God Poll

I guess theism is not highly regarded anymore because of all the unnecssary violence associated with it, so ppl don't give God a try.

Reply 21

Teveth

OP

17

Original post by LauriC

I'm not voting because there was no agnostic option.

Personally I do not consider myself an athiest, I am agnostic. I believe we do not have any evidance to believe in God, but that we can never justify saying that we don't believe in God. How did you reason that being an athiest and being agnostic are the same thing?

Sorry for being difficult, it just doesn't make any sense.

Also, since when were Jews, Buddists and Sikhs the same thing? That's really a bit disrespectful don't you think?

You believe that there is no evidence to believe in a god, so that means that you don't believe in him. Do you see what I mean?

There is no evidence for me to believe that there is a red car parked under the snow outside my door, so therefore I cannot believe that there is (for to believe would require for me to be near-certain). So in that respect, I would be an agnostic and an atheist to the red car. Agnosticism falls under atheism.

And I've not said Jews, Sikhs and anyone else are the same thing. I've grouped them together, there is a big difference.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 22

manga-freak

Original post by Lewroll

Poor hindus,sikhs etc other versions of god, they always get lumbered together dont they. When will the spotlight shine on them. Its like christianity and Islam are the cool popular brothers, and hindus, sikhs etc other versions of god are the speccy spotty dorky kid that gets left in the corner or is left outside in the rain for 2 hours because dad forgot to come and get me from the football match BECAUSE HE WAS TOO BUSY SHOWING OFF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM!
So guys, come on lets play with the other kids for a while, eh?

XD there are many ppl who won't appreciate the implications of calling 2 of the 3 big monotheistic religions 'Brothers'.

anyway it's kinda justified as you can be hindu and not believe in god(there are aspects of it at least) and Buddhists i don't see as a religion. its done because Christianity and Islam (and Judaism) are the really dogmatic ones.

Reply 23

stac4321

10

Original post by Teveth

You believe that there is no evidence to believe in a god, so that means that you don't believe in him. Do you see what I mean?

There is no evidence for me to believe that there is a red car parked under the snow outside my door, so therefore I cannot believe that there is (for to believe would require for me to be near-certain). So in that respect, I would be an agnostic and an atheist to the red car. Agnosticism falls under atheism.

I'm saying that there is might be a red car, just because I can't see the red car, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I can't rule out the possibly of there being a red car, but I don't see how it is possible to deny the fact there isn't a red car, just because I can't see it. In your reasoning I would be both an athiest because I'm not denying a red car.

Anyway, I guess it's just down to how you interpret it... I see what you mean, but my point was that your poll had a tendancy to lump different beliefs together.

Reply 24

PlanetEuropa

I am far too intelligent to believe in god.

Reply 25

Teveth

OP

17

Original post by LauriC

I'm saying that there is might be a red car, just because I can't see the red car, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I can't rule out the possibly of there being a red car, but I don't see how it is possible to deny the fact there isn't a red car, just because I can't see it. In your reasoning I would be both an athiest because I'm not denying a red car.

Anyway, I guess it's just down to how you interpret it... I see what you mean, but my point was that your poll had a tendancy to lump different beliefs together.

Atheism isn't to say that god definitely does not exist. Atheism simply means that you do not believe in a god. You could put the odds at 50/50, but you are still an atheist, because 50/50 is not believing.

Reply 26

Psyk

16

I think it makes perfect sense to count agnostics (or at least nearly all of them) as atheists. A theist is someone who believes in a god of some sort. Everyone else is an atheist. If your answer to "Do you believe there is a god?" is anything other than yes, you are an atheist.

Reply 27

Teveth

OP

17

Original post by Psyk

I think it makes perfect sense to count agnostics (or at least nearly all of them) as atheists. A theist is someone who believes in a god of some sort. Everyone else is an atheist. If your answer to "Do you believe there is a god?" is anything other than yes, you are an atheist.

Exactly. I think the common perception is that all atheists are 100% certain that god does not exist, but this is not the case. Some are 100% certain, but not all. Richard Dawkins himself admits that you cannot say with 100% certainty that god does exist.

Reply 28

milkytea

16

Technically I am this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

But I voted Atheist

Reply 29

Luceria

10

Original post by Teveth

Exactly. I think the common perception is that all atheists are 100% certain that god does not exist, but this is not the case. Some are 100% certain, but not all. Richard Dawkins himself admits that you cannot say with 100% certainty that god does exist.

I agree. People seem to live under the misconception that atheism is about
being "100 percent certain"... You can rarely be certain of anything. Atheism is merely the lack of belief. That's all.

Reply 30

BorisMalden

10

Out of interest what's the difference between 'you don't believe in a God' and 'you believe there isn't a God'?

Voted atheist, but agnostic.

Reply 31

username549578

13

Original post by manga-freak

XD there are many ppl who won't appreciate the implications of calling 2 of the 3 big monotheistic religions 'Brothers'.

anyway it's kinda justified as you can be hindu and not believe in god(there are aspects of it at least) and Buddhists i don't see as a religion. its done because Christianity and Islam (and Judaism) are the really dogmatic ones.

