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Atheism: How Sure are You Gods Do not Exist?

calamity

calamity

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Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
 
Define 'Sure' ?
 
For any of the very specifically defined god concepts I’ve learned of over the years, I range from “very confident” through to “as certain as you can be about anything”.

On there being some kind of being or beings in existence that would fit within the general concept of “gods”, I’m exactly 50/50.
 
calamity said:
Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
Click to expand...

Atheism may be a "personal" belief, but it is not a "belief system," hence, it can't be categorized as a religion -- only a "lack of religion."

Personal beliefs that fall under the umbrella of being atheistic, range from a belief that nothing super-normal exists, to believing that deities do not exist, to believing that some sort of energy might exist, to a belief in transmutation.

Atheism can never qualify as a religion because it lacks the one vital factor that defines religion -- worship.

In the end, religion has to be the greatest con ever perpetrated on the human race. The con cannot be proven false until the believer dies (if then), and then it's too late to sue for being conned. Right?
 
HowardBThiname said:
Atheism may be a "personal" belief, but it is not a "belief system," hence, it can't be categorized as a religion -- only a "lack of religion."

Personal beliefs that fall under the umbrella of being atheistic, range from a belief that nothing super-normal exists, to believing that deities do not exist, to believing that some sort of energy might exist, to a belief in transmutation.

Atheism can never qualify as a religion because it lacks the one vital factor that defines religion -- worship.

In the end, religion has to be the greatest con ever perpetrated on the human race. The con cannot be proven false until the believer dies (if then), and then it's too late to sue for being conned. Right?
Click to expand...

Religion: "The greatest story ever sold"
 
calamity said:
Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
Click to expand...

No matter if it is 10% or 25%, it is all semantics. The effort to "explain a God which I can believe might exist" is the effort to believe in some other God.

Said another way, a new system of belief... even if based in part on some older system of belief, or some story.
 
OrphanSlug said:
No matter if it is 10% or 25%, it is all semantics. The effort to "explain a God which I can believe might exist" is the effort to believe in some other God.

Said another way, a new system of belief... even if based in part on some older system of belief, or some story.
Click to expand...
Of course it would be a belief. Lots of things out there are a belief. I believe there is life on other planets. Hell, even the fact that other planets are out there is a belief, albeit one which seems to be supported by observation, primarily oscillations of some stars which are consistent with the tug of orbiting planets. But, it is a belief to say we know anything about these extra-solar planets.
 
calamity said:
Of course it would be a belief. Lots of things out there are a belief. I believe there is life on other planets. Hell, even the fact that other planets are out there is a belief, albeit one which seems to be supported by observation, primarily oscillations of some stars which are consistent with the tug of orbiting planets. But, it is a belief to say we know anything about these extra-solar planets.
Click to expand...

Just don't go to far blurring the lines between systems of science and systems of belief. Observation is not the only pivot point between the two, nor should it ever be so simple.
 
100% sure

main-qimg-ed2d93d0ab0b0bf30c96b740cd12b1b3
 
calamity said:
Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
Click to expand...

It's like this. If you are 75% sure that you won't spend eternity in Hell because you wanted the unrestrained pursuit of fun for 80 years, then the decision is simple. Just do the multiplications.
 
joG said:
It's like this. If you are 75% sure that you won't spend eternity in Hell because you wanted the unrestrained pursuit of fun for 80 years, then the decision is simple. Just do the multiplications.
Click to expand...
Oh, I am 100% sure there is no heaven or hell. That one is easy.
 
OrphanSlug said:
Just don't go to far blurring the lines between systems of science and systems of belief. Observation is not the only pivot point between the two, nor should it ever be so simple.
Click to expand...

I don't know about that. I just watched a video describing planets in other solar systems in exquisite detail. I feel comfortable saying I do not believe that those guys know that much about those places. I almost feel comfortable enough to say I believe they are winging it.
 
joG said:
It's like this. If you are 75% sure that you won't spend eternity in Hell because you wanted the unrestrained pursuit of fun for 80 years, then the decision is simple. Just do the multiplications.
Click to expand...

thats called pascals wager fallacy, do you also beleive in all the other gods in the world "just in case" they might be real too?

pascals-wager.jpg
 
calamity said:
I don't know about that. I just watched a video describing planets in other solar systems in exquisite detail. I feel comfortable saying I do not believe that those guys know that much about those places. I almost feel comfortable enough to say I believe they are winging it.
Click to expand...

