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Atheists, Who Is the Most Powerful Being in Existence?

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
Because at least one atheist thinks that theists think God is the most powerful being in existence.

So atheists? Who is the most powerful being in existence? Why do you believe this?


ETA: A few poster ITT asked me to define the terms "powerful" and "being." The definitions for the purpose of this thread are presented here.
 
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Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Because at least one atheist thinks that theists think God is the most powerful being in existence.

So atheists? Who is the most powerful being in existence? Why do you believe this?
The most interesting man.

I believe it because he is now the most interesting man on Mars.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Because at least one atheist thinks that theists think God is the most powerful being in existence.

So atheists? Who is the most powerful being in existence? Why do you believe this?

Me.
As far as my life is concerned, I make the decisions and have to deal with the consequences. Who really has more power over my existence than myself? The rest of the universe is more or less an algorithm of cause and effect.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Me.
As far as my life is concerned, I make the decisions and have to deal with the consequences. Who really has more power over my existence than myself? The rest of the universe is more or less an algorithm of cause and effect.

I'm very fond of this saying...

Native American quote: When the blood in your veins returns to the sea, and the earth in your bones returns to the ground, perhaps his then you will remember that this land does not belong to you, it is you who belongs to this land.

Even though I'm an atheist, I think the great spirit is the most powerful.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
Although not an atheist, I'm darn close to being one, so I'll toss in my two cents. Right now I think President Donald J. Trump is the most powerful being in existence. Why? Because he's screwing up the world like no other person ever has before.

.
 
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Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
I'm very fond of this saying...

Native American quote: When the blood in your veins returns to the sea, and the earth in your bones returns to the ground, perhaps his then you will remember that this land does not belong to you, it is you who belongs to this land.

Even though I'm an atheist, I think the great spirit is the most powerful.

The Great Spirit. :)

90


I suspect more than anyone else is shaping our future.
 

A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
The assessment of "powerful" is entirely subjective. Is it who can conquer all others? Is it who can outsmart the others best? Is it who commands the most authority the most easily due to charisma, strength, cunning, or a combination? Is it whose family is the most wealthy and can therefore lay siege to or sway the markets of a global economy? There are various attributes and abilities that can be thought of as imbuing a being with "power." If the task at hand were to find a rat in the grass 100 yards away, the "most powerful" being by anyone's generic account would likely fail miserably, but an eagle could potentially do it.

Besides this, if we're going about the task of assessing this using Earth's standards alone, we might be missing out on other potential beings throughout the universe. Seems a pretty myopic view, even if we don't know there is any other life out there. Just look at the dinosaurs. Creatures who existed before us on our own planet who were vastly more "powerful" in many ways than we could ever hope to be without serious weaponry or augmentation to our natural attributes.
 

epronovost

Well-Known Member
OK, so not atheist but obviously the most powerful person on the planet at the moment is Xi Jinping

If I had to name the most influencial and powerful politician on the planet as we speak, I would agree with you. Donald Trump might wield more power and influence as we speak, but he won't have it for long, at most for another 5 years. Xi Jinping will retain it for decades and, unless there is a revolt against his rule. Plus, as time pass his power will grow as China becomes more and more influencial on the international stage as the US retreat into isolationism and Europe struggle to keep itself united.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
By what criterion do your measure more or less powerful? What is required to be a 'being'?

So, for example, the sun is much, much more 'powerful' than anything on Earth (in the sense of Joules per second generated) but it may or may not qualify as a 'being', depending on whether 'beings' have to be conscious.

And the sun is a small star as stars go. There are many that have a MUCH higher wattage.

As far as living things go, there is still the issue of definition of 'power'. Often it is defined as the ability to get done what you desire. So is a being with less desire more powerful? or is it the being with greater abilities? And since I do not know if there are any 'beings' except on this one small planet, do you want me to speculate about the power of other civilizations on other worlds? If so, I can simply say I don't know.

Ultimately, the question seems too vague to be answerable. Define what 'powerful' is more precisely and perhaps I can get an answer.
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
Who is the most powerful being in existence? Why do you believe this?
Do you mean "right at this moment", or in the very "foreseeable future"?

Right now I think President Donald J. Trump is the most powerful being in existence.
I agree. Trump is the most powerful person on the planet, right now.
But I think that the most powerful people, overall, are the ones who are playing Trump. There's a lot of them.
Vladimir Putin seems like the most truly powerful person on the planet. He's got the second most powerful country under control, and the POTUS on a short leash. He's ratcheting the USA down from "king of the hill".
Tom
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Because at least one atheist thinks that theists think God is the most powerful being in existence.

So atheists? Who is the most powerful being in existence? Why do you believe this?

I was going to say "me" but its already been done so i won't.

Probably Mark Zuckerberg at the moment. Why? He holds the world in his pocket.

Through history i reckon its a toss up between Genghis Khan and Ching Shih
 
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SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
By what criterion do your measure more or less powerful?
Define "most powerful"

For the purpose of this thread, "more or less powerful" is the degree of ability with which to possess authority, influence, or control over that which exists.

'Most' would obviously mean greatest in quantity, extent, or degree.

What is required to be a 'being'?

Let's use that which has conscious existence. And preemptively, we will define 'conscious' as having awareness.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
A few responses have indicated a specific person. Is it safe to say that the majority of atheists would default to a person as the most powerful being in existence?
 
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