Okay, a common theme that I've seen in al lot of posts is Christians saying 'You can't prove god doesn't exist'. While this is true, it is also logically flawed, since it is impossible to prove that something doesn't exist. This is refered to as an argumentum ad ignorantiam. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance)
For example, try to prove that my magical invisible pink unicorn doesn't exist. You can't touch it /see it/ smell it? Duh, it's magical.
What evidence would I have to come up with to prove to you that god doesn't exist? What would have to happen to you to cause you to doubt god?
Thanks for reading my question here's a cartoon for your trouble:
http://www.sullivan-county.com/images/sci.gif
2006-09-28 14:28:34 · 23 answers · asked by Devil'sadvocate 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This is absolutely hilarious... after your admonition about the argument from ignorance, believers still invoke it in their answers. Actually, they typically invoke the 'argument from incredulity', which is a sub-category of argumentum ad ignorantiam. It goes something like this: "I can't conceive of how this might have come to be; therefore, God did it."
That does not point to a limitation of nature... rather, it exemplifies a limitation of knowledge and/or intellect. Also, it is intellectually dishonest, since it does not (as scientists do) ACKNOWLEDGE the limitation of knowledge and/or intellect... it merely invokes the fanciful idea of a supernatural creator-entity to manifest the ILLUSION that your ideations map to reality.
'Faith' (wishful, magical thinking) is a substitute for evidence.
'Belief' (the internalized 'certainty' that you are privy to the 'truth' pertaining to some fundamental aspect of existence and/or reality) is a substitute for knowledge.
faith + belief = self-delusion and willful ignorance
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"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance... it is the illusion of knowledge." ~ Daniel Boorstin
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"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." ~ Robert M. Pirsig
2006-09-28 14:48:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The only way I will not believe in God is if I die and nothing happens. Obviously, then, I would not be able to believe in anything. If, on the other hand, I am right and God does exist and we do have an afterlife, I will be (hopefully with a humble attitude) proved to be correct. Outside of that, I really can think of nothing that would cause me to no longer believe that God does exist.
I would ask what it would take for you to believe in God, but the logical answer would be to see Him. People have seen God, according to the Bible, so your wish may actually be granted. Maybe you could be like the modern day Saul/Paul who persecutes up until the time you have a dramatic encounter with God. That should suffice. But, of course, the chances are pretty slim. Outside of that, as the old worn out phrase goes, it comes down to faith. We can't do any better than that, but to us, there is nothing better. What a quagmire. You can't prove no, I can't prove yes to the question of does God exist.
We'll just have to wait and see, unless you change your mind. Once you know God, you don't doubt Him anymore, at least not His existence. You may question His purpose, but not His presence.
2006-09-28 15:24:48 · answer #2 · answered by hisnamesaves 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It makes me laugh when I see christians get defensive when their beliefs are challenged. We have the power as humans to believe what we want to believe, even a god. We also have the power to seek truth in everything. People don't like being question about things they've been taught by birth of what is supposedly right by society's standards. Why would someone try to disprove what they've believed to be true? That's the way they've been taught and that's all they know. It's sorta like being brainwashed. Oops, did I say that???
2006-09-28 14:38:20 · answer #3 · answered by Maureen B 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why bother?I mean,I would like to believe in God,personally.It's too bad his existence can't be proved.To try to convince someone that God doesn't exist is just as bad as the Christians trying to get everyone to convert.
2006-09-28 14:35:11 · answer #4 · answered by kimberli 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes but nobody is trying to say that a pink unicorn or whatever exists.
Simply put, I believe that the world, life and all that is too complicated to be generated by random. Even with all the crap that is happening on earth, the world in general is too perfect to have generated from nowher.
2006-09-28 14:33:49 · answer #5 · answered by Yacine B 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
How do you know that God doesn't exist? I don't get Atheists, they think they know everything about everything. How can there not be some kind of higher power? Why are we here, if science tells us that Mass can not be created or destroyed, then how was there mass to begin with? How about the human soul? How am I me and not just some zombie creature?
2006-09-28 14:32:17 · answer #6 · answered by Ryan G 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Belief in God always was, and always will be, a choice.
You said it yourself.
Since God is defined as transcending our universe and perception, it takes a pretty narrow mind to seriously invoke an argumentum ad ignorantiam!
2006-09-28 14:31:52 · answer #7 · answered by A Box of Signs 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Some scientists were full of a feeling of self-importance and they decided to challenge God to see who could create a better man from dirt. After all they understood DNA, etc. God accepted the challenge. On the appointed day they assembled. The scientists got out their shovels and bucket and proceeded to dig up some dirt.
"Whoa", God said, "get your own dirt."
Firstly, find some scientists who can provide their own dirt.
2006-09-28 14:50:33 · answer #8 · answered by kent chatham 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
All the greatest minds in history believed that God existed. They were not believing out of blind faith but quite the opposite. The evidence of God is in many things. The complexity of life, the order in nature and the universe, the beauty in everything that surrounds us. these things have inspired many apart from religion for thousands of years to acknowledge a divine creator. The evidence for our creator being the God spoken of in the bible is in our history if you know how to see it.
2006-09-28 14:42:20 · answer #9 · answered by malisimo 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Alright... I'm excited about this one... All i have to ask is: If we can't prove he exists, how can you prove that he doesn't? But, honestly, I believe that we CAN prove his existence. You can't deny His creation. Look at the mountains, sunset, all that. It couldn't be an accident. It has to be designed. He proves himself, daily.
2006-09-28 14:34:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