# Atheists , how could God prove to you he exists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 5, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518 "2019-05-05T19:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/102 "2019-05-06T16:52:39Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Where do the sauce and cheese come in? And what about the Big Pizza Cutter In the Sky?? That could be worse than the coming of the handkerchief… The real important question is : who do we have to tip in order for them not to jerk off into the Antarctic Crust ? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/103 "2019-05-06T16:58:28Z")
ETA : and who are we being delivered \*to \*? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/104 "2019-05-06T17:40:50Z")
More importantly, are there any pictures of the giant three-legged disk at the north pole? ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/105 "2019-05-06T17:46:02Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > to start I am pretty much an agnostic. > > Let’s say someone shows up at your door and says he’s God and wants to prove it. > > Then he says “I can snap my fingers and any car you want will appear right here. In fact I can bring any 5 cars of any cost - Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Lambo, Ferrari , etc. , or if you prefer I will give you $1 million in cash.” and then does which one you pick. > > Would you think this person is God or would you think there is some kind of trick going on? To me that would prove this person is God. What about you? I’d close the door in his face before he even got to the snapping fingers business. By my definition, any being that actually cares whether lesser beings believe in him is automatically not a god. I know there are religions that believe that God says anyone who doesn’t accept him as the one and only deity will be confined to eternal hellfire. My reaction to this is, “Really? How effing petty is that?” ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/106 "2019-05-06T17:52:03Z")
> [@UnwittingAmericans](#): > > Let’s go back to basics: > > Make a rock so big He Himself can’t lift it. What do you think all those black holes all over the place are? ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/107 "2019-05-06T18:09:57Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > What do you think all those black holes all over the place are? Oh shit. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/108 "2019-05-06T18:13:15Z")
An omnipotent God could simply make me know He exists. Why would He need to go through the trouble of proving it thought some external stimuli? He could just make all athiests know of His existence. No other idea makes sense. Anything I can see, hear, etc. that would otherwise be impossible - the burning bush, voices, God coming down from the sky to shake my hand, the Maple Leafs winning a Stanley Cup - is much more logically explained as a mental breakdown, causes by a tumor or disease or whatever, or by some unlikely natural phenomena. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/109 "2019-05-06T18:59:45Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > What do you think all those black holes all over the place are? So I just have to say, “_Go dive into Sagittarius A_ and come back out intact\*,” and that might be enough to make me believe – or finally rid us of this pesky god person. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/110 "2019-05-06T21:15:22Z")
First off, just to make sure he wasn’t wasting my time, I’d ask him to immediately give me the same powers I gave the main character in my book. If I suddenly found myself with powerful telekinesis, the ability to innately sense nearby movement, and a mild ability to sense emotions then I’d know he was either omniscient or had read my books, and that he has a certain amount of mad skillz. Having crossed that hurdle, I’d invite him in, offer him a bottled water (which I’d fetch telekinetically), and ask him to explain to me which specific God he wanted me to believe he was. I imagine this would take him a while, and over the course of the discussion I’d also try and get him to explain the problem of evil, which has always been a big hurdle for Gods. As the discussion wound to a close, I would sadly inform him that the reality of the situation is that it’s actually impossible to uniquely identify anybody if one can’t confirm their unique similarity to some objective identifying source, like a photographic ID from a reliable issuing agency. As God is not (to my knowledge) licensed by any agency I consider reputable, it’s actually impossible for him to prove to me that he’s God and not God’s twin brother with identical appearance and powers. So it’s impossible for him to prove that he’s the specific God he claims to be. That said, I’d thank him for his time, ask him if he’d like to hang out again, and obliquely inquire as to whether he’d be willing to help me with my weight problem. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/111 "2019-05-06T21:51:09Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Make world peace happen, bring us all joy and happiness and the richness of a meaningful life. End systemic suffering, eliminate cruelty and hatred and oppression and exploitation. Solve hunger and fix the energy crisis and show us how to leave in equilibrium with the natural world. > > If you can’t do that, I don’t much care whether or not you can make dead people alive again or fly or walk on water or prove you can be omniscient or whatever. Those stunts might make you a good Marvel Comics character or something but they don’t make you God. This, without any of that curse of the monkey’s paw shit. Otherwise, just go back to Asgard and shut the fuck up. And take your colander hat with you. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/112 "2019-05-06T21:57:52Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > First off, just to make sure he wasn’t wasting my time, I’d ask him to immediately give me the same powers I gave the main character in my book. If I suddenly found myself with powerful telekinesis, the ability to innately sense nearby movement, and a mild ability to sense emotions then I’d know he was either omniscient or had read my books, and that he has a certain amount of mad skillz. I just caught a kid up the street bouncing a basketball out of the corner of my eye. And even though she’s downstairs, I can tell my wife’s pissed because she’s stomping around. All I need is the telekinesis. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/113 "2019-05-06T22:01:08Z")
