My simple answer to this question would be no, there isn't a God.
But let me first provide an introduction for what this discussion will entail, and a bit of a disclaimer. I am no expert on religion and, while I think that all religions are debatable, I am mostly referring to Christianity in this discussion. If anyone would like to add input regarding any other religion, please feel free to do so, but, as I said, I am not an expert and it would be a much more daunting task for me to attempt to dispell all religions through facts and ideas than it is to simply argue against one religion.
Alright, let's begin.
First, we must start by acknowledging the most common source for Christian beliefs- the Bible. The Bible was written by so-called chosen prophets whom God spoke to. Therefore, passages in the Bible are often referred to as the word of God. The main problem with this is that there is no evidence demonstrating that those who wrote the Bible were actually a reliable source for basing all your religious beliefs on. Supposedly, God spoke to average, ordinary people- hey, He even gave Noah, a noted drunk, the task of saving all the creatures. Ordinary people are flawed. The Bible, written by ordinary people, is flawed. I will perhaps discuss in more detail discrepancies in the Bible in another post in this series. But for now, let's just leave it at this- the Bible is not evidence of the reality of God, nor does it serve as a literal, historical account of... well, anything.
On to the arguments for God's existence. There are several popular arguments given by Christians to "prove" that their God does in fact exist. I am not going to enumerate them in this post because I have done so before. Curious readers who missed it can [url=http://www.tblog.com/template...]check it out here[/url].
Suffice it to say the arguments for God's existence are not in any way palpable or valid as evidence. What I've realized is that most atheists/non-believers tend to simply focus on disproving the arguments given FOR God, without explaining reasons for not believing in God. This is perfectly reasonable though, I mean why give reasons for not believing in something? It only makes sense to just disprove and dismiss the flawed arguments for that which you do not believe in.
But anyway...
The most basic reason for a disbelief in God is that there is no proof of God's existence. All the arguments given are just arguments and hold no real evidence. What a belief in God boils down to, ultimately, is faith. There is no amount of logic to make it a legitimate, proven fact that God exists.
Does that mean that I can prove God doesn't exist, in purely factual, legitimate measures that do not involve taking anything on faith? Most likely not, unfortunately. There have been countless skeptics before me who have attempted to explain the improbability of God's existence, but what it all comes down to is faith. It is not an easy task to try and dissuade someone so fully committed to something they have faith in. And I wouldn't really want to take away anyone's faith, even if I thought I actually could. Faith in God, faith in Heaven, faith in some destined plan in which good things come to those who wait, is a comforting thing. Or so you would think. Just as a side thought, why is it that many (if not most) religious people would state that their number one fear is death? The primary function of religion is to explain how and why we are here and what happens once we die. Now, according to the descriptions of Heaven, I would be a little frightened of spending all eternity there, and the same goes for Hell. But, according to the Christian faith, Heaven is a good place to be, a place that we should all desire to be after death. If Christians are so certain of their faith and their God and their Heaven, why is death such a common fear among believers?
Anyway, I'm afraid I'm getting a bit off topic. I don't think I can realistically attempt to disprove God's existence, just the same as I don't think anyone can realistically [b]prove[/b] His existence. But, logic allows us to understand the issue of religion on various levels. Religion is one of the prime social institutions of most societies. It serves to provide a sense of commonality and belonging amont the community, it serves to unite the community towards a common goal. It also serves to keep the people in line by enforcing a (generally) strict moral code.
But what is really interesting is the number of different religions throughout the world and throughout the history of mankind. At first, the fact that there has been a historical commonality among almost all cultures of some sort of religious belief would seem to be an indicator that maybe religion is the right way to go. I mean, why would almost all people worship some sort of god or gods or what have you? Well, I don't know for certain why religion is such a common human instinct. But I would think that it has something to do with a need to belong to some sort of group, a desire for easy answers to difficult questions, and cultural teachings. The fact that there have and always will be such a vast quantity of different religious philosophies, with different ideas of God, points to an unrealistic claim of God's existence. How could any one religion possibly claim to be, or actually be, the one true religion? How is having faith in one God any better or worse than believing and worshipping a different God? Christians are very intolerant of other religions. In Christian doctrine, any non-believer- that is, anyone who chooses not to believe in the Christian God and Jesus Christ as savior- is banished to Hell for eternal damnation. How cruel is this God that he would give all humans free will, free will which will undoubtedly result in choosing not to believe in this God, and then punish any who do not believe in Him, when he gives no proof of his existence, aside from occasionally speaking through some nutjob? Jesus taught us to love our neighbors, while God teaches that only those who believe in Him are virtuous, therefore He will punish all who do not worship him.
I think Christianity is sickening. I think religious doctrines only enslave believers and prevent them from living their lives for themselves. Don't get me wrong, some of the messages of Christ and the teaching of the Bible are meritorious. But religion's attempt at conveying these messages to society is rather misguided. It is not necessary that you live in fear of some vengeful God in order to act in ways that are helpful to you or your society.
Pascal's wager is a common argument for encouraging a belief in God. The idea that you have nothing to lose by believing in God just in case He does exist was a pretty good argument to me when I was about 8. I think that's also around the time I liked the New Kids on the Block. Go figure.
