Is There a God?

[Samuraikoku]

Wow that sounds like hippy crap, but I highly suggest personal 'journeys' for everyone.

I'm sorry, I don't do drugs.

[Zottistan]

To you be your own faith and way, and to me for my own faith and way

But what if my faith tells me that all heathens must change their ways or die?

[Frisivisia]

And what are those reasons, experiences, and soul searching?

Well, personal reasons, by nature, are personal, and soul-searching is an individual thing that can only be experienced by oneself... Wow that sounds like hippy crap, but I highly suggest personal 'journeys' for everyone.

So "I believe in a deity and my explanation is secret?" Doesn't cut the mustard around these parts.

[Tlaceceyaya]

To you be your own faith and way, and to me for my own faith and way

The problem is that it never works out like that. See 9/11, Crusades, India in general, several wars over Protestantism and Catholicism, the entirety of early Mormon history, etc.

And the picture linked to by the word militant in my signature.

[The Crimson Realm]

Well, personal reasons, by nature, are personal, and soul-searching is an individual thing that can only be experienced by oneself... Wow that sounds like hippy crap, but I highly suggest personal 'journeys' for everyone.

So "I believe in a deity and my explanation is secret?" Doesn't cut the mustard around these parts.

Yeah, well it was a question and I'm not trying to convince you soooo... ? I get that this forum is pretty leftists and generally entirely secular/devout Atheist.

[North Suran]

Show evidence of your deity, then.

It is impossible to prove the existence of a deity, just as it is impossible to prove the non-existence of a deity. By definition, they are outwith the realms of human experience and comprehension. Ineffability is essential to the Abrahamic viewpoint of God, as it is in many other religious systems. The fact is, we have only just plotted out our own solar system; we have barely seen our galaxy, never mind the universe beyond it. As such, we all entirely unable to make a qualified claim on the origins of the universe, whether they be secular or theistic. We can only speculate. There is as much evidence for the existence of God as there is evidence for his non-existence - which is to say, there is no evidence either way.

[Frisivisia]

Show evidence of your deity, then.

It is impossible to prove the existence of a deity, just as it is impossible to prove the non-existence of a deity. By definition, they are outwith the realms of human experience and comprehension. Ineffability is essential to the Abrahamic viewpoint of God, as it is in many other religious systems. The fact is, we have only just plotted out our own solar system; we have barely seen our galaxy, never mind the universe beyond it. As such, we all entirely unable to make a qualified claim on the origins of the universe, whether they be secular or theistic. We can only speculate. There is as much evidence for the existence of God as there is evidence for his non-existence - which is to say, there is no evidence either way.

Ah, using the God is God fallacy again, eh? It is assumed that God is not there because there is no proof that he is not there. You made the incredibly outrageous claim about a magical, non-explainable deity, you can prove it true. Burden of proof, my friend.

[Farnhamia]

Show evidence of your deity, then.

It is impossible to prove the existence of a deity, just as it is impossible to prove the non-existence of a deity. By definition, they are outwith the realms of human experience and comprehension. Ineffability is essential to the Abrahamic viewpoint of God, as it is in many other religious systems. The fact is, we have only just plotted out our own solar system; we have barely seen our galaxy, never mind the universe beyond it. As such, we all entirely unable to make a qualified claim on the origins of the universe, whether they be secular or theistic. We can only speculate. There is as much evidence for the existence of God as there is evidence for his non-existence - which is to say, there is no evidence either way.

We know a great deal more about the universe than you seem to think. The Milky Way galaxy, for instance ...

[Frisivisia]

So "I believe in a deity and my explanation is secret?" Doesn't cut the mustard around these parts.

Yeah, well it was a question and I'm not trying to convince you soooo... ? I get that this forum is pretty leftists and generally entirely secular/devout Atheist.

You can believe what you want, it's just worrisome that it is believed without any proof, something so ridiculous.

[North Suran]

The problem is that it never works out like that. See 9/11, Crusades, India in general, several wars over Protestantism and Catholicism, the entirety of early Mormon history, etc.

