Before You Ask, "Does God Exist?"...

[Sunstone]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

 

[Godobeyer]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

You don't see me , but I am exist

 

[LuisDantas]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

No.

A more fundamental question than either would be "what does a god make"? And and even more fundamental question is "do we have any reason to define a god-concept"?

 

[BSM1]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

Excellent question.

You don't see me , but I am exist

Prove it.

 

[Kemosloby]

What God says is the proof of God is the proof of God, which is prophecy coming true. So if the Old testament prophecies the coming of Jesus then that is the proof of God.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You don't see me , but I am exist

But then if anyone talks to you, they get some reply back, I hope.

Those who do not, why do you or anyone expect them to believe you exist even though you replied to others?

What other type of evidence can you give for your existence to those you have not replied to other than what they hear from others?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

Which gods? God exist but I don't define god the same way believers do. I'm also not a hard polytheist. So.... I know because I'm alive. That's god, to me, the breathe of life in all living and our environment. Take out religion, why would we think life doesn't exist?

 

[Godobeyer]

Prove it.

My posts is sign, that human type on keyboard

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

A more fundamental question is, "Is it even possible for humans to know if a God or multiple gods exist?"

Personally, I am doubtful of the human ability to know; yes, we can experience individually, and we can test some things that we individually experience against the experiences of others, which allows us to know some things--at least provisionally--about the universe.

But a universal omnimax deity? I am very doubtful that such a thing could be known, given the limits of human comprehension; other kinds of deities, we might be able to know something about...

 

[Nous]

I think the ability to make at least simple deductions is something that develops quite naturally in humans (despite the disturbing fact that in forums such as this very few adults seem to be able to actually state a deduction). Very young children can correctly say whether or not a ball is in a box, depending on what they've seen beforehand. This ability seems to me to entail some sort of deductive process. First graders readily grasp addition and subtraction of abstract numbers. Obviously deduction is happening there.

So perhaps people who are asking themselves questions about whether “god or the gods exist” have already dealt with the issue of how one can make such a deduction.




BTW, I wonder how many people actually believe that a pantheon of gods exist? After all, such an idea directly violates the “oneness” concept associated with God. Maybe polytheism and monotheism shouldn't be lumped together too much.

 

[RedDragon94]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

Yes it is. I think Thomas Aquinas makes a good argument for the existence of God. But the problem is he doesn't prove the existence of the Christian God.

I think the latter question can be answered through observing nature. When we observe nature we observe God.

 

[Deathbydefault]

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

I don't know, actually
Every time I read it, I feel like it answers itself by presupposing that god(s) exist.
I read it as "(A) exists, so how do I know (A) exists."

Shouldn't it be, "Even if god or gods do exist, how can we possibly verify that existence with facts?"

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Before you ask, "does god or the gods exist", shouldn't you be asking, "If god or the gods exist, then how would we know that they exist?"

Isn't the latter the more fundamental question? Why or why not?

I've thought more along those lines as I've got older. Basically the question of utility came into it.

I blame the damn Deists and their non-interventionist God for this.

Im looking at you @Neo Deist ...

 

[Guy Threepwood]

I don't know, actually
Every time I read it, I feel like it answers itself by presupposing that god(s) exist.
I read it as "(A) exists, so how do I know (A) exists."

Shouldn't it be, "Even if god or gods do exist, how can we possibly verify that existence with facts?"

You have to believe first, then it will be proven to you- through first hand experience, the best possible kind of evidence. But it's still important to acknowledge one's faith as such

 

[jonathan180iq]

What God says is the proof of God is the proof of God, which is prophecy coming true. So if the Old testament prophecies the coming of Jesus then that is the proof of God.

Do you find it interesting that people who don't have a reason to accept these supposed prophecies don't naturally interpret them the same way that Christians do?

 

[Deathbydefault]

You have to believe first, then it will be proven to you- through first hand experience, the best possible kind of evidence. But it's still important to acknowledge one's faith as such

Let's say a god or gods showed themselves to me today, right before I ate breakfast, I would still have questions.
Lots and lots of question, the answers of which will decide whether or not I care about the entity that has shown itself to me.

You should ask yourself plenty of questions as well.

What defines a god?
We can't comprehend omnipotence, even if the god in question gave us the ability, who's to say it couldn't be fake?

If it's just some being with super powers... well, then it's just some being with super powers.
There is no reason to believe another one can't be born, in that case which one decides our morals and whatnot?
If one can create us from nothing, couldn't another alter our mental faculties oh so easily?

As far as god clusters go, they can tell us whatever stories they want, but how can we verify them?
Do we just take them on their word? if so, why?
Who's to say they aren't just one of many god clusters out in the universe, boasting before weaklings to feel better about themselves.

It can go on for a while, but it really comes down to your level of trust, your faith.
I wouldn't trust a god as much as I would a child with an active imagination, because the child is relatively harmless.

 

[Kemosloby]

Do you find it interesting that people who don't have a reason to accept these supposed prophecies don't naturally interpret them the same way that Christians do?

It's sort of self fulfilling, since anyone who did accept that interpretation of prophecies would themselves become Christians. But what reason, do you believe, they have to accept them that other people don't?

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Let's say a god or gods showed themselves to me today, right before I ate breakfast, I would still have questions.
Lots and lots of question, the answers of which will decide whether or not I care about the entity that has shown itself to me.

You should ask yourself plenty of questions as well.

What defines a god?

The creator of ourselves & the world we see around us- that answers the rest for me.

I'd say as long as you ask skeptical questions about everything, including atheism, you give yourself the chance to find the truth.

 

[savagewind]

What God says is the proof of God is the proof of God, which is prophecy coming true. So if the Old testament prophecies the coming of Jesus then that is the proof of God.

Or good story telling.

 

[BSM1]

My posts is sign, that human type on keyboard

I didn't see you do this, nor has anyone I know seen this. I can't even prove I exist with this evidence.