A higher force

[Salacious B. Crumb]

I saw Pyrrho and Dystopia talking about this a few pages back.

In my opinion, it seems that weak and strong atheists shouldn’t be ruling out “higher powers”. I think that there’s a reason why the term gnostic atheist exists. Although, to me, that should be modified, because it doesn’t make sense. Gnostic means knowledge, and an atheist means lack of belief in a god. So, you know that you don’t believe in a god? Ok.. I think there should be a new term for people that consider themselves “gnostic atheists”, one that makes more sense.

To the OP, I’d say, “Yes, I’m invariably open to evidence.” However, I’m 99% certain, I’m not going to see any in my life, so, I’ll probably remain a strong atheist. Whether a “higher power” exists or not, I’d like to think that most of us, theists included, could agree that this god was fabricated by human beings.

[robvalue]

Sure, intellectual honesty means being aware that you can't be certain of anything. I've never heard even a gnostic atheist claim that there is no possibility they can be wrong. (Probably there are some out there, I guess.) That level of professed infalibility seems to belong to the theists. But not all theists of course. We have some very nice ones on here with the integrity to admit they could be wrong. And plenty who would say no such thing!

If we use gnostic to be the relaxed use of the word "know" then I'd call myself a gnostic (regarding story book gods at least).

Regarding Kevin, the guy running this simulation or unwittingly creating this universe as a byproduct of his own brain, I have no idea if he exists or not.

[Silver]

I am a rebel and I never take the stance of others. I can state with certainty that god does not exist.

[robvalue]

The problem there is that someone comes along and says apples are gods

This is why ignostic is my main stance before anything else

We are dealing with the absurd, that's for sure, when it comes to "gods". They are no more plausible than believing every fictional story ever written is true and its characters are real. We don't have time for that! In fact, they are usually less plausible.

I have a word for you then Kitan, you're a contrarian!

[Silver]

Anyone making a god claim is obviously deranged; therefore, there is no real problem in the real world in understanding that god does not exist when there is no evidence for his existence.

Certainly, unicorns "could" exist, but according to the thousands of years with no evidence of their existence it common sense they do not exist.

The same logic is thus applied to god.

Anyone who cannot see that logic must have serious mental issues.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

Thank you Rob,you sexy dictionary.
Now i also know that i'm a contrarian.

[robvalue]

Lol you're welcome! I've never been called that before

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I agree 100% with Redbeard the Pink.

[pocaracas]

Midi-chlorians

For those that don't get the cultural reference:

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Yes, most humans, if not all, would like for magic to exist.
Sadly, we do not witness it outside our own imagination.
Wishful thinking that magic is real does not make it real.
Heck, wishful thinking that money is in my bank account doesn't make it so either, and that would be closer to the real of the possibilities.

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[Mudhammam]

My answer to the poll depends on whether the expansion of space and the unified field of all the fundamental forces is properly understood as being "higher" or "lower" than me.