Nothing ever works out like that. Humanity has fought wars since the earliest hours of civilisation, over everything from a golden stool to a reluctant bride. Religion has been a catalyst for conflict, but not the only one. In the last century, nationalism killed more people than every previous religious war put together. The Thirty Year's War was greatly outdone by the Second World War. When the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq, they did so in the name of democracy. Yet no one admonishes democracy just because its supporters attempted to impose it by war.

Difference of opinion has historically caused conflict. That doesn't mean that any given opinion can be declared violent in of itself and dismissed.

[The Crimson Realm]

Yeah, well it was a question and I'm not trying to convince you soooo... ? I get that this forum is pretty leftists and generally entirely secular/devout Atheist.

You can believe what you want, it's just worrisome that it is believed without any proof, something so ridiculous.

You know, some (most) people hold their religious values (or lack there of) very dearly... It pains me to see you toss around insults and go out of your way to bash religious views.

[Tlaceceyaya]

Show evidence of your deity, then.

It is impossible to prove the existence of a deity, just as it is impossible to prove the non-existence of a deity. By definition, they are outwith the realms of human experience and comprehension. Ineffability is essential to the Abrahamic viewpoint of God, as it is in many other religious systems. The fact is, we have only just plotted out our own solar system; we have barely seen our galaxy, never mind the universe beyond it. As such, we all entirely unable to make a qualified claim on the origins of the universe, whether they be secular or theistic. We can only speculate. There is as much evidence for the existence of God as there is evidence for his non-existence - which is to say, there is no evidence either way.

1: If a belief cannot be proven, it should not be held. You say that you respect science. What about the poor neglected null hypothesis? What about Russel's teapot?

2: Our galaxy is 110000 light years in diameter. It has about 300 billion stars. The centre of our galaxy, Sagitarrius A, is a really, really massive black hole. Also, there's a hexagon on the top of saturn and science knows why.

3: Lack of evidence is evidence of a lack. The dragon in my garage told me that. Want to see it? It's invisible and impossible to detect. It is incorporeal and only appears to me. However, I have some photos. They disappear whenever you try to look for them.
There's a lack of evidence for that dragon. That lack of evidence is evidence of an absence of it.

[North Suran]

We know a great deal more about the universe than you seem to think. The Milky Way galaxy, for instance ...

We know barely anything about the universe. We have mapped out our own galaxy, but we are unable to even explore it. We have made great strides since the dawn of the Space Age, but we have seen only a fraction of the universe. Humanity will never be in a position to conclusively determine the origins of the universe. We will have died out before we could even attempt to travel to another galaxy, let alone explore the entire cosmos. It is simply too vast to ever be explored and explained, as we have done for the Earth and the Solar System and even, to an extent, the Milky Way.

Ah, using the God is God fallacy again, eh? It is assumed that God is not there because there is no proof that he is not there. You made the incredibly outrageous claim about a magical, non-explainable deity, you can prove it true. Burden of proof, my friend.

Actually, I made no such claim. I merely pointed out the pointless of demanding tangible evidence of the ineffable, or that assuming absence of evidence is evidence to the contrary.

[Sound Horizon]

Show evidence of your deity, then.

It is impossible to prove that God exists or does not exist. You see, saying the universe itself is evidence of a God's existence would be a valid proof for one man, but illogical for another. People want you to prove to them in so many words and by reasoning and the power of logic whether God exists but they don't accept the reasoning no matter what is said. Now, if people believe neither in the revelation of God in nature, or in the Scriptures, how may they be convinced? This is not an easy thing to do, mind you, since most people are not so open minded as I am. They instead assume anyone who believes anything different is stupid, an infidel, or confused (all of which applies to both sides, really) and it created a lot of hostility and even leads to war and death.

One man who creates a war can not represent all of Christendom because he is but one man who believes that he is doing the right thing. And one who refuses to research and understand all of modern religion is ignorant to reject all of them, just as ignorant as they claim I am for accepting them AFTER all of my research.

