Can an atheist prove their is no God?

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  1. profile image53
    graceinusposted 10 years ago

    Can an atheist prove their is no God?

    I think this is a fair question to ask a person who is atheist. This question is not asking for christians to prove there is a God. I am asking if an atheist can prove their isn't. I would ask that all replies to this question be kept civil. Any insulting replies will be deleted.

  2. profile image0
    JThomp42posted 10 years ago

    No my friend, they cannot. God is not fathomable to those with a reprobate mind. Only what is "seen" is believable. It takes "faith" to believe in what is unseen. God bless you Grace.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      JThomps42- thank you for your answer.

  3. peeples profile image93
    peeplesposted 10 years ago

    No, and most of us have no desire for anyone else to prove their beliefs either. All I can do is believe what feels right in my mind and works for my logic. Others are not required to agree and I am not inclined to ask others to prove their personal beliefs to me.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      peeples- thank you for your answer.

  4. Kathleen Cochran profile image77
    Kathleen Cochranposted 10 years ago

    There is no way to prove a belief - by definition beliefs are not based on facts.  They are based on convictions, and those do not need to be proved for the person who holds them.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Kathleen- Thank you very much for your answer.

    2. loveofnight profile image76
      loveofnightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I must admit that I am in total agreement with you. Thanks for the info.

    3. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Kathleen, exactly - beliefs are beliefs and facts are facts.  It's simply a matter of definition.

    4. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie- O.K. then, this same logic also applies to atheists. The fact that atheists can not prove there is no God, then it's also a conviction that has caused their belief too. There's no such thing as a onesided coin.

    5. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      graceinus, I don't think conviction is in the mix here.  Conviction can be interpreted not as it's precise definition, but as it's generalized meaning of belief.  So to be precise,  I'm agreeing with Kathleen's very FIRST sentence.

    6. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie- Thank you for clarifying

    7. profile image0
      christiananrkistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      i must disagree slightly on this kathleen. isnt it possible a person holds a set of believes because of the facts?

    8. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Ch, We have beliefs based on facts and beliefs not based on facts. Those  who say their belief is based on facts can prove their beliefs. Those whose beliefs are NOT based on facts, don't have to b/c they admit that their beliefs not based on facts.

  5. thomasczech profile image44
    thomasczechposted 10 years ago

    No one can prove that God does not exist just as no one can prove I do not exist because He and I both EXIST.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      thomasczech- I like your answer and thank you.

  6. getitrite profile image71
    getitriteposted 10 years ago

    Asking someone to prove that your assertions are false is illogical.  However through logic it can be proven that belief in Gods is just as absurd as believing in other fictional characters....like dragons or leprechauns.  And I am quite sure that you are not doubting that these characters are fictitious.  And you can't prove that SpongeBob doesn't exist can you?  Therefore, SpongeBob could, and probably does exists.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite- I am merely asking a question. Both atheists and christians have reason for their belief. I am asking if an (any) atheist can prove there is no God. I am open to there answer(s). Thank you.

    2. ChristinS profile image39
      ChristinSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      exactly right on this answer getitrite. The burden of proof lies on the one who claims that something is a fact - not the other way around.

    3. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Christin- An atheist must have a reason for his/her belief. Strong enough reason that gives them no doubt there is no God. If there's no doubt  on their part, then it would be nice if at least one can show proof. I mean, it's only logical. Thank you.

    4. profile image0
      JThomp42posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      AMEN Grace!!

    5. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      beauty of being free nuf to doubt is that I really don't have to prove anything to anyone except me. All I need to know for ME is that whatever I do in world promotes good for another.  If being silent about my disbelief helps, then I'll be silent.

    6. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      grace
      Sorry that you  search for a reason to rationalize your beliefs.  Are you happy that you have found a loophole in the laws/logic that allows you to assuage the dissonance in your illogical beliefs?  BTW, Allah is the real God.  Prove he's not.

    7. profile image0
      JThomp42posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Allah is a God produced by a mere man. Mohammed. What miracles did he perform, whom did he heal, etc. He only preached violence. This was the reason for his death.

    8. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      JT
      That is not what I asked.  I asked you to prove that Allah is not the REAL God.  I didn't ask for an opinion.  Could you give me proof....Please?

