Does God exist? (15 Viewers)

[Garygaz]

My possible belief side of my agnosticism doesn't come from Christian doctrine or any form of doctrine, rather long, repeated arguments I think out in my head. Look up the Voyager 1 & 2 pics of earth from like 4 billion miles away, and you will get an eery feeling of the complete insignificance of humans and earth in the universe and the entirety of space. It's not so much of a belief in a god rather than the belief that you shouldn't discount the possibility of one. When you think of all of the unknowns that still wait to be discovered, believing and not believing are both as irrational as each other. I think a lot to do with belief is more of the question of if one asks themselves 'how'; then they are more likely not to believe, but if they ask themselves 'why'; then they are more likely to believe.

 

[lilika01]

Theories aren't evidence, first off. They're generally educated models that seem to fit certain descriptors. [\quote]

Evolution is Not Just a Theory: home
Check it out. You see, kids, in science, to have a theory about something, you need evidence. =]

 

[jules.09]

Evolution is Not Just a Theory: home
Check it out. You see, kids, in science, to have a theory about something, you need evidence. =]

I think you may have misconstrued my point. Evidence gives rise to theory, but the theory itself is not complete, and cannot be used as evidence to PROVE anything. It follows that theories are analytical tools which plausibly generalise about an array descriptors e.g. empirical phenomena. Does the conclusion derived from the theory say anything about the phenomena it seeks to model, or does it say something about the nature of the theory?

If there wasn't any evidence to support the theory, it would be an ad hoc hypothesis.

 

[Garygaz]

I'd find it hard to believe in a Christian god considering how broken the old-testament is.

 

[Kwayera]

Does The Flying Spaghetti Monster exist? I have no scientific nor philosophical theories as arguments to prove that he exists or not. I say, the reason why people are confused over The Flying Spaghetti Monster's existence, is that they are not persistently looking for Him with all their heart. (Or sometimes people miss the forest for the trees; he's right in front of you and you don't even know it.)

If you don't believe the promise, get on with your life. It's like, if you don't believe I've put a colourful ball in the house, why would you bother looking for it? Or proving that it doesn't exist? But if you do believe the promise and persist in seeking him, you will find The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

God defies so much of my logic and reasoning, so much so it doesn't make sense and causes us me to scratch my head - but that's the most amazing part. That's why I don't have science or anything like that to back me up here.

All I can say is that I sought The Flying Spaghetti Monster with all my heart, The Flying Spaghetti Monster found me, and now I know The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Knowing The Flying Spaghetti Monster like a friend is the best thing in the world. I have a hope that never dies. And it's not about following religious practices, rules and regulations. I personally don't like that stuff, it bogs me down and does nothing to get rid of the filth in my heart.

Pastafarianism it's about letting The Flying Spaghetti Monster change our lives from the inside out so we have freedom in the wide open spaces of his love and grace. Salvation. Sounds like I'm crazy? Well that's just too bad for those who don't believe, because it's the most unexplainable and beautiful thing in the world, to which none compares.
​

[/RIGHT]

Fixed.

 

[Cookie182]

*Re-posting

I'm very unsatisfied with current responses:

I'm still waiting for someone, particularly a Bible literalist (not Iron) who doesn't look past details and simplify Christianity to love, to give a good response to the Apathetic God Paradox.

Lots of Prots give god all these cuddly qualities of omnipotence/omniscience etc

There is consequentiality when you describe this entity: little do you realise, the more you do this, the more you destroy any chance of the 'god' you aptly describe existing at all.

Why?

The problem of motivation. You guys think of god in human ways- that he listens to your prayers, has infinite knowledge and love. Therefore, it is not acceptable to argue against him possessing other qualities like motivation.

How do we get motivated? Simply, due to limits. When we live under a limited framework (i.e. asymmetric information, time etc), we prioritise our resources to best meet our needs (given rationality). Limits drive our motivation to seek knowledge, to seek love, emotional fulfilment.

A characteristic of omnipotence/omniscience is that the entity is limitless- all-knowing, all-possessing, for eternity. Therefore, god has everything he ever needs internally, given he knows future outcomes; no external event is ever needed to satisfy a limitless entity. All knowledge, love, emotional fulfillment resides within him. By definition, god would have no motivation. Infinite apathy.

Without motivation, this apathetic entity would create nothing. This is a necessary consequence of your definitions.

Warning: the worst rebuttal I have ever heard is: "Oh, but he allowed himself to selectively not know about creation, give free will to us, so he seeks this...". Your back-trotting on your beloved god-concept of perfection. Also, to do so would be a logical fallacy, as to do that, he would need to know everything in the first place. Therefore, he would never have the motivation to remove this 'selected knowledge'

...The Christian will then usually go "how dare you assume to know his mind?...". Refer them back to the statement of rebuttal that they just made. Christianity is conceptually built upon humanistic presumptions of god's qualities. As soon as you even use the word "him"; the process of definition begins...and logical destruction follows.

