Can Anyone Be Certain of God's Existence (or Anything)?

[Jistyr]

As zealously as some people believe in God, can anyone be entirely certain?

I am not attempting to bring up any atheistic argument here against God, but are there not some philosophies— that if true— would still overrule the concept of God?

Such a philosophy would be the question of whether or not we really know anything.

If, upon death, we find ourselves waking up, as if from a dream, and everything we thought we knew wasn't true, what would we do then? I find this to be a very interesting and profound question.

Such an outcome would certainly prove any religious belief wrong, along with everything else that we thought we knew.

I suppose the purpose of this thread is just to see everyone's ideas on such an 'afterlife', if you could call it such.

It's so odd. There is no way we can predict it, because if it is true— and we really don't know anything— the things in this life are all under question. It just astounds me that such a possibility exists.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Fluffy]

How do you resolve the contradiction of global scepticism (the name of the philosophy you are advancing):
P1 Everything might not be true
P2 Therefore we cannot be certain of anything (global scepticism)
P3 P2 might not be true
P4 Therefore we cannot be certain of P2

That seems self refuting to me. If P2 (global scepticism) is not known then it is possible that we can know other things.

 

[blackout]

As zealously as some people believe in God, can anyone be entirely certain?

I am not attempting to bring up any atheistic argument here against God, but are there not some philosophies— that if true— would still overrule the concept of God?

Such a philosophy would be the question of whether or not we really know anything.

If, upon death, we find ourselves waking up, as if from a dream, and everything we thought we knew wasn't true, what would we do then? I find this to be a very interesting and profound question.

Such an outcome would certainly prove any religious belief wrong, along with everything else that we thought we knew.

I suppose the purpose of this thread is just to see everyone's ideas on such an 'afterlife', if you could call it such.

It's so odd. There is no way we can predict it, because if it is true— and we really don't know anything— the things in this life are all under question. It just astounds me that such a possibility exists.

What are your thoughts?

I don't think I know anything...
so what would suprise me?
It's all a great mystery.
Every moment we live awakened is like coming out of a dream...
and entering into one...

 

[Ozzie]

As zealously as some people believe in God, can anyone be entirely certain?

I am not attempting to bring up any atheistic argument here against God, but are there not some philosophies— that if true— would still overrule the concept of God?

Such a philosophy would be the question of whether or not we really know anything.

If, upon death, we find ourselves waking up, as if from a dream, and everything we thought we knew wasn't true, what would we do then? I find this to be a very interesting and profound question.

Such an outcome would certainly prove any religious belief wrong, along with everything else that we thought we knew.

I suppose the purpose of this thread is just to see everyone's ideas on such an 'afterlife', if you could call it such.

It's so odd. There is no way we can predict it, because if it is true— and we really don't know anything— the things in this life are all under question. It just astounds me that such a possibility exists.

What are your thoughts?

There is a difference between sensual experience and ideas of God. The former is effortless, the latter is constructed.

 

[w00t]

God might exist, or he might not, we have no way of knowing.

 

[K.Venugopal]

As zealously as some people believe in God, can anyone be entirely certain?

Wouldn’t that depend on the mindset of whoever the person is?

If, upon death, we find ourselves waking up, as if from a dream, and everything we thought we knew wasn't true, what would we do then?

We would be forced to live anew in the new reality, wouldn’t we?

 

[K.Venugopal]

God might exist, or he might not, we have no way of knowing.

You've put it in the most direct and simplest of languages so as to leave no room for any argument on the matter! However, I think if you wonder what this thing called life is (not life as the experience of living, but the very thing called life which we have within us because we are alive), you might come to the conclusion that God is none other than life.

 

[crystalonyx]

"As zealously as some people believe in God, can anyone be entirely certain?"

I'm failry certain no god exists. I'm certain that the so-called mainstream gods don't exist.

 

[tomspug]

We can only be certain of something over which we have absolute control.

 

[Darkness]

Can Anyone Be Certain of God's Existence (or Anything)?

Can you be absolutely certain you cannot be absolutely certain?

 

[ChristineES]

I am not sure 100% of anything, not even things I can touch and hear. Schizophrenics talk to invisible people, how do we know we all don't have a bit of schizophrenia in us? Rene Descartes was known to say "I think therefore I am" but can we even be sure of that?

I am very sure God exists.

 

[Jistyr]

Can you be absolutely certain you cannot be absolutely certain?

If the only thing that you absolutely certain about is the concept that nothing, except that concept, is absolutely certain then I see no reason why it couldn't work. An exception would be necessary in this case, even if it seems somewhat contradictory.

 

[Fluffy]

If the only thing that you absolutely certain about is the concept that nothing, except that concept, is absolutely certain then I see no reason why it couldn't work. An exception would be necessary in this case, even if it seems somewhat contradictory.

If you are able to be absolutely certain about the belief that nothing else can be known for certain then ask yourself how you are able to know that with absolute certainty. Is there no room for doubt? It seems like if you are able to justify that certainty then you could potentially copy the same justification on to other beliefs as well meaning that there is a possibility that other beliefs can be known with certainty and, therefore, the original presumption is false.

It is not about stating it as an exception to the rule. It is about stating it coherently.