Could an argument ever persuade/dissuade you from believing in God?

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andyklein

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Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
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No argument could ever take away my faith. Why? Because every time I look at my life in general I think "How could there be no God???

God Bless!👍
 
Could we propose that logic cannot deny God’s existence, but that logic could prove that God in a valid argument? If both of these are the case, isn’t it shown that God is necessary existence?
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
Click to expand...
Anytime I have doubts, I just need to look at non-Catholics and it’s self explanatory. Excuses and rationalizations stemming from personal selfishness are abundant.
 
No, because I believe in God, and no one and nothing will ever, ever change that. Whether or not someone wants to bring the subject up is entirely up to them, but I will be sure to shoot that subject down as quickly as possible.
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
Click to expand...
If someone constructed a series of arguments that provided better explanations for the origins of the matter, energy, physical laws, morality, conscience, order, beauty, Biblical prophecy, and the other things that I think have their origin in God; and if I examined those arguments, and could not find any flaws, but only evidence for their truthfulness; then I think I would be persuaded to believe that something other than God was the direct cause of everything. And if that thing did not itself require a Creator, but was somehow self-existent, or if it was proven that self-existence didn’t matter, and if it was proven that it wasn’t omnipotent, omniscience, omnibenevolent, and a person, then I can’t think of any other reason I would have for believing in God, and so I think I would have to not believe anymore.

But that’s a pretty tall order, and I think self-contradictory.
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?
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Nope. Have experienced God personally in too many ways for any “logic” to convince me they weren’t all real. Nothing physically miraculous enough that I could show someone else and convince them - but definitely enough to convince me! 😃
 
Only personal “proof” can be found. God has proven his existence to me many times over. I would even call it irrefutable.

I have had doubts, questions over some orthodox teachings of various groups, but I find over time, these things tend to work themselves out. It is between me and God. It is ok to seek different points of view, but ultimately I must make my own decisions, and reach my own conclusions.
 
I could never doubt the existence of God. AS far as faith, that’s something else. Started out life with 2.5 strikes, had all kinds of negative experiences, not much in the way of joy, fun, excitement, human relation, I (perhaps wrongly) came to the conclusion that some one, some force in the universe is personally hostile to you. You can always put the blame on the fallen angels, but the truth is that they’re little weak insects compared to God, they do exactly as much evil as God lets them, so if some demon hurts you, he has God’s approval. It’s all puzzling. Too much for my little brain.
 
I don’t know, that they sell cottage cheese on purpose comes pretty close…
 
I did not take your poll. I’m sorry, but it makes no sense to me. 🤷

Prior to becoming Catholic, any well reasoned and well formed argument could persuade me, I had an open mind.

After I learned of the Catholic faith and became convinced of its truth, I had no reason to remain open minded on the issue of faith in God and His Church.

The purpose of an open mind is to be open to truth, once one finds Truth, there is no need to reexamine the same subject.

Having become fully convinced of God and His great sacrifice for me, why should I now be persuaded by that which is not Him? 🙂
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
Click to expand...
There is no argument that can make what is self-evident no longer self-evident. OTOH, there are numerous arguments that can persuade a person that there is a God, besides the fact that His existence is self-evident, but only if the person has an open mind. If one doesn’t want to believe there is a God, then no amount of argumentation can succeed in making him believe. You can lead a horse to water…
 
I agree with those saying this is a strange question to answer. I would be inclined to say there is a kind of vacuity to it. If someone asked me if an argument would ever dissuade me from believing in my coffee cup, I would have to say no. In that case, the thing is sitting in front of me. God of course does not sit in front of me and is not accessible to my sensations, but I do think that strong arguments have been adduced in favor of His existence, which have been insufficiently responded to. Could I be wrong? Perhaps, but I think I am still constrained to respond “no” to the question. Back when I was an atheist, I probably would have responded “no” as well, because at the time, I would have thought that no such arguments existed, and God’s existence was already contravened by modern biology.

Edward Feser says he was convinced by Thomas Aquinas’s arguments.

The value of arguments seems to be for the sake of plausibility. If someone is convinced that theism has no intellectual plausibility, then it is hard to imagine them converting without overcoming those intellectual barriers. In such a case, though, it is probably inaccurate to describe the argument as doing the real work; it just opens the possibility. Grace and faith are still necessary for conversion.
 
