Does God Exist?

[Jute]

I don't understand why it would be.
Richard Dawkins's lack of sympathy for those who cling to religion is a shame Written on the Guardian by an atheist.
As for whether or not god/God exists, this sums up my position:

We can disprove PERSONAL gods. Not god in general as a general concept. Belief in god can help people cope with their lives, but it made me miserable. The Christian god doesn't exist, neither does the other personal gods, but a deist god might exist.
Although their isn't any reason to believe he does.

It's good to hear that you accept both the possibility of a god in general and that a belief in a god can help people. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, and if you found comfort in atheism instead, that's good for you. But then you should be able to respect that others have found comfort in their own beliefs, and not tell them they're wrong, and that in a hostile way, too. Hostility will lead to nowhere. There's nothing wrong with friendly discussing the beliefs and lack of beliefs, even the pope has been approaching atheists for a dialogue, but out of respect for other human beings insults and the like should be avoided.

[Czeckolutania]

Would you care to explain to me why hostility towards religion is necessary?

[Sun Wukong]

Would you care to explain to me why hostility towards religion is necessary?

Right after you tell me when you stopped beating your wife.

[Creepoc Infinite]

We can disprove PERSONAL gods. Not god in general as a general concept. Belief in god can help people cope with their lives, but it made me miserable. The Christian god doesn't exist, neither does the other personal gods, but a deist god might exist.
Although their isn't any reason to believe he does.

It's good to hear that you accept both the possibility of a god in general and that a belief in a god can help people. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, and if you found comfort in atheism instead, that's good for you. But then you should be able to respect that others have found comfort in their own beliefs, and not tell them they're wrong, and that in a hostile way, too. Hostility will lead to nowhere. There's nothing wrong with friendly discussing the beliefs and lack of beliefs, even the pope has been approaching atheists for a dialogue, but out of respect for other human beings insults and the like should be avoided.

I have plenty of reasons to not respect religious beliefs. I can respect the people but not the religion they've been suckered into believing.
Religious beliefs are wrong through and through. And as time progresses religion will become less and less powerful and widespread until it eventually dies out, which will be the real beginning for mankind.
I would never believe in even a deist god, because I have no reason to

[Creepoc Infinite]

Would you care to explain to me why hostility towards religion is necessary?

9/11
Holocaust
Salem witch burnings
Crusades
Pedophile catholic priests
Jihads
Honor rape
Slavery of Africans
Honor killings
Creationists
Pseudo scientists
The indoctrination of children
Bigotry against gays
Rascism
Bigotry against Jews
The excess violence and terrorism in the Middle East
Most wars throughout history
Abuse of children sexual and physical
Misogyny
Mentally Debilitating fear of hell
And so on

[Creepoc Infinite]

Would you care to explain to me why hostility towards religion is necessary?

9/11
Holocaust
Salem witch burnings
Crusades
Pedophile catholic priests
Jihads
Honor rape
Slavery of Africans
Honor killings
Creationists
Pseudo scientists
The indoctrination of children
Bigotry against gays
Rascism
Bigotry against Jews
The excess violence and terrorism in the Middle East
Most wars throughout history
Abuse of children sexual and physical
Misogyny
Mentally Debilitating fear of hell
And so on

The comfort and solace religion gives some people comes at a terrible price. And they don't even need to believe all that god crap to be comforted and find solace. So the trade off of live and let live is way to risky. My atheism does not negatively affect the world in the slightest, however the belief in that which cannot be seen is too risky

[Calisu]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

[Jute]

Would you care to explain to me why hostility towards religion is necessary?

Right after you tell me when you stopped beating your wife.

That was an unnecessary, insulting assumption and does not contribute to this debate at all.

[Arkinesia]

Maybe God exists, maybe he doesn't. If he doesn't have the interest in showing himself to humanity, I don't really care to follow his arbitrary rules.

I don't plan on murdering anyone or doing anything violent or harming anyone's person or property (unless it's necessary). If God doesn't think that's enough to ask of a person, to be decent, then he's just a glorified drill sergeant. Again, not worth my time.

That said, I don't really care if someone wants to follow a religion, as long as it does not break my leg nor pick my pocket, in the words of Thomas Jefferson.

[Creepoc Infinite]

9/11
Holocaust
Salem witch burnings
Crusades
Pedophile catholic priests
Jihads
Honor rape
Slavery of Africans
Honor killings
Creationists
Pseudo scientists
The indoctrination of children
Bigotry against gays
Rascism
Bigotry against Jews
The excess violence and terrorism in the Middle East
Most wars throughout history
Abuse of children sexual and physical
Misogyny
Mentally Debilitating fear of hell
And so on

The comfort and solace religion gives some people comes at a terrible price. And they don't even need to believe all that god crap to be comforted and find solace. So the trade off of live and let live is way to risky. My atheism does not negatively affect the world in the slightest, however the belief in that which cannot be seen is too risky

I almost forgot:
Spanish Inquisition
Italian inquisition
Persecution of atheists
Discrimination against atheists and rival religious followers
Abortion clinic bombings
Killing of abortion doctors
Moral superiority complex
Making people think they have all the answers when they don't
Destruction of the Pagans by emperor Constantine
Not letting Muslim girls into school
Oppressive theocracies.