So you assume they made up what... better than half of what they stated to you? How certain are you of "beliefs" being inserted into systems of science?
 
calamity said:
Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
Click to expand...

I am very sure that all the religions/gods I have come across are a pile of crap.

I cannot imagine any entity creating the universe, sitting around doing nothing much for 8 billion years or so, then starting the solar system, then back to sticking his finger up 'till creating man, after all that build up with the rest of the apes, then having a flurry of interest a couple of thousand years ago then back to the thumb/botton thing again. Or any other such long winded time plan so that rules out the creator idea.

If there are beings in the universe that have extremely advanced capabilities which we would consider god/God like then I don't know.
 
joG said:
But, of course, Dawkins thinks that evolution is proof of no God.
Click to expand...

No he does not.

The religious constantly link belief in evolution with disbelief in God. They are different things.
 
calamity said:
Here's a slightly different spin on the "Atheism is it a belief or not" thread worth its own discussion. I'm about 75% sure the idea of gods is just crap that primitive people made up. I don't believe in them, and I believe the evidence against the gods put forth by man thus far have all been debunked. The 25% I am unsure of would be that gods exist which defy our imagination at the moment.

The closest I can come to explaining a god which I believe might exist would be some unifying entity of which we are all a part of, a stream of energy that is life. Ok, maybe it's 10% not 25.
Click to expand...

As far as Gnostic (certainty) vs Agnostic (uncertanty), the Gnostics are full of ****. It is impossible to prove or disprove the existence of a God that wishes to remain outside of human perception.

That being said, I'm more inclined towards atheism. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some form of greater being, but if there is I think its 99% likely that it's nothing like what any human religion worships. And I'd say its ~80% likely it barely even notices us and cares nothing about what we do.
 
shagg said:
As far as Gnostic (certainty) vs Agnostic (uncertanty), the Gnostics are full of ****. It is impossible to prove or disprove the existence of a God that wishes to remain outside of human perception.
Click to expand...
Probably. I am reasonably certain that there is no god as we think of gods. I am 100% certain that the god of the Bible or Allah of the Koran or whatever we want to call "God" is not even remotely real and that all the stories in those books are fictional. Beyond that...I have to leave the door open for possibilities of something being out there which is beyond our comprehension.

That being said, I'm more inclined towards atheism. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some form of greater being, but if there is I think its 99% likely that it's nothing like what any human religion worships. And I'd say its ~80% likely it barely even notices us and cares nothing about what we do.
Click to expand...
My belief on that would be that such a god not only does not care, but that caring is not even part of its equation.
 
Tim the plumber said:
I am very sure that all the religions/gods I have come across are a pile of crap.

I cannot imagine any entity creating the universe, sitting around doing nothing much for 8 billion years or so, then starting the solar system, then back to sticking his finger up 'till creating man, after all that build up with the rest of the apes, then having a flurry of interest a couple of thousand years ago then back to the thumb/botton thing again. Or any other such long winded time plan so that rules out the creator idea.

If there are beings in the universe that have extremely advanced capabilities which we would consider god/God like then I don't know.
Click to expand...

Yes, of course. Hence, this is why I am 100% certain that this particular god is make-believe and all the stories about Him are fiction.
 
Since I know with certainty that 97.6% of all probability estimates are made up right on the spot...

...I avoid probability estimates like the plague.

If there is at least one god...then there is at least one god. If there are no gods...then there are no gods.

I will continue to live my life the way I always have...as if there might be a god and might be no gods.

If there is a god like that barbaric, idiot from the Bible...I am in for a very bad eternity.

I am not willing to guess or suppose on the question of whether there is a god or creator...but I am willing to guess that anyone who thinks that if there is a god...it is anything like that barbaric, idiot from the Bible...is nuts. So I do not take the reward/punishment nonsense into consideration when living my life.
 
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