[Maddox]

(Original post by Audrey Hepburn)
Same reason that I don't believe in unicorns, cos it's stupid.

Oh wow look at all the typical atheist responses. There would be nothing like this in a 'why do you believe in god thread', can none of you answer the question without insulting theists? What's with the superiority?

[Cities]

(Original post by Agent Smith)
Just to pre-empt the various responses to this, eg chiefly the Free Will Defence: I don't buy them, either. They don't stand up logically.

Could you elaborate...

There's an attack by the way of the inability of free will and omniscience to coexist, but theists say that God knows exactly what will happen at each point in time, however free will is still preserved by humans. I know there is a huge flaw in this reasoning but I just can't put my finger on it!

Also, there's another attack which states that free will and omnipotence cannot coexist, because the fact that God cannot impinge on a human's free will means that he isn't all powerful. However the response to this is easily pre-empted; theists could just say that God has the ability to, be He doesn't choose to encroach on our free will. How could you further this argument?

And many more, which I can't think of at the moment!

[Mithra]

Put simply, because there is no reason TO believe in God. I have never seen an argument for the existence of God which could convince someone who doesn't already believe in him. The only real 'proof' seems to be "we don't understand how this happens, so we'll atribute it to God to prove He exists"

[Good bloke]

(Original post by Maddox)
Oh wow look at all the typical atheist responses. There would be nothing like this in a 'why do you believe in god thread', can none of you answer the question without insulting theists? What's with the superiority?

You picked the only answer in about twenty that went for the humorous approach. All the others had a logical and sensibly argued viewpoint. So, what are you using the word typically to mean, exactly? And is your response typical of all deists?

[ooze]

I can't get past the "who created the creator" argument.

[shuvle]

(Original post by Mithra)
Put simply, because there is no reason TO believe in God. I have never seen an argument for the existence of God which could convince someone who doesn't already believe in him. The only real 'proof' seems to be "we don't understand how this happens, so we'll atribute it to God to prove He exists"

Now is there really a need to keep creating similar threads? End of in my eyes, unless anyone has a counter to Mithras point?

[Audrey Hepburn]

(Original post by Maddox)
Oh wow look at all the typical atheist responses. There would be nothing like this in a 'why do you believe in god thread', can none of you answer the question without insulting theists? What's with the superiority?

I said that the idea of a God is stupid, I mentioned nothing about theists. I have the utmost respect for people who are able to believe in some sort of higher power, my Dad's the church treasurer at my local church and being raised by devout Christians has made me appreciate the general good and community spirit that can come from religion.

That said, I just can't believe in it. It just seems to be one big stupid fairy story to me.

I can see how you could have misinterpreted what I have said, but I advise you not to jump to conclusions in future. I have never once judged someone in a negative way for being religious.

[Mithra]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Could you elaborate...

There's an attack by the way of the inability of free will and omniscience to coexist, but theists say that God knows exactly what will happen at each point in time, however free will is still preserved by humans. I know there is a huge flaw in this reasoning but I just can't put my finger on it!

Because in that case, if God knows everything we are going to do then at no point do we have the ability to do the other thing as this would then prove God wrong, in which case he wouldn't have known what we would do and so isn't omniscient. Following on from this if God knows what someone will do throughout their entire life, why does he allow them to carry on along that path? e.g. he could have steered Hitler along a completely different path. How can humans be blamed for doing something bad if God has always known they would, and so they effectively COULDN'T have done anything else. Therefore the feeling that you are making your own decisions can only be an illusion.

[Rhys.]

Why do you NOT believe in the tooth fairy?

[abu.10]

(Original post by Rhys.)
Why do you NOT believe in the tooth fairy?

cause my teath never turned into money when i put them under my pillow!!

[urbandervish]

(Original post by LukeatForest)
I understand why people don't believe in God, but don't you think that the definition of God is too broad and by its very nature it tends to confuse people into not believing? For instance, the Bible will tell you that there was nothing and then God decided to make everything in seven days. Back in the day such an event was placed in very recent history but has obviously been proven as false. However, if you ignore such Biblical hyperbole, is it not possible that something created the Universe based on scientific principles, where life is just a by-product?

Is it so innocent to believe that maybe science is God's creation, as opposed to sunshine, lollipops and that worst of things - humankind? Now I'm not claiming that this is the case, it's just a point for examination. Let's not forget that the ideas of God currently held as possible by religions were designed by men, based on absolutely nothing bar the claims of one or two individuals (Jesus and Mohammad). I don't see why such maniacal ideas should be held against the believers forever just because Science has progressed far enough to discount much of the fiction that has been written.

As yet, Science has progressed nowhere near enough to egotistically claim that it has disproved the existence of God. Nor shall it ever. I find it difficult to think that anybody would be closed entirely to the idea of God even if they are an atheist. I personally do believe in God but I don't claim that God is anything special. I simply have explored my own mind and feelings and come to what I perceive as a logical conclusion - that some force or being did somehow inspire the growth or creation of the Universe. I don't think there's a way that such a Philosophy can ever be deconstructed either.

