# Am I the only person on the Internet who believes in God? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 24, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944 "2010-09-24T23:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/41 "2010-09-25T05:07:17Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > > [@SenorBeef](#): > > > > Yes, when the issue is a matter of evidence, why not? I’d call people who disagree with me on the issue of heliocentrism and evolution ignorant too. > > Oh, the issue of the existence of God has been scientifically settled, like heliocentrism and evolution? I must have missed that issue of _Nature._ It was in the 1859 issue. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/42 "2010-09-25T05:22:30Z")
No, I think it’s just that you notice athiests more. That’s all. (Theist here) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/43 "2010-09-25T05:28:52Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > > [@SenorBeef](#): > > > > Yes, when the issue is a matter of evidence, why not? I’d call people who disagree with me on the issue of heliocentrism and evolution ignorant too. > > Oh, the issue of the existence of God has been scientifically settled, like heliocentrism and evolution? I must have missed that issue of _Nature._ God as typically described is logically contradictory, violates every law of physics (an innate consequence of his supposed omnipotence), and has no evidence for his existence, just for starters. Science can’t really go any farther than that, and that’s more than far enough for just about anything but God to be declared impossible. The fact that people don’t consider the nonexistence of God a settled matter is due to them giving the question a special privileged status, and to just plain ignoring how ridiculous and impossible a claim it is. There’s a much better chance that my arms will suddenly turn into snakes and eat me than there is of God being real. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/44 "2010-09-25T05:32:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I believe in Athena on Mondays, Thor on Tuesdays, Morgoth on Wednesdays, Aslan on Thursdays\*, Superman on Fridays, and Athena on Saturdays. On only Sunday is my atheism pure. Wouldn’t it be more fitting to worship Thor on Thursdays? ---
**Author:** ![godix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@godix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godix)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/45 "2010-09-25T05:42:01Z")
I occasionally believe in god. Usually when the words ‘My period is late…’ are uttered. At times like that, it’s nice to have someone to alternately curse out and beg that this not be happening. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/46 "2010-09-25T06:04:12Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Oh, the issue of the existence of God has been scientifically settled, like heliocentrism and evolution? I must have missed that issue of _Nature._ Yes, it has. Unfortunately, you still get people claiming God is real and evolution is false. I haven’t heard anything about geocentrism, but there’s probably still some idiots that believe in that, too. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/47 "2010-09-25T07:06:15Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > > [@SenorBeef](#): > > > > Yes, when the issue is a matter of evidence, why not? I’d call people who disagree with me on the issue of heliocentrism and evolution ignorant too. > > Oh, the issue of the existence of God has been scientifically settled, like heliocentrism and evolution? I must have missed that issue of _Nature._ +/-. In any case, saying “you’re calling me ignorant just because I disagree with you!” isn’t really a valid claim when one side has no evidence whatsoever to support their views. It’s perfectly valid to say “You are ignorant because you disagree with me” when the all of the mountains of logic and evidence are on their side. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/48 "2010-09-25T07:25:28Z")
> [@Pixiesnix](#): > > > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > > I believe in Athena on Mondays, Thor on Tuesdays, Morgoth on Wednesdays, Aslan on Thursdays\*, Superman on Fridays, and Athena on Saturdays. On only Sunday is my atheism pure. > > Wouldn’t it be more fitting to worship Thor on Thursdays? Yeah. Also, you worship Athena _twice_? Morgoth’s gonna be piiiiiiissed… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/49 "2010-09-25T08:18:48Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I haven’t heard anything about geocentrism, but there’s probably still some idiots that believe in that, too. 18% of the American population believe that the sun orbits the Earth according to [Gallup](http://www.gallup.com/poll/3742/new-poll-gauges-americans-general-knowledge-levels.aspx). > [@](#): > > **Four out of Five Americans Know Earth Revolves Around Sun** > > Probing a more universal measure of knowledge, Gallup also asked the following basic science question, which has been used to indicate the level of public knowledge in two European countries in recent years: “As far as you know, does the earth revolve around the sun or does the sun revolve around the earth?” In the new poll, about four out of five Americans (79%) correctly respond that the earth revolves around the sun, while 18% say it is the other way around. These results are comparable to those found in Germany when a similar question was asked there in 1996; in response to that poll, 74% of Germans gave the correct answer, while 16% thought the sun revolved around the earth, and 10% said they didn’t know. When the question was asked in Great Britain that same year, 67% answered correctly, 19% answered incorrectly, and 14% didn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/50 "2010-09-25T09:09:25Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > You guys pretty much confirmed what I thought. Namely, there are more athiests/agnostics in cyberspace than in real life. Where do you believe their corporeal bodies are, just as a matter of interest? > [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Oh, the issue of the existence of God has been scientifically settled, like heliocentrism and evolution? I must have missed that issue of _Nature._ It was in the issue right after they decided there was definitely no invisible pink elephant under my bed and no fairies at the bottom of the garden. Interestingly, to date the issue of whether there is a teapot orbiting Saturn has not even been seriously investigated, let alone scientifically settled. So I believe there is one. And I’m sure you do too. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/51 "2010-09-25T09:43:15Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Yeah. Also, you worship Athena _twice_? Morgoth’s gonna be piiiiiiissed… To say nothing of his lack of supplication to the great and terrible Cthulhu. I’a! I’a! Cthulhu fhtagn! ---
