Atheists: How can you prove God does not exist

[pc4lf]

I'm new to this forum, so I have one biting question, and I think this is a great platform to ask it. I'm not prejudiced against atheists or anything, however I never understood how someone can not believe in God when one fundamental truth exists: you cannot disprove the God of the bible's existence.

How can you prove God does not exist?

[pckizer]

I'm new to this forum, [snip]

How can you prove God does not exist?

Since you're new, I'll point out that you're being an incredible troll with this post.  I'll start with a mere pointer to one of the good resources for such questions, Iron Chariots Wiki: You can't prove God doesn't exist

The key point you are likely missing is that the theist claim there is a deity of some sort is a positive claim that actually has no real evidence behind it.  As such, it is those of us labelled atheists that point out that fact and follow it up with: since there is no testable/reliable/objective evidence that has ever been presented to us (absent horribly fallacious statements with no real backing), we can only say "the creature you posit has no evidence, until you can provide some I withhold accepting that such a being exists."

Some go even further and point out that according to the various scriptures, the being posited by the abrahamic traditions is so internally inconsistent that that specific one can categorically be shown not to exist with all of the details claimed by its followers and is deemed unworthy of respect even if most of the truth claims were somehow verified.

As such, depending on your next post, I suspect a ban-hammer might well be in your future, so choose your responses carefully.

[The Magic Pudding]

Atheists don't have to prove god doesn't exist.
To be taken seriously theists need to prove he does.
The evidence for god is non existent, it always comes back to god is true because he says so.

Many atheists will concede an extremely small chance of something other.
This is part of having an open mind.

But the god of the bible is just plain silly.

[pc4lf]

But what if you're wrong?

[Kylyssa]

Welcome to Happy Atheist Forum!

Here, let me explain in your own words, slightly altered - I'm not prejudiced against [strike:iqipnzx6]atheists[/strike:iqipnzx6] Christians or anything, however I never understood how someone can [strike:iqipnzx6]not[/strike:iqipnzx6] believe in God when one fundamental truth exists: you cannot [strike:iqipnzx6]dis[/strike:iqipnzx6]prove the God of the bible's existence.  How can you prove God does [strike:iqipnzx6]not[/strike:iqipnzx6] exist?

Prove that Thor doesn't exist.  Prove that unicorns don't exist.

You can't prove Thor and unicorns don't exist so why don't you believe in them?

Most atheists don't make a positive knowledge claim such as "I know God does not exist" it's usually more like "there's no evidence God exists so it's pretty unlikely that God does exist."  See the difference?  It's like "I know the Loch Ness monster doesn't exist" and "I don't think the Loch Ness monster exists."

And this is a great place to ask your questions about atheists and atheism!

[pc4lf]

Welcome to Happy Atheist Forum!

Here, let me explain in your own words, slightly altered - I'm not prejudiced against [strike:1gbfchj2]atheists[/strike:1gbfchj2] Christians or anything, however I never understood how someone can [strike:1gbfchj2]not[/strike:1gbfchj2] believe in God when one fundamental truth exists: you cannot [strike:1gbfchj2]dis[/strike:1gbfchj2]prove the God of the bible's existence.  How can you prove God does [strike:1gbfchj2]not[/strike:1gbfchj2] exist?

Prove that Thor doesn't exist.  Prove that unicorns don't exist.

You can't prove Thor and unicorns don't exist so why don't you believe in them?

Most atheists don't make a positive knowledge claim such as "I know God does not exist" it's usually more like "there's no evidence God exists so it's pretty unlikely that God does exist."  See the difference?  It's like "I know the Loch Ness monster doesn't exist" and "I don't think the Loch Ness monster exists."

And this is a great place to ask your questions about atheists and atheism!

But what if you're wrong?? There's a 50/50 chance that you're wrong and going to hell, so why not just to sure?

[Kylyssa]

But what if you're wrong?

But what if you're wrong?  What if Thor, or Shiva, or Odin, or some other God is the real one?  The only two options in existence are not that if atheists are wrong then Christians are right.  Jews could be right.  Muslims could be right.  Satanists could be right.  Hindus could be right.  Anybody might be.  We could all be wrong, though, you included.

[Kylyssa]

But what if you're wrong?? There's a 50/50 chance that you're wrong and going to hell, so why not just to sure?

