Non-atheists: What would it take for you to accept that there is no God?

Question

Inspired by the common question "What would it take for you to believe in God", I ask what it would take for a non-atheist to accept that there is no God.

Please answer insightfully. "Nothing" might be your gut response, but at least give it a little more of a try. We all know that people on both sides of this argument could answer "That would never happen because..." At least please be creative.

Thanks.

Answer 1

I will accept that there is no God when I see a day start and end with no sun, moon, or stars, when I see children with no innocence, when opera is all in Hebrew, when words don't rhyme, when you can't find ice to put in your drink, and when I walk in the crater where the ocean used to be. I will deny His existence when He no longer displays Himself in all of creation.

Answer 2

That is an impossible question. You can't conclusively prove that anything doesn't exist; you can deem one solution more probable, however.

As far as I'm concerned, there is very little that would convince me otherwise. Genesis' explanation of creation (I don't mean the literl 6-day interpretation) provides all the things necessary for the universe to exist (prime mover, space, matter) right in verse 1, so its account is the best thing we have to go by for how the universe came into being. That doesn't rule out the Big Bang -- it compliments it. God could very easily have triggered the big bang.

What it would take to convince me, I suppose, would be a complete paradigm shift. I think I would have to be very bitter at God to believe that He doesn't exist, which is paradoxical, but emotions can overrule reason. I find that a lot of people follow this exact mindset: they don't like God, so they don't believe in Him.

Also, someone else mentioned that he might change his mind if you showed him a bunch of scientific stuff. I believe that scientific stuff, yet I believe in God. I don't think the two contradict.

Answer 3

Sorry, but "theories" don't do it for me; if that's the only thing you have to "offer" someone into "not" believing in God. Simply stating that "God doesn't exist because religion is stupid", is not enough to persuade me into "not" believing in God. Sure, religion is stupid, but so are man's endless theories and educated "guesses" as to the origin of this universe. Besides, that's ultimately what it boils down to -- the origin of the universe -- the origin of existence. Evolution is just an infinitely "backwards" process with NO origin or "beginning" point. And even if you could somehow "trace" evolution back to some sort of "beginning" point that "started it all", you'd still be "stuck" trying to explain the origin of the "beginning point". i.e. first living cell, etc.

Answer 4

I give you credit for asking a very difficult question for Christians to answer. I'm sure you are referring to anything that could happen to change our mind BEFORE we die, right?

Hmmm..... the only thing I can think of is that if I had solid proof that all of God's Word (the Bible) had been destroyed completely. That means, not a single page, not one remaining Bible, scroll or anything was saved. You see, God will not allow this to happen, so really there's nothing, and I don't think even that would sway me, because I feel Him in my heart all the time.

Answer 5

I don't believe in God, I know Him. That may not be "creative" enough, but it's the only way I can explain it. Your question is fair, and I wish I could give you a better answer. The truth is... I'm saved, I have a relationship with God, for me it would be like trying to convince me my mother doesn't exist (I assure you she does). I'm not an athiest, but I instinctively doubt if most athiests are as sure as they let on that God doesn't exist. They may never change that opinion, but there is still the looming question... "if not God, then how?"

Answer 6

It is logically impossible to prove a negative. There is no amount of lack of evidence that can logically prove the non-existence of God. That is why the burden of proof is placed on the positive statment.

That being said. I would disbeleive in deity if there was an absolute certainty of the origin of the universe. The Big Bang doesn't cut it, because the question becomes "what made teh Big Bang?"

Answer 7

Absolutely nothing. I guess I must be a weak person, ...but I cannot imagine going through this life and the trials and tribulations of every day without having God to count on and confide in. Does He speak to me directly? No, ...I don't hear God's voice like I hear anyone else's. But I do feel His presence and I know He has been there for me all of my life. I'm not an overly religious person, ...but you'd kill me before you ever got me to say there is no God.

Answer 8

If my prayers had gone unanswered, if there was no beauty in the world, if people never had after-death experiences, if unexplained miracles never happened, if there were no hauntings, if so many people did not believe in an afterlife.... even then.... if there were no reason to believe, I still would because I very much want to meet my stillborn brother and see my deceased family members who went before me. Otherwise, life would be empty, pointless and hopeless.

Answer 9

Heh, I like this twist on the more common question.

I suppose for me there would need to be a full and complete scientific explanation(inclusive of mechanism of action) of ESP skills (telepathy, precognition, astral sight, etc), Magick, and beings from beyond the veil(angels, ghosts, etc).

Answer 10

Shot at nighttime right here... basically completely giving this wild theory a shot... yet, um... perchance some info would be of a few help. Y'comprehend? info? The stuff that helps your inane declare of a sky-daddy with magical powers? perchance you heard of it in technology instructions? strike a chord?