Christians: You say you KNOW god exists, Atheists: you say you KNOW god doesnt exist.. but?

Question

Isnt the truth of the matter that none of us KNOWS anything, we each just choose what to BELIEVE based on our life experience and accumulated knowledge. I can say I believe/disbelieve that somewhere in the universe there is a planet with silicone based lifeforms, but I cant say I know that to be true. I can say based on current knowledge its unlikely or it is likely, but I cant say I know.. Unless or until there is proof undeniable.. only then can I say I know. Now Atheists say the lack of evidence is the proof need to say they know god doesnt exist, Christians say the bible is the proof they need to say they know god does exist.. But isnt the truth of the matter that neither claim has any real evidence to back it up, or for that matter to call it anything more than an opinion or belief? It is my opinion that if more people admit thier ignorance there would be alot less strife. It is my belief that no god/s exist, but I am not arrogant enough to claim that I know that to be true.

or put other people down for believing differently. It is only when people claim to "know" that they seem to put others down for claiming they "know" differently. If we all admitted that its all just belief based on personal opinion wouldnt things be alot less confrontational?

I bet alot of answerers will claim they KNOW but if you really thought about it you will see there is a fine line between knowledge and belief.. and they arent the same thing... just because you believe in something doesnt make it true, and it doesnt make it knowledge.

lilmissykato....
500 years ago we "believed" the earth was flat
5000 years ago we "believed" the earth was the center of the universe
Some people may have claimed to know it but they were mistaken. Once again confusing belief with knowledge.
Now we have the proof and evidence necessary to have the real knowledge that the earth is a sphere, and is not the centre of the universe.. see belief eventually turns into knowledge once we attain the ability to test and prove or disprove certain beliefs. Back then people did claim to KNOW that the earth was flat, and the centre of the universe... and alot of strife was cause for those who BELIEVED differently in the hopes of transforming those beliefs into knowledge.. Just look at what happened to Gallileo for questioning heliocentrism.. now we know he was right, back then they were afraid of his belief because it challenged what they thought they knew...

Answer 1

I'm Christian and I most certainly do not KNOW that God exists. I BELIEVE that he does, with all of my heart.

Big difference.

Answer 2

I am not that knowledgeable on archaeological finds but I know there have been some that support the Bible, however this is how I choose to live my life. If I choose to believe and live life according to the bible teachings then it is a great book on how to live life and I have only gained and probably been a pretty good person with good moral values leading a pretty good life. And if I die then find the bible is just a story, I haven't lost much... just gained. If I choose to go my own way,set the way of life as I see it and not follow the Bible and all it's teachings, then who knows, I could be a decent person or I could be a really rotten person and If I died and found out I was wrong and there is a God, then I have truly Lost it all.

I think I will choose to believe. Proof.... maybe not... but then I don't need it.

Answer 3

First off, one cannot prove a negative. No matter how hard one tries, they cannot prove God does not exist.

So the real issue is, can one prove God does exist?

One must ignore a lot of evidence written throughout recorded time found in the Bible.

How is it that predictions that were specific in nature ended up coming about over a thousand years later?

This is what is referred to as the age of faith. What evidence is extant is sufficient for one who wishes to know. It is those who insist there is no God or claim they do not know who really do not want to know there is a God, for then they would be responsible to a higher power than themselves. It's much easier to just blow off God.

So, there is evidence in favor of God; there is no evidence pointing to there being no God. When an atheist says, "if there were a God, then this condition would exist or not exist." This, coming from people who demand hard evidence in favor of God.

I have had irrefutable evidence that God exists from my own experiences. These proofs were for me, and not others.

It is those who seek that find. If one isn't searching for the evidence, then they cannot find it, and will even reject it if it slapped them in the face.

I am witness to a person who died, then came back to life a few minutes later without any outside intervention.

That person had a staph infection that was systemic, and that person died. The heart stopped, and the breathing stopped.

That person came back to life, and recovered from the infection which was not responding to medication before that one died.

That one's blood pH was below 7 for over 24 hours. I am told that people that survive that come out of it a vegetable.

This person's mental faculties are intact.

This person is my wife. This happened 10.5 years ago.

I'd say this is a pretty good proof.

There were others I experienced, but I was searching.

Psalms 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

If people choose to perish, who am I to stop them?

Answer 4

Whats the difference between what you believe and what you know? Its just a relativism of certainty you are arguing. I can say i know that im typing on a keyboard right now. But of course i also recognize the astronomically small possibility that im hallucinating. The question is whether its worth questioning or not. You have no problem, i assume, with me saying I know im typing on a keyboard. And also I know that God does not exists, unless, of course, some amazing impossible evidence forces me to question. Not only does lack of evidence make god incredible: I would also point to the many lies which are stated in the bible, the logical and physical conundrums that god's existence would introduce, and the general insanity and lack of clear thinking which is evident in almost all of God's beleiver's and their arguments 'supporting' his existence.

You never KNOW anything 100%. This is obvious and simple. Anything you are certain enough of, you say that you know. Its semantics.

Answer 5

God gave us free choice, to believe what we want. I believe in God because I was brought up a Christian and read the Bible. The way the Bible is written does not whitewash its subjects and shows the bad and good in the Biblical personages. The way Jesus is prophesied all happened as promised. I know when I pray for help, help is delivered in miraculous ways, with no problems or rough edges. That when I try and do things my earthy way, it always comes with a myriad of consequences and the solutions are never perfect as are the ones God sends.

