A question for those who believe in a thing called God?

Question

"A fire-breathing dragon lives in my garage."

Suppose I seriously make such an assertion to you. Surely you'd want to check it out, see for yourself. There have been innumerable stories of dragons over the centuries, but no real evidence. What an opportunity!

"Show me", you say, and I lead you to my garage. You look inside and see a ladder, empty paint cans, an old tricycle - but no dragon

"Where's the dragon", you ask.

"Oh, she's right here", I reply, waving vaguely. "I neglected to mention that she's an invisible dragon".

You propose spreading flour on the floor of the garage to capture the dragon's footprints. "Good idea", I say, "but this dragon floats in the air". Then you'll use an infrared sensor to detect the invisible fire. "Good idea, but the invisible fire is also heatless", I say. You'll spray-paint the dragon and make her visible. "Good idea, except she's an incorporeal (bodyless) dragon and the paint won't stick!"

And so on. I counter every physical test you propose with a special explanation of why it won't work.

Now what is the difference between an invisible, incorporeal, floating dragon who spits heatless fire and no dragon at all? If there's no way to disprove my contention, no conceivable experiment that would count against it, what does it mean to say that my dragon exists? You're inability to invalidate my hypothesis is not at all the same thing as proving it true. Claims that cannot be tested, assertions immune to disproof are veridically worthless, whatever value they may have in inspiring us or in exciting our sense of wonder. What I'm asking you to do comes down to believing, in the absence of evidence, on my say-so.

ISN'T THIS THE SAME KIND OF CLAIMS THAT GOD-BELIEVERS TRY TO PUSH ON US ATHEISTS?

Answer 1

Very nice. The whole time I read it, I thought of the FSM. You can use this example with anything...but like Dan C. said up there somewhere, Christians think they have relevant proof that God exists, and they'll say you're a moron and pity you. Little do they know that we feel the same way about them. They reference a book that was written by men...that contains stories of things that couldn't possibly happen or things that have perfectly feasible scientific explanations...but oh no! It's GOD! This thing we can't see and won't show himself to us until we die...oh how convenient! We'll never know the truth. I think the truth is that religion was conceived as a means to control the masses...kinda like telling your kids to behave cuz Santa's watching....and if they're bad, then he's not gonna bring them any presents. Religion also is a means to explain the unexplainable....welp, Science is here! We're solving all the questions and problems that the ignorant/unknowing people of the past couldn't answer....and our future generations will more than likely answer those that WE can't answer.

Answer 2

I would say but by the same token how would you prove to me gravity or love exists? Besides who told you God had a body?

If you want proof of God, you have to look at it from a different point of view......for example, if God doesnt exist where do you get your morals from?? Society??Keep in mind that this would only apply to a SOCIETY not and INDIVDUAL. And if thats the case, then people like Martin Luther King are really evil--because they promoted a social change! From yourself? Keep inmind what applys to you does not apply to the whole. In other words, how many times have you been wrong? Finally is there no moral law??? How then do you differentiate between Hitler and you?

How about this...

1)objective moral values exist only if God exists.
2)Objective moral values do exist
3)Therefore God exists
And Christ is the quintessential representation of that which is morally pure and upright.

Conclusion: Your dragon is a part of you imagination. And just because you've met people who couldn't defend what they belive, does not make God unreal. Your dragon could never give you life or morals to live by.

Answer 3

I doubt that someone could ever give you an answer that would satisfy you. You believe that there is no higher being and I suppose if you wanna be that way its up to you. Let me say this to you - what harm is there in the belief that a higher being wants us to be good to each other, share and love one another. Why is Jesus the most well known man on the planet, why do we celebrate his birth and make it a public holiday where giving a gift to make someone happy is the tradition. Most religions and those who follow their religions properly have rules of not stealing, no theft, no adultery, respecting one another and many more rules that can benefit mankind.

Anyways I don't know everything and I'm not a genius but I know this that God gives people a sense of belonging, hope, love, and a whole lot of positive things that many of us should live of lives by. Anyways if your dragon gives people that kind of happiness then I would believe in it. If it can create miracles then I'll believe in it. If it change people to better themselves then I would believe in your dragon.

Anyways I suppose people could go on for hours on this subject but I only wanna offer a quick view of what I think.

Answer 4

There are two methods of determination: physical evidence and eyewitnesses.

There is also a standard or minimum number of witnesses to establish something as a viable testimony - 2 or more. The more agreeing witnesses there are, the greater the viability of the agreeing testimony.

One person saw the dragon in your garage. Millions have seen God.

Case dismissed!

Answer 5

Do you ask because you want to know God or so you can keep disproving people? I know God is real because I've seen him at work in my life. Are you a good person by your own standards and what exactly are those standards? Do you think that if you were called to court because you did something that you thought was okay by your standards, would you just be able to tell the judge that you don't believe in prison or that what you did was good in your eyes? Let's say you committed a crime and you didn't think it was wrong in your eyes but in fact violates a higher standard that would send you to prison. That prison is the consequence for violating a law that is meant to protect. Do you choose what is right or wrong in your own eyes? That is what the 10 commandments are for. They are laws that bring order and if they are broken, we are condemned, just like when someone goes to prison. We are subject to that law and all are guilty even of one. Speeding is against the law because it puts other people in danger including yourself. Murder is against the law and so is stealing and bearing false witness. Jesus offered to pay our bail (which can only be paid by him with his life) by dying on the cross. You can choose to accept that and you won't be condemned, all he asks for is that you trust him with your life. Would you take a chance that a financial advisor warned you not to take because he knows the outcome? Or would you take his advice after you accepted his counsel in the first place? That's another way to look at it.

Answer 6

I agree very a lot! There is quite no evidence of a God. And if there's a God and from what it says within the bible then there will likely be plenty of persons going to hell in our technology of time. There is such a lot of persons that simply have no idea what to suppose. I believe your concept is practically the reality.

Answer 7

Have you ever read the Bible? and if you wouldn't mind just reading the second chapter of Daniel I would think that you might see things a little differently. Some, have actually seen God(Moses for example) Exodus chapter 33. Problem is a "man" convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still. I will pray for you(whether you wish me to or not)

Answer 8

no.... there is proof that God exsists.. did your dragon create the world? Does your Dragon give you Hope

does your Dragon Save you from hell

The Bible.. theres you some proof

there is scientific proof the Jesus walked this earth

he was there.. the Messiah

there is no proof of your dragon

theres a difference

God is Real

God is Amazing

God is Wonderful

Answer 9

I honestly am not bothered whatsoever by your belief in nothing paranormal. I like my God, being the invisible, floating, heatless, incorporeal, dragon that he is.

Hails to the hidden truth,
Silence

Answer 10

Okay, so an incorporeal dragon lives in your garage. But that's not really what we tend to think of when we say "A dragon lives in my garage." So really, your arguement can be accepted, but only in a way that makes it irrelevant. That's why I'm agnostic. My point is "So, maybe. so what?"