Does God exist?

Gottservant · Jul 9, 2014

God does not take a proof of His existence and verify it, He takes a believer's heart and encourages it.

If you do not credit God the capacity to discern between the two, He doesn't want to make Himself known to you anyway.

If you suppose that is because God cannot (make Himself known to you - let the reader be aware), you are ruling out that a believer who has known the will of God might take offence.

Does it take a genius to see that if you have contradicted someone before they have believed in anything but God, God has protected them? Even an unbeliever can concede this?

Tinker Grey · Jul 9, 2014

BlueLightningTN said:
I disagree. I think it is demonstrably probable that the divine exists rather than does not.

Probas?

Achilles6129 · Jul 9, 2014

BlueLightningTN said:
I disagree. I think it is demonstrably probable that the divine exists rather than does not.

And is this divine good by human standards or evil?

digitalgoth · Jul 9, 2014

Gottservant said:
God does not take a proof of His existence and verify it, He takes a believer's heart and encourages it.

If you do not credit God the capacity to discern between the two, He doesn't want to make Himself known to you anyway.

So he exists in your head if you want, otherwise he doesn't appear?

Gottservant said:
If you suppose that is because God cannot (make Himself known to you - let the reader be aware), you are ruling out that a believer who has known the will of God might take offence.

God is a boogey-man who casts curses?

Gottservant said:
Does it take a genius to see that if you have contradicted someone before they have believed in anything but God, God has protected them? Even an unbeliever can concede this?

You mean denial of reality?

BL2KTN · Jul 9, 2014

Achilles said:
And is this divine good by human standards or evil?

I'm assuming you mean "god", not "good."

People have different standards for good and evil. I think it's inconclusive as to the attributes of the creator. For our sakes, I hope the creator is benevolent and that it shares our concern for conscious creatures. Then again, if we're all just the byproduct of some hyper-intelligent being's child playing a video game... well, let's make do with what we have.

bhsmte · Jul 9, 2014

BlueLightningTN said:
Between the cosmological argument, the precise laws of physics required for a sustainable universe, and the likelihood of the simulation theory... I say the meter swings in the direction of a Creator. Just not an Iron Age, Canaanite war god mixed with the cheif god of the pantheon (Yahweh/El).

From my perspective, if there was a creator, the position you hold, would have a much higher probability of being true, vs the Christian God.

bhsmte · Jul 9, 2014

Jeremy E Walker said:
I am assuming you have refuted all of the philosophical arguments for the existence of God that theistic philosophers defend.

If you have, please send me these refutations in an email or a private message. I would love to take a look at them.

Is this evidence that God does not exist?

Possibilities come cheap my Love. We are not concerned with what could be an explanation of the existence of the universe but rather, what is the best explanation.

We all could be bodies lying in the Matirx. That is possible. But we all have reasons to think that that is not the best explanation.

If you want examples of arguments from theistic philosophers being argued against, youtube is loaded with debates on this subject.

GoldenBoy89 · Jul 9, 2014

bhsmte said:
From my perspective, if there was a creator, the position you hold, would have a much higher probability of being true, vs the Christian God.

^Agree.

I can give theists the "creator of the universe." That's fine. I call it, "author of the laws of nature." But I will not accept that this author had to turn himself into a man to be sacrificed to himself so he doesn't have to send us to a pit of fire for eternity.

That is the work of human imagination.

Archaeopteryx · Jul 9, 2014

bhsmte said:
If you want examples of arguments from theistic philosophers being argued against, youtube is loaded with debates on this subject.

AntiCitizenX, QualiaSoup and Gary Edwards have some excellent videos. There are many others, but those three come to mind first.

bhsmte · Jul 9, 2014

Archaeopteryx said:
AntiCitizenX, QualiaSoup and Gary Edwards have some excellent videos. There are many others, but those three come to mind first.

Yes indeed.

The debate between Sam Harris and WLC at Notre Dame is also a good one, with Craig likely considered one of the more prominent theistic philosophers.

BL2KTN · Jul 9, 2014

The debate between Sam Harris and WLC at Notre Dame is also a good one, with Craig likely considered one of the more prominent theistic philosophers.

One of my very favorite debates. Harris won solidly.

bhsmte · Jul 9, 2014

BlueLightningTN said:
One of my very favorite debates. Harris won solidly.

My favorite part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HthQ6a7FZeA

Gottservant · Jul 9, 2014

Pointing to suffering that you do nothing about, is itself evil. (selah)

Tinker Grey · Jul 9, 2014

Ergo, if a god exists and does nothing about evil then he is evil.

GoldenBoy89 · Jul 9, 2014

Tinker Grey said:
Ergo, if a god exists and does nothing about evil then he is evil.

Especially true if he can do something about evil. People are limited in what they can do. God is not. God must be choosing to do nothing about evil.

inb4 someone says he is doing something about evil i.e. "Salvation"

PsychoSarah · Jul 9, 2014

Tinker Grey said:
Ergo, if a god exists and does nothing about evil then he is evil.

Only if god can do something about it. Say I witness a murder, but could have run up and tried to tackle the murderer before it happened. However, if physically I was doomed to fail thanks to my lack of tackling weight, and doing so would only end up delaying the murder by a minute, would this make me immoral when instead I hang back, wait for the murderer to get a safe distance away, and call the police? No, because it wasn't within my power to actually save that person.

bhsmte · Jul 9, 2014

Gottservant said:
Pointing to suffering that you do nothing about, is itself evil. (selah)

Who is in a better position to do something about it, your God, or me?

digitalgoth · Jul 9, 2014

PsychoSarah said:
Only if god can do something about it. Say I witness a murder, but could have run up and tried to tackle the murderer before it happened. However, if physically I was doomed to fail thanks to my lack of tackling weight, and doing so would only end up delaying the murder by a minute, would this make me immoral when instead I hang back, wait for the murderer to get a safe distance away, and call the police? No, because it wasn't within my power to actually save that person.

Just try praying next time. Complete morality without any responsibility whatsoever.

PsychoSarah · Jul 9, 2014

digitalgoth said:
Just try praying next time. Complete morality without any responsibility whatsoever.

I don't pray in times like that. It is a great way to jinx people and yourself.

HitchSlap · Jul 9, 2014

There is not enough evidence to convict a god of existence, so no god.

Does God exist?

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