Proving a negative

[LeoVonFrost]

All concepts regarding god that I've encountered so far have been illogical and self-contradictory.

The only thing we know is that we know very little.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

I'm comfortable with saying there's no christian god.

I cannot however say the same for all the other personal gods that people think of. Must be billions of those.

I wouldn't attach science to my claim because science has yet to design an experiment to smoke out god. As such an experiment cannot be done. But, if people were to give all their respective personal gods specific attributes, and if any of these attributes involve interacting with our world, then there's a possibility that it can be scientifically tested and shown that their gods do not significantly interact with our world.

But none of these bothers me, and I don't worry about it.

Edit: genkaus is right, science doesn't do absolutes.

[Minimalist]

How do you respond do a deist asking you to prove there is no god?

I point out that there is no evidence for any gods and if they find some we can discuss it.

(And then I remind them not to bother me with their fucking bible/koran.)

[LeoVonFrost]

I'm comfortable with saying there's no christian god.

I cannot however say the same for all the other personal gods that people think of. Must be billions of those.

I wouldn't attach science to my claim because science has yet to design an experiment to smoke out god. As such an experiment cannot be done. But, if people were to give all their respective personal gods specific attributes, and if any of these attributes involve interacting with our world, then there's a possibility that it can be scientifically tested and shown that their gods do not significantly interact with our world.

But none of these bothers me, and I don't worry about it.

Edit: genkaus is right, science doesn't do absolutes.

Well said. No experiment exsists to prove or disprove gods are even close to fathomable in a realistic sense. But perhaps a human's perseverence and attitude can be god-like, my brother believes he is a god, I think he's loco but he interacts with everyone he loves and affects them in a physical and spiritual way. Can you doubt he is a god without meeting him and studying him?

[pineapplebunnybounce]

I'm comfortable with saying there's no christian god.

I cannot however say the same for all the other personal gods that people think of. Must be billions of those.

I wouldn't attach science to my claim because science has yet to design an experiment to smoke out god. As such an experiment cannot be done. But, if people were to give all their respective personal gods specific attributes, and if any of these attributes involve interacting with our world, then there's a possibility that it can be scientifically tested and shown that their gods do not significantly interact with our world.

But none of these bothers me, and I don't worry about it.

Edit: genkaus is right, science doesn't do absolutes.

Well said. No experiment exsists to prove or disprove gods are even close to fathomable in a realistic sense. But perhaps a human's perseverence and attitude can be god-like, my brother believes he is a god, I think he's loco but he interacts with everyone he loves and affects them in a physical and spiritual way. Can you doubt he is a god without meeting him and studying him?

Perhaps you're not understanding my overarching point. This is a good example though. I don't even know what qualifies as a god to him, maybe living and breathing and being a unique person is enough to be a god. So he calls himself one. And maybe to you, someone who claims to be a god qualifies as a god, so he is one, to you. The point is, for me, if i were to take every single claim people make and study it to see if they're lying, it won't leave me with much time to do my actual research project, go to work, eat, shower, and so on. So things that concerns me, i check it out as logically and scientifically as i can. Things that don't, i ignore. Gods fall into the second category. If my sister claims to be a god though, i'll check it out, because either she's playing with words or she needs professional help.

[genkaus]

All concepts regarding god that I've encountered so far have been illogical and self-contradictory.

The only thing we know is that we know very little.

I didn't know that.

[Cato]

Maybe you should get to know someone before casting judgement upon them. My poll is for investigation, Your "Fuck off" is an insult to the rational mind. I do not portray myself as an atheist, such labels are ridiculous. My SingSongy manner is in my blood, I can not change this. If I have offended you with my beliefs I am sorry that you are so narrow-minded you can't see that I am merely conducting an investigation and your hatred towards the poll context is the cherry on top of the stupid cake.

You just proved my point.

[Fruity]

There's an empty table. You say there's an apple on it. I see no apple. Why the fuck should I prove there is no apple? I don't see it. I don't feel it. I can't hear it rolling around if you fake you pushed it. I can't touch it, taste it, or smell it. You prove it's there. Duh.

[LeoVonFrost]

Maybe you should get to know someone before casting judgement upon them. My poll is for investigation, Your "Fuck off" is an insult to the rational mind. I do not portray myself as an atheist, such labels are ridiculous. My SingSongy manner is in my blood, I can not change this. If I have offended you with my beliefs I am sorry that you are so narrow-minded you can't see that I am merely conducting an investigation and your hatred towards the poll context is the cherry on top of the stupid cake.

You just proved my point.

You just proved my point.

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There's an empty table. You say there's an apple on it. I see no apple. Why the fuck should I prove there is no apple? I don't see it. I don't feel it. I can't hear it rolling around if you fake you pushed it. I can't touch it, taste it, or smell it. You prove it's there. Duh.

Are you equating an apple to a fictitious deity? Sorry, that is a very bad analogy....

---

The point is, for me, if i were to take every single claim people make and study it to see if they're lying, it won't leave me with much time to do my actual research project, go to work, eat, shower, and so on.

With all due respect, abandoning intellect for self-contentedness is the epitome of lazy stupidity and is the furthest thing away from the scientific method, you can only succeed in science with sufferage and sacrifice, quite the same as religion, only with different results.

[downbeatplumb]

Why do you all think you can't prove a negative? Of course you can. YOu just show that the positive contains a contradiction. 'Square circles exist' contains a contradiction. Therefore square circles do not exist. Done.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/j...tions.html

Bible contradictions.
Negative proved.
There is no god.