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How Much Do You Doubt God's Existence?

Quintessence

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
It is really very simple.

It is a fact that I get to decide what I deify.
It is also a fact that I have already decided what I deify.

What is there to even doubt, exactly? That would be about as stupid as doubting my ability to decide what I want to have for lunch later today.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Quintessence said:
It is really very simple.

It is a fact that I get to decide what I deify.
It is also a fact that I have already decided what I deify.

What is there to even doubt, exactly? That would be about as stupid as doubting my ability to decide what I want to have for lunch later today.
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So you would agree with a random atheist that nothing exists beyond what they believe in, but you're a theist merely because of your attitude toward the things that both of you agree exist?

Do I understand you correctly?
 
osgart

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Anything divine with a grande plan, who has power and authority over me, forget it, that God(s) don't exist.

Eternal living beings as a source of existence as we know it, maybe, but I see that earth is pretty much on its own with no heaven and no hell. Flip side of that maybe we are spawned from a higher dimensional brane that spits out universes.

The monkey wrench in existence is the mystery of sentience, souls, of all living creatures on Earth.
 
PureX

PureX

Veteran Member
There is no such condition is "uncertain certainty". Anything less than certainty is no longer certainty. It's uncertainty. And since we humans are not omniscient, honest certainty is not attainable.

So then, are there degrees of uncertainty? Perhaps, but logically, any degree less than 100% certainty is already an admission of error. Whatever number value we assign to it is declaring it's own probability of inaccuracy. So why assign any number at all? And what, then, is the purpose of this exercise?

As usual, it is to fool ourselves into thinking that we know something that we don't actually know. A kind of obsession we humans have with self-deception when it comes to presuming that we can "know" things that we WANT to know, but don't.
 
K

Kfox

Well-Known Member
Nakosis said:
Is there any room in your belief to doubt God exists?
Or do you believe in God with 100% certainty?

If you're agnostic does that mean you believe there is a 50% chance God exists and a 50% chance he doesn't?

If you don't believe in God or gods are you 100% certain there is no God(s)? 90%, 70%?

If you believe in more than one God are there some gods you don't believe in? How certain that these gods you don't believe in don't exist?

What do you base this percentage of non-belief on?
Click to expand...
What do you mean when you say "God"?
 
Vinayaka

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Nakosis said:
Is there any room in your belief to doubt God exists?
Or do you believe in God with 100% certainty?

If you're agnostic does that mean you believe there is a 50% chance God exists and a 50% chance he doesn't?

If you don't believe in God or gods are you 100% certain there is no God(s)? 90%, 70%?

If you believe in more than one God are there some gods you don't believe in? How certain that these gods you don't believe in don't exist?

What do you base this percentage of non-belief on?
Click to expand...
We all have our moods, periods where we differ from the 'norm'. We can be tired or refreshed, hungry of full. So too with beliefs, in my view. So ... there are days when I have some doubts about Siva's existence. They are relatively rare. But as to God, I generally don't think He (the Abrahamic version) exists at all.
 
beenherebeforeagain

beenherebeforeagain

Rogue Animist
Premium Member
Nakosis said:
If you're agnostic does that mean you believe there is a 50% chance God exists and a 50% chance he doesn't?
Click to expand...
No. Being agnostic means that I don't think that there is any way that humans can make any intelligible statements about deity or deities, such as an estimate of probability of existence. I therefore reserve judgment or even estimation on the question the existence or nonexistence of a God or gods, as we simply cannot know anything meaningful about them.
 
Quintessence

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
9-10ths_Penguin said:
And you're not planning to help with that, apparently.
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Eh, not interested in making it more complicated than it needs to be right now.

Doubt is isn't that complicated, regardless of the topic or subject. You either trust yourself and your aptitudes - you either take responsibility for being discerning and making your own decisions - or you don't. You either learn to live with yourself - or you don't. And that doesn't have some one-to-one relationship with one's metaphysical perspectives on reality as a whole, which is the direction you took things in for some reason.
 