[The united states of Saints]

Right after you tell me when you stopped beating your wife.

That was an unnecessary, insulting assumption and does not contribute to this debate at all.

I agree a bit too far on that one

[Creepoc Infinite]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

I haven't seen much of anything compelling.
However the stuff I listed is a good example of the heinous thing religion is responsible for either directly or indirectly

[Vengeful Queen Chryssi]

I would say yes. One form of god or another exists. We discovered in 2012 a massive super structure in space that is so large, it literally broke the laws of physics and astronomy by existing. If science can not even explain it's existence, how else did it come into being?

[Jute]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

More or less, yes. That goes for both sides. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence for a god/God, as science can't be used to prove or disprove the existence of any god/God.

[Creepoc Infinite]

Maybe God exists, maybe he doesn't. If he doesn't have the interest in showing himself to humanity, I don't really care to follow his arbitrary rules.

I don't plan on murdering anyone or doing anything violent or harming anyone's person or property (unless it's necessary). If God doesn't think that's enough to ask of a person, to be decent, then he's just a glorified drill sergeant. Again, not worth my time.

That said, I don't really care if someone wants to follow a religion, as long as it does not break my leg nor pick my pocket, in the words of Thomas Jefferson.

Is that so? Religious moderates or casually religious people are what fuel the tolerance of religion in general.
We treat these religious views with such veneration and relevance.
We do so because of religiously moderate people.
It allows the extremist radicals to run amok

[Calisu]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

More or less, yes. That goes for both sides. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence for a god/God, as science can't be used to prove or disprove the existence of any god/God.

Please learn the scientific method. If there is no proof for God that is proof against.

[Creepoc Infinite]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

More or less, yes. That goes for both sides. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence for a god/God, as science can't be used to prove or disprove the existence of any god/God.

Not a deist god, but personal gods can be disproven.
Not with science directly, but if they contradict scientific understanding, that significantly des creases other likelihood of it existing

[Jute]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

I haven't seen much of anything compelling.
However the stuff I listed is a good example of the heinous thing religion is responsible for either directly or indirectly

That's just human nature, not something limited to religion.
You seemed to have ignored my post back on page 6, too.

Not the toleration of extremists by moderates, i meant society's tolerance of religion because of the moderates

Well, how would you remove something that is as inseparable connected to every country's culture as for example freedom is to America? And why wouldn't you tolerate it anyway, if it's good for society, including atheists?

[Sun Wukong]

Right after you tell me when you stopped beating your wife.

That was an unnecessary, insulting assumption and does not contribute to this debate at all.

The point went right over your head, didn't it?

[Jute]

That was an unnecessary, insulting assumption and does not contribute to this debate at all.

The point went right over your head, didn't it?

Please don't try to make any points by insulting anyone. It doesn't help in creating a calm, reasonable debate.

[Immoren]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

Nature of the universe clearly attests existence of Eris. *nods*
Or not.
Perhaps it's Blue berry-applepie.

[Creepoc Infinite]

More or less, yes. That goes for both sides. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence for a god/God, as science can't be used to prove or disprove the existence of any god/God.

Please learn the scientific method. If there is no proof for God that is proof against.

Absence of evidence is evidence of absence

If you were told that a giant elephant walked through your house, you'd be gar untied that it would be trampled, with stuff broken and toppled and so on.
But if everything looked exactly as it usually did and nothing was amiss, you can be pretty damn certain no elephant walked through

[Calisu]

Have any of the pro-"god exists" people posted any actual evidence or is this an entire thread of baseless opinion?

Nature of the universe clearly attests existence of Eris. *nods*
Or not.
Perhaps it's Blue berry-applepie.

Either source or don't make jokes.

[Sun Wukong]

The point went right over your head, didn't it?

Please don't try to make any points by insulting anyone. It doesn't help in creating a calm, reasonable debate.

A loaded question is the only response to a loaded question.

[Creepoc Infinite]

I haven't seen much of anything compelling.
However the stuff I listed is a good example of the heinous thing religion is responsible for either directly or indirectly

That's just human nature, not something limited to religion.
You seemed to have ignored my post back on page 6, too.

Well, how would you remove something that is as inseparable connected to every country's culture as for example freedom is to America? And why wouldn't you tolerate it anyway, if it's good for society, including atheists?

"It's just human nature?"
Maybe, however religion amplifies the effects. Those things I listed would not have happened the way it did or at all if it wasn't for religion.