 

[jules.09]

Fixed.

Haha, I was going to replace it with Russell's 'Celestial Teapot'.

 

[ComingUpForAir]

Does God exist? I have no scientific nor philosophical theories as arguments to prove that he exists or not. I say, the reason why people are confused over God's existence, is that they are not persistently looking for Him with all their heart. (Or sometimes people miss the forest for the trees; he's right in front of you and you don't even know it.)

Now this is what is says in the bible:

"you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."​

(Deuteronomy 4:29)​

If you don't believe the promise, get on with your life. It's like, if you don't believe I've put a colourful ball in the house, why would you bother looking for it? Or proving that it doesn't exist? But if you do believe the promise and persist in seeking him, you will find Him.​

God defies so much of my logic and reasoning, so much so it doesn't make sense and causes us me to scratch my head - but that's the most amazing part. That's why I don't have science or anything like that to back me up here.​

All I can say is that I sought Him with all my heart, He found me, and now I know Him. Knowing God like a friend is the best thing in the world. I have a hope that never dies. And it's not about following religious practices, rules and regulations. I personally don't like that stuff, it bogs me down and does nothing to get rid of the filth in my heart.​

Christianity it's about letting God change our lives from the inside out so we have freedom in the wide open spaces of his love and grace. Salvation. Sounds like I'm crazy? Well that's just too bad for those who don't believe, because it's the most unexplainable and beautiful thing in the world, to which none compares.​

utterly nauseating babble..
I'll refrain from dismantling the exquisitly disturbing conversational fallacies, as the poster is obviously incapible of challanging their beliefs, i.e he/she even conceeds that not being able to find 'the ball' would only strengthen their belief.
The evident mental squalor governing this persons comments alerts us to the human minds biological predisposition for superstition. Reminds us that this faculty for superstition did not disappear along with the various stupefying stone-age rituals of our ancestors, i.e human sacrifice for crops.

 

[Kwayera]

LOL concerning "fixed"
but I'm glad to be a fool for Jesus. =) There's nothing in this world that can sway me from my conviction.

Anyhow, I hope at the very least people can find peace, love (as an act of the will, not necessarily a feeling), joy, hope and purpose in themselves and with other people. It's a really cool way of life, saying this from first-hand experience with my friends/family circle. Our hearts undeniably need these things, above all material wealth and that which rusts. There's something beautiful about it.

So you missed the point of the exercise?

 

[warezfan]

Theories aren't evidence, first off. They're generally educated models that seem to fit certain descriptors. [\quote]

Evolution is Not Just a Theory: home
Check it out. You see, kids, in science, to have a theory about something, you need evidence. =]

Evolution is not proven.

There have been many evidence which proves evolution is false, such as the fact that fossil evidence have been found to have more advance creatures beneath the more primitive creatures. This is a clearly a contradiction to the view of Darwin, where creatures should become more advanced through time. The explanation that the so called expert can come up with is that volcanoes have flipped the fossils or some other giant leap of faith, which is totally ludicrous.

Anyways, you will all see the truth when the judgment day comes and we all return to GOD in his kingdom of heaven, but for some of you I'm afraid you will suffer eternal hell in oblivion for believing in the devil's misleading deception of evolution.

 

[Kwayera]

Evolution is not proven.

There have been many evidence which proves evolution is false, such as the fact that fossil evidence have been found to have more advance creatures beneath the more primitive creatures. This is a clearly a contradiction to the view of Darwin, where creatures should become more advanced through time. The explanation that the so called expert can come up with is that volcanoes have flipped the fossils or some other giant leap of faith, which is totally ludicrous.

Anyways, you will all see the truth when the judgment day comes and we all return to GOD in his kingdom of heaven, but for some of you I'm afraid you will suffer eternal hell in oblivion for believing in the devil's misleading deception of evolution.

I hope you're a troll because you're wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

[thisnameistaken]

the enigmatic nature of gods existence cannot be proven, its all based on belief,
Im a believer, believers have hope!

 

[jules.09]

Evolution is not proven.

There have been many evidence which proves evolution is false, such as the fact that fossil evidence have been found to have more advance creatures beneath the more primitive creatures. This is a clearly a contradiction to the view of Darwin, where creatures should become more advanced through time. The explanation that the so called expert can come up with is that volcanoes have flipped the fossils or some other giant leap of faith, which is totally ludicrous.

