Are you Certain There is no God?

Mestemia said:

Really?
our post that is in response to is really nothing more than a long drawn out retelling of what I presented.



Your inability to see a puddles purpose does not negate the puddles purpose.


Well then, just how special do you find them?


And in doing so lose what credibility you had...

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My point is that your Adams quote is assuming way too much about me. As if I think that the world is especially planned out for my existence. It's simply not true.

I do not generalize all atheists that way. My comment is equivalent to the quote you made.

So instead of stereotyping atheists and theists, it would be better not to say anything. But you did stereotype me. So I gave you a false equivalent.

Nakosis said:

Either case might be true, but neither leads to an assumption that humans, any man/woman would have any knowledge about this being.
One assumption by itself is not enough. You need others.

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The assumption is based upon reliable proof.

But that is another topic. I wish you well.

Regards Tony

Mestemia said:

That does not make any sense

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That would be because you may not be aware that the human mind is external from the flesh body.

Regards Tony

Meandflower said:

It is possible to believe in God without believing in prophets, holy books..

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Sure, but why then would we assume any knowledge about such a being?

One is left with an idea of God with no anchors other than whatever one chooses to imagine.
I can imagine an evil God who's only plan is to torture man as easily as you can imagine a different loving God.

Evangelicalhumanist said:

No, I am not "certain" that there is no God, just as I am not certain that there isn't a Ming teapot orbiting Saturn.

However, both are unlikely enough that I am as convinced as I need to be, in going forward.

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Is there anything that you are certain does not exist?

Tony Bristow-Stagg said:

The assumption is based upon reliable proof.

But that is another topic. I wish you well.

Regards Tony

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Ok, whenever, whatever thread you want to present it, I'll be happy to listen.

osgart said:

My point is that your Adams quote is assuming way too much about me. As if I think that the world is especially planned out for my existence. It's simply not true.

I do not generalize all atheists that way. My comment is equivalent to the quote you made.

So instead of stereotyping atheists and theists, it would be better not to say anything. But you did stereotype me. So I gave you a false equivalent.

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I merely presented a much shorter version of what you posted.

That you took offense is a you problem, not a me problem.

Unveiled Artist said:

Is there anything that you are certain does not exist?

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Universal healthcare in the US.

Mestemia said:

I merely presented a much shorter version of what you posted.

That you took offense is a you problem, not a me problem.

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Then, my apologies!

The only thing I am certain about is we can't be absolutely certain about anything.

I know that I know nothing.

Nakosis said:

Sure, but why then would we assume any knowledge about such a being?

One is left with an idea of God with no anchors other than whatever one chooses to imagine.
I can imagine an evil God who's only plan is to torture man as easily as you can imagine a different loving God.

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Belief in a loving god gives Hope to life.it gives comfort. It gives meaning to life. It gives safety

Nakosis said:

Do you feel compelled to believe in God?
Do you feel belief is necessary?

I don't see it but perhaps you can explain it.

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I do not feel compelled to believe in God, I believe in God because of 'what I consider' the evidence that God exists. There are times when I would rather not believe in God and times when I like believing in God, but I whether I like God or not, I continue to believe because I cannot disbelieve in a God I know exists because I would consider that foolish. It might also carry a risk, since I would be rejecting a God that exists.

As far as whether belief is necessary, I started a thread on that not long ago.
Does it really matter what people believe?

Here are some excerpts from that thread related to your question:

I wonder about this a lot. If people lead a good life and follow what Jesus taught, does it really matter if they believe in Jesus or in God?

I have my own ideas why I think it matters what people believe. I believe it matters that people know what reality is, the purpose for which they were created and where they will spend eternity.

If there is no afterlife, I do not think it matters that much what people believe as long as they follow the teachings of Jesus and live a good life, caring about other people and all living creatures and the environment. But will it matter what they believed in this life if there is an afterlife? That is the hundred-dollar question.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
So I think that the main reason it matters if we believe in God or not is because this earthly life is only a small part of our total existence and what we do believe and thus do here will largely determine what our existence will be like for all of eternity.

Mestemia said:

“This is rather as if you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'This is an interesting world I find myself in — an interesting hole I find myself in — fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. I think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for.”

~Douglas Adams​

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Does there exists any puddle out there which wakes up some morning and think about things? A thinking puddle which can wake up and sleep is, itself, is a complex design.

Meandflower said:

Belief in a loving god gives Hope to life.it gives comfort. It gives meaning to life. It gives safety

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Ok, not to say I'm better or you are wrong.
Just for me, I don't need a loving God for hope or comfort or meaning or safety.

These are your reason to believe. Ok...
Reasons I lack.

Nakosis said:

Sure, but why then would we assume any knowledge about such a being?

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We wouldn't have to. We could believe God exists and say we know nothing about Him. I have two friends O met on forums who are like that. They were raised as Christians, then they became nonbelievers for most of adulthood, but recently they both became believers once again, although they have no religion. They are both in their late 70s so that proves anything is possible.

Meandflower said:

Belief in a loving god gives Hope to life.it gives comfort. It gives meaning to life. It gives safety

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Possibly, but these feelings of comfort, meaning and safety do not prove the existence of a God.

Meandflower said:

Belief in a loving god gives Hope to life.it gives comfort. It gives meaning to life. It gives safety

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But I do not think we should believe in God for those reasons. I think we should only believe in that for which there is evidence. Otherwise we are just believing in a fantasy.

shivsomashekhar said:

Possibly, but these feelings of comfort, meaning and safety do not prove the existence of a God.

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Yes it does not prove that God exist, but why prove it? Safety, meaning, comfort help people. It gives a better life. And after all it is possible god actually exist.

Nakosis said:

I am certain there is no good reason for me to believe in God.

Why?
I see no reason to believe anything in the Bible.
I see no reason to believe that God communicates to us either individually or through messengers.

One can of course choose to believe otherwise but there is no argument or evidence which compels one to make either choice. Right?

The choice to believe in these things, like the Bible is purely arbitrary.
Why I don't believe is the same reason I don't believe Harry Potter is anything more than a fictional character, I've no reason to.

Do you feel compelled to believe in God?
Do you feel belief is necessary?

I don't see it but perhaps you can explain it.

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I'm certain as well there is no God. There is absolutely no venue to even pursue the matter objectively, where a person can start with a proper platform on which to base a sound hypothesis on any existing entity and go from there, so it just remains strictly as an idea from people's imagination. Nothing more.

The notion is hopelessly locked in people's heads and there it remains as long as such an idea is entertained where this fantasy plays out.

Trailblazer said:

But I do not think we should believe in God for those reasons. I think we should only believe in that for which there is evidence. Otherwise we are just believing in a fantasy.

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Whats wrong believing in fantasy if the fantasy help people, give them Hope, Joy meaning, safety, better lives, kindness to each other ?
But no god is not fantasy. I’m certain god exist