not for His sake.

“Your Lord, the God of mercy, can well dispense with all creatures. Nothing whatever can either increase or diminish the things He doth possess. If ye believe, to your own behoof will ye believe; and if ye believe not, ye yourselves will suffer.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 148

“Consider the mercy of God and His gifts. He enjoineth upon you that which shall profit you, though He Himself can well dispense with all creatures.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 140

God loves us so God has invited us all to love Him.

3: O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.

4: O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.

5: O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.
The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 4

Thus Love will conquer all and one must seek the given sources of Love. This is Gods way.

God’s Way is that we must seek what God provides that demonstrates His Love for us.

 

[Trailblazer]

Why are these questions being addressed to atheists and agnostics? Atheists don't believe that any gods exist, and agnostics have decided that they simply lack the necessary information to make such a determination. So by definition, they would both be excluded from being able to answer your questions.

That is an excellent question.

I asked atheists and agnostics because some of them on another forum seem to think that they know all about what god would do if god existed. I just wanted to know if there were any atheists and agnostics on this forum who think they also have “an inside line to god.”

The atheists and agnostics I refer to do not think they are excluded because they think they know more about what god would do (if god existed) than religious believers know about what God actually does.

Now do you understand why I asked these questions?

 

[Trailblazer]

I'm atheist to the Abrahamic God.

The only reason such a God would want everyone to believe in him would be a giant ego, the search for fame. Attention seeking to the extreme would help in that goal, as would getting others to promote you incessantly. Such a God, (and remember I don't believe in such a God) reminds me of some fame seeker. I suppose people could believe whatever they wanted to, but this version is all delusion. Little kids believe in Superman, in Santa Claus, etc.

I fully agree that if God wanted attention and for everyone to believe in Him, God would have a giant ego and be searching for fame.
This version of God is all a delusion.

 

[Trailblazer]

Why would such a being have such a frail ego?

Why would you think that God would want people to believe in Him because of His ego?
God is not a human so God does not have an ego.

 

[Trailblazer]

“Is there any reason to think that God, if God exists, would want 100% of people in the world to believe in Him?”
Does an engineer expect any of his work to believe in him? However, the bible seems to indicate god wants many believers or else!!!

Good point. No, the engineer would not expect anyone to believe in him, but he would hope that people would trust that the bridge was sound so they would use the bridge to get where they are going. So it seems as if a god existed that god would hope that we would make use of His creation.

I plead ignorance about the Bible God since I was never a Christian and I do not know much of what is in the Bible. The Baha’i God does not expect everyone to believe in Him. He leaves it up to everyone to decide for themselves whether to believe in Him or not.

How many believers make a god? Terry Pratchett explored this idea often in his Diskworld series of books, the book Small Gods is based on the idea of a gods strength is relative to the number of believers they have.

I am a firm believer that it does not matter one iota how many believers this God has. An Almighty God does not need any believers at all. Only a wimpy god would need believers.

“If God wanted everyone to believe in Him, what do you think God would do in order to accomplish that?”
Provide incontrovertible evidence for his existence and for the mythology surrounding him. Of course there would be some who argue with evidence but...

What kind of evidence would that be? What exactly would God do?

“Do you think that God can show up on earth? If so, how would God do that?”
God magic?

So you are saying you don’t really know, but it would have to be something only God knows?

P.S. if a god ever showed up and proved him/her/it self then faith would end. You don't need faith to believe in fact.

That is true, and that is one reason God will never show up on earth. God wants our faith. The other reason is that it is impossible for an immaterial Spirit to show up in a material world and be seen by anyone.

 

[Trailblazer]

“Is there any reason to think that God, if God exists, would want 100% of people in the world to believe in Him?”
You are suggesting that God want that there be no atheists and agnostics.

No, I am not suggesting that. I am asking people if they think that.

I can think of no reason why "God" should deny, or want to deny, any part of itself. It's not rational to deny part of yourself (especially if you are all-knowing, and doubly so if you are all-present).

I can think of no reason why God would want to reveal ALL of Himself. I would think that God would only reveal what humans need to know about Him. I would also think that God would only reveal what is possible to reveal about Himself.

If God is, then God is believed in. For atheists and agnostics, it is not the case that "God" is.

If God is, God can be believed in or not believed in, because God gives everyone that choice.

 

[Trailblazer]

I don't see any reason, even if a deity exists, that any of these would necessarily be true.

I fully agree. There is no reason to think that a god would expect everyone to believe in Him or that a god would do anything in particular in order to accomplish that.

However, if a *good* deity exists, and if the alternative is eternal torture, then the deity would make its existence quite clear to everyone.

I fully agree. It’s a good thing there is no such thing as eternal torture.

 

[Trailblazer]

I don't think a "loving " God would want everyone to believe in them.
If folks wanted to believe, that's fine. If folks didn't want to believe that's fine too.

I don't think a "loving" God would want to be worshiped as a God. I doubt they would want to be worshipped at all.

A loving God would just love with no requirements placed upon those they loved. No worship required, no belief required.

Thanks for your input. I do not believe that God wants anything for Himself.

I do not believe that God wants everyone to believe in Him. God wants that to be our free choice. That is why we have free will.

I do not believe a loving God would want to be worshiped for His own sake, because God does not need anyone’s worship.

I agree that a loving God would just love with no requirements placed upon those he loved. No worship required, no belief required.

 

[Father Heathen]

Why would you think that God would want people to believe in Him because of His ego?
God is not a human so God does not have an ego.

Abrahamic religions portray him as having such.