to all atheists?

Question

what sort of evidence will convince you that God truly exists?
Be reasonable and please be serious about it

Answer 1

I think they want scientific proof but what they don't know is Evolution has no scientific proof. Everything about our universe reflects a creator.

Answer 2

There is no proof possible any more than one could prove that he does not exist. Whatever was presented as being God, whatever one claimed, regardless of how powerful and mighty it may be, there would be no way to know that there was not something more powerful yet undisclosed that was in fact the true God or that such greater thing even exists. There may be something greater out there or there may be nothing. We also cannot say that there is no God until we have done an infinite search to find him. Unttil we have done so, which we can't, he might still be somewhere that we haven't yet looked.

Answer 3

How about real evidence that when evaluated objectively indicates that god exists? This is not a hard concept to comprehend. For example the following would be considered objective evidence:
1. A global layer of silt, dating to the same time i.e. around 5000 years old. (Indication that there was a global flood).
2. Egyptian records of the Hebrews residing there, grave of Hebrew dating to the time period prior to the Exodus, census of Hebrew slaves, Joseph's name in hieroglyphs or anything that gives evidence of the exodus story.
3. Records from any of the civilizations that were around when Joshua had the sun stand still. There were a number of civilizations around then and some of them should have noticed.
4. Eyewitness accounts of Jesus, dated to that time.
5. Records indicating an earthquake following 6 hours of darkness dating to around 30 CE.
6. Records of the Star of Bethlehem.
7. A large pile of shaped stone that indicates a massive tower and no discernible cause for it to collapse.
8. Amputees regaining limbs.

This should give you a good idea of what evidence means. What we often see called evidence by Christians are some of the following:
1. Second and third century writings about early Christians.
2. A tower in Babylon that was destroyed in a war around 600 BCE.
3. Fossils on mountain tops event though reliable dating methods show them to be from different time periods and millions of years old.
4. For proof of the Exodus, that there is a military route from Egypt to Israel (This is evidence of what?)
5. Formations in the Red Sea that resemble chariot wheels (can you say common reef formations?)
6. A Egyptian scroll which lists some similar plagues as the Exodus' but was written around 300 years too early, does not match the plagues, and does not relate to the Exodus.

Edit:
Personal experience does not classify as evidence to me as many religions, and other emotional events, claim spiritual encounters, for example, Native Americans actually saw and experienced their spirit guides and/or totems. Magnetic stimulation of the correct portion of the brain will produce profound religious experiences, one women felt as if she was given birth to Jesus.

Answer 4

ask, and it shall be given unto you...

I'd like to see prayers answered. When a young child goes missing, I'd like to see them show up alive, every time. Because I know that every time it happens, people pray, all over the nation/world.

Love your enemy....

I'd like to see Christians actually follow this message. Not just give it lip service, but follow it. Bombing your enemy is not mentioned...killing your enemy is not mentioned. I'd be more convinced if the faithful were actually somehow enhanced through belief, instead of merely being forgiven for their daily transgressions.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I'd like to see some indication that leadership amongst the religion of God were somehow held accountable to this standard. Where is the lord when religious leaders are raping children? Where is the lord when religious leaders are killing in his name, but for profit, not prophet? Where is the lord when religious leaders are the antithesis of Jesus? I could believe if they were all removed in one fell swoop.

God can do anything...what I wonder at is, why does he do nothing when so much ill is done in his name? Not even a good MAN could stand by idlely if the same happened to them, even when a man has so little power over others.

This is a serious answer, by the way.

Answer 5

There could not be evidence provided to prove to me that god exists, because as an atheist I don't even entertain the notion that a god in the religious sense could exist.
As far as the existence of gods(powerful beings who influence the thoughts and actions of many people; or powerful being who greatly controls life) than the evidence is all around you-it's every single animal and every human that chooses to think and believe for themselves.

Answer 6

He could try showing up at the front door. Is that so unreasonable?

By the way, Dawkins gives a list of several tests that a reasonable person would take as evidence of a god in his book "The God Delusion". For example, if controlled studies of prayer showed that prayer in general is ineffective, but that Methodist prayers were highly effective, that'd be tough to refute.

Answer 7

Why should determining the existence of gods even be such a difficult question? The very fact that you have to ask is an accusation. Wouldn't omnipotent omnipresent omnieverything creators be bloody obvious to everyone in existence, especially their own creation? What's with the hide and seek? So elusive, almost... like gods do not exist.

Answer 8

God would have to manifest at my command, and be witnessed by ten other people of my choosing. He would then have to perform ten miracles of my choosing, all witnessed and confirmed by my ten observers, AND independently confirmed by people I don't know, from all around the world.

The testing would start with violations of the laws of physics, and end with raising some long dead people I knew.

If such a being/force/entity could do this, I'd acknowledge it as being a god according to the currently agreed upon definition. But, I still wouldn't worship it.

Answer 9

That's pretty easy. God.

I'm 100% serious. You can't prove a volcano by showing me a chicken pot pie. I'm not asking or demanding god show up and prove himself but only god could possibly prove god.

And frankly humans trotting out a book is even farther from proof of a deity than the chicken pot pie is from proof of a volcano. At least I've seen a volcano and we can say sure volcanoes exist.

And considering the size of the claim he would have to not only show up, heck I can show up, but also demonstrate he can create like theists claim. I don't mean cheesy water into wine parlor tricks that David Blain would bust a gut laughing at. And yet we only have 200th hand accounts of that happening.

Honestly most other mythical deities would actually be easier to believe because most of them aren't claiming they created everything.

Answer 10

You really don't understand the logic of the position. Whether God exists or does not exists is in the realm of philosophy--that is the basis axiom is philosophical--it can not be proven one way or the other. Given that basis assumption if you believe in God then all religions flow logically or in some cases illogically from that basis assumption. If you don't believe in God likewise it is a philosophical position. Either case is a faith based position. In my own personal life I believe in a universe that operates on natural law--one that results from the fundamental properties of mass and energy. For me to believe in God I'd have to suspend causality and believe in for lack of a better word--magic. I don't believe in magic.

Answer 11

I need God to reveal himself to more than individuals.

He only needs to show measurable evidence of his existence, that goes beyond evidence used by all humans to prove myth.

Its really not that hard, and if God really cared about the fate of humankind, he would make sure that it happened, after all, without general revelation he is responsible for the eternal torture of a majority of humanity, which makes him very cruel.