How indeed. Perhaps you tell me how
you think you know that God is?
How do you know that you need what you regard as evidence to know that God Is?
I don't know. I'm open minded as to how God, if He exists, might make himself known. But I am not aware of anything that points to God existing, so I remain unknown on the matter.
Hence agnostic.
You question is about fundamentals. It is our starting point. I have come to understand what terms like "spiritual" mean, by reading. I use that term because it describes the basis of what I understand, and recognise.
Recognise? What is it you think you are recognising? Furthermore, how do you know that what you are reading is correct? Or do you just take it on faith?
You only need to know that there is an outside. Notice you took for granted that there is an outside.
No, I simply asked you a question. My own response to such a question would be "from the inside, how does one know there
is an outside?" Just because someone asks a question that suggests there might be an outside does not mean that there is.
That is generally what atheists do.
Some might. Perhaps your strawman does.
Because for them there is no God, and they believe that for them to start believing in God, the God must be shown to exist. Otherwise it carries on that there is no God, just as there are no invisible dragons, or celestial teapots, despite belief in them.
And you think this is not a rational position for them to hold? However, I do dispute that they necessarily think that there is no God... they may well simply not know.
Obviously you lack belief in God, because there is no God for you to believe, in. You lack claims of belief in God. Because for you there is no God.
Yes, Jan, I lack belief in God, the thing you have that I don't, which makes me an atheist. Note that there is no implication in that lack that God actually exists. Can you comprehend that yet?
I lack belief in God because I am not aware that God either exists or does not exist. There may well be a God for me to believe in, unless you are again wandering down the notion that God is a wholly subjective viewpoint?
Your assertions are atheist, but your actual position is strong atheism. Because for you, there is no God.
And once again you fail to distinguish between one's intellectual position and the apparent practical position they hold due to practice requiring binary decision-making.
Therefore God for you, does not currently exist.
Whatever you want to believe, Jan. Whatever makes you sleep better at night. Once again you fail to listen to the person, to actually even try to comprehend, but instead revert to your strawman version.
What doesn't exist?
And how do you know they don't exist?
Let X be the set of anything that does not exist in actuality, whether we are aware of it not existing or not, whether we know it doesn't exist or not. Any member of set X necessarily does not exist.
Sure, the question of how one knows the member of X does not exist is valid, and unless I am aware/know it does not exist I would be agnostic. Why would I choose to believe that it does exist, though?
You assume that God can be found via evidence of your choosing.
No, I don't. I have no knowledge as to how God, if He exists, might make himself known. I only have what other people claim, and the question then goes to how can I know that they are telling the truth. And so it keeps going.
You assume that God is "utterly unknowable".
No, it is a conclusion based on the notion that God Is and/or that God is the initial cause etc.
You assume that God Isn't.
No, I just don't know that God Is.
Why do you insist on arguing against your strawman?
What can't I logically support.
That God exists. And by "logically support the veracity" I mean that one might be able to make a valid argument (the KCA is a reasonable stab but not without its criticisms) but you can't demonstrate the soundness of the argument.
Belief in God, is natural to human beings, as is no belief in God.
So you accept that being natural is no arbiter of the veracity of the claim. Good, we're getting somewhere.
Show me (through evidence or through a logically sound argument) that there is a God to deny.
Because there is no evidence?
That is part of the reason why I lack belief in God, yes, but while there may be other means to knowing, I am not aware of them.
Why do you need evidence for something that is demonstrably natural to human beings?
Superstition is natural to human beings. Should we be accepting the veracity of all superstitions?
Why do you think being natural to humans should exclude it from critical thought, from examination of the core principles and tenets of what is being considered "natural"?
I consider that lazy thinking.
The fact is, you are without God. I believe in God.
Given your notion of what "without" means, you certainly claim that God exists is a fact. It is what you believe, and you also believe in God, yes. But it is NOT a fact that God exists. It is an opinion, a belief, a claim, upon which many worldviews are based. You believe that God exists and your belief extends to a certainty. But it is not one you can actually verify. All you can do is provide arguments that rely on the
a priori assumption that God exists. But you won't see that.
Fortunately what you believe or not is irrelevant to reality.
You don't comprehend it fundamentally.
So you want to believe. Fair enough.
It is a part of human nature. As humans we can choose to accept or not.
And being part of human nature does not excuse it from critical thought.
Is there where you intend to go to now? The notion that because you see it as "part of human nature" that it is beyond criticism, beyond the need to examine they whys and wherefores, beyond the need to examine, explore and question?? That is should just be accepted or not without question?
How do you know that you need evidence to know that God Is?
I don't. I have never said otherwise. Please put down your strawman.
Is it because for you there is no God, and you cannot comprehend how it is that people can believe in something that you have no idea of?
I wouldn't know how to answer, Jan, because I'm not your strawman. When you want to discuss with me, let me know.
These are our fundamental positions Sarkus.
So you have taken a position, whether it was a part of human nature or otherwise, and excluded it from further critical thought.
Based on your earlier comment I assume you have also accepted that, being accepted solely because it is part of human nature, the veracity of it is unable to be established, and the best you can do is compound your belief through question begging? Or are you going to cling to the reality of God being a fact? Remember, you said belief in God was human nature, as is not believing in God. If the reality of one is to be considered a fact through being human nature compounded by question-begging, then surely so is the other. And you are left with two mutually exclusive facts.
Another Jan paradox, perhaps.
Anyhoo, we seem to have finally bottomed out this discussion: your belief is based on your
a priori assumption (being part of human nature that is not questioned further) and compounded through question-begging confirmation bias. Got it. Thanks.
You imply it every time you ask where is the evidence for God. Then continue as though that is the default position.
Au contraire. I am open to others having worldviews that they find acceptable to them, as mine is to me. It makes for good discussion, exploring the differences. You should try it some day.
Your problem is that you refuse to listen. You lack the comprehension, so you attack the person. That's all you do. I think you're frightened to look at the pov I put across. So you attack.
I attack the argument presented, Jan, as is done in debate and discussion of this nature. I have looked at your pov, and you have finally stripped it back to accept that you have an
a priori assumption that you justify holding unquestioned due to it being "human nature". It is not a position I agree with, Jan.
What you see as attacking the person is actually an attack against the manner of their posts. But since you are the person making those posts, I guess you will see it as personal. So be it. Maybe address the manner of your posts and there won't be anything you see as attacking the person.
Your call, Jan.