Before We Discuss Whether God Exists, I Have A Question

[Huggy Bear]

The god of gods has just revealed herself to me.

Her name is Gertrude Gobshyte, She created all that there is, and intended mankind to be deceived by stories of other gods and to be completely convinced of them, even believing there is proof for their existence.

Huggy can you offer any evidence at all that would disprove 'Gertrude' ?

Ok buddy you provide evidence of Gertrude and I'll provide evidence of my God and we'll see who has the most evidence, how about that?

[Jenny A]

Yes Huggy, but if God does not exist, do you still want to believe in him?

I'm really sure about both god and Gutrude. If either of them exist I want to believe in them. If they don't, I don't.

[Huggy Bear]

I thought I answered that, if you can prove God does not exist, I would stop believing in him.

Y'all act like evidence for God doesn't exist, it does, y'all just don't want to examine it objectively.

[Jenny A]

This thread surprises me in a good way. Theists appear honest. They will not say that they don't want to believe in a nonexistent god. That's honest. But it still puzzles me. Why would you want to believe in something that does not exist? It's different than wishing something might exist. I wish for all sorts of things. But I don't believe in them just because they would be nice. Why would you delude yourself that Way?

[Silver]

Why would you delude yourself that Way?

The lie is too often more comforting than the truth.

[Jenny A]

I thought I answered that, if you can prove God does not exist, I would stop believing in him.

Y'all act like evidence for God doesn't exist, it does, y'all just don't want to examine it objectively.

You didn't answer that. You evaded that .  I have examined evidence for the existence of god.  I love my parents and they very much wanted me to believe.  So I examined the evidence with a will to believe- even a built-in guilt about not believing.  The evidence isn't there.  So I can not.

[Aegon]

I thought I answered that, if you can prove God does not exist, I would stop believing in him.

Y'all act like evidence for God doesn't exist, it does, y'all just don't want to examine it objectively.

A silly statement. As if atheists in particular are the ones guilty of confirmation bias. As if anybody who disagrees with you is objectively wrong.

As if.

[Silver]

The evidence isn't there.

This is something I have often wondered if theists actually comprehend, and then I figured they are being absolutely obtuse in relation to the veritable lack of evidence in support of god. There is no evidence for the existence of many things our imaginative minds have concocted, and we understand with perfect rational clarity that those fictional things do not exist outside of the conceptualized paradigm. Yet, theists persist in being absolutely daft in relation to their special sky daddy, building silly apologetic defenses and fortifying the cognitive dissonance against reality.

[Seraphina]

I'm a little more blunt: "If you'd like me to stay in the room/at this gathering we won't discuss religion or politics. "

I've found the opposite works, too. When I'm in a gathering that's a hellscape for any particular reason and I'd like an excuse to leave, I deliberately bring up religion or politics (sometimes both!).

-Teresa

[Silver]

I'm a little more blunt: "If you'd like me to stay in the room/at this gathering we won't discuss religion or politics. "

I've found the opposite works, too. When I'm in a gathering that's a hellscape for any particular reason and I'd like an excuse to leave, I deliberately bring up religion or politics (sometimes both!).

-Teresa

I find as I get older, the more antagonizing approach is more satisfying.