In short, there is no evidence I can offer you because your question is not one that can be answered because we see the world in very different ways. There is a great freedom in interpretation in this world, and in the last hundreds years we have come very far because we can question what is the truth and what isn't. In Orthodox faith we accept science and we do not manufacture false hatred against people for being different. My church has 4 homosexuals, and 1 transgender individual and we welcome everyone with open arms and instead of a big expensive building building we go around and do service for the community. All money collected goes to helping those who are needing it.

I found that science can be very flawed when I'd survived after contacting my own fatal cancer, a direct result of the Chernobyl catastrophe my mother endured before I was born. I am what is known as Chernobyl Invalid and I carry the forgotten burden that the west declares no longer exists, even though there is so much proof against what is said by the WHO and their associates. Science has said I should have died seventeen years ago but I am not dead and soon will be getting a heart transplant which I was promised I'd never be able to have in my conditions. I never was raised into Christendom but I research it very much before deciding it was best. You are free to disagree but you lack true knowledge if you do not research yourself.

The solution is for nobody to condemn the other because everyone is mostly stubborn and will not listen anyway. You are not bad for hating any person for what they believe, unless it does cause them harm in actions or words, rather than to try and insult and hurt people, or convert people who are not going to listen at all and are tired of hearing it.

[Anollasia]

I'm sure there is.
Whenever I pray, the prayer comes true.

[The Crimson Realm]

Really wish this thread could be more than a "Prove your silly God exists" thread...

[DaWoad]

I'm sure there is.
Whenever I pray, the prayer comes true.

really? how so?

[Anollasia]

I'm sure there is.
Whenever I pray, the prayer comes true.

really? how so?

Because there's a god.

[Frisivisia]

You can believe what you want, it's just worrisome that it is believed without any proof, something so ridiculous.

You know, some (most) people hold their religious values (or lack there of) very dearly... It pains me to see you toss around insults and go out of your way to bash religious views.

Religion, especially in its modern, organized form is extraordinarily dangerous and causes many deaths all the time. It pains me to see people put so much faith in something so ridiculous and divisive that causes so much strife and damage. People hold political views dearly, but I'm sure that you take no issue in ridiculing someone who has incredibly ridiculous political views.

[Farnhamia]

Really wish this thread could be more than a "Prove your silly God exists" thread...

What would you, then? After all, the title is fairly explicit.

There's a Christian discussion thread out there, a Jewish one, there was a catch-all religion thread, too, I think.

[North Suran]

1: If a belief cannot be proven, it should not be held. You say that you respect science. What about the poor neglected null hypothesis? What about Russel's teapot?

You do not believe in a deity. Yet it is impossible to prove, by scientific methods, that a deity does not exist anywhere in the galaxy. We simply do not know. Your belief in atheism cannot be proven on a universal level, yet you are still entitled to have it. Speaking cosmologically, we both simply speculate.

2: Our galaxy is 110000 light years in diameter. It has about 300 billion stars. The centre of our galaxy, Sagitarrius A, is a really, really massive black hole. Also, there's a hexagon on the top of saturn and science knows why.

And these four facts equate to universal knowledge of our universe, its structure and its origins?

[Of the Free Socialist Territories]

really? how so?

Because there's a god.

[Frisivisia]

really? how so?

Because there's a god.

Wait, wait, wait. Let's use your logic here. I've just prayed to God that I have one billion dollars filling my kitchen right now. Oh, well damn! It didn't happen. I suppose there's no God. Next fallacy-ridden, nonsensical argument, please.

[DaWoad]

really? how so?

Because there's a god.

can you give me an example of a prayer that has come true? or some empirical evidence? failing that can you pray that I become a [insert your religion here]?

[Farnhamia]

Because there's a god.

Wait, wait, wait. Let's use your logic here. I've just prayed to God that I have one billion dollars filling my kitchen right now. Oh, well damn! It didn't happen. I suppose there's no God. Next fallacy-ridden, nonsensical argument, please.

No, he said when he prays, not you, you miserable atheist heathen commie, you.