Answer 6

The truth is that no once can "prove" the existence or non-existence of God, but there is a lot of evidence that He exists. We each are called to weigh the evidence around us and make a faith-based decision. Some choose by faith to believe and others choose by faith to not believe.

I can say that I "know" that God exists because he is personal in my life. I walk with him and talk with him and he comforts, leads, teaches, and guides me. That may sound crazy to you, and yet, you have no way to disprove my experience.

It is however, not possible to claim that one "knows" for certainty that God does not exist because no one person possesses all knowledge, and it's always possible that God exists outside of human knowledge and experience.

Certainly there are ways to reduce strife between differing opinions, yet reducing strife isn't always the highest goal--sometimes it is, but not always. I believe that in not knowing and experiencing God personally, you are missing out--in a BIG WAY! It may make you a little uncomfortable to hear that, and my saying it may create some strife, but perhaps, sometimes it needs to be said anyway.

Blessings.

Answer 7

I'm a Christian, and I'll speak for my religion- we BELIEVE God exists because SOMEBODY had to make the universe and all the people (starting with Adam and Eve.) And the Bible says so. The Bible is actually a primary source from when Jesus was around, and I choose to believe in Christianity NOT ONLY because my parents have raised me to be a Christian, but because I BELIEVE in it- and I chose to confirm my beliefs of Jesus and God on May 27, 2007.

So that's what I say.

Answer 8

That which is asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.
— Christopher Hitchens

If my interlocutor desires to convince me that Jupiter has inhabitants, and that his description of them is accurate, it is for him to bring forward evidence in support of his contention. The burden of proof evidently lies on him; it is not for me to prove that no such beings exist before my non-belief is justified, but for him to prove that they do exist before my belief can be fairly claimed. Similarly, it is for the affirmer of God's existence to bring evidence in support of his affirmation; the burden of proof lies on him.
— Annie Besant

One might be asked How can you prove that a god does not exist? One can only reply that it is scarcely necessary to disprove what has never been proved.
— David A. Spitz

An atheist doesn't have to be someone who thinks he has a proof that there can't be a god. He only has to be someone who believes that the evidence on the God question is at a similar level to the evidence on the werewolf question.
— John McCarthy

Theists claim that there is a god; atheists do not. Religionists often challenge atheists to prove that there is no god; but this misses the point. Atheists claim god is unproved, not disproved. In any argument, the burden of proof is on the one making the claim.
If a person claims to have invented an antigravity device, it is not incumbent on others to prove that no such thing exists. The believer must make a case. Everyone else is justified in refusing to believe until evidence is produced and substantiated.
— Dan Barker

No man should dogmatize except on the subject of theology. Here he can take his stand, and by throwing the burden of proof on the opposition, he is invincible.
— Elbert Hubbard

Answer 9

Atheists technically do no longer could teach something. Atheism is authentic with the aid of default until somebody proves that a god exists. no one has completed this. nonetheless, right it relatively is a evidence with regard to the nonexistence of Yahweh and Allah, in 4 paragraphs: there is not any stable evidence for Jesus, Yahweh, Allah, Zeus, Thor, or any of the hundreds of different gods that individuals have worshipped. there is likewise huge evidence that they are all only myths, created to help soothe our concern of dying, and perpetuated with the aid of faith to subjugate the underclass into obedience. technological information has shown that there is not any desire for gods to describe the classic motives for a god -- beginning of the universe, beginning of existence, beginning of species, beginning of human beings, beginning of morality. technological information additionally exhibits us the psychological motives that individuals have self belief in god(s). If a god like Yahweh or Allah existed there would be convey evidence. No such evidence exists, consequently those gods do no longer exist. Yahweh and Allah are additionally internally and externally incongruent, and subsequently won't be able to logically exist. An all-powerful and omniscient god with loose will won't be able to exist, through fact it ought to no longer the two be responsive to the destiny and alter it. An all-powerful and omnibenevolent god won't be able to exist and permit the authentic horrors that happen to sentient beings.

Answer 10

God doesent exist because its an idea. Ok if I created a god right now and called him ABC and told you it takes faith to believe in him, but he was invisible and intangible would you leave open the possability that he exists? No and that would make you atheist unless you say,"I dont know if ABC exists," then you would be considered agnostic. Can you disprove that ABC exists? No because you dont have evidence. You cant disprove anything you dont know exists.
Atheism - the belief that God does not exist
Agnosticism - the belief that there is insufficient evidence to determine the existence of any gods.

"It is my belief that no god/s exist, but I am not arrogant enough to claim that I know that to be true." How can you believe God doesent exist, yet say he might. Thats contradicting. I think what you mean is, " God doesent exist untill he prooves himself to me."

Answer 11

Consider these three sentences:

1. I DO believe that god DOES exist.

2. I DO believe that god DOES NOT exist.

3. I DO NOT believe that god DOES exist.

1. is the 'theistic' position.

3. is the 'atheistic' position.

2. is the 'STRONG atheist' position.

The strong atheist position and the theistic position are BOTH irrational, since neither of them are proveable.

The atheist position (3) is the only rational position of the lot... it merely finds that the reasons presented in support of the idea that god(s) exist are uncompelling, and thus are insufficient to initiate or sustain a mental state of 'belief'. In other words, athiests do NOT believe in god(s) for EXACTLY the same reasons that you do not believe in the Tooth Fairy, Garden Gnomes, Bridge Trolls, Odin, Zeus, Thor, and invisible pink unicorns running around in your back yard.