Belief/Non-Belief Census

[Henny]

Hi, I saw this thread and thought it wasn't very relevant as it applied to Belief/Non-Belief. So, here is an, in my opinion, better poll.

1. Strong Theist - I believe there is definitely a god and I live my life according to that belief

2. Pragmatic Theist - I believe there is probably a god and I live my life as though He does exist

3. Weak Theist - I live my life based on that there is a good possibility of a god existing but I'm not very religious

4. Strictly 50/50 Agnostic - I consider the likelihood of god existing to be 1 in 2

5. Weak Atheist - I consider it unlikely that god exists, but I am very open to theistic belief

6. Pragmatic Atheist - I believe there is probably no god and live my life as though He does not exist

7. Strong Atheist - I believe there is definitely no god and I live my life according to that belief

I'll go with Pragmatic Atheist. The non-existance of god is a working assumption.

[Dara_Effe']

Where is it?

[Henny]

Where is it?

Had a bit of a trouble posting it, but it's up now.

[Dara_Effe']

Ah, sorry, I spoke too soon. :redface:

[Dara_Effe']

I believe there definitely is no God. However, I live my life where energy is manipulated by me and I sometimes may refer to energy as a deity and may even try to visualize energy as a deity in the form of a human to make myself or my brain more comfortable, since I am human. If that makes any sense at all.

[iff]

4. Strictly 50/50 Agnostic - I consider the likelihood of god existing to be 1 in 2

I went with this as i have no idea

[Henny]

4. Strictly 50/50 Agnostic - I consider the likelihood of god existing to be 1 in 2

I went with this as i have no idea

Do you have no idea what you believe or no idea if god exists?

[iff]

no idea if god exists

how could i?

[Henny]

no idea if god exists

how could i?

Well, you could weigh the probability of something to be true. For example, what would you say about Russell's Teapot?

[Retasha]

Pragmatic atheist, leaning towards strong atheist.

[Eddie7]

Strong atheist.

[Shockwave]

I believe in a god, I'm just not certain whether or not it is sentient (though I believe it is).

[daveb]

Same as Retasha and CBC.Radio.Girl :)

[iff]

no idea if god exists

how could i?

Well, you could weigh the probability of something to be true. For example, what would you say about Russell's Teapot?

did you start this thread to attact non-non-believers?

the existence of god can neither be proved or not proved. no talk of tea can change that. what's wrong with not knowing? i just want to do my best in this life. what's wrong with that?what's wrong with admitting you have no idea?

[Henny]

did you start this thread to attact non-non-believers?

Er, what?

the existence of god can neither be proved or not proved. no talk of tea can change that.

Neither can Santa Claus, leprechauns etc., provided that the claims are presented in such a way that it's impossible to disprove it. There's very few things that have exactly a 50% chance of being true, though. We have only observed intelligence arise here on earth through the gradual process of evolution, what would you think that says about the god hypothesis?

what's wrong with not knowing? i just want to do my best in this life. what's wrong with that?what's wrong with admitting you have no idea?

But that's exactly what I'm doing! If people are asking me how the universe came into being, I'll say "I honestly have no idea" instead of using gap-filling like inventing creator deities or something like that.

[iff]

did you start this thread to attact non-non-believers?

Er, what?

it's how i feel you've treated me here. i feel you've gone to attack me for not knowing whether there is a god or not

the posting of the russell's teapot is further proof of this that you are using this thread to attack non non believers.

the existence of god can neither be proved or not proved. no talk of tea can change that.

Neither can Santa Claus, leprechauns etc., provided that the claims are presented in such a way that it's impossible to disprove it. There's very few things that have exactly a 50% chance of being true, though. We have only observed intelligence arise here on earth through the gradual process of evolution, what would you think that says about the god hypothesis?

indeed this is another reason, you are attacking believers here by comparing their belief in god to a belief in santa claus and leprachauns.

what's wrong with not knowing? i just want to do my best in this life. what's wrong with that?what's wrong with admitting you have no idea?

But that's exactly what I'm doing! If people are asking me how the universe came into being, I'll say "I honestly have no idea" instead of using gap-filling like inventing creator deities or something like that.

so what's your problem with me not knowing it?

[Henny]

did you start this thread to attact non-non-believers?

Er, what?

it's how i feel you've treated me here. i feel you've gone to attack me for not knowing whether there is a god or not

the posting of the russell's teapot is further proof of this that you are using this thread to attack non non believers.

