Philosophical Question For Atheists and Agnostics?

Question

First, we must be clear that there is a difference between Atheists and Agnositics. Atheists say There is No God. Agnostics say Humans can not know if there is or isn't a God. Big difference and people seem to get those two confused.

Me personally, I'm an Agnostic, and I asked myself the following question and had a difficult time answering it, which is why I pose it to you all now.

Let's assume for a second that there is a God or Gods who created the Universe.

What would it take for him/them to convice you that they are a God?

At what point would you say, OK, I was wrong. I now believe in God?

I mean, even if such a God came before you and performed a bunch of magic tricks, couldn't you stil think to yourself, "well, this may just be some alien from some highly advanced civilization who can do all this stuff, but not a God."

How could God convice you that he is God?

Wouldn't you always assume that he is an alien of some sort or it's all just a trick??

To Dashelamet,

But 200 years ago, if someone had showed up with a boom box, people would have thought it was magic that someone is talking out of a box.

How do you know that big booming voice is not just some silly special effect an alien is using to fool you?

Answer 1

I'm like you, I'm agnostic as well. I've often wondered the same thing. If there IS a God, what would it take for me to BELIEVE it? I often tell OTHER people that I need PROOF there is a God. Well, what if I have been given proof, just refused to believe it? Good question.
Most of what we "believe" is based on our own perception. So, I think for anyone to "believe" anything is based on how each person wants to view it. Most perceptions are based on sense-data though. Like the saying goes, "seeing is believing". Most of what we believe and claim to KNOW to believe stems from what we can physically observe. This is why I've never been a follower of the Christian idea of "faith". Faith is the belief of the unseen. I'm not putting a "belief" in something that can't be proven. So I think for me, "God" would have to come down and show me some highly scientific and philosophical proof based on logic that he really exists and that he's really "God". However, his explanation would probably be so profound that it would be beyond my capabilities of understanding. Keep in mind our "knowledge" is only based on this "true belief" idea, and as I mentioned earlier, our beliefs are based on perceptions, persceptions are usually based on sense-data, our senses sometimes fail us, so technically what we THINK or claim to KNOW can be all wrong too. We may not even have an inkling of understanding of what it means to KNOW something in the eyes of "God". So, if our minds can't even comprehend "knowledge" in the way "God" sees "knowledge" then we may run into a situation, where those of us who choose NOT to believe, may never be ABLE to UNDERSTAND enough TO believe.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Maybe god IS an alien. Or maybe god is exactly what you said...maybe some highly advanced civilization created the earth in order for it to evolve (I will never believe earth and its inhabitants didn't evolve from some small kernel of life). Maybe we're one grand science fair experiment for some alien eighth grader!

To answer your question, if someone with a deep, booming voice (I'm totally corrupted by movies and TV) came into my house and some foggy cloud-like mist hovered over me near the ceiling and said, "hey there, I'm God. How are you doing?" I'd believe that there was a god.

Answer 4

The idea that god is a single entity, separate from humanity is preposterous. I think in order to better understand the science of the universe, and of ourselves, we have to realize that this "god" is everything. The Sun, the earth, the stars, gravity, emotions. I cant grasp this singular concept of westernized thought. Its pointless.
"Oh, I'm atheist. Oh, I'm Agnostic." Well your both WRONG!

Answer 5

It would take a personal need to believe in a God.

Answer 6

You are God, we are Gods, everyone is an equally empowered ready-to-do-miracles God.
We are creating Universe right now. You are, by asking a question, we are, by answering you. You are creating something, we are creating something.

Do you want a miracle to convince yourself ?
Desire something, anything that's not bad. But do want it, really.
Wait a little, and you'll get it. In days or weeks, but you'll get it.
And be ready to recognize it, when you'll get it.

Answer 7

One of those miracles like I read about in the Bible, water parting, would be good. ANd then some selfish thing, like he tells me what the scoop was, and also gave me super powers.

Answer 8

can birds understand human? accept the limitations of our brains.

Answer 9

nothing could convince me . at no point would i give in , no matter what crazy things i saw .