What would change?

[The Nihilist]

Christians, hypothetically, what would change if you suddenly discovered irrefutably that there was no God? What would change about how you went about your life? Would you kill yourself? Would you fornicate in the streets? Would you not really change anything?

Also, can we not make this a thread about what atheists would do if they found out there was a god? If that's what you want to talk about, make your own thread.

 

[ebia]

Christians, hypothetically, what would change if you suddenly discovered irrefutably that there was no God? What would change about how you went about your life? Would you kill yourself? Would you fornicate in the streets? Would you not really change anything?

It's rather like being asked "what would you do if if you suddenly discovered irrefutable that there was no such thing as air? Would you still keep breathing?"

 

[The Nihilist]

It's rather like being asked "what would you do if if you suddenly discovered irrefutable that there was no such thing as air? Would you still keep breathing?"

I'm putting you down for kill yourself.

 

[Ectezus]

It's rather like being asked "what would you do if if you suddenly discovered irrefutable that there was no such thing as air? Would you still keep breathing?"

Nice analogy and question evasion at the same time.
If god is somehow proven to be nothing more than a product of human imagination, like for example Santa Claus, then it also means nothing will change besides the lack that this imagination.

However, if air would be gone we will die. In gods or santa's case we won't. Since it would be proven he's not real and we would still be alive to experience this enlightenment.
Therefore the OP's question: what would change?

 

[truthshift]

I get the feeling that you're not going to get a straight answer from anyone because that is "unfathomable".



Personally, I think there would initially be a lot of suicides due to an overwhelming lack of understanding of existence and meaning otherwise. Increased rates in depression and so on.

If the evidence were "suddenly" brought about, peoples' whole mental constructs of the workings of the universe would be torn asunder.

LOTS and LOTS of people would simply go into denial and continue to refute it. I'm sure it would be a lot like coping with the death of someone.

 

[ebia]

Nice analogy and question evasion at the same time.
If god is somehow proven to be nothing more than a product of human imagination, like for example Santa Claus, then it also means nothing will change besides the lack that this imagination.

However, if air would be gone we will die. In gods or santa's case we won't. Since it would be proven he's not real and we would still be alive to experience this enlightenment.
Therefore the OP's question: what would change?

I was assuming that reality wasn't about to change, only what we know about it. I can no more see how God could not exist given my experience than I can see how air could not exist given me experience. So I can no more answer the question.

You have a go at the air question - it's unanswerable.

 

[truthshift]

I was assuming that reality wasn't about to change, only what we know about it. I can no more see how God could not exist given my experience than I can see how air could not exist given me experience. So I can no more answer the question.

Called it.

Haha, sorry. I just had to.

 

[yguy]

Christians, hypothetically, what would change if you suddenly discovered irrefutably that there was no God?

Pretty much the same thing as would happen if it were "discovered irrefutably" that there is no strong nuclear force, I should think.

 

[ebia]

Called it.

Haha, sorry. I just had to.

No worries. But I don't think your call is actually equivalent to what I said.

Try answering the 'air' question/

 

[The Nihilist]

Pretty much the same thing as would happen if it were "discovered irrefutably" that there is no strong nuclear force, I should think.

I imagine that if that happened, I would continue to get up, eat my cereal, and go to work just like I had before. Is that what you're saying?

 

[Ectezus]

I was assuming that reality wasn't about to change, only what we know about it. I can no more see how God could not exist given my experience than I can see how air could not exist given me experience. So I can no more answer the question.

Alright, fair enough. Thank you for clarifying.

I guess it's just hard to understand that way of thinking for people who know there are other possibilities that explains the universe without the need for a god.

I mean I could easily answer the opposite question. Something like:
- Ask god a lot of questions in a good conversation with some beers (optional).
Questions like: What his greater plan is, why so much suffering is needed in order to reach that goal, why all the hoops and not just reveal yourself, why, why, why and last but certainly not least; how does he do it?
I would be very interested in all of this.

- I might also say that I don't fully agree with all his cruel choices and if he wants to punish me for that then I guess it just proves my point.

- Oh and lastly, I would applaud him for creating the platypus. That thing is hilarious, plain and simple.


If I can then why is it so hard for theists to answer the equally absurd hypothetical question?

 

[Joachim]

Christians, hypothetically, what would change if you suddenly discovered irrefutably that there was no God? What would change about how you went about your life? Would you kill yourself? Would you fornicate in the streets? Would you not really change anything?

Also, can we not make this a thread about what atheists would do if they found out there was a god? If that's what you want to talk about, make your own thread.

You're talking about something that can never be proven because they operate within two different realms.


Honestly speaking though, if this impossible thing did happen, it probably would change my behavior for the worse, I'd basically live a life for pleasure and nothing else. I'd probably end up dying very early from an STD.

 

[The Nihilist]

You're talking about something that can never be proven because they operate within two different realms.


Honestly speaking though, if this impossible thing did happen, it probably would change my behavior for the worse, I'd basically live a life for pleasure and nothing else. I'd probably end up dying very early from an STD.

Really? Because STDs are THE reason I don't hump everything that moves. Why wouldn't you take better care of yourself?

 

[Nathan45]

Honestly speaking though, if this impossible thing did happen, it probably would change my behavior for the worse, I'd basically live a life for pleasure and nothing else. I'd probably end up dying very early from an STD.

thanks for being one of the few who answered the question.

IMO, If you live life for pleasure and then wind up with AIDS, you're doing it wrong. Cause that doesn't sound like fun to me.

You might lose your faith but would you also lose your ability to think ahead?

 

[truthshift]

No worries. But I don't think your call is actually equivalent to what I said.

Try answering the 'air' question/

Well, by example of your own analogy, you should be able to answer the question. I'll go ahead and answer yours first though and then I'll explain.

If I discovered irrefutable evidence that there was no such thing as air or atmospheric gases for that matter, I would continue to breath. The change in the understanding would not alter fundamental necessities for survival.

Now, if irrefutable evidence of the lack of existence of your god were presented then your god not being there, having already been non-existent(merely finally disproved), would not suddenly alter the workings of existence- just like the discovery of there being no air would not stop me from breathing.

However, the fundamental difference between breathing the non existent air and believing in the non-existent god is that breathing remains vital for survival and will continue to happen and belief in the god does not and should not continue to happen.

So, by all means, you should be able to answer the OP's question. Make the assumption that there was no god in the first place (just like there was no air) and answer based off of that.

Answer it like it was asked: "What would you do if someone suddenly told you the correct answer?" "Now, how would you alter your life from this point on, based on that knowledge?"

 

[Nathan45]

Anyway, as a deist, if i found out irrefutably that there was no God, i can't think of anything that i'd do differently.

 

[Nathan45]

Try answering the 'air' question/

I'd continue breathing, and try to wrap my brain around how air is actually an illusion, but otherwise i don't think i'd change anything.

I also don't think this is a very good analogy and the 'air' response is really a dodge.

 

[yguy]

I imagine that if that happened, I would continue to get up, eat my cereal, and go to work just like I had before. Is that what you're saying?

No, I'm saying just the opposite.

 

[The Nihilist]

No, I'm saying just the opposite.

Do I have to put you down in the suicide column with ebia?

 

[Nathan45]

No, I'm saying just the opposite.

And you're doing it wrong...life isn't like a roadrunner cartoon where the roadrunner looks down and falls ... the only thing that has changed of reality is your perception of it, in this hypothetical situation.

As for the nuclear force, scientific theories do change occasionally if they found out that part of it is bunk that wouldn't have any immediate effect on me, other than making me wonder how so many people could be so wrong about physics.