**Author:** ![FuzzyOgre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@FuzzyOgre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuzzyOgre)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/52 "2010-09-25T10:13:17Z")
I believe in negative one gods, so that cancels out the OPs belief, and we can proclaim the intertoobs to be god(belief) free! Send donations, gratuities and tokens of appreciation to me at… oh and nominate me for some sort of prize for solving one of the great engineering feats of modern society(and I better win!) And breakfast. Someone make me breakfast. This post is best read with silly brain version 1.0 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/53 "2010-09-25T11:22:17Z")
Good Lord, God has a HUGE Net presence! The trouble is finding quality over the quantity. Google up “The Internet Monk”, read the articles & comments, and then go to the various links on the side. Intelligent Theism abounds on the Net! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/54 "2010-09-25T12:09:56Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Intelligent Theism abounds on the Net! Over at [Oxymoron.com](http://Oxymoron.com), no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/55 "2010-09-25T12:18:52Z")
> [@Pixiesnix](#): > > > [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > > > Yeah. Also, you worship Athena _twice_? Morgoth’s gonna be piiiiiiissed… > > To say nothing of his lack of supplication to the great and terrible Cthulhu. I’a! I’a! Cthulhu fhtagn! O Great Cthulhu! We eagerly await your devouring the universe, and ask only that, if it be Your will, You wait until we have finished this Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast. Amen ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/56 "2010-09-25T12:25:08Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > This isn’t Pit worthy, but not Mundane. Seems like everytime I mention God in a post (in general, not just SDMB) people make comments with the underlying attitude,“Ain’t that precious, you believe in some Invisible Guy in the Sky.” Why would this mean you were the only believer on the internet? If 95% of the people on the internet believed in God, this could still happen. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/57 "2010-09-25T12:45:18Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > > [@etv78](#): > > > > This isn’t Pit worthy, but not Mundane. Seems like everytime I mention God in a post (in general, not just SDMB) people make comments with the underlying attitude,“Ain’t that precious, you believe in some Invisible Guy in the Sky.” > > Why would this mean you were the only believer on the internet? If 95% of the people on the internet believed in God, this could still happen. Exactly. The big thing with the Internet is that social inhibitions are off. You’re seeing what a lot of people want to say. The other thing is that our brains really don’t process the large number of people. We’re used to a certain level of participation from the smaller groups, but now that it’s larger, we assume the group is a larger proportion. Finally, there’s always confirmation bias. I didn’t see you saying anything about the various people who do not respond in that manner. Heck, I thought it was pretty well known around here that I am a Christian. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/58 "2010-09-25T12:52:40Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Heck, I thought it was pretty well known around here that I am a Christian. I thought you were an atheist. I mean, it doesn’t help that I’m not really great with names and I tend to forget which conversations I’ve had with which posters after a certain amount of time but there you go. Plus you don’t tend to participate in religious threads as much as the others if my memory serves correctly. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/59 "2010-09-25T13:16:04Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Interestingly, to date the issue of whether there is a teapot orbiting Saturn has not even been seriously investigated, let alone scientifically settled. So I believe there is one. And I’m sure you do too. Right? No, I don’t believe there is one. Of course, I don’t regard that belief as a scientific fact, the same way heliocentrism or evolution are facts. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944/60 "2010-09-25T13:33:54Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > > [@Princhester](#): > > > > Interestingly, to date the issue of whether there is a teapot orbiting Saturn has not even been seriously investigated, let alone scientifically settled. So I believe there is one. And I’m sure you do too. Right? > > No, I don’t believe there is one. Of course, I don’t regard that belief as a scientific fact, the same way heliocentrism or evolution are facts. You could never prove that there is no teapot orbiting Saturn, no matter how hard you looked there would always be a small possibility that it was there, tucked in behind, or even frozen inside, a piece of ice. On the other hand there is no evidence to support the teapot theory and lots of good reasons to think there is no teapot. If you’re happy to consider the non-existence of God to be in the same league of non-fact as the non-existence of the teapot, then I’m not about to stop you, just remember the evidence for God is exactly the same as the evidence for the teapot regardless of how many people believe it to be otherwise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-on-the-internet-who-believes-in-god/554944.md?page=4)