that the theists might not be right, after all?
I'm not referring to any one religion, necessarily...but, seriously...are you all that positive that there is not, somewhere, a Creator...a Mind, if you will...that does exist, and that is vitally concerned about each of us?
Do you ever wonder if there isn't something you might be missing out on??
Please be polite. There is nothing intelligent about making fun of what you do not understand, or do not share. All you show with condescending attitudes is that sour grapes only produce whine...
As always, bashers and trolls will not be considered for the Best Answer...
2007-10-15 05:05:21 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Of course I'm not sure. A freethinker like me, who follows logic, must always keep alternative possibilities open. I think it is rather unlikely that God exists, but if I were 100% sure of it then I would be no more rational than theists who have faith. Because that's what faith is: Being absolutely, totally sure of something. And this is never logical, because there's always a slight possibility that it isn't the case. Faith is for those who want to believe something, can't come up with a logical reason to believe it, and decide to believe it anyway.
2007-10-15 05:15:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No one can be positive there is not a God (by any name or kind), just as one cannot be positive that there is one. There is no definitive proof either way. The Bible, the Torah, the Qur'an ... they're books and documents of religious teaching, but they do not provide proof. There is no way to prove that what happened in those books actually occurred.
I think that's where athesists begin to doubt - how can you believe in something that you can't prove or disprove exists, especially when there are so many different 'versions' of a supreme being and every group swears theirs is the 'real' one and the others are wrong? And how do you explain religions where there is more than one God? What about beings on other planets - isn't it a big conceited to believe that we are the only ones alive in this vast universe? Why does this supreme being choose to kill the helpless, choose to create disasters and wipe out thousands of people who did nothing, and yet allows rapists and murderers to carry out their practices? If "God" loves everyone, why is there such turmoil, war, racism, and homophobia? There are some things that common religions do not explain, and many people, the believers and non-believers alike, have a difficult time coming to terms with these things.
I don't think that atheists are missing out on anything by not believing in a supreme being. It's incredibly brave to come out and say "I don't believe in God" in a society where religion is considered important. I think religon (of any kind) is a good teaching tool, a way to find peace within yourself and to live to be the best person you can be. But religion also teaches hatred and exclusion, which I'm sure a supreme being would not condone if such a supreme being existed. It's an incredibly hard question because people's beliefs in religion tend to be absolute with no room to move.
2007-10-15 05:21:10 · answer #2 · answered by xK 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
Are you really sure that no goblins exist? Not necessarily goblins as they have been depicted in The Lord of the Rings, but any kind of goblins?
Do you ever wonder if there isn't something you might be missing out on??
Please be polite. There is nothing intelligent about making fun of what you do not understand, or do not share. All you show with condescending attitudes is that sour grapes only produce whine..
2007-10-15 05:08:33 · answer #3 · answered by Dreamstuff Entity 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
What would such a belief DO for me?
I am open to any claim so long as there is some sort of measurable, testable evidence, and a valid reason for entertaining it. Even the most controversial proposals in science usually come with *some* sort of evidence in tow. Wishing, wanting, hoping, and musing doesn't make a thing real. I'm not going to entertain someone who claims an omnipotent chicken flies around space on a comet, and directs the workings of the universe. It would be ridiculous. Why should I give any more credence to the god claims? They're just as ridiculous to me.
There is no compelling reason to believe in any religion, or the concept of god, but there is great reason to doubt these claims because in thousands of years, no one has ever produced a shred of evidence, let alone proof. When something is put to the test over, and over, and over, and fails, the likelihood is that it's probably not true.
Why believe in something when the belief does absolutely nothing for you?
2007-10-15 05:19:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm sort of an Atheist. No. In fact, I think one never should be sure of their beliefs--they should always be not just accepting of, but searching for, problems, contradictions, contrary evidence, etc. in and towards their own beliefs. I also think, however, when one feels that there is evidence for their beliefs and/or against other's, they should be allowed to state it without it being suggested that they are compensating for their own lack of belief, just as a scientist, on making a discovery, will try to teach it to the world. Once again, though, always be ready to be proven wrong.
2016-05-22 18:24:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an aethiest.
I very strongly believe that a "creator" (in the divine sense) does not exist.
There are many "miracles" and unexplained phenomena, but this has always been the case before we knew these things in a scientific sense. For example, during the Middle Ages, people didn't know that the bugonic plague was a sickness from poor hygeine, people thought it was God handing out his punishment.
We may look at current things like this today, but we just haven't found the scientific explanation.
2007-10-15 05:10:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The only thing that I am sure of in this life is that I do not like your tone.
Yes, I am sure that the decisions I am making in my life are the correct ones for me. I am also aware that the same applies to you.
Asking someone to politely answer a passive aggresive question is just silly. You are the one being rude and over stepping your bounds. Would you ever ask such a question at a dinner party? I assure you if you did, I would say the exact thing I am typing right now.
2007-10-15 05:18:01 · answer #7 · answered by Bgirl9488 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I understand god(s) very well, and that is even more reason for me to take their existence on face value, which is to say no value at all.
We are all born atheist, we are born knowing nothing about anything. It is all taught to us as we grow. Some people choose to believe everything, some don't. It is very simple really.
The simpler people tend to believe in simple things, fairies, elves gods and angels.
It apparently takes a somewhat more sophisticated brain, to acknowledge that these things are myths and legends and should be treated as such, not incorporated into science class or the laws of the land.
2007-10-15 05:33:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
We have been around this block several times.
I'm a cynical skeptic. I don't believe in anything. I only know what I can prove, document, verify, test, retest, and demonstrate to be factual. There has never been the slightest shred of proof at any time for any deities.
I will acknowledge that there are certain activities and feelings that I am "missing out" on. But then again there are activities and feelings that I miss out on because I don't drink alcohol, smoke crack, or take dangerous hallucinogens. I don't need them and I don't regret missing them.
2007-10-15 05:13:51 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
All the evidence I've seen points to the lack of a conscious creator. It points even more strongly to the lack of a creator who is concerned about each of us.
I could be wrong, and I will admit I am wrong if I find evidence for which the best explanation posits the existence of a creator.
2007-10-15 05:09:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