Since I have had conclusive, personal proof of the existence of God, and ALSO personal proof that the Catholic Faith is TRUE, no argument could convince me otherwise. I once considered the possibility of no God, no afterlife, when I was 14 years old. Scared me so badly, that I never even looked at the possibility again. Since then, no argument or philosophy has been able to shake my faith, and then God gave me personal proof of His existence and love for me in a very personal way. I went through years of hard times, pain and even wished I could die, but never doubted that He was real!
 
andyklein said:
Theists: Is there any way a valid argument could “prove” there is no God?

Atheists: Is there any valid argument that could convert you?

I also want to know if any one had ever converted to Christianity from atheism or a non-Judaeo-Christian religion based on a logical argument.

[And I hope that I’m not breaking the ban on atheist threads here. It’s not intended to incite one.]
Click to expand...
There are many twists and turns in most people’s belief in the existence of G-d and, for those who believe, how best to acknowledge that belief. At this point in my life, while I am always open to ideas of all kinds, I am quite certain I will remain with my belief in G-d and my faith.
 
After 61 years all those little coincidences have added up to proof positive to me, there is no doubt, and there never can be.
 
My daughter once asked me “If a scientist presented you with scientific proof that there was no God would you cease to believe in God?” My answer to her was "If a scientist came to me and said ‘Here is scientific proof there is a God’ then I would no longer believe in God, Scientists study the natural world God is supernatural therefore He is above nature and cannot be dissected or measured or placed under a microscope. Sorry guys you aren’t going to find the god particle. Yes there are a lot of things in nature that point to God,
 
God’s existence doesn’t depend on our arguments for or against him. So, faith is not merely an intellectual argument that’s subject to whether or not more data is available. Faith in God is really a relationship with Him. We invite him into our hearts and lives and receive his healing and forgiveness. The more you come to know and love him the less you need to rely on your reasoning. The more you realize God is in control and knows more than we ever could the more you start to put your trust in him rather than your own understanding. Faith does not have all the answers, but it seeks understanding from the Lord. The key is to meditate on God’s word and allow him to speak to you through it. As scripture says if you do this you will become like a well watered tree that bears fruit in its season.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
  • Pr 3:5-6
Someone who knows the Lord is perfectly justified in believing in him even if all the evidence is against him. Just like if you were on trial for murder and all the evidence was against you, but you knew that you didn’t do it ,you would be perfectly justified to claim ‘not guilty’ despite the evidence.

The testimony of the Holy Spirit in us is like that. We are perfectly justified in believing in God based on the Holy Spirit’s witness in us, despite claims from others that there is no evidence for our belief.

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”
  • Rom 8:16
 
I voted no, no one could ever convince me that God doesn’t exist.
Not when every single thing in the world, both natural and “man-made” proclaims that he is real, that he loves us and that he’s given us everything as gifts so that we may have the good lifes that he intended for us to have. The summer breeze upon your cheek, the sweet scent of spring rain, the bloom of lovely flowers, the loving hugs of tiny arms, the fresh turned earth crumbling between your toes of a garden, the soft fur of a devoted animal… so much much more. Every single blade of grass, every cloud, every ray of sunshine… and even the magnificience of a skyscraper or the wonder inspiring glory of a fine work of art… all of this His gift to us, His children. How can anyone ever deny Him, that is the most stubbornly bewildering mystery of them all.
 
I grew up with ‘In the beginning God created…" and have never had a reason to say otherwise. Also there is John 1:1-3. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him a and without Him nothing was made that was made."
And the fact that this world is obviously Here – beautiful, well-organized – war-torn countries still have sunrises and sunsets. And Those people can see God working in ways We can’t imagine.
There are those who want to take God Out of the picture – Any kind of theory is considered rather than giving God credit for His work.
And I know what God has done in My heart through salvation. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling and giving peace , hope, love.
"fisherman carl’ had included Proverbs 3:5 & 6. a Wonderful passage.
Code: 
Seems that people who once Did believe in God Stopped believing in Him because of some really bad experience in their life or life of a close friend.  But -- God's existence doesn't depend on our emotions Towards Him.  God has a Huge shoulder for us to lean on -- He is here to be our strength / comfort.  
God put scientific laws in place so that we'd Have them. He is like the wind -- we Know wind exists / the breeze exists / we can feel it and see the affects of it all around us.
So - nope – there is No argument that could dissuade me from believing that God has Always been alive and well. He is the Alpha and the Omega.
 
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