Scale of belief; does God exist?

[Scarlett Wampus]

In Dawkin's book 'The God Delusion' there is a seven point scale for belief in God. By God Dawkins means "a superhuman, supernatural intelligence who deliberately designed and created the universe and everything in it, including us."

Here are the the options: -

1. Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God. In the words of C.G. Jung, "I do not believe, I know."

2. Very high probability but short of 100 per cent. De facto theist. "I cannot know for certain, but I strongly believe in God and live my life on the assumption that he is there."

3. Higher than 50 per cent but not very high. Technically agnostic but leaning towards theism. "I am very uncertain, but I am inclined to believe in God."

4. Exactly 50 per cent. Completely impartial agnostic. "God's existence and non-existence are exactly equiprobable."

5. Lower than 50 per cent but not very low. Technically agnostic but leaning towards atheism. "I don't know whether God exits but I'm inclined to be sceptical."

6. Very low probability, but short of zero. De facto atheist. "I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there."

7. Strong atheist. "I know there is no God, with the same conviction as Jung 'knows' there is one."

 

[ayani]

i would say my faith in God is very strong, but does falter. there are times when i know that He is there. there are times when my faith is clouded and i can not feel His presence. in those times, i will question God and wonder if He is there. but He does come back- in the words of a Poor Clare "He does not leave us without the strength to go on".

 

[d.]

other :

the problem i have with these kind of questions is, growing up in an atheistic environment, i've never really considered the existence of god any more likely or any more worthy of consideration that the existence of zeus, chinese dragons or 'bizarro superman'. i would find it absurd to rate my belief in them on some kind of scale, and i only find the idea of rating my belief in god slightly less absurd because of convention.

 

[michel]

Although I 'voted' "Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God. ", I would rather go further than that, and replace 'probability' with 'Certainty'.

 

[Willamena]

2. Very high probability but short of 100 per cent. De facto theist. "I cannot know for certain, but I strongly believe in God and live my life on the assumption that he is there."

The scale, of course, addresses what I understand to be the Image of God (he, him) rather than actual god, so I had to select "other." However, in terms of actual god, #2 does come very close to what I believe.

 

[Hacker]

i would say my faith in God is very strong, but does falter. there are times when i know that He is there. there are times when my faith is clouded and i can not feel His presence. in those times, i will question God and wonder if He is there. but He does come back- in the words of a Poor Clare "He does not leave us without the strength to go on".

I agree with what Gracie points out. I chose number two, that I strongly believe that God exists but short of 100% only because there isn't any proof of his existence but what validates my belief that he/she PROBABLY exists is the mystery of creation. So would that define me as an "agnostic theist? " Anybody?

 

[Green Gaia]

3. Higher than 50 per cent but not very high. Technically agnostic but leaning towards theism. "I am very uncertain, but I am inclined to believe in God."

 

[Willamena]

I agree with what Gracie points out. I chose number two, that I strongly believe that God exists but short of 100% only because there isn't any proof of his existence but what validates my belief that he/she PROBABLY exists is the mystery of creation. So would that define me as an "agnostic theist? " Anybody?

I don't think of agnosticism as being about proof, though many have made that argument for it. If you believe that nothing about god can be known, either because of god's nature or our limitations, then that would be agnostic theist.

 

[darkpenguin]

7 is the answer that i put, from my point of view 'god' is just people wanting more and expecting more from life then just living and dying, wow what egotistical animals we are lol

 

[Shadow Wolf]

1. Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God. In the words of C.G. Jung, "I do not believe, I know."

Thiers were I am.

 

[doppelganger]

The scale, of course, addresses what I understand to be the Image of God (he, him) rather than actual god

It would have to for the Carl Jung quote to be appropriate.

 

[eudaimonia]

I have no clear idea of what "probability" is supposed to mean in this context.

I don't believe in God, not because of low or zero probability, but because of the lack of persuasive evidence or reasons to believe that a God could or does exist. That's not quite the same thing.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[PolyHedral]

Option 6, There is a very low probability of a supernatural being who delibratly created the universe, but there is no evidence of his absence.

 

[Katzpur]

I voted for number 1. I don't "know" that God exists in a way that can be scientifically verified, but it is simply impossible for me to disbelieve. I actually have tried on several occasions to talk myself into believing that He doesn't, but have never been successful. I think I was born knowing He was there.

 

[Bishka]

Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God.

For me, it should read. Strong Theist. 100 percent certainity of God.

 

[Jaymes]

I voted for "very low probability". I wouldn't put it outside the realm of probability, but I find it very, very unlikely.

 

[Mr. Hair]

Other.

I've a sneaking suspicion that what I conceptualise as 'God' is and isn't, and neither; but then maybe not. *smiles*

To be honest, I tend to find such approaches and definitions as distracting; I cannot authoritatively define God or myself, to try to draw a fixed line between such unknowns would only lead to incomplete conclusions. (At least, so I think)

I don't think I can accept Dawkin's "seven point scale" as particulary valid, given the number of inferences and assumptions it carries that I don't agree with.

 

[Devil's_Chaplain]

I really don't believe there is a God. However, I can't be dogmatic about it and I conceed that there is a very low probability of God existing. I'm utterly stupified by the people claiming absolute certainty either way... that seems completely bizaare to me. I guess I'm in no position to understand.

 

[lilithu]

To me this scale is utterly irrlevant and misses the point. As I've said many times before, the most important question isn't whether or not God exists, it's if God does exist, what does God mean to me? Faith in God must result in a difference in behavior. If not, it matters not to me wherther you are 100% sure or 10% sure. I would much rather someone not believe in God yet live their lives as if compassion and justice have meaning, than someone be 100% sure of God's existence and live their lives as if there's no difference.

 

[Buttercup]

I picked lower than 50 percent

If there is a God "it" has chosen to remain illusive. At times in my life I have strongly felt what I thought to be the presence of God. But most of the time I relied soley on faith to keep that belief going.

I believe the mind is a wonderful creator of all sorts of thoughts and feelings......and I'm no longer sure of my former spiritual experiences. Were they from God or me? How can we ever really know?