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From ancient Greece to modern America, from short essays to long arguments, from individual lives to history and philosophy, in words reasoned quietly or
shouted loudly,
The Atheist God Would Read (or watch or listen) . . . offers a wide range of books for rational people in an often irrational world.
New titles added weekly. Plus DVDs, MP3s and more.
Added February 2010: Fiction: an eclectic selection of
novels and short stories from an atheist perspective. Come browse.
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The fact that people believe in God does not mean that God exists.
God, faith and religion are three different ideas.
God is a supernatural being who created the universe.
Faith is an individual’s belief that God exists.
A religion
is the
collection of beliefs about God’s nature and his involvement with humanity.
These three ideas - God, faith and religion - exist independently of each other. In theory, God could exist without faith or religion, faith or religion could exist without God and faith could exist without God or religion.
Look at these possibilities:
1. God exists but no-one believes in him. There is God, but no
faith or religion.
2. God does not exist, but one person believes in him. There is faith, but no God or
religion.
3. God exists and only one person believes in him. There is God and faith but no
religion.
4. God exists, and many people believe in him. They have agreed a
collection of ideas about his nature.
God, faith and religion all exist.
5. God does not exist, but many people believe in him.
They have agreed a collection of ideas about his nature.
Faith and religion exist, but God does not.
Because all three ideas exist independently, the key conclusion we come to is
the fact that people believe in God does not mean that God exists.
Next:
Chapter One: Section 2
What is God?
"I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious theories of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a personal God."
Thomas Edison, inventor, interviewed in the Columbian Magazine (1911).
Note that in the same interview, Edison said "I never have denied Supreme Intelligence. What I have denied and what my reason compels me to deny, is the existence of a Being throned above us as a god, directing our mundane affairs in detail, regarding us as individuals, punishing us, rewarding us as human judges might."
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Chapter One: Defining God
Does God exist? Before we try to answer that question we
need to have a clear idea of who or what God is. How do we
describe God? What versions of God are on offer?
1.1: God, faith and religion
Do they need each other?
1.2: What is God?
God comes in several styles and models
1.3: Perception and reality
Is what we see what we get?
1.4: The evolving God
From prehistory to today
1.5: El, Yahweh et al
The Old Testament family of gods
1.6: Three's company
The Christian Trinity
1.7: Allah
Over to Islam
1.8: Majors and minors
Polytheism
1.9: The unknowable God
Is he there?
1.10: Your god or mine?
Made in our image
1.11: Summary
Finished this chapter? Move on to
Chapter Two
Problems with God
The real God – if such a thing exists – may be very different
from the god portrayed by Jewish, Christian or Muslim
scripture.
But whichever picture of God we look at - from the
Bible and Koran to the images presented by other
faiths and believers - we are confronted by problems.
When examined closely, God's nature is so contradictory
that it is unlikely, if not impossible, for him to exist.
Not sure what you're looking for?
If there's a word that you don't recognize, it might be defined
here.
If there's a topic you're looking for, check the Search box at
the top right of this page.
If there's something you want to ask, send an
e-mail.
We can't guarantee an answer, but we'll do our best.
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If God existed, he would...
admire the beauty of a universe that he did not create
recognize that eternity is meaningless
deny both heaven and hell
disown all men and women who speak in his name
denounce the harm caused by religious "morality"
help the human race to thrive without him
If God existed, he would be an atheist.
What is the difference between science and faith?
science is certain of nothing and requires proof of everything
faith is certain of everything and requires proof of nothing
Which do you trust?
"I know there is no God"
or
"I believe there is no God"
???
Check the answer
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