Tell me how I've treated you that makes you feel I've gone to "attack you for not knowing whether there is a god or not".

Tell me how Russell's Teapot is "further proof".

the existence of god can neither be proved or not proved. no talk of tea can change that.

Neither can Santa Claus, leprechauns etc., provided that the claims are presented in such a way that it's impossible to disprove it. There's very few things that have exactly a 50% chance of being true, though. We have only observed intelligence arise here on earth through the gradual process of evolution, what would you think that says about the god hypothesis?

indeed this is another reason, you are attacking believers here by comparing their belief in god to a belief in santa claus and leprachauns.

Ah, so you would say that it is possible to disprove Santa Claus and leprechauns? Because that's the only comparison I've made.

what's wrong with not knowing? i just want to do my best in this life. what's wrong with that?what's wrong with admitting you have no idea?

But that's exactly what I'm doing! If people are asking me how the universe came into being, I'll say "I honestly have no idea" instead of using gap-filling like inventing creator deities or something like that.

so what's your problem with me not knowing it?

It's not about what you know, it's about what you believe, or what you hold to be more likely.

[Princely One]

Strong theist.

Oh, and keep it cool in here, lol. We don't need some argument thing going down this early in the morning. :P

A hint- if you really wanna know, you'll find out.

[Jarl]

Strong atheist.

Why? Well being a scientist I don't believe something unless it can be demonstrably proved. People dreamed up gods, ghosts demons etc a long time ago to explain things that they couldn't explain at the time eg: lightning, disease and so on.

As knowledge has progressed, religion has become more and more irrelevant and eventually it will die out. When we stop believing in some beardo sitting on a cloud then I will say that we have matured as a species.

Oh, and this graph is food for thought:

[iff]

Henricksson - you've gone after me for posting my opinion that i didn't know whether there is a god or not. i don't. i feel you've attacked me or not conforming to your belief system. that's the way i feel. you disagree, that's ok. The thing i've got from your posts , is that you don't think it's ok for me not to know whether there is a god or not and that''s why i feel you've attacked me.

there's enough people on the internet willing to get into arguments about stuff they've no idea about, i don't want to be one of them and saying that, this is my last post in this particular thread. I'm sorry i posted in this thread. i just thought it was a simple post your opinion on whehter there was a god or not and the degree of your opinion.

maybe if you wanted to argue with someone about whether there is no god or whether people should have an opinion that they don't know whether there is a god or not, the "Hot Box" would have been a better forum.

[Henny]

Henricksson - you've gone after me for posting my opinion that i didn't know whether there is a god or not. i don't. i feel you've attacked me or not conforming to your belief system. that's the way i feel. you disagree, that's ok. The thing i've got from your posts , is that you don't think it's ok for me not to know whether there is a god or not and that''s why i feel you've attacked me.

there's enough people on the internet willing to get into arguments about stuff they've no idea about, i don't want to be one of them and saying that, this is my last post in this particular thread. I'm sorry i posted in this thread. i just thought it was a simple post your opinion on whehter there was a god or not and the degree of your opinion.

maybe if you wanted to argue with someone about whether there is no god or whether people should have an opinion that they don't know whether there is a god or not, the "Hot Box" would have been a better forum.

Right, I think this has been a misunderstanding. I certainly wouldn't say that I know if god exists or not, but I wouldn't say this translates into a 50% chance of god existing.

[annwyl_cariad]

Henricksson - you've gone after me for posting my opinion that i didn't know whether there is a god or not. i don't. i feel you've attacked me or not conforming to your belief system. that's the way i feel. you disagree, that's ok. The thing i've got from your posts , is that you don't think it's ok for me not to know whether there is a god or not and that''s why i feel you've attacked me.

there's enough people on the internet willing to get into arguments about stuff they've no idea about, i don't want to be one of them and saying that, this is my last post in this particular thread. I'm sorry i posted in this thread. i just thought it was a simple post your opinion on whehter there was a god or not and the degree of your opinion.

maybe if you wanted to argue with someone about whether there is no god or whether people should have an opinion that they don't know whether there is a god or not, the "Hot Box" would have been a better forum.

Right, I think this has been a misunderstanding. I certainly wouldn't say that I know if god exists or not, but I wouldn't say this translates into a 50% chance of god existing.

I really don't want to get involved in this thread, but I have to agree that it just looks like you're using this thread to draw out agnostics and attack them. You're essentially saying that agnostics HAVE to take a side, have to choose either atheist or theist, because obviously no one can be EXACTLY 50%. Why did you provide that choice if you think no one can truly say that? If you think it's impossible to know whether God exists, or that you don't care whether God exists, that's your belief, and no one should force you to pick a side.