I'm not so sure you can. Hindus do believe in Gods. They also believe in reincarnation. If you live a good life than when you die your next life will be better. This constant cycle of birts and rebirths is called samskara. If you live the perfect life, you break free of the cycle and go to be with 'god'. This is called moksha (release). Also hindus believe anyone can live this 'perfect life' i.e. you dont have to be hindu or even believe in a god. So unless there is another branch of hinduism ive never heard of, i'd say they do believe in god. Buddhist dont believe in god but i believe you can combine buddhism with other religion (im not 100% on this :smile:

)

GCSE Religious Education FTW!!!!!

Btw i know it wouldnt be feeasible to list every single religion however why should Islam and Christianity get special treatment just because they are the most popular. What about the hindus and the sikhs and the rastafarians and all those other religions on this big blue marble we call Earth. :biggrin:

Reply 32

moneyballs2

14

Original post by Teveth

Agnostics are atheists. I explained that in the post. If you are unsure of the existence of a god (agnosticism), then you do not have a belief in him, hence you are an a-theist. Agnosticism is a branch of atheism.

There was a bit of a case of: 'Too long, didn't read'. But you could've included an option for it, especially seeing as there are many 'theist' options.

I guess I'll just make sure I read it all next time :h:

Reply 33

Jacktri

2

lol 39% of people are retarded

Reply 34

username549578

13

Original post by manga-freak

XD there are many ppl who won't appreciate the implications of calling 2 of the 3 big monotheistic religions 'Brothers'.

.

Oh yeah and about this, Why not call them brothers? They are sort of the same thing. Islam christianity and judaism all come from the same cooking pot if you know what i mean. :biggrin:

Reply 35

manga-freak

Original post by Lewroll

I'm not so sure you can. Hindus do believe in Gods. They also believe in reincarnation. If you live a good life than when you die your next life will be better. This constant cycle of birts and rebirths is called samskara. If you live the perfect life, you break free of the cycle and go to be with 'god'. This is called moksha (release). Also hindus believe anyone can live this 'perfect life' i.e. you dont have to be hindu or even believe in a god. So unless there is another branch of hinduism ive never heard of, i'd say they do believe in god. Buddhist dont believe in god but i believe you can combine buddhism with other religion (im not 100% on this :smile:

)

GCSE Religious Education FTW!!!!!

Btw i know it wouldnt be feeasible to list every single religion however why should Islam and Christianity get special treatment just because they are the most popular. What about the hindus and the sikhs and the rastafarians and all those other religions on this big blue marble we call Earth. :biggrin:

LOL. love the knowledge of hinduism, i totally respect that. I only have some possibly out of date wiki-knowledge of it. however how i understood it was that it is possible to be a hindu and not have to believe in a god or gods/goddesses ect. as (like i said) it is not as dogmatic so it's kinda 'allowed' to pick and choose the parts you want to believe and let influence your life. Much like a philosophy not a religion.

anyway forget the rastafarians. what about the Pastafarians
of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. (look it up. It exists).

Reply 36

Teveth

OP

17

Original post by midpikyrozziy

Out of interest what's the difference between 'you don't believe in a God' and 'you believe there isn't a God'?

Voted atheist, but agnostic.

Someone drops a tub of paper clips onto the floor. A guy walking past tells you that there are 789 paper clips on the floor. You cannot say for certain that he is wrong, not without counting them, but you know that he is probably wrong. Therefore, you don't believe (with 100% certainty) he is right, but you do not believe (with 100% certainty) he is wrong.

That probably doesn't explain it very well, on second thought. Give me a minute to think about it and I'll get back to you.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 37

manga-freak

Original post by Lewroll

Oh yeah and about this, Why not call them brothers? They are sort of the same thing. Islam christianity and judaism all come from the same cooking pot if you know what i mean. :biggrin:

Two words:

The Crusades.

they two religions fundamentally oppose each other as both proclaim that they are the only correct one and thus the only 'real' one. to say they they are one and the same and on the same level as one an other could be taken as an insult to the person it was said to if they are in either religion.

granted it is only a small demographic in each religion that would feel this way (probably) or that would even understand the irony of the metaphor.

Reply 38

BlueJoker

12

Hmm, I geniunely puzzled over that poll for ages.

I was born and raised Roman Catholic, although I have Jewish cousins. I became atheist (right when I took my Holy Communion actually :tongue:

I was sick of it by then), and because of a family arguement we don't talk to the Jewish side of the family anymore. But since then I've found out that my grandmother was on the Kindertransport, to live with her relatives in England, so I am of Jewish descent and some people would consider me Jewish. I have always felt a pull to Judaism admittedly, but only culturally. I just don't believe in God. If I had some kind of religious experience or a close call with death or something I think I have the potential to be religious again, but I would go to Judaism rather than Christianity.

FYI, I eventually clicked on atheist :tongue:

Reply 39

Teveth

OP

17

Original post by midpikyrozziy

Out of interest what's the difference between 'you don't believe in a God' and 'you believe there isn't a God'?

Voted atheist, but agnostic.

Okay.

A.) To say you don't believe in God simply means that you do not hold the belief with 100% certainty (or something close to 100%) that God exists.

B.) To say that you believe there isn't a God means that you are saying with 100% certainty (or something close to 100%) that God does not exist.

If someone were to put the chances of God existing at 5%, it means he is subscribing to A, but not to B. I hope that clears it up.

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