> [@UnwittingAmericans](#): > > I just caught a kid up the street bouncing a basketball out of the corner of my eye. And even though she’s downstairs, I can tell my wife’s pissed because she’s stomping around. All I need is the telekinesis. If I ain’t tossing trucks around and detecting/catching bullets, the God’s half-assing it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/114 "2019-05-06T22:08:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The traditional Christian God is supposed to be omniscient and omnipotent. So I throw the ball to him and ask him to figure out what evidence would irrefutably convince me he is God and then provide that evidence to me. What can he provide if asked for evidence that’d irrefutably do the opposite? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/115 "2019-05-07T00:36:37Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > What can he provide if asked for evidence that’d irrefutably do the opposite? Precisely the evidence he’s provided thus far. HEYYYY WAIT!!!.. NOW THAT… THAT is bril… completely bonkers. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/116 "2019-05-07T00:59:34Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > What can he provide if asked for evidence that’d irrefutably do the opposite? So you would say, “_If you are in fact the God, prove that God does not exist_.” Excellent. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/117 "2019-05-07T02:22:34Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > So you would say, “_If you are in fact the God, prove that God does not exist_.” Excellent. > [@](#): > > [Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as the final and clinching proof of the **non** -existence of God. > > The argument goes something like this: > > “I refuse to prove that I exist,” says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.” > > “But,” says Man, “the Babel Fish is a dead giveaway, isn’t it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that You exist, and so therefore, by Your own arguments, You don’t. QED.” > > “Oh dear,” says God, “I hadn’t thought of that,” and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic. > > “Oh, that was easy,” says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.]([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmpP73-SHPQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmpP73-SHPQ)) - Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/118 "2019-05-07T03:07:04Z")
I have an invisible leprechaun in my garage. What do I have to do to prove it to you? No, you can’t hear him; he’s very light on his feet and chooses not to speak in the presence of those who don’t believe in him. No, you can’t touch him; he’ll move out of the way if you get close. No, you can’t smell him; he showers regularly, but only when no one’s around. No, he won’t lead you to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. He could, and he used to do it all the time, but not anymore. He does pull off some magic tricks sometimes, like giving people the hiccups or helping the Celtics beat the Lakers. But he’s a bit capricious about those things; you can’t control or predict him. So what do I have to do to prove to you that he’s real? Are you so closed-minded that there’s nothing that would convince you of my by-design untestable assertion? ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/119 "2019-05-07T04:10:28Z")
You would think that placebos wont work if you tell the patient that they are deliberately been given placebos. Surprise Surprise : They still work. [http://media.virbcdn.com/files/43/FileItem-112335-kaptchukplacebocomponentsBMJ2008.pdf](http://media.virbcdn.com/files/43/FileItem-112335-kaptchukplacebocomponentsBMJ2008.pdf) So the concept of God, even if you prove to be fake by logic, will bring the feelings of well-being to the believer. This is perhaps the difference in thinking in western and eastern philosophies. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/120 "2019-05-07T04:38:29Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > You would think that placebos wont work if you tell the patient that they are deliberately been given placebos. > > Surprise Surprise : They still work. [http://media.virbcdn.com/files/43/FileItem-112335-kaptchukplacebocomponentsBMJ2008.pdf](http://media.virbcdn.com/files/43/FileItem-112335-kaptchukplacebocomponentsBMJ2008.pdf) > So the concept of God, even if you prove to be fake by logic, will bring the feelings of well-being to the believer. Your garden variety atheist does not give a shit about that. We really do not care whether you participate in the shared delusion. That is entirely your concern – just fail to make it our concern. We find that a non-trivial number of religious people are dreadfully inept at failing to make it our concern, and some of them are worrisomely adamant when it comes to encroaching on the comfort of unbelievers, in the name of unsubstantiatable cause. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518/121 "2019-05-07T05:23:21Z")
Snark aside, the Old Testament is full of examples of the Lord talking directly to ordinary humans. As we gradually developed the means to accurately document past events and conversations, these encounters dropped off pretty suddenly. the two obvious explanations are (1) He no longer wants to speak to us, or (2) He never did and the prophets of record were lying or crazy. Frankly, if your cosmology or spirituality or sense of morality depend on the existence of anthropormorphic space gods, you’re doing it wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-how-could-god-prove-to-you-he-exists/833518.md?page=7)