Religion

longship

(40,416 posts)

33. I just don't see a difference between unknowable and nonexistent.

Thu Sep 20, 2012, 11:05 PM

Sep 2012

Or, to qualify that, between unknowable and not demonstratable. That sounds like agnostic to me.

If one cannot assign attributes to god, how is that different from something that does not exist?

One can make up attributes, but as soon as one does that you start making conflicting claims. Then, the argument spins up again and you end back at a transcendental, unknowable god again.

Omnipotence, perfectly loving, eternal, omnipresent, etc. All these are meaningless terms if there is no evidence beyond some personal experience, which I might add can be replicated in the laboratory. Human neurology seems to be particularly labile in this area.

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What if God is intentionally hiding? [View all] DetlefK Sep 2012 OP

God threw us a lifeboat, and the lifeboat's name is Barack Obama graham4anything Sep 2012 #1

.... 2on2u Sep 2012 #2

What would have happened had Arthur spoken the sacred word to God? Tyrs WolfDaemon Sep 2012 #39

Rapture I imagine.. n/t 2on2u Sep 2012 #41

How could you tell the difference? longship Sep 2012 #3

Yep HereSince1628 Sep 2012 #4

Yes. Spot on! cleanhippie Sep 2012 #13

or go with Lucretius, the gods, if they exist are indifferent and impotent. Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #16

Ya gotta love Carlin. He's right on. That concept of God IS bullshit. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #21

Hi Sarah. A reasoned argument. longship Sep 2012 #24

Thanks. As for me ... SarahM32 Sep 2012 #30

I like your brief outline ... Nihil Sep 2012 #61

Then it wouldn't be God. rug Sep 2012 #5

Would you care to elaborate? DetlefK Sep 2012 #11

No, other than to say you're projecting attributes. rug Sep 2012 #15

Well, rug, couldn't it be the deist god? longship Sep 2012 #25

Not if it's hiding. rug Sep 2012 #26

Aha! It's the intention! I got it. longship Sep 2012 #27

He's hiding with Sanata Clause and the unicorns..... nt bowens43 Sep 2012 #6

God the Father is not hiding he is letting mankind rule the earth as man sees fit. part man all 86 Sep 2012 #7

That's just a cop-out. mr blur Sep 2012 #8

He has spoken and He has not stuttered. cbayer Sep 2012 #18

Or our time-frames are skewed to the immediate. n/t LTX Sep 2012 #42

But there's the risk, we could accidently kill us during that lesson. DetlefK Sep 2012 #10

so at some time in the past your gods acted in the real world? Just not now? Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #17

Yes and no. LTX Sep 2012 #43

That seems to be the case with many religious traditions skepticscott Sep 2012 #44

Apparently he is always hiding Marrah_G Sep 2012 #9

Interesting question. If there is a god or gods, has s/he made a purposeful cbayer Sep 2012 #12

People hide for a reason... rrneck Sep 2012 #14

What if the nature of God defies description and is unfathomable? (And, about the "hidden" aspect) SarahM32 Sep 2012 #19

Then you all should stop worrying about His Unfathomableness and get on with life. Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #23

Who's worried about it? SarahM32 Sep 2012 #28

Concerned, worried, whatever. Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #31

But what I said was that a person can know it, even though it's hard to describe. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #37

If he's unfathomable, why not get over it and call yourself an agnostic? longship Sep 2012 #29

actually the agnostic view is that the existence of god cannot be known, not that god is unknowable. Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #32

I just don't see a difference between unknowable and nonexistent. longship Sep 2012 #33

Lets make a deal. Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #36

I like that, Monty Hall! longship Sep 2012 #38

Because God is unfathomable, it doesn't mean one cannot see and feel what it is. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #40

Do your gods act in the real world in any way that can be examined? Warren Stupidity Sep 2012 #49

Except that you HAVE described "god" skepticscott Sep 2012 #45

Look, here's what I said: SarahM32 Sep 2012 #47

In other words skepticscott Sep 2012 #48

Your definition of "skeptic" is way different that the actual definition. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #50

Okay Vietnameravet Sep 2012 #54

If god is intentionally hiding from us, then god is a bigger douchebag than we thought. cleanhippie Sep 2012 #20

It's not a matter of "hiding." It's a matter of us not seeing actual reality. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #22

What if a giant pink elephant lives on the dark side of the moon? EvolveOrConvolve Sep 2012 #34

Why has he decided to live there, and not on earth, visible to all? DetlefK Sep 2012 #35

What if.... AlbertCat Sep 2012 #46

What if human beings are intentionally stupid? That makes more sense to me. geckosfeet Sep 2012 #51

WE are Gods. WE are playing this video game with each other, and Speck Tater Sep 2012 #52

Shiva, I recognize you! drokhole Sep 2012 #56

"Mara, I see you." --the Buddha. (Same concept) nt Speck Tater Sep 2012 #57

Cool, that's a new one to me! drokhole Sep 2012 #60

Then by this standard God is a liar and an incompetent intaglio Sep 2012 #53

When you hear the shit people pin on God, wouldn't you? orpupilofnature57 Sep 2012 #55

... Alduin Sep 2012 #58

I know there is something to be gained in the debate Thats my opinion Sep 2012 #59