Scale of belief; does God exist?

[Buttercup]

I'm saying that the whole discussion is a waste of time.

Hmmm. Well, I suppose you may be light years ahead of some spiritually because I find discussing the probability of God's existence to be fascinating....I could speculate for hours on the pros and cons thereof, especially in person where it's easier to converse. But, then again....I have an "inny" navel and love to spend time staring at it.

 

[MaddLlama]

I would put myself at ab out a 6.

 

[Fluffy]

Actually, I think that people's ethical conduct is determined pretty independantly of their belief in God. At least I have not observed theists to act more ethically than non-theists nor vice versa.

I did not mean that correct ethical behaviour was determined by belief or disbelief in God. I agree with you that theists = atheists with regards to the general morality of their actions.

I meant that if I believe in a God who tells me that X is wrong then my morality might be different to the person who does not believe in a God who tells me that X is wrong. Therefore, the existence of a possible source of objective morality in the form of a deity is central to determining ethical conduct.

 

[lilithu]

Hmmm. Well, I suppose you may be light years ahead of some spiritually because I find discussing the probability of God's existence to be fascinating....I could speculate for hours on the pros and cons thereof, especially in person where it's easier to converse. But, then again....I have an "inny" navel and love to spend time staring at it.

Let's say that you could know for sure that God exists. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

Let's say that you could know for sure that God does not exist. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

How would it change your life?

Either way, that to me is a lot more interesting question then whether God exists.

 

[Buttercup]

Let's say that you could know for sure that God exists. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

It would entirely depend on if God communicated what he wanted and expected from me. I would hopefully then act accordingly.

Let's say that you could know for sure that God does not exist. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

My life would more than likely remain as it is.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

Let's say that you could know for sure that God exists. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

Let's say that you could know for sure that God does not exist. What would be the consequence of that knowledge?

How would it change your life?

Sounds to me like an interesting start to a potential new thread.

 

[Sunstone]

Well, I suppose you may be light years ahead of some spiritually...

This might be off topic, but I think there is a lot to be said for the notion that it's a bit silly to think of one person as being ahead of another person spiritually. That's because each of our paths is at least a bit different than anyone else's path. So, since we are all on our own paths, no one is ahead of us and no one is behind us. At least, that's the impression I have of it.

 

[Buttercup]

This might be off topic, but I think there is a lot to be said for the notion that it's a bit silly to think of one person as being ahead of another person spiritually. That's because each of our paths is at least a bit different than anyone else's path. So, since we are all on our own paths, no one is ahead of us and no one is behind us. At least, that's the impression I have of it.

Well, I meant that it's obvious lilithu has already passed this chapter and finds no need to talk about the subject any longer. Sorry, but I find it silly to say it's irrelevant to be interested in this topic.

 

[robtex]

Very low short of zero. I don't know if we can really assign a probablity until mankind comes to a concensus on what God is. For instance I have a 100 % certainty that Jesus is not my savior and I have a 100 % certainly that Allah is not the one true God (nor is Mohammad his prophet), I am 100 % sure Zues is a myth, I have 100 % assurance that there is not a red fella with a tail and a pitch fork that lives in the middle of the earth. I can't however say that I am 100 % certain that some elusive existance of super power exists that we have yet to discover I can however, have 100 % assurance that by his/her non interaction with us it doesn't matter and I am 100 % sure that even if such a being was found to exist I couldn't at this point, care less, and would continue to live my life just as before the discovery of said existance.

I think many peoples God's are so well defined that the idea is impossible and many times found to be untrue, but many throw out the "absense of evidence doesn't mean evidence of absense" which could be true if probablity is worthless to you. The more defined and sketched out Gods tend to be the easier it is to dismiss their existance as of this time in history.

thread tag:
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7796&highlight=santa+claus+argument

 

[gnomon]

I voted other.

Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston pie.

 

[lilithu]

Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston pie.

A fly can shoo but a shoe can't fly?

 

[gnomon]

A fly can shoo but a shoe can't fly?

[FONT=Courier,sans-serif]Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken? I don't know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fish can't whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

-- A. A. Milne


[/FONT]

 

[1nharmony]

My "other" vote is explained by the fact that I do believe god exists, but not as an entity apart from the imaginings of those whose belief keep him/her in existence.
In other words, god certainly does exist to those who believe he does. For the rest of us, the question is irrelevant.

 

[Doktormartini]

I wanna say seven, but I would be like 99% certain...so I'm gonna go with six.

 

[Fluffy]

Does Dawkins say where he places himself?

 

[lilithu]

I did not mean that correct ethical behaviour was determined by belief or disbelief in God. I agree with you that theists = atheists with regards to the general morality of their actions.

I meant that if I believe in a God who tells me that X is wrong then my morality might be different to the person who does not believe in a God who tells me that X is wrong. Therefore, the existence of a possible source of objective morality in the form of a deity is central to determining ethical conduct.

I still don't think so.

For example, there are Christians who believe that homosexuality is wrong, and they say it's because their God tells them so. And there are Christians who believe that there's nothing wrong with homosexuality, and they say their God tells them to love everyone.

So it isn't the belief in God per se that influences your opinion on such things. It's the belief in a particular God or the belief in thinking that one knows what that God says.

So again, morality is independant of one's level of general theism.

As I said before, the more relevant question is if God exists, what does that mean to you? That's where you start getting into the ethics, not with the existence/non-existence question.

 

[lilithu]

I guess for me this thread is designed for AFTER you have settled the whole 'If God Exists" conundrum for yourself.
If you haven't then is seems like the verge of a Pascals Wager

I still don't see how it's Pascal's Wager or even close. Pascal's Wager argues that you should believe just to be on the safe side. I am saying that it doesn't matter whether you believe in God or not. It matters what you do with your belief.

 

[McBell]

I still don't see how it's Pascal's Wager or even close. Pascal's Wager argues that you should believe just to be on the safe side. I am saying that it doesn't matter whether you believe in God or not. It matters what you do with your belief.

I understand where you are coming from now (after reading the other posts between this one and my last one) and I agree with you that it is not Pascals Wager.

 

[Hacker]

Apologies to others who find the poll irrelevant but thanks for posting why.

No actually I understand where your coming from and the poll makes a lot of sense actually. In my opinion, the poll displays a more accurate measure to determine one's belief in God which actually just made me realize that I'm agnostic theist, even though having to be labled as something is irrelevant to me, but now I'm aware of it.

 

[Hacker]

Well, I meant that it's obvious lilithu has already passed this chapter and finds no need to talk about the subject any longer. Sorry, but I find it silly to say it's irrelevant to be interested in this topic.

Sorry but I have to agree with this, the topic shouldn't be judged because to me, that's offensive toward's the OP.