    9. profile image0
      JThomp42posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Read the Koran

    10. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Reading the Koran does not prove that Allah is not the real God, or are you that unaware of the laws of logic?  You know...the same logic you use against us, in support of YOUR false God.  You don't get to decide this strictly by your opinion.  Thanx

    11. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite- Can you answer the question I asked? Yes or No.

    12. profile image0
      JThomp42posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      AMEN Grace!!!!

    13. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Grace
      Unless we can agree on a definition of who or what God is, it's a meaningless and ridiculously irrational challenge.  What is the definition of God?  Could Allah, Jupiter, Turnips, or The Beatles qualify?  Or is it similar to a Rang-Dang-Do?

    14. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite-  Let me get this right, as an atheist you don't know what it is that you don't believe in. How odd. Your the one who don't believe in it so you tell me.

    15. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Grace
      Can we agree on this definition....?

      God: n.- An omnipotent, omniscient, ubiquitous, and loving creator, who exists outside the known dimensions.

    16. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite-That is fine. Now, can you answer my initial question? Thank you

    17. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is not loving. Is he both able and willing? Then why is there evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? Not by definition

    18. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite- All I see is your six questions. I'm still waiting for you to answer Can an atheist prove there is no God? Your six questions does not answer my one. I'm still waiting. Thank you.

    19. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Really?  Then apparently you are choosing  to maintain ignorance and superstitions despite your own common sense, as I have proven that this entity cannot be real because of the paradox. A thing cannot be( A) and not( A) at the same time.

    20. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite- Your six quistion are implying that you have the knowledge of God's full will. Do you?

    21. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Grace,
      Yes I do.  And you can't prove that I don't.

    22. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      So there is a God. Thank you very much and have a good day.

    23. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      So since you think, for some bizarre reason, this suggests that statements like that are warranted, prove that there is a God.  Or do you think that somehow you have been relieved of that responsibility?

    24. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      getitrite- What I find amazing is that you use God to try and prove there is no God. This is typical. Yet through logic you can not prove there is no God. You are using what you claim does not exist to prove God does not exist. I call it illogical.

    25. getitrite profile image71
      getitriteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Grace, this whole exchange has become completely absurd. Unfortunately, a delusional mind will assert any dishonest misrepresentations, in order to still, desperately get its fix.This is why your beliefs cause so much conflict.  How absurd. Good bye.

    26. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Good-bye. I do wish you the best.

  7. profile image0
    Benjamin Chegeposted 10 years ago

    Hi graceinus. I do not think an atheist can prove whether God exists. The reason is simple, God is Supernatural and He exists in the Spiritual world, which is neither visible to the human eye, not decipherable by any of the other 5 common senses. This means that no empirical study or research can prove His existence. Only faith in God and His actions show His existence. There is also no ancient evidence that points out that God does not exist.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Benjamin Chege- Many thanks for your answer. Blessings

  8. Billie Kelpin profile image85
    Billie Kelpinposted 10 years ago

    I can't prove that there is no God. I only hope that there isn't. Well, actually I just hope there is no afterlife.  I wouldn't mind believing in God so much if the belief in heaven or reincarnation or whatever else we conjure up wouldn't be attached to a belief in God. I have no desire for an afterlife. I really don't like surprises.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie- Thank you for your answer. What a person believe is and always will be a matter of choice. And in every choice we make we have a reason. Sometime our reasons are a work in progress and a final choice has yet to be made. God bless.

  9. M. T. Dremer profile image86
    M. T. Dremerposted 10 years ago

    No, atheists cannot prove there is no god. Atheism is a little misleading in that respect because the general consensus is that atheism = no god and agnosticism = maybe god. So people tend to see atheism as an absolute. But, in reality, it's more like an assumption. There are things out there to suggest there is no god and I've never personally experienced anything god-like, therefore I will assume there is no god. It's possible that something will happen in the future to change that view, but history and science lead me to believe that this conclusion probably won't change. So, I live my life as if there were no god. It's kind of like how we view the Greek gods today. None of us can prove, definitively that they do not exist, but time, history and science has led us to be relatively sure they don't. So we will live our lives on that assumption.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      M.T.- I thank you for your straight forward and honest answer.

