Does God Exist?

Friday, September 21, 2007

Does God Exist?
There is an urban legend that has made the rounds on the internet for years and I want to recopy part of the story.  The story is considered to be not true and people have tried to check on the story. But I want to discuss one part of the story. Here is the story:
"There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God could not exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic.
For 20 years he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone "against him" (you'll see what I mean later). No one would go against him because he had a reputation.
At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there's anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In 20 years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "because anyone who does believe in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from dropping to the ground and breaking.
Such a simple task to prove that he is God and yet he can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the class room and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students could do nothing but stop and stare." Here is the link: Link
If a person challenges God and God does not answer, do you think that is proof that God does not exist?

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No
- 9/21/2007 8:59 AM
- aprilshowers4175 (message)
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No, I don't.
I don't believe in god either.
- 9/21/2007 9:00 AM
- tackYxandxirrelevant (message)
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No!
- 9/21/2007 9:01 AM
- firewillconsume (message)
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No at all. It only shows how foolish this person truly is. Do you respond to every stupid? Why should God be any different?
- 9/21/2007 9:01 AM
- paoguy118 (message)
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That's really ridiculous. I've heard that story before. If anything, that proves that God does exist and that He's smarter than some arrogant professor. What if God doesn't want to play along with stupid human tricks?
- 9/21/2007 9:03 AM
- Nikolais_apprentice (message)
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This seems more like a story to prove God's existence.
- 9/21/2007 9:03 AM
- Tzaddick (message)
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I don't think so, although that person might take it as proof.

I've never tested that. Even when I was agnostic and qualified the belief with "provided He exists", I always thought it was dangerous to challenge God.
- 9/21/2007 9:07 AM
- WomanOfLight (message)
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I read the link. It reads like an urban legend although it is probably based on things that actually happened.
- 9/21/2007 9:07 AM
- WomanOfLight (message)
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God doesn't intervene on such silly "miracles".
- 9/21/2007 9:08 AM
- PSUnited1 (message)
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I'm so tired of this topic. It's been talked about to death...
- 9/21/2007 9:08 AM
- VersaGratis (message)
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Oooooooooooooh. A God question. Controversial!
For me though, I don't think that this point works.
"If a person challenges God and God does not answer, do you think that is proof that God does not exist?"
Just because he doesn't answer means there's no proof. That's just silly talk. And I agree with Tzaddick: it seems like it proves there is a God.
- 9/21/2007 9:08 AM
- California_Gal (message)
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You can't prove whether or not God exists. It's a matter of individual faith...
- 9/21/2007 9:08 AM
- john (message)
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Huh. I heard that story was true, but it involved a glass flask and a student stood up and said a simple prayer, the glass dropped, bounced off the prof's shoe and didn't break.

If God thought it would serve a purpose, He wouldn't allow the chalk to break. It wouldn't be just because some idiot said He couldn't do it. You know?
- 9/21/2007 9:09 AM
- latte_grande (message)
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Not necessarily.
- 9/21/2007 9:09 AM
- Cheyenne17124 (message)
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It's no different than a Christian saying that "I believe he does" and thus he exist. Then that same Christian praying and suddenly an affliction is gone and thus God exist... It's all the same bullshit arguments.
I remember when I stood up to my 9th grade Science teacher when she kept stating that God could possibly not exist according to science. I was a rebellious Atheist at the time and thought it was highly inappropriate to denounce God in front of so many Christian students by abusing the authority and trust of being a teacher.
I wonder if Darwin would appreciate people using his fantastic scientific studies to bash people down.
- 9/21/2007 9:13 AM
- GunStarHero1988 (message)
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No. The professor's challenge is stupid. You can't prove whether God exists. You either believe or you don't.
- 9/21/2007 9:13 AM
- WakeUpLaughing (message)
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agree with latte_grande... not that He couldn't, but He wouldn't; and it's like there are some people who wouldn't believe that God exists even if He showed signs and mircales. blessed are those who do not see them and believe!
- 9/21/2007 9:14 AM
- heyjuke (message)
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I want to audit such a class and take him on. If that's his best logic, it's quite faulty.
- 9/21/2007 9:14 AM
- WordFlyerJosh (message)
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It's already been said there is no proof that God exists or God doesn't. That's why they call it faith.
- 9/21/2007 9:16 AM
- ronlawhouston (message)
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Nikolais_apprentice

Good point. With all his arrogance, if the chalk didn't fall and shatter would he seriously believe it was an act of God? Or just another act of science?
- 9/21/2007 9:16 AM
- GunStarHero1988 (message)
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Nope!!
- 9/21/2007 9:16 AM
- Merlinfairy (message)
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If someone challenges you, and you choose not to answer, does that mean you don't exist?
- 9/21/2007 9:23 AM