Existence vs. Non-existence of God?

Question

Aren't you all tired of debating this ad nauseum? I bet not a single person's opinion has been altered by the endless debates on Y! Answers.

Everyone has faith. Even those who deny God's existence cannot PROVE God's nonexistence, so their faith is in the nonexistence of God.

This is something that cannot be conclusively proven either way. That's why faith is required. As a Christian, I believe in the existence of God, and in the deity of Jesus Christ. However, I can't prove either of those. Nor can you, if you disagree with my claims, PROVE the opposite is true.

Shall we move on to subjects where the discussion can be more fruitful?

Answer 1

See burden of proof

"Everyone has faith. Even those who deny God's existence cannot PROVE God's nonexistence, so their faith is in the nonexistence of God."

Wrong(i agree with Paul S), You happened to been brought up to Christianity, so you no what it's like to disbelief in Allah, Zeus, Vishnu, Krishna, The FSM and others more. I know for the fact that the lack of belief on something has nothing to do with having faith.

"if you disagree with my claims, PROVE the opposite is true."

Can you disprove the existence of Allah, Zeus, Vishnu, Krishna, The FSM? I reckon you can't, therefore, by your logic, these gods exist too. I don't regard faith/personal experience has evidence, for the fact that it varies from person to person.

Answer 2

The argument "You can't prove it either way, let's just not debate it any more" is always proposed by theists, never atheists. You do this to propose some sort of equivalence in the positions. Yet the positions are not equivalent. Belief in the non-existence of god does not require any more faith than belief in the non-existence of goblins (and I am sincerely tired of pointing THAT out ad nauseum).

This also suggests a fear on the part of the theist. This is more apparent when you consider that atheists NEVER attempt to prove the non-existence of god - we simply say "there isn't one, unless you can prove otherwise". Being pressed into the realization that there IS no evidence for their position makes theists very uncomfortable. So they try this tactic to avoid the issue altogether.

Answer 3

Actually we need a place to keep all the feeble minded occupied.

Great minds have been arguing and debating over the existence of a supreme being for thousands of years. Philosophers have written millions of pages and volumes on the nature of humanity and its relationship with deities.

And you have buffoons that think they can prove it in a single paragraph. Read this section for laughs and be glad that you live in a country where every nitwit has a right to voice an opinion.

Answer 4

Any atheist would say not everyone has faith. Nob-believing is not another kind of faith, it is simply not the proper word. I would rather choose to say that everyone has an opinion regarding religion and god.
I'd love to hear questions that would not give people the chanse to argue about their beliefs, but unfortunately those questions are pretty rare. I dont think anybody will change their beliefs or religion after asking a question here or reading some answers, honestly.
I respect other's beliefs when they are not agressive twords mine, or when they are not looking down on me because i think different. I'd like that same respect...

Answer 5

I'm a Christian too, but maybe this stuff ain't as fruitless as you think. You never know who might stumble across one of our answers and be affected. Even if we don't see any difference, it doesn't mean we're not making one. Take me for example; I asked God to increase my faith (which, by the way, was NOT one of the smartest things I've ever done) so he let a lot of doubt into my mind. Quite a bit of it came from this place. But you know what? I'll only end up stronger in the end, 'cause I won't forget what I learned in the light while I trek through the darkness.

Answer 6

Faith is a characteristic of religion, not of science or rationality.

A lack of faith is not faith. I cannot disprove the existence of God, the Invisible Pink Unicorn, the little green men who live in Uranus or anything else that can be conceived by the mind of Man. This doesn't mean that I have faith in their non-existence, that is just semantic juggling.

But one can certainly look at something and say that this is very unlikely to be true. I liken religion to a roomful of people saying that they know of a particular invisible ghost. But not only that, they say that each other person's invisible ghost is not the *true* ghost, and only theirs is the right one.

To me, it is a reasonable assumption that none of the ghosts are real.

Answer 7

In any Court of Law a murder has not occurred unless a body can be produced. Merely having faith in that a murder happened would be thrown out of Court. Religion is allowed to get away not supplying proof because religion is used to opiate so many of the masses If God loves his people, showing up would silence and convert millions of non-believers. Religion claims that God wants everyone to be a believer. Your argument has holes in it.

Answer 8

Uh, genius, its not my job to disprove your Gods existance, just like its not your job to disprove Scientology - it is the job of the person making the extrodinary claims to come up with some extrodinary evidence. You, as you have admitted, cannot do so.

This pretty much proves (through absence of evidence) that your God doesnt exist. What could be more fruitful than learning the means by which one thinks logically?

Answer 9

There is nothing wrong with debating the existence of God, it's the manner in which it is done that matters.

Unfortunately most who debate on this forum, do so for the sake of the argument and/or intolerance.

As long as forums like this exist, so will these debates.

Answer 10

There is plenty of evidence that a God does not exist. There is not a single scrap of evidence that he does. If I told you I ate a mountain you wouldn't believe me, or at least insist I prove it.

So to believe in a God with no evidence whatsoever is just as ridiculous. Unfortunately there are some very gullible, insecure people out there (usually from the US) who need this nonsense in their lives, so choose to believe in it.