Why is it impossible to prove that God does exist?

Answer 1

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AioSvth8TT4IJMVw8_k0Cyjsy6IX?qid=20070607052720AAHyvMR

Answer 2

I think everything's just a concept. A model that we make of our outside world. Either the model is useful or it isn't. And every model is, at the very best, a close approximation of reality, and non-unique(meaning there may be more than one model that adequately describes a real, physical system). A magnetic field is a concept that's useful for calculating forces between electric currents. A force is a concept. Has anyone actually seen a force? The only thing we really see is the world changing before us and we put concepts(models) behind it to try to udnerstand and predict these changes.
I think the jump from concept to physical reality is a huge, an often times inappropriate one, sometimes made by scientists and religious people alike.
To jump from a magnetic field being a useful concept to a physical reality is not unlike the jump made when the bible goes from being a book with some good stuff in it to something perfect that God wrote.
Some say there is no such thing as a "true model". True model is actually a contradiction in terms. Just because a model or concept works well or is widely accepted does NOT mean it is reality. 2 billion people (or 2 thousand scientists) can be wrong. I don't think any model in existence perfectly matches reality. And if it seems to, it's just because our instruments aren't precise enough or we haven't taken a close enough look at the situation. A new model may come along one day that seems to fit better. So what was once absolute truth now has to be changed or modified. Likewise, our concepts of God need to change as we learn new things about the world.
I don't think anything is "proven". We just have varying degrees of faith in things. This concept of absolute, static knowledge and truths is one that doesn't seem to match the world we live in.

Answer 3

Why is it impossible to prove that God exists? Well some of the responses from Christians haven't answered the question at all.

"Faith" doesn't prove God exists any more than wishes are evidence of fairies. I'm not saying God doesn't exist in some people's minds, but what I'm kind of annoyed about is the Bible quotations some answerers are putting up as prove that God is real.

IT'S NOT PROOF! The Bible (or Torah or Quran) is not considered a "holy book" to rational thinkers! It's just the book that clerics use to refer their followers to when they aren't preaching in person! To many rational thinkers, including athiests, radical Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, etc. are simply cult members who have been accepted throughout the world for a few more centuries longer than nuts like the Heaven's Gate and Jim Jones wackos.

God is a concept, an idea. Granted it's nice and comforting to be able to believe in a Supreme Being who loves you all the time but devotees just can't live with the simplicity of that. They have to make it so complex that their lives are not their own anymore. They appoint leaders who start piling on the rules "according to God," and the trouble really starts when followers of one religion start telling followers of another religion that they're "going to hell" if they don't stop believing what they do and accept a different set of beliefs! And that's never going to happen!

And to those who think that way, I have to ask, "Who the hell do you think you are?" Nobody has the right to judge others, complete strangers, and condemn them! I thought your Gods were the only ones who could do that!

Rational thinkers will always think religious zealots are brainwashed basket-cases as long as they resist seeing the big picture. The big picture is:

God is an idea. There is no proof he sends angels or destroys the unfaithful or talks from burning bushes and to expect those who are sceptical and need more to convince them is irrational and arrogant. Go ahead and believe whatever you want, but don't judge if you don't know. You may think those people who don't subscribe to your individual beliefs are going to hell but rational, logical thinkers, in return, think you're all a bunch of blind-leading-the-blind lemmings.

Answer 4

The presence of a creation proves the existence of a creator, just as the presence of a painting proves that there was a painter, or the presence of a building proves that there was a builder.

What is impossible, actually a logical fallacy, is to prove that God does NOT exist.

Answer 5

Your question is flawed, because it assumes that it is indeed impossible to prove that God exists. "But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse." Romans 1:18-20, The Message

Answer 6

I think God made this realy difficult.It's so hard to prove that He exists! But hey, He sent Jesus so that He can be made known to us. Jesus made the impossible possible.He proved that God exists,He proved that God is a loving God,He proved that God forgives sins,He proved that God redeems,He proved that God is powerful with His victory over death.
I guess the question is: Why does it seem impossible for most people to believe in Jesus? Well,God wants us to have faith in Him.He wont go around trying to prove Himself just so He can satisfy our hunger for evidence.He wants us to believe and trust in Him even if it means that we don't have anything to hold on to (eg.evidence).

Answer 7

It is impossible because he does not exist, that's why.

To Donald. I do not feel gods presence, and I can assure you that I am not living in a dream. If I were living in a dream, the world would be at peace, there would be no more starving children, no more disease for innocent children, no more pollution etc….Also if it was all about me, I would not volunteer my time, to help feed the homeless, nor would I volunteer to help terminally sick children live as normal a life as possible, nor would I volunteer to help troubled kids get on the right path. I wonder how much volunteering you do. I think that you are the one living in a dream world. Stop being so arrogant!! If I prayed, I would surely pray for you, since I don't, I hope that you can become more open minded.

Answer 8

Who said its impossible?
Where many believe they have seen proof the Gods don't exist, I see the same proof and say it does. Its just up to you and what you believe.
Just because science explains it doesn't mean there aren't Gods. It just tells us how the Gods do it.

Answer 9

Hebrews 11: 1-6

Answer 10

Proof: The evidence or argument that compels the mind to accept an assertion as true.

It's not impossible. If it was no one would believe in God. Obviously there's enough evidence to compel the minds of theists to accept the assertion that God exists to be true. Although it's true that we believe in God by faith. That can be said for many things that scientists tell us as well.

I have faith that God exists even though I've never seen Him. I also have faith in the scientists that tell us that things like quarks and atoms and electrons exist. I've never seen them either. There is enough evidence to compel me to believe in both God and quarks

I have faith that Jesus is the son of God based on evidence both physical and spiritual. Likewise, I have faith that the Sun is approximately 93 million miles from Earth based on evidence that scientists give us. No one has flown to the sun and checked it on the odometer, therefore it's faith in the scientist's method of calculation that compels us to believe this "fact". Some people would assert that there's not enough evidence to compel them to believe the scientists, therefore, to them, it's not proven.

I have faith that God created the universe even though I wasn't there to observe it as it happened. Atheists have faith in the scientists that claim we originated in some primordial soup but no one was there to witness that event either. Again, in both cases, it's a matter of whether the evidence is enough to compel you to believe in one or the other.

We all believe what we believe based on the evidence provided to us and what we feel to be the stronger, more compelling argument.

Answer 11

Why is it impossible to prove that God doesn't exist?

Considering the intelligence of our race?