Disproving the Existence of God

[milquetoast1]

And, when you get threads like this, it seems people fall into two camps, with, on one side, religious believers with a fairly limited concept of religion and, often, little ability with rationality, and, on the other side, 'rationalist' atheists, with good arguments against religion as they see it, but, with no grasp whatsoever of the mystical aspects, or, any inclination to investigate the mystical aspects.

 

What was that research recently? Oh yes ...

 

Atheists know more about religion than believers.

[purdyamos]

Is it trivial though?

 

Belief in a deity, on its own, is harmless. Lack of belief in a deity, on its own, is harmless.

 

Simple theism or atheism, belief or not in a deity, arrived at through instinctive personal thought, is not of concern to anybody. Sure it’s nice to think we are right, and sometimes it can be interesting to debate and disagree. But holding an opinion as to the existence of deities, is no better or worse than holding an opinion as to the existence of a multitude of other un-disprovable things like ghosts, UFOs, or monsters. At the end of the day people can just believe what they want.

 

Evil does not come from people’s beliefs, or lack of, in un-disprovable things. Evil can come from greed, power, poverty, shame, desire, good intentions, love, dogma, anger, drugs, and many other things that theists and atheists alike are susceptible to.

 

However, whilst it should not concern us that people believe in deities, what should concern us is religious dogma. Particularly when religion is intolerant of others, or the evils mentioned in the previous paragraph are reinforced, and made more possible, with the supposed authority of God.

 

When people make claims with the authority of God it can be dangerous. Gays cannot adopt, or even exist, and God says so. Women are inferior to men, and God says so. Do not vote Democrat, and God says so. Give me money, and God says so. What alternative response is there to such intolerance than to shout back god does not exist?

 

 

 

 

I'm so glad you came back q.q.

[harvey19]

Does anyone consider it is possible to beleive in there being a God but not beleive in the Bible.

I am not meaning other religions who have different religious books.

[redwhine]

I know full well not all religions believe in a omnipotent God... some don't even include a God!

Which rather suggests that some do. Which is the opposite of what you claimed. Thank you for confirming that.

 

Do you ever bother reading through what you post? If not, I suggest you try it.

[flamingjimmy]

Does anyone consider it is possible to beleive in there being a God but not beleive in the Bible.

I am not meaning other religions who have different religious books.

 

Well then what do you mean?

 

To believe in Yahweh but not the Bible, Koran, or the Torah?

 

What would the basis for such a belief be?

[Hairyloon]

And, when you get threads like this, it seems people fall into two camps, with, on one side, religious believers with a fairly limited concept of religion and, often, little ability with rationality, and, on the other side, 'rationalist' atheists, with good arguments against religion as they see it, but, with no grasp whatsoever of the mystical aspects, or, any inclination to investigate the mystical aspects.

 

What about those who recognise that religions are a construct by men who seek to gain dominance over other men, but also recognise that they may have some good points.

Which camp do you put them in?

[harvey19]

There seems to be a strong feeling by some that there is no God.

As there is no evidence of any other way the universe could have been created maybe it is the Bible's contents which cause people to beleive there is not a God.

[redwhine]

Does anyone consider it is possible to beleive in there being a God but not beleive in the Bible.

I am not meaning other religions who have different religious books.

It's possible to believe in anything that anybody wants to. It doesn't make the object of the said belief's existence any more likely though.

[harvey19]

It's possible to believe in anything that anybody wants to. It doesn't make the object of the said belief's existence any more likely though.

 

Or unlikely.

[Hairyloon]

So how exactly is it a "flaw" that the OP concerns itself with disproving what is commonly understood by the term "God" as opposed to your personal definition of 'god'?

 

Why are you so important that atheists should concern themselves with your idiosyncratic beliefs about the supposed nature of sky pixies rather than the predominant beliefs in the societies they live in?

Consider a bus. The bus has comfy seats and is going on a trip. The driver says the bus can do 100 miles per hour.

 

You can prove conclusively that the bus cannot do 100 miles per hour. Indeed you can prove that it is impossible for any bus to go that fast.

 

So you stand in the road declaring there is no bus.

 

This is analogous to your position. God is the bus, and the claimed speed is omnipotence.

You have disproved the speed (omnipotence), but you have said nothing about the bus (god). Meanwhile the passengers are having a nice trip.

 

You may be right. There may be no bus. The passengers might be imagining the trip, but does that matter?

Only if they start attacking the people on another bus for being on the wrong bus. Or fighting over what to play on the radio, or the curtains, or...

 

And yes, they will fight over those things, people are like that. That is not necessarily the fault of the bus.