Anyway, my point is that the faith necessary for a belief in God counters any claims of a logical basis for a belief or facts proving God's existence. Now, as I said, I can't disprove God's existence. But I can explain why I don't believe in God. I don't believe any of the arguments used to "prove" God's existence are any good. But more importantly, I don't believe that devoting my life to a religious belief is the right way to live my life. Basing my life on attaining some spiritual reward after death is not a very idealistic way to live my life. I act on my own accord, reason for myself, distinguish between right and wrong not on the principal that some supreme being has deemed such acts right or wrong, but because [i]I[/i] recognize them as such. My life has real meaning, not some notion of meaning bestowed on it from some supreme being in the sky, when I die. So, what if I am wrong and God does exist? According to Christian theology, I will burn in Hell. But that's okay with me; I'm not afraid of God. If I am wrong and am sent to Hell then I will still have lived my life according to my own standards and, to be completely honest, I'd think my moral standards are a bit higher than any God's who would punish someone for all eternity simply because they did not believe in Him. But what if you're wrong? What if God doesn't exist and this life is all there is? Why should you waste your entire life attempting to appease some imaginary being when you can live your life for yourself. You should be self-reliant and hold yourself accountable for your own actions. God may or may not be responsible for you- but you certainly can, and should, define your own life.
posted by: sporadic (reply)
post date: 12.09.03 (6:55 pm)
it is natural for man to fear death. but then for us Christians we know that we're gonna be with God. As Christ conquered death, so do we as we go to be with God for eternity. Death has lost its sting. 1
Cor 15:26, "The last enemy to be destroyed is death".
Reply to: sporadic
If Christians are so sure that they will go to Heaven, and that for them, death has lost its sting, then what are they afraid of?
"It is natural for man to fear death?" What, when God created us was he not paying attention when he accidently tossed that instinct in? Leaving aside questions about free will, why would a supposedly perfect God make an Earth with tornados, earthquakes and cocaine? Why would he make a creature that often comes out deformed and gets all sorts of disorders? Why did he make it so I get a sore throat and have to buy cough drops and can barely talk and severly inhibit me from hitting on the brunette at work before Christmas Break? When you look at the big picture, this universe does not seem to be made by an omnipotent, omniscent, omnibenevolent being. Hell, if you gave me long enough, I could do a much better job and I'm still a teenager.
posted by: sporadic (reply)
post date: 12.09.03 (9:53 pm)
As God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, He cursed what He had created. He cursed creation. Adam and Eve were created with perfect genes, and as each generation reproduced after each other cursed copies of genes were handed down which resulted in mutations and deformities.
posted by: sporadic (reply)
post date: 12.09.03 (9:53 pm)
Reply to: sporadic
Why would God do such a thing? If He were perfect, he would not make anything that needed cursing. Why would he create a creature that would eat the delicious apples? Why did he curse the genes of billions of innocents? If I were God, uncursing them would be one of the first things I'd do. What a big jerk- I know people who are living a life of torture because of God's gene curse.
And where is the gene theory in the Bible? How come no one talked about it until a few years ago? Did you come up with this idea by looking at the facts and figuring out which was most logical, or did you develop this theory because it helped to explain away some of the huge inconsistencies of your religion, and hang on to your unwraveling self-chosen lie of a life, which you are unwilling to reconsider?
posted by: sporadic (reply)
post date: 12.10.03 (5:23 am)
God made everything, and saw that it was good. Yet sin came into the goodness of the place that God created, and God was angry. He loved creation but He knew He had to punish them for their wrongdoings. Yet He sent His son Jesus, the "last Adam", to save us all again from an eternity of doom.
Seriously, I would ask you to reconsider your last statement "lie of a life". It's as if atheism is "the correct path" for everyone to follow. Please. I respect your beliefs. But do respect mine too.
posted by: sporadic (reply)
post date: 12.10.03 (5:23 am)
Gene curse and selection? From the concept of natural selection.
Reply to: sporadic
If you click on the 'reply to' button, I can respond quicker. Thanks! :)
So God made earthquakes and disasters and suffering and Zyclon-B ingredients and cocaine and everything because he, an omnipotent being, "had to punish?" That doesn't make any sense at all. If he is really omnipotent, he doesn't "have" to do anything whatsoever. He could just click his fingers, go back in time, and never plant that stupid tree in the first place. Or he could punish only Adam & Eve for what they did. Torturing millions of innocents because their great-grandparents ate some fruit isn't exactly 'justice.' And why do Christians fear death?
I'm not sure what you mean by respecting your beliefs. I respect your right to believe whatever you want, but if I think you are wrong I am going to try and change your mind and tell you what I think.
Reply to: sporadic
I don't fear death. And you never answered why it is that Christians fear death, other than it's natural for man to fear death. If you believe you will be with God, what do you have to fear?
Reply to: sporadic
Wait, "sin came into the goodness of the place that God created?" I thought God supposedly created everything, wouldn't that include sin? Why should He punish us for our wrongdoings when it is His fault we do wrong? To save us from an eternity of doom, when He is the one that creates that eternity of doom? As Spartacus said, what a jerk.
"Tragically, a nation that was created by intellectuals and visionaries has now been completely taken over by venal corporate gangsters, delusional Christian fruitcakes and hopelessly shallow Texas shit-kickers." -Tom Robbins
