Proving The Existence of Your God to Others

[George Washington]

This is inspired by a thread where a theist posted a video that has a biochemist arguing the existence of God.

Do you find it necessary to prove to atheists or theists who believe in other gods than your own that your god exists?

Why or why not?

I don't even want anyone else to believe in my God. I wouldn't want it to be too crowded up in heaven. Sorry.

 

[Quintessence]

I don't even want anyone else to believe in my God. I wouldn't want it to be too crowded up in heaven. Sorry.

What are the space limitations of your heaven and how does "believing in" your god relate to who does or doesn't get this apparently limited space?

 

[George Washington]

What are the space limitations of your heaven and how does "believing in" your god relate to who does or doesn't get this apparently limited space?

My response was only in jest. I don't honestly claim to know the parameters or the scope of life after death. But there was some truth in my post, that truth being that I'm not interested by the idea of influencing others into believing the way I do. I prefer to simply let nature take it's course.

 

[Quintessence]

My response was only in jest. I don't honestly claim to know the parameters or the scope of life after death. But there was some truth in my post, that truth being that I'm not interested by the idea of influencing others into believing the way I do. I prefer to simply let nature take it's course.

Heh... fair enough. I vaguely recall from a religious movements course I had in college that there's an Abrahamic religious tradition that teaches limited space in heaven as part of their doctrines. I can't recall the name of the tradition anymore, so I asked in part because it is a legit thing for some traditions. It is an interesting idea, a quota limit on an afterlife.

 

[The Hammer]

Heh... fair enough. I vaguely recall from a religious movements course I had in college that there's an Abrahamic religious tradition that teaches limited space in heaven as part of their doctrines. I can't recall the name of the tradition anymore, so I asked in part because it is a legit thing for some traditions. It is an interesting idea, a quota limit on an afterlife.

It's the Jehovah's Witnesses. Only 144,000 faithful enter heaven.

 

[Link]

That may be what it means to deify something in some cultures, but this is not a universal. And within religions for which "following" the gods is applicable, what precisely that means varies tremendously as acts of worship vary tremendously. Commitments to the gods vary from person to person and and culture to culture.



Okay, so for the vast majority of gods that don't "call" for "followers" or expect to be "followed," none of this applies then.

When you adore qualities to the extent of divinity, it means you believe those virtues should be embodied. For example, in the Quran, it says "pardon, do you not wish that God pardons you". The same is true for the rank below divinity, exalting. If we exalt a soul, we believe they embody virtues that should be followed and embodied.

If you can explain how it's possible to divorce following and worshiping, that would be appreciated. I see it right now impossible, because when we adore qualities, we gravitate towards them.

 

[Quintessence]

When you adore qualities to the extent of divinity, it means you believe those virtues should be embodied.

Sometimes, it can. Other times, it doesn't. It depends on the gods and the relationship you choose to cultivate with them. In polytheistic religions where there are many gods, the gods are more or less everything greater-than-human. This includes aspects of reality that most humans would hardly wish to embody or follow on any regular basis.

If you can explain how it's possible to divorce following and worshiping, that would be appreciated. I see it right now impossible, because when we adore qualities, we gravitate towards them.

Deification isn't necessarily about adoration, depending on what you mean by that term. In general terms it is recognition of something that is greater-than-human or a "higher power." Because they are greater, they are often deemed worthy of worship. What worship entails varies from tradition to tradition, from culture to culture, from individual to individual. Worship can mean giving simple thanks at meal times to the gods of plants and agriculture for the harvest. Worship can mean something like being mindful of the divinity in the world around you instead of sleepwalking through life without paying attention to the beauty in the world. Worship can mean being a powerfully dedicated devotee or "follower" of a specific god and aiming to embody their virtues and vices over those of other gods. Worship can mean paying your dues so the gods that are adversaries in your life might be a little kinder. It really just depends, at least in polytheistic religions.

 

[Twilight Hue]

This is inspired by a thread where a theist posted a video that has a biochemist arguing the existence of God.

Do you find it necessary to prove to atheists or theists who believe in other gods than your own that your god exists?

Why or why not?

I would love to see proof from theists.

I've been having that kettle boiling for a long time now , went through about a billion cups of coffee.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I would love to see proof from theists.

Why make others do the work? If you want it that badly, perhaps a bit of effort on your part wouldn’t hurt.

I've been having that kettle boiling for a long time now , went through about a billion cups of coffee.

All that caffeine can’t be healthy.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Why make others do the work? If you want it that badly, perhaps a bit of effort on your part wouldn’t hurt.

Like what? Can't produce evidence for something that isn't there, outside of stating the fact that there is, well, nothing there.

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't really see the point of making such an attempt of proving existence of a god to someone not already inclined to treat it as real or significant.

God-ideas are by nature very personal in any circunstance.