Anyways, you will all see the truth when the judgment day comes and we all return to GOD in his kingdom of heaven, but for some of you I'm afraid you will suffer eternal hell in oblivion for believing in the devil's misleading deception of evolution.

Well, it's not proven in the strict sense, but it's a highly plausible explanation of the variations in plant and animal species that exist today, and their adaptations for survival over time .. which is better than the non sequitur concerning this judgment day and the kingdom of heaven.

Now, merely suppose that evolution is an invalid theory. It still doesn't validate intelligent design either way.

Eternal hell in oblivion for believing in the Devil hey? It's not the one with the fire and brimstone .. and rock music, right? Frankly, seeing as God's against Adam and Steve, I'd rather be where Queen gets airplay.

 

[Malaty]

Look, i havent read the 970 or so pages of this thread so i dont no if this has been already mentioned:
1. the answer to the question "Does God exist?" cannot be proven experimentally nor whatever. it is a question unlike any other in that it is answered only by faith.
2. Being a Christian, i believe that God exist and my best support is through reading the Old Testament and New Testaments of the Bible. it is amazing how the prophesies of OT mirror that events in the NT. i can convincingly say that no religion has such a holy book but that is besides the question.
3. note that the Bible was written over thousands of years by many many people. so for those who argue that the Bible is just a good story written by the same person who pretended to be many OR the fact that they mirror is coincidence...ur idiots.
4. half of those who dont believe in God must have pretty empty lives i.e. u lack happiness. my advice is buy and open ur bible and read the gospels.
5. may God touch ur hearts.

 

[warezfan]

Look, i havent read the 970 or so pages of this thread so i dont no if this has been already mentioned:
1. the answer to the question "Does God exist?" cannot be proven experimentally nor whatever. it is a question unlike any other in that it is answered only by faith.
2. Being a Christian, i believe that God exist and my best support is through reading the Old Testament and New Testaments of the Bible. it is amazing how the prophesies of OT mirror that events in the NT. i can convincingly say that no religion has such a holy book but that is besides the question.
3. note that the Bible was written over thousands of years by many many people. so for those who argue that the Bible is just a good story written by the same person who pretended to be many OR the fact that they mirror is coincidence...ur idiots.
4. half of those who dont believe in God must have pretty empty lives i.e. u lack happiness. my advice is buy and open ur bible and read the gospels.
5. may God touch ur hearts.

This man speaks the truth. The Bible is your path to GOD.

 

[tommykins]

Look, i havent read the 970 or so pages of this thread so i dont no if this has been already mentioned:
1. the answer to the question "Does God exist?" cannot be proven experimentally nor whatever. it is a question unlike any other in that it is answered only by faith.

cool

2. Being a Christian, i believe that God exist and my best support is through reading the Old Testament and New Testaments of the Bible. it is amazing how the prophesies of OT mirror that events in the NT. i can convincingly say that no religion has such a holy book but that is besides the question.

have you read other religious texts? no? shut up then.

3. note that the Bible was written over thousands of years by many many people. so for those who argue that the Bible is just a good story written by the same person who pretended to be many OR the fact that they mirror is coincidence...ur idiots.

so for those who argue God exists, you're idiots.

4. half of those who dont believe in God must have pretty empty lives i.e. u lack happiness. my advice is buy and open ur bible and read the gospels.
5. may God touch ur hearts.

hahahahha yeah lifes shit .

This man speaks the truth. The Bible is your path to GOD.

you're struggling to finish a commerce degree.

 

[Iron]

Buckle up spankies, Australia may be getting its first Saint tomorrow
:0:0:0:O

 

[Uncle]

cool

have you read other religious texts? no? shut up then.

so for those who argue God exists, you're idiots.

hahahahha yeah lifes shit .


you're struggling to finish a commerce degree.

hahaha that made my day.

 

[Cookie182]

Look, i havent read the 970 or so pages of this thread so i dont no if this has been already mentioned:
1. the answer to the question "Does God exist?" cannot be proven experimentally nor whatever. it is a question unlike any other in that it is answered only by faith.
2. Being a Christian, i believe that God exist and my best support is through reading the Old Testament and New Testaments of the Bible. it is amazing how the prophesies of OT mirror that events in the NT. i can convincingly say that no religion has such a holy book but that is besides the question.
3. note that the Bible was written over thousands of years by many many people. so for those who argue that the Bible is just a good story written by the same person who pretended to be many OR the fact that they mirror is coincidence...ur idiots.
4. half of those who dont believe in God must have pretty empty lives i.e. u lack happiness. my advice is buy and open ur bible and read the gospels.
5. may God touch ur hearts.

I think that sums up your post.

 

[Cookie182]

There will always be magicians