Is there evidence your god beliefs are true while other god beliefs are false?

[Skeptic Ginger]

There seems to be a rash of atheism vs theism threads going on right now. Several have requested atheists support their conclusions about the non-existence of gods. I could ask what evidence do god believers have for their theist conclusions but I already know the usual answers. I'm not interested in any of the faith explanations, they belong solely to the believer.

But I am interested in the evidence one has for believing in one particular version of god over another. If you are just going to describe intangible inner feelings, there's no need. That isn't evidence. If you are going to make some value statement, monotheism is superior to polytheism, I doubt you can actually support that claim but feel free to offer your evidence.

I am interested in how theists can support their cognitive dissonance of recognizing other god beliefs are false, yet justifying their own gods beliefs are true. And why do you think you just happened to be born where 'true' god beliefs were common and those born into cultures with other god beliefs were not so 'blessed'? Or do you think the fact people tend to believe in the religions they grew up with is worth considering as evidence against the validity of any god beliefs?

I am challenging believers here but please, I mean no disrespect. This is about evidence and beliefs, not about who's right and who's wrong.

 

[fishkr]

I'm reminded of my "Statistical Proof of God" post, wherein it was discussed that every competing claim of authority dilutes possible authenticity . . .

 

[-Fran-]

I hope some of the theists around here will actually answer this. I would really like to know as well!!

 

[sinclairmcevoy]

What is the big friggin deal? You believe in something or you don't. This has been picked over so many times and so often it's just tiresome. You already heard all the proof believers have to offer, so what are you looking for? Someone to pick on? Quite honestly, the non-believers (some of them) seem so smug and sure of themselves that it just takes away from an active discussion. It's just like "I'm right and you're wrong, na na na na na!" Give it a rest willya?

 

[qayak]

Yes, there is proof and it goes like this:

1- I believe in the god of the bible.

2- The bible says all non-believers should be killed.

3- I am alive, I have not been killed.

4- Therefore, there is a god, he is the one I believe in and I am one of his devoted followers.

And, just so you uppity atheists don't get the idea that I haven't thought this through, all those other people who believe differently from me and who appear to be alive, aren't. They are simply in a pre-dead condition.

 

[Kopji]

Ah, this is the old 'which church should I join?' question. You go pray about it. God appears and says to not join any of them. So far this plays right into the atheist agenda for world secular domination.

Oops! God appears and tells you to take up your pen and write some new scriptures so that people will know he really talked to you. The visions you had while in your time of despair will help a lot to gain new converts. (Atheist agenda obviously slipping away.)

While God is revealing himself again as in the old times he has a few new things to say. These things are not really new, they are as old as time, but now we are ready to hear them with newly opened ears and see the truth with new eyes of faith.

So there's your evidence. What's your problem?

Seriously, people have 'evidence' all the time. Why, I just received a Christmas letter from a dear friend whose father has had cancer for years. He went to the doctor recently and it was gone! A Miracle!

Included in the letter was a short note apologizing for the delay, she badly injured herself in November, but with God's blessing she was slowly getting better.

My point being, from her perspective she has plenty of confirming evidence.

 

[Mobyseven]

This thread seems strangely devoid of answers from even the most vocal posters...

 

[Ladewig]

What is the big friggin deal? You believe in something or you don't. This has been picked over so many times and so often it's just tiresome. You already heard all the proof believers have to offer, so what are you looking for? Someone to pick on? Quite honestly, the non-believers (some of them) seem so smug and sure of themselves that it just takes away from an active discussion. It's just like "I'm right and you're wrong, na na na na na!" Give it a rest willya?

I consider the question to be separate from the one you describe and I consider the question to be valid.

As for giving it a rest, even if it were the exact same issue, it is a valid issue to discuss in a religion sub-forum in a skeptics' forum. If I went to a Christian forum and said, "why do you people keep talking about evidence of Jesus's divinity; give it a rest," I expect their response to fall somewhere between being told my comment was rather inappropriate and being banned.

Lastly, let me offer some friendly advice, if you think this thread is unnecessary, then you have two options: ignore it or ask the moderators to merge it into an existing thread. If you think this thread is a complete waste of resources, then start several other threads with more appropriate topics and simply watch this thread roll off the first page.

 

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

What is the big friggin deal? You believe in something or you don't.

So it's totally arbitrary, an accident of birth? That's what I thought.

But somehow I don't believe that's what religious apologists want us to think.

~~ Paul

 

[Bluefire]

So it's totally arbitrary, an accident of birth? That's what I thought.

