God and the Tooth Fairy

[Rational Agnostic]

Richard Dawkins once said that the existence of any god and the existence of the tooth fairy are equally probable. While I think the existence of a god is unlikely, I think the existence of the tooth fairy is slightly less likely, simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it. The fact that billions of reasonable adults believe in a god or gods, while certainly not leading me to adopt the belief, leads me to at least think that there is a slightly higher probability that at least one of the gods exists than the probability of the tooth fairy existing. What do you think? Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal, is God more likely than the tooth fairy, or is the tooth fairy more likely than God?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think the attempt to place probabilities on anything that can't be/hasn't been measured or demonstrated is absurd...

 

[Heyo]

The tooth fairy never was part of our pantheon but from what I know the tooth fairy is at least better defined than any "god" being. That doesn't make it more likely but more likely to be falsified (or verified) than the gods.

 

[ecco]

Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal

Yes.

I think the existence of the tooth fairy is slightly less likely, simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it.

Gods were created by men to answer unanswerable (at the time) questions. Gods were created by men to try to ward off bad things - locusts, drought, enemies.

Gods are believed today because the concept of a god is impressed on the minds of young people by their parents. The parents believe in the god because the concept of the god was impressed on their young minds by their parents. Their parents believe in the god because the concept of the god was impressed on their young minds by their parents.


Somewhere along the way, children are told that the tooth fairy is not real. Who ever tells children that god is not real?

 

[ecco]

I think the attempt to place probabilities on anything that can't be/hasn't been measured or demonstrated is absurd...

Not as absurd as actually believing in "anything that can't be/hasn't been measured or demonstrated". And yet many do.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

Yes.






Gods were created by men to answer unanswerable (at the time) questions. Gods were created by men to try to ward off bad things - locusts, drought, enemies.

Gods are believed today because the concept of a god is impressed on the minds of young people by their parents. The parents believe in the god because the concept of the god was impressed on their young minds by their parents. Their parents believe in the god because the concept of the god was impressed on their young minds by their parents.


Somewhere along the way, children are told that the tooth fairy is not real. Who ever tells children that god is not real?

Interesting ideas, but I wasn't ever told the tooth fairy isn't real. I figured it out for myself, and after that I learned that no sane adults believe in it. But apparently a lot of sane adults believe in gods/god.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Richard Dawkins once said that the existence of any god and the existence of the tooth fairy are equally probable. While I think the existence of a god is unlikely, I think the existence of the tooth fairy is slightly less likely, simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it. The fact that billions of reasonable adults believe in a god or gods, while certainly not leading me to adopt the belief, leads me to at least think that there is a slightly higher probability that at least one of the gods exists than the probability of the tooth fairy existing. What do you think? Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal, is God more likely than the tooth fairy, or is the tooth fairy more likely than God?

Both tooth fairy and god exist in that the believers in both have faith and hope in their existence. When they experience the faith and hope, it motivates them to prayer and acts of good will. They call it spirit. When they receive or have the spirit, they are alive and they cannot make the difference between the spirit (excitement) or god (tooth fairy). As such, they focus more on the continued experience of excitement fun or love and grace rather than try to prove the two into existence. I haven't heard of a child try to prove the tooth fairy was real. He or she acted as if it were and by good logical reason for their age did not know the difference. As adults, we do this too. The context is the same. It's not religious but just I guess for some humans more distinct in realizing it than others.

That, make belief isn't wrong in itself. If god is like the tooth fairy I'd assume they both have the same criteria of existence. Which just means you're comparing one non-existing thing with another non-existing thing and asking if either of them may liken the existence of another non-existent thing.

 

[Nakosis]

Richard Dawkins once said that the existence of any god and the existence of the tooth fairy are equally probable. While I think the existence of a god is unlikely, I think the existence of the tooth fairy is slightly less likely, simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it. The fact that billions of reasonable adults believe in a god or gods, while certainly not leading me to adopt the belief, leads me to at least think that there is a slightly higher probability that at least one of the gods exists than the probability of the tooth fairy existing. What do you think? Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal, is God more likely than the tooth fairy, or is the tooth fairy more likely than God?

I think the point is there is no concrete evidence to support either. Doesn't really matter how the myth came about if there is nothing that supports the existence of either.

You may feel the existence of one is more likely than the other but feelings are not tangible support.

 

[Kenny]

Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal, is God more likely than the tooth fairy, or is the tooth fairy more likely than God?

I don't think they are equal... why?

...I wasn't ever told the tooth fairy isn't real. I figured it out for myself...,

I don't think you have figured out that God doesn't exist. Or did you?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Richard Dawkins once said...

simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it.

Not so fast. The tooth fairy is likely a folkloric remnent of pre-Christian folk beliefs about fairies, elves, disr, "wee people" and so on. Same with Santa.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Richard Dawkins once said that the existence of any god and the existence of the tooth fairy are equally probable. While I think the existence of a god is unlikely, I think the existence of the tooth fairy is slightly less likely, simply because the tooth fairy was clearly invented by people who were intending to tell a fictional story to children, rather than people who sincerely believed in it. The fact that billions of reasonable adults believe in a god or gods, while certainly not leading me to adopt the belief, leads me to at least think that there is a slightly higher probability that at least one of the gods exists than the probability of the tooth fairy existing. What do you think? Are the probabilities of God's and the tooth fairy's existences equal, is God more likely than the tooth fairy, or is the tooth fairy more likely than God?

It seems to me that God is just as much a story, invented by people, to explain what they had no other way to explain. Since it's pretty hard to explain to a little tyke why bits of their bodies are falling out, the tooth fairy -- along with a reward -- is as good as anything, just as a God, who'll save you after you die (also hard to understand) -- along with a reward!

And for that reason, I think both are equally likely.

 

[ecco]

Interesting ideas, but I wasn't ever told the tooth fairy isn't real. I figured it out for myself

Hubert: Mommy, the tooth fairy didn't exchange my tooth for money.
Mrs. Farnsworth: Hubert, you're twelve years old - figure it out for yourself!

and after that I learned that no sane adults believe in it. But apparently a lot of sane adults believe in gods/god.

And, apparently, some sane adults still aren't convinced.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Tooth fairy is fun, God is untruth.

 

[shivsomashekhar]

Interesting ideas, but I wasn't ever told the tooth fairy isn't real. I figured it out for myself, and after that I learned that no sane adults believe in it. But apparently a lot of sane adults believe in gods/god.

How do you know the tooth fairy is not real?

There may be sane adults believing in the concept.