What if you are wrong about Thor, Odin, Mithra, Allah, Vishnu, Pan, Zeus, etc?  You don't believe in them.  Explain why you don't believe in them and you'll understand why we don't believe in your God.

And that's very faulty logic you are using there.  There are far more than two options.  There are thousands of other religions.  Should we also believe and practice all of them just in case?

[Kylyssa]

But what if you're wrong?? There's a 50/50 chance that you're wrong and going to hell, so why not just to sure?

How exactly are we supposed to believe in something we don't think is real, something for which no empirical evidence exists?  

Think of something you don't think is real.  I don't know what, fairies maybe.  Now, believe in them.  You can't, can you?  Even if I told you the King of the Fairies would torture you for eternity if you don't, you still can't.

And here's another thought for you - what if you are right?  What if the God of the Bible, who condones slavery and genocide, who got a teenage girl pregnant, who calls for the murder of disobedient sons, who requires rape victims to marry their rapists, and who will torture eternally anyone who doesn't love him - what if that God is real?  Think of anyone else expressing love of their children that way.  What if your dad required you to worship him or he'd tie you up and shove needles under your fingernails?  Would he be expressing love or would he be a raving psychopath?

[Recusant]

I'm new to this forum, so I have one biting question, and I think this is a great platform to ask it. I'm not prejudiced against atheists or anything, however I never understood how someone can not believe in God when one fundamental truth exists: you cannot disprove the God of the bible's existence.

How can you prove God does not exist?

Hello, and welcome to HAF, pc4lf.

I can't speak for anyone else on this topic, but I'll give you my answer:  I can't prove that the Christian god does not exist.  I don't need to. However, no Christian can prove that their god does exist.  Sure, there are a number of bogus "proofs of God's existence" out there, but they all fall far short of producing the goods as advertised.  I came to atheism at a very young age, by watching those who professed to believe in the Christian god, and by applying basic logic to the problem, in conjunction with the evidence before me.  I'm very close to "hard atheism," and depending on my mood, I will outright deny that the Christian, or any other of the thousands of gods is anything more than a figment of human imagination. I decided even before I became an atheist that if the Christian god exists, then I am opposed to him and those who are members of his faithful flock.  While I've met plenty of Christians since then who were good people, I was lucky enough to grow up around some who were poltroonish, malicious mountebanks.  My initial judgment of the situation was based almost as much on emotion as cogitation. Deeper thinking and investigation has only confirmed it.  Religion provides comfort to many people in the world, so I no longer loath and despise it as I once did. but it also provides a really good reason to do evil for a number of people, so I can't say that I respect it much either.

I see that while I've typed this answer, you've gotten a couple of others, and asked a second question:

But what if you're wrong?

If I'm wrong then I'll be spending eternity in hell, and I'll be in good company.  I've heard a number of times that the "one unforgivable sin" is to deny the Christian god's existence.  If that's the case, then plenty of vicious swine will be going to heaven, and plenty of fine, otherwise good people will be going to hell.  I'll take my chances with the goats-- I never could get along well with the sheep.

For what it's worth, I'm willing to take your questions on face value.  I consider them honest and reasonable, if perhaps somewhat ingenuous. Until you prove otherwise, I, for one, don't consider you a troll, and the moderators on this forum don't ban without good reason, and plenty of warning, so don't be intimidated.

[pc4lf]

You don't go to heaven if you're good. You go if you believe. Don't underestimate belief. Belief can move mountains.

[Recusant]

You don't go to heaven if you're good. You go if you believe. Don't underestimate belief. Belief can move mountains.

I understand that only too well.  Which is why I said, "...plenty of vicious swine will be going to heaven, and plenty of fine, otherwise good people will be going to hell."

[pc4lf]

But what's the problem with that? They perfectally understood that their lack of faith (like yours) could potentially land them in hell. It's their fault.

[Reginus]

The only way that I know of that you can prove that a specific god does not exist if you find a contradiction.  It can be between a portion of a holy book (if you claim it is the infallible word of the god) and something else we know to be true, or it can be a self contradiction.

Lack of a contradiction is not, however, evidence for the said god.

[Sophus]

How can you prove God does not exist?

I can't prove that every god mankind has ever thought up doesn't exist but I can disprove Yahweh, just as I can disprove that elephants don't exist at Yellowstone Park.