But somehow I don't believe that's what religious apologists want us to think.

~~ Paul

Maybe not what they really want us to think, but the notion of belief and unbelief being "equally arbitrary" is one point of retreat in discussions with atheists.

 

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Maybe not what they really want us to think, but the notion of belief and unbelief being "equally arbitrary" is one point of retreat in discussions with atheists.

It's a question of default.

If the existence of a thing is indistinguishable from its nonexistence, we say that thing does not exist. ---Yahzi

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Wow, only anger and non-god believers.

Just to bump the thread and keep it OT, the question is about how one can recognize other god beliefs are false, yet justify one's own gods beliefs are true? I'm not asking anyone to repeat the usual discussion about faith vs science.

I'm also asking, "And why do you think you just happened to be born where 'true' god beliefs were common and those born into cultures with other god beliefs were not so 'blessed'? Or do you think the fact people tend to believe in the religions they grew up with is worth considering as evidence against the validity of any god beliefs?"

 

[V23]

Originally Posted by Ladewig
If I went to a Christian forum and said, "why do you people keep talking about evidence of Jesus's divinity; give it a rest," I expect their response to fall somewhere between being told my comment was rather inappropriate and being banned.

I didn't realize that this was an atheist board.

 

[sinclairmcevoy]

I consider the question to be separate from the one you describe and I consider the question to be valid.

As for giving it a rest, even if it were the exact same issue, it is a valid issue to discuss in a religion sub-forum in a skeptics' forum. If I went to a Christian forum and said, "why do you people keep talking about evidence of Jesus's divinity; give it a rest," I expect their response to fall somewhere between being told my comment was rather inappropriate and being banned.

Lastly, let me offer some friendly advice, if you think this thread is unnecessary, then you have two options: ignore it or ask the moderators to merge it into an existing thread. If you think this thread is a complete waste of resources, then start several other threads with more appropriate topics and simply watch this thread roll off the first page.

Yes, you are correct. Sorry for the outburst.

 

[Ladewig]

I didn't realize that this was an atheist board.

That issue provoked a very lengthy thread here: http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90448

In any case, I consider my comment appropriate even if JREF is described as an agnostic board.

 

[arthwollipot]

Ah, this is the old 'which church should I join?' question. You go pray about it. God appears and says to not join any of them. So far this plays right into the atheist agenda for world secular domination.

[derail]I once prayed to God for guidance about how I should best worship Him. He never answered. I interpreted that to mean that I shouldn't.[/derail]

 

[Skeptical Greg]

As far as Christianity goes, the current batch simply ignores the
roots of their beliefs.

Jehovah was the baddest God in the neighborhood, and the Jews were
his chosen people.

If you were unlucky enough to be born non-Jewish, you were simply
SOL ... No apology necessary ..

It created a bit of a conundrum when the Christians came up with the
idea of only one God, and all the redemption stuff..

Now they are challenged to rationalize it, in a discussion such as this..

 

[Henners]

[derail]I once prayed to God for guidance about how I should best worship Him. He never answered. I interpreted that to mean that I shouldn't.[/derail]

I once prayed to God for a Mercedes Benz and world peace.

Three Mercs later, I know all I need to about His priorities.

 

[Darth Rotor]

Is there evidence your god beliefs are true while other god beliefs are false?

1. Why would I care? I don't.

I am interested in how theists can support their cognitive dissonance of recognizing other god beliefs are false, yet justifying their own gods beliefs are true.

2. I note your poisoning of the well.

I am challenging believers here but please, I mean no disrespect. This is about evidence and beliefs, not about who's right and who's wrong.

3. Your claim of "no disrespect" is viewed skeptically, see point 2.

You are focusing on "beliefs" and seem to be ignoring philosophy. This is the standard, blinders-on approach from one side of an issue.

I note a number of your responders wonder why "theists" choose to let you stew in your own juices on this topic.

An interesting brand of "people skills" is in evidence here. It ought to occur to you that perhaps a theist doesn't necessarily frame the question that way, or even bother to waste time on it.

DR

 

[ImaginalDisc]

1. Why would I care? I don't.

Some of us actually care whether our ideas are true or not. If you are indifferent to lies, that is your problem.

2. I note your poisoning of the well.

No, it's a valid criticism. On what grounds does a theist dimiss the gods of other faiths while embracing their own?

An interesting brand of "people skills" is in evidence here. It ought to occur to you that perhaps a theist doesn't necessarily frame the question that way, or even bother to waste time on it.

DR

They should. It's called critical thinking.