Does anyone else find this reminiscent of the argument that you can't be bisexual unless you're EXACTLY 50% attracted to men and 50% to women (not 50.001% and 49.999%, either), otherwise you're just gay or straight and in denial?

[Henny]

Henricksson - you've gone after me for posting my opinion that i didn't know whether there is a god or not. i don't. i feel you've attacked me or not conforming to your belief system. that's the way i feel. you disagree, that's ok. The thing i've got from your posts , is that you don't think it's ok for me not to know whether there is a god or not and that''s why i feel you've attacked me.

there's enough people on the internet willing to get into arguments about stuff they've no idea about, i don't want to be one of them and saying that, this is my last post in this particular thread. I'm sorry i posted in this thread. i just thought it was a simple post your opinion on whehter there was a god or not and the degree of your opinion.

maybe if you wanted to argue with someone about whether there is no god or whether people should have an opinion that they don't know whether there is a god or not, the "Hot Box" would have been a better forum.

Right, I think this has been a misunderstanding. I certainly wouldn't say that I know if god exists or not, but I wouldn't say this translates into a 50% chance of god existing.

I really don't want to get involved in this thread, but I have to agree that it just looks like you're using this thread to draw out agnostics and attack them. You're essentially saying that agnostics HAVE to take a side, have to choose either atheist or theist, because obviously no one can be EXACTLY 50%. Why did you provide that choice if you think no one can truly say that? If you think it's impossible to know whether God exists, or that you don't care whether God exists, that's your belief, and no one should force you to pick a side.

Does anyone else find this reminiscent of the argument that you can't be bisexual unless you're EXACTLY 50% attracted to men and 50% to women (not 50.001% and 49.999%, either), otherwise you're just gay or straight and in denial?

Well, you're working under a false assumption.

Atheism/Theism is about belief, and Agnosticism/Gnosticism is about knowledge.

Consider the following chart:

This is overly simplistic, however, hence the seven options.

[pawprint prettysure]

Pragmatic Atheist

[annwyl_cariad]

I just am not sure why you would include the option of "Strictly 50/50 Agnostic" if you thought no one could honestly choose it, and if you were going to try to convince people who chose that option to pick a side. You used the term agnostic in your poll choice, if you recall.

[Henny]

I just am not sure why you would include the option of "Strictly 50/50 Agnostic" if you thought no one could honestly choose it, and if you were going to try to convince people who chose that option to pick a side. You used the term agnostic in your poll choice, if you recall.

Well, I really don't understand why anyone would pick "Strong Theist" either, personally, but I do have encountered people who describe themselves as 50/50.

[annwyl_cariad]

I just am not sure why you would include the option of "Strictly 50/50 Agnostic" if you thought no one could honestly choose it, and if you were going to try to convince people who chose that option to pick a side. You used the term agnostic in your poll choice, if you recall.

Well, I really don't understand how anyone would pick "Strong Theist" either, personally, but I do have encountered people who describe themselves as 50/50.

I guess I just think that if someone says they're totally agnostic you should respect that and not try to tell them they're wrong. This isn't the Hotbox, this is the Census Forum. People don't come in here to debate, they come in here to answer questions.

[Henny]

I just am not sure why you would include the option of "Strictly 50/50 Agnostic" if you thought no one could honestly choose it, and if you were going to try to convince people who chose that option to pick a side. You used the term agnostic in your poll choice, if you recall.

Well, I really don't understand how anyone would pick "Strong Theist" either, personally, but I do have encountered people who describe themselves as 50/50.

I guess I just think that if someone says they're totally agnostic you should respect that and not try to tell them they're wrong. This isn't the Hotbox, this is the Census Forum. People don't come in here to debate, they come in here to answer questions.

Where did I say that? I'm honestly confused.

[PiF]

I voted other

I am a spiritualist...I know something exists..I can't define it in a scientific term..But I am also not ignorant enough to say there can never be anything

[annwyl_cariad]

so what's your problem with me not knowing it?

It's not about what you know, it's about what you believe, or what you hold to be more likely.

I think that iff has made it pretty clear that he doesn't believe one way or the other, and it seems like you're trying to say he has to pick atheism or theism as more likely. If I'm misunderstanding you I apologize, but it seems like you're trying to push iff towards choosing weak atheism, which may not reflect his beliefs.