Post by Sylvia ElsePost by Devils AdvocaatPost by Sylvia ElsePost by Max BootTime exists as a dimension.
A dimension is part of a mathematical model of reality. Reality is under
no obligation to arrange itself to suit our model.
Try telling that to the theists. :)
No point. They think there really is a God. I mean, how do you argue
with someone whose entire world-view is fundamentally flawed?
If God does exist in any way then those who have faith that he does not are
the ones whose entire world-view is fundamentally flawed but your faith may be
too strong to allow you to consider that aspect of the situation, depending on
how strong an atheist you are or are not. If you have no faith that God does not
exist then you can't be a strong atheist but only a weak one or an agnostic. If
a person's faith that God does not exist is strong, only then is that person a
strong atheist.
Years ago I wrote a list of things trying to think realistically about the
possibility that God does exist. We can make a quick list of things related to
the possibility that he might not exist too. Here that is:
1. God might not exist.
Moving on, now here's a somewhat longer one I wrote considering the possibility
that he does:
1. If God exists he almost certainly would have to be an alien.
2. If there is a creator associated with this planet, all
who refer to him refer to the same being regardless of what
they call him or what they think about him.
3. Nothing that happens is supernatural, so anything gods do
would be natural for them.
4. If God exists and wants things to be as they are, he
could not provide proof of his existence because doing
so would change things too much.
5. Since the terms omnipotent and omniscient appear to
make themselves impossible, it's unrealistic to try assigning
those particular characteristics to God if he exists.
6. Since disbelief is a form of belief, the degree of faith a
person has that God does not exist is what determines how
strong an atheist he or she is, or is not.
7. People who have put their faith in a belief often/usually find
it impossible to comprehend the ability of considering the possibility
that God does not exist and also the possibility that he does.
8. People who have put their faith in a belief often/usually find
it impossible to comprehend much less appreciate basic number 2.
9. People who claim to be strong atheists often/usually asburdly
try to deny their own faith that God does not exist...faith which is
a necessary part of being a strong atheist.
10. Whether God exists or not it seems apparent that life must have
originated from lifelessness to begin with, and may do it fairly often.
11. We should not allow what appear to be conflicting or unlikely
beliefs encouraged by other people--however absurd--to contaminate
and interfere with our own attempts to think about this topic
realistically.
12. We should not allow childlike and unrealistic attempts at comparing
the concept of gods with those of childlike ideas like the tooth fairy,
the Easter Bunny, invisible pink unicorns, spaghetti monsters etc
encouraged by other people--however absurd--to contaminate and interfere
with our own attempts to think about this topic realistically.
13. If gods exist they would necessarily have to be technologically
advanced far beyond we humans on Earth, to the point that they became
gods.
14. If God exists he almost certainly would not be restricted to any
particular body, form, or gender. (disclaimer: I refer to God as "he" out
of convenience and because that's how we are encouraged to refer to "him"
in most if not all canonical texts.)
15. If God exists it seems most likely that he has as much influence
over the content of canonical texts as he wants to have.
16. If God exists, it seems quite clear he makes use of the evolutionary
method of creation.
17. If there are things which people consider to be spiritual, they are
most likely actually physical in ways we just can't appreciate yet.