Nakosis

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
beenherebeforeagain said:
No. Being agnostic means that I don't think that there is any way that humans can make any intelligible statements about deity or deities, such as an estimate of probability of existence. I therefore reserve judgment or even estimation on the question the existence or nonexistence of a God or gods, as we simply cannot know anything meaningful about them.
Click to expand...

I feel about the same. Wasn't sure about other people though.
 
Rational Agnostic

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
ChristineM said:
Im atheist and out the other side... ;-). I am 100% certain no gods exist.

I base it on all the things in this universe, on this world, in this life that have no need for a god or gods. There are many evidences that i believe show no god exists.
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Can you demonstrate this as a fact? The only thing I take as a certainty is the existence of consciousness and the non-existence of things that are direct contradictions (square circles or triangles with four sides for example). Can you demonstrate that the existence of *any* god would result in a contradiction that is logically impossible?
 
Mock Turtle

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Nakosis said:
Is there any room in your belief to doubt God exists?
Or do you believe in God with 100% certainty?
Click to expand...
Plenty of room for doubt and hence I can't have a belief as to 100% certainty for either position, but mostly atheist.
Nakosis said:
If you're agnostic does that mean you believe there is a 50% chance God exists and a 50% chance he doesn't?

If you don't believe in God or gods are you 100% certain there is no God(s)? 90%, 70%?
Click to expand...
Probably over 99% (no God) if one can put a figure on such things.
Nakosis said:
If you believe in more than one God are there some gods you don't believe in? How certain that these gods you don't believe in don't exist?

What do you base this percentage of non-belief on?
Click to expand...
Less likely to be more than one god, in my view, but not based on much apart from all the fighting that might ensue. :eek:
 
Bear Wild

Bear Wild

Well-Known Member
9-10ths_Penguin said:
So you would agree with a random atheist that nothing exists beyond what they believe in, but you're a theist merely because of your attitude toward the things that both of you agree exist?

Do I understand you correctly?
Click to expand...
You did not ask this but here is how I would respond from my experience. For me It is an experiential and relational existence. Having been well grounded in science and rational thought for so long in my life I would have said it is all just how we want to see the world. After the many experiential relationships I have now had I now see in not coming from me. I am not labeling the gods or goddess or spirits of the land, I am connecting with them in a relationship. To define them would be about as easy to define the Tao or define the wyrd. An atheist who experiences themselves in connecting with something greater than the self may not use the word god. Someone who does not experience this would not believe in a god or goddess but that would not essential prove they are not their. The classic rational response is - it is all in your head, but since my head is not disconnected with the world and exists in relationship to the world i know for myself it is not.
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Rational Agnostic said:
Can you demonstrate this as a fact? The only thing I take as a certainty is the existence of consciousness and the non-existence of things that are direct contradictions (square circles or triangles with four sides for example). Can you demonstrate that the existence of *any* god would result in a contradiction that is logically impossible?
Click to expand...

I can demonstrate it to my satisfaction.

Lack of evidence
Unnecessary suffering
Childhood leukemia
Futility of prayer
No need for gods
 
Nakosis

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Kfox said:
What do you mean when you say "God"?
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What I usually mean by God is a/the originator of everything. However I wouldn't think it necessary to agree with that to answer the question.

More important is whatever you mean by God as something you believe may or may not exist.

Or feel free to use one of the following definitions if you have none of your own:

1-God : the supreme or ultimate reality: such as
a : the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped (as in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism) as creator and ruler of the universe

b Christian Science : the incorporeal divine Principle ruling over all as eternal Spirit : infinite Mind

2-or less commonly God : a being or object that is worshipped as having more than natural attributes and powers
specifically : one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality
 
Nakosis

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
muhammad_isa said:
100% certainty.

That doesn't mean that my faith is strong .. it waxes and wanes, but due to experience,
I cannot ever conclude that "G-d does not exist" .. it is totally illogical .. to me.
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When you faith wanes, what is your lessening of faith about since you have 100% certainty about God?
 
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