But science did progress with the aid of religion; especially the Islamic tradition. Your point is a bit of a generalisation actually.

Who says that the real revolution in, for example, psychology, will not come when it regains its 'soul' and liberates itself from the constricted scientific and medical models for erecting an image of human nature?

We even see within the revolution of (cognitive) psychology, which attempted to free the discipline from its 'constricted' approach, still limits itself to the trio of psychological, biological and socio~cultural components of human behaviour. We have simply ignored the spiritual component, despite increasing modern scientific evidence regarding its importance.
It's like someone who anticipates the formation of glucose by the process of photosynthesis using the three elements of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen, but excluding solar energy because it's more sublime and less concrete.

[loafer]

i would love to, but theres no sodding proof for me to believe in

[Agent Smith]

(Original post by n1r4v)
Could you elaborate...

There's an attack by the way of the inability of free will and omniscience to coexist, but theists say that God knows exactly what will happen at each point in time, however free will is still preserved by humans. I know there is a huge flaw in this reasoning but I just can't put my finger on it!

Nor can I, quite.

Also, there's another attack which states that free will and omnipotence cannot coexist, because the fact that God cannot impinge on a human's free will means that he isn't all powerful. However the response to this is easily pre-empted; theists could just say that God has the ability to, be He doesn't choose to encroach on our free will. How could you further this argument?

By saying that God has a responsibility to intervene, and that by choosing not to he is shirking that responsibility and merely hiding behind the principle of Free Will. As omniscient, he is infinitely better placed to know what is good for us than we are ourselves, so if he lets us stew in our own ignorance rather than putting his superior knowledge to good use then he is being at best irresponsible and at worst callous and cruel.

[what_apples]

(Original post by abu.10)
there is apparently some evidence from your "science" which proves that scientology exists...

Scientology does exist. There are loads of scientologists running around the world, some of them rather famous.

I'm assuming that you mean that there is scientific evidence that backs up the beliefs of scientology rather than the statement I replied to above.

The use of the word "apparently" implies that your information is likely second hand at best. Also, referring to is as "your 'science'" indicates that you aren't really here for a rational discussion about scientific fact.

Unless of course your satire has passed me by, in which case I would like to suggest you use the odd " " every now and then

[Agent Smith]

(Original post by Rhys.)
Why do you NOT believe in the tooth fairy?

Is that supposed to be witty? The response is essentially the same, but minus some of the theological side because the Tooth Fairy has not been the subject of intense research for two thousand years.

[EA-man]

I can't see why God lets something like that tsunami in Indonesia happen, where the bodies of innocent children will get completely torn apart, leaving families homeless, the country in ruins etc. I can't possibly see how that will lead to benefit anybody, if it is indeed God's intention.
So this God is judging us, watching us for every move we make, knowing our every thought and that if we don't live a sin free life according to religious doctrine (something I think is impossible) then he'll punish us for eternity in Hell ...and yet this God loves us?

[Maddox]

(Original post by Good bloke)
You picked the only answer in about twenty that went for the humorous approach. All the others had a logical and sensibly argued viewpoint. So, what are you using the word typically to mean, exactly? And is your response typical of all deists?

Sorry, I just skimmed through and saw stupid, silly, unecessary ... this thread isn't bad but I wasn't expecting it. I used the word typical because from personal experience this is the impression I get from atheists - "theists are stupid how can you believe in an old man in the sky you probably believe in the tooth fairy too [which somebody actually did say]." I know it's mostly the uneducated 16 year olds trying to be progressive, but it's the general feeling I get when I talk to atheists about this. Whereas I haven't heard many theists talk about flying spaghetti monsters for example, and generally being ridiculing. Anyway I've read the thread properly now I should remove that.

[Agent Smith]

(Original post by Maddox)
Oh wow look at all the typical atheist responses. There would be nothing like this in a 'why do you believe in god thread', can none of you answer the question without insulting theists? What's with the superiority?

"All"? That's one response out of two pages. Well done for ignoring reality in order to shore up your own preconceptions.

[HCD]

Innocent until proven guilty. I don't believe in Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, or God. If I encounter evidence for their existence, I may reconsider. If not, I'll remain a passive agnostic/atheist.

[Murphology]

(Original post by what_apples)
I have found nothing to suggest that a god exists other than some books written by some (admittedly shrewd) people hundreds/thousands of years ago (or more recently, even; Scientology, for example) and a feeling of insecurity in people's lives whereby believing in a protective higher power is often the only comfort they can find.

So really, for me at least, the real question is why should I believe in god just because someone else tells me its true and there is no evidence for it?

I hold exactly the same views; I was brought up a Roman Catholic, but quickly realised as I grew older and learned more of science, how silly it all sounded.