If you are religious- what is the best argument you have heard against a belief in God? If you are non-religious and don't believe in a God type, what is the best argument you have heard in favour?
As an agnostic verging on atheist, the best argument in favour of God in my opinion is Paul Tillich's ontology of existence.
2006-08-19 21:57:48 · 16 answers · asked by omoatayo 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Tilich's work is apologetic. It's not a demonstration of God.. he wants to show how faith can be rational, and he uses Heidegger to show the possibility. But his metaphysics are so damaging to christianity it's not even the same.
I'd argue for Pascal's Wager, if anything. All the proofs for God fail. At least with Pascal, a rational person can see the absurdity of disbelief facing infinity. Though, of course, there are so many objections.. I don't even care to list.
It doesn't get any better than:
if you don't believe, you will be damned.
2006-08-19 22:24:44 · answer #1 · answered by -.- 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am not religous and the best argument I have heard for the existence of god is that if the big bang created life, then what created the big bang? If energy created the big bang then what created energy? And so you keep going until you have to logicaly asume that it must be god that in the begining created everything.
Not necacelery A good and loving god as religion would have it but still an all powerfull being with a mind do much greater than ours.
God is beyond comprehension to believe in god or not is irelavent.
To live a life following the comandments and avoiding the seven sins also makes sense logicaly for your own benifit.
To have blind faith in something you know nothing about however is the greatest ignorance.
2006-08-20 14:46:28 · answer #2 · answered by surfer soul 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a good one - really set me thinking. I just can't come up with an argument in favour of god that I find remotely convincing - they all seem to either be based on personal credulity (Well, I believe there has to be something) or personal incredulity (I can't believe it all happened by chance), then there's the god of the gaps arguments; 'Science can't explain this that or the other' - all based on negativity and smacking of desperation. I have to say I never really got the ontological argument.
That's why I am an atheist
2006-08-20 05:12:36 · answer #3 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bit hard to answer really, good question, I guess the best argument I have heard against god is; Its OK to talk to God, but if he answers you your nuts, the best argument in favour of an atheist is; If your god is so wonderful how come there are atheists.
2006-08-20 10:17:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Against: Quite simply, Science has explained, and taken the mystery out of so much we have yearned to know. It has improved our lives, allowing us to live longer, and healthier lives. Humans are inquisitive beings, and having the comfort to know our surroundings, is in our nature.
That is the best I can come up with because, anyone who talks about the big bang will have to answer this question...
In theory, life as we know it started with a big bang, (and as a religious person, I agree), but laws of physics state that energy can only be transferred, never created. There is a lot of energy floating in space, obviously enough for a big bang. But where did it initially come from? The Energy didn't just puff into existence. and even scientists agree that life on this planet is a fluke. Even when you look at it logically, it points to something greater than us, or any explanation science has come up with.
I look at it this way... Science explains how God works. God explains how we should live.
I know I was supposed to just do one, but ehh... I got carried away.
Hope I didn't piss you off, but I do say those are some good points to ponder.
CyberNara
2006-08-20 06:00:13 · answer #5 · answered by Joe K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Greeks - Plato,Socrates and Aristotle-the Cynics, Pythagoreans...later, the Gnostics, neoplatonists...especially Plotinus....have posited rational arguments for the existance of something that some would call god.....Their intellectual approach influenced Jewish, Christian and Islamic theology...so....we are somewhat still using their arguments today...updated variations on a theme OR against a theme as it were....The best arguments for such an existence???? 2200 years of influence is a rather good track record.
Against belief....tough one....maybe a deist approach could be posited....the proof??? there isn't any ....
Most people hold on to some religious belief for fear of death..and guidelines on how to live a "good" life
2006-08-20 05:17:08 · answer #6 · answered by Gemelli2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First off you have to start by defining what you mean by 'god'. As far as I can see 'god' is whatever a person aims for. For example it could be money. One cannot deny that such a 'god' exists. Some people may be aiming for a state of happiness. Again it cannot be denied that this 'god' also exists. It seems to me that this 'god' is the 'god' (or gods) to which all religions refer.
2006-08-21 15:37:28 · answer #7 · answered by Les 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sitting firmly on the fence on this one, but you might have heard of Pascal's 'pari' theory, which goes like this: If you don't believe in God and then when you die, find out that He does exist, well, you've had it, basically! However, if you do believe, then when you die, there He is, great! If after death, nothing happens, well never mind, you've lost nothing. Sorry if I've offended anyone - I'm just quoting Pascal!
2006-08-20 05:10:43 · answer #8 · answered by mad 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best argument i have is that if God existed why does he let all his followers kill each other in his name? All wars are about religion, some God!
2006-08-20 08:02:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the real search for the da vinci code not the book or the film just made me think there are more questions than answers about god . If god did exsist why is there so much suffering in the world ?
2006-08-20 05:17:07 · answer #10 · answered by dave g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