I used to think that if God himself popped out of nowhere before my eyes and declared himself I'd change my mind about him. But, now I think if that happened I'd think I was hallucinating.

These days I really don't know what it would take to make me believe in a god.

I can't imagine what would make a believer of me. I began to have doubt when I was 7 or 8 years old despite being raised in a Christian home. The older I get, the stronger that doubt becomes.

Yeah, I was raised Baptist and started asking questions about that age. By the time I was 10 I knew that if god was real, he wasn't all that good.

I come from the show me state.

See, here's the trouble with this. I like to think of myself as open minded. I once posted here that I'm 99.99999% atheist. Meaning that I live my life under the assumption that there is no god. But, I can't prove there's no god in the same way I can't prove there are no unicorns. So, I leave myself open to, no matter how remote, the possibility that some convincing may come up.

On any other topic, I know what it would take to change my mind. But, on this topic, I do not.

Does that mean I'm closed minded on this subject?

To believe what?

The word god, in and of itself, is not well defined enough for me to answer that question.

By the time someone defines it well enough I end up with, Magic, or Nature.

I do not believe magic, by its very definition, can ever be demonstrated, explained, or objectively referenced, the mystery itself is the magic.

Equivocating nature and god has never provided any useful framework for knowledge so I am again left with little to work with.

I believe god is magic, and belief in god is really just a love, or nostalgia for magic.

this is a christion aggument , the fact is that "god(s)" DO NOT EXIST . so that said , untill the FACTS change the reply should be ... Fact, "god(s)" do not exist, change the Facts.

Yes, but what would those new facts have to be to convince you? That is the question.

Well, I have always described myself as an 'agnostic', but that is just a BS term really, because it's safe to say that nothing will occur to make me believe otherwise. Like you, I've thought about what it would take for me to believe in some form of spiritual existence, and I have trouble coming up with a scenario where I wouldn't question my own perception, or that of other possible witnesses. I would be hallucinating, experiencing a natural phenomenon I am unacquainted with, or subject to some form of illusory performance.

I have never seen, or experienced anything that doesn't have a rational explanation. Nor has anyone I've ever met, for upon examination, the 'reality' behind their supernatural/paranormal experiences was obvious in every case.

Lately, I've been coming to terms with the death of a loved one, and the patronising terms I'm subject to in order to make me feel better, just make me wild. She' 'not in a better place' and she's not 'watching over me'-she's dead; she doesn't exist-and that is it. It may be comforting for some to believe those platitudes, but I won't become a hypocrite to protect myself from the harsh reality. It just hurts.

I understand. I lost my mother a little over a year ago. She slipped away peacefully just a few feet away from my father. When the preacher come to the house he started saying the same things. Then he asked if I'd like him to pray with me. I had trouble restraining myself.

I dont think there is anything that could be said or done to make me believe but I often say I would never be so bold to say there is no god....nor would I ever state there is a god...with that said .it is hard to deny when nature is in her glory at sunset or afull double rainbow..with soft rain faliing and the sun shining or in peaceful steady breathing of an infant child sleeping on your chest, and you are feeling what must surely be a spiritual understanding..but for me I find it to be truly unknowable and when it comes down to it unimportant to know...to believe...in the one god as we are taught to believe...it is about how you live your life. That is why I call myself agnostic..its the closest fit. I have to agree however with the writer in life of pi..sounds a bit like committment issues. :)

I figured it out. There are two things that would change my mind about there being a "creator" of the universe. The first would be is science discovered a message from the creator written into the fabric of the universe.

The other would be if science discovered the universe we live in is a simulation. A simulation must have a creator. Yes?

I would believe in God if it made any sense. I'm willing to believe in concepts that don't make sense, but then those ideas need to prove their usefulness.

For me, believing in God means believing in a creator. That doesn't make sense, nor does it yield any useful model of reality.

Believe What?

Atheists that I know came to their realization by using logic and deductive reasoning.

The question really should be, how does the "believer" arrive at his conclusion? More likely, he just blindly accept the myth that has been handed down to him by accident of birth.

I would believe it if it turnt out to be true, the universe was created by a supernatural being. Haha I think thats fair. Its a long shot though

What a thought provoking question. Is religion nature or nurture?.

I would need a burning bush.

At which point I would ask for a suggestion box - I think management needs to make some changes.

I could ask what it would take to convince you that Santa Claus and Easter Bunny are real, but that is obviously a silly question and so is yours.

Ha, that box would get full very quickly.

Aka the older you get, the smarter you get

If god came down, sat with me in a bath (hed also make it not gay) and make the big brown shark come from the big black between his legs cave, I would believe for pure comedic purpose. LOL