  10. creativedoc profile image61
    creativedocposted 10 years ago

    First of all, you asked a good question.....I believe still we humans know only <1% secrets of this universe and still we don't know >99% secrets hidden in this universe. I am NOT sure whether God exists or not, but am sure that there is some extraordinary power exists in this universe which controls all living creatures. If you can do some research over internet about couple of religions (don't want to mention name) related with some historic things happened few centuries ago, you may get some clues about existence of god.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      creativedoc- I agree in that there are many unknowns about our universe. And exactly how much of it is unknown is unknown. There are many things that exist that we sometimes find it difficult to explain. Thank you very much for your answer.

  11. Thief12 profile image89
    Thief12posted 10 years ago

    Atheists can't prove there is no God, just like Christians can't actually prove there is a God. And as far as proving goes, atheists don't have any reason or motivation to prove God doesn't exist, since they don't believe in Him anyway.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thief12- thank you very much for your answer.

  12. MarleneB profile image91
    MarleneBposted 10 years ago

    No. The only thing anyone can prove is what people can see. Anything else is just a belief. Beliefs are in a person's mind. How can anyone prove what's in a person's mind? So, no an atheist cannot prove there is no God.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Marlene-  Lets assume for the moment what you say is true that the only things that can be proven is what can be seen. Then how do we account for such things a air, gravity, love and so on. These are things we are aware of but each can not be seen.

    2. MarleneB profile image91
      MarleneBposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      OK, graceinus. You've got me! But, the question was about God... whether or not an atheist can prove  there is not a God. I was merely trying to stay on topic.

    3. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If I believe it's wise to sell my house, but, based on the facts as u see them, u PROVE to me that it isn't wise to sell my house now, you can call me foolish to sell it, but my belief remains. I really don't care if my belief is based on fact or not

    4. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie-  The word BELIEF has the following meaning: The mental act, condition,or habit of placing trust or confidence in a person or thing. According to this definition what is need is trust or confidence NOT facts.

    5. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      G, I admit there are no facts to prove my non-belief. I have "confidence" / "trust" in ME, so I really don't need facts.  If you need to prove that I can't prove that God does not exist, you got it. I really don't see why that would matter to anyone.

    6. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie- My point regarding BELIEF is to show that it applies to both sides of the coin. For an atheist it does not require proof that God does not exist. But it's a bouble standard when they apply this rule to christians to prove God exist. Why?

    7. Billie Kelpin profile image85
      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      G, Ah! NOW I get it. So, hmm....this question is actually at the CORE of  religious TOLERANCE. Each person has a set of beliefs, none of which, at this point in time, can be,nor should NEED to be, proven to another. I'm glad I kept pursuing this q.

    8. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Billie- Yes, and thank you for pursuing further.

    9. MarleneB profile image91
      MarleneBposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      graceinus - Right on target! In the same way that Christians can't prove there IS a God, atheists can't prove there ISN'T a God. No right/no wrong. All we have is simply what we believe. Nevertheless, people will still fight over this issue. So sad.

  13. Mitch Alan profile image79
    Mitch Alanposted 10 years ago

    An atheists cannot prove their is no God. This is based on simple logic. It is impossible to prove a universal negative. In order to prove a universal negative, one would need to have knowledge of all time and space and have it all simultaneously. If one were to have universal knowledge of all time and space, then they would be God.

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Mitch Alan- Would you be kind enough to define what you mean by universal negative. Thank you for your answer.

    2. Mitch Alan profile image79
      Mitch Alanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      A universal negative is the proposition that something does not exist anywhere in time or space in the entirety of time and space.

    3. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Mitch Alan- So if God is spirit, which most of us christians believe, then does this rule or description you just describe still apply? Thank you

    4. Mitch Alan profile image79
      Mitch Alanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I'm a Christian as well, and the definition still applies as it refers to all of creation...it is impossible to prove a universal negative, unless you are God. An atheist would have to claim to be God in order to categorically claim there is no God.

    5. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Mitch Alan- Thank you for your comments.

  14. LoisRyan13903 profile image62
    LoisRyan13903posted 10 years ago

    Nope.  Everybody else pretty much summed it up

    1. profile image53
      graceinusposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      LoisRyan13903- Thank you very much for your answer

      Many blessing.

 
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