Just because somebody thinks it does not exist why don't other people believe in it?

Question

Why don't believe in something just because somebody else does not believe in it. Just because they don't believe in it doesn't mean you can't. take heaven for example.

Answer 1

Dave P...you the man!!!

Loved that grammar answer.

Answer 2

Russell's teapot, sometimes called the Celestial Teapot, was an analogy first coined by the philosopher Bertrand Russell, intended to refute the idea that the burden of proof lies upon the sceptic to disprove unfalsifiable claims of religions. In an article entitled "Is There a God?," commissioned (but never published) by Illustrated magazine in 1952, Russell said the following:

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

In his book A Devil's Chaplain, Richard Dawkins developed the teapot theme a little further:

The reason organized religion merits outright hostility is that, unlike belief in Russell's teapot, religion is powerful, influential, tax-exempt and systematically passed on to children too young to defend themselves. Children are not compelled to spend their formative years memorizing loony books about teapots. Government-subsidized schools don't exclude children whose parents prefer the wrong shape of teapot. Teapot-believers don't stone teapot-unbelievers, teapot-apostates, teapot-heretics and teapot-blasphemers to death. Mothers don't warn their sons off marrying teapot-shiksas whose parents believe in three teapots rather than one. People who put the milk in first don't kneecap those who put the tea in first.

Edit: to Ronnel H:

Argument from Consolation:
There must be a God, the argument goes, because, if there were not, life would be empty, pointless, futile, a desert of meaninglessness and insignificance. How can it be necessary to point out that thelogic falls at the first fence? Maybe life is empty. Maybe our prayers for the dead really are pointless. To presume the opposite is to presume the truth of the very conclusion we seek to prove. The alleged syllogism is transparently circular. Life without your wife may very well be intolerable, barren and empty, but this unfortunately doesn't stop her being dead. There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else (parents in the case of children, God in the case of adults) has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point. It is all of a piece with the infantilism of those who, the moment they twist their ankle, look around for someone to sue. Somebody else must be responsible for my well-being, and somebody else must be to blame if I am hurt. Is it a similar infantilism that really lies behind the 'need' for a God? Are we back to Binker again?

Answer 3

So if someone does believe in something, I should too? I think that is what I got out of your 'question'

Or maybe I should believe in things others don't would be more specific. Most everybody doesn't really believe in the celestial tea pot. You reasoning would conclude that this would be the most logical thing to believe in.

Answer 4

I have never seen a thousand dollar bill but I know its out there. Just because you cant see it doesnt mean its not there. I believe in the lord and in heaven. There has to be something else after you die or what else do we have to look forward to after death. Total darkness?

Answer 5

In many places around the world, people can choose whatever they want to believe. That is the power of freedom.

Answer 6

Why would you believe in something just because someone else does not? That sounds like you're just a kid rebelling against that person.

Why believe in something just because someone else does?

(this question could be more clear)

Answer 7

Because lots of people think LOTS of things "exist" that aren't true. You have to weigh the merits of the "thing" that they say exist and not just go with "oh, well if you think it's real, then it must be."

Answer 8

Take grammar for example.

Answer 9

Way too many negatives in there to understand what you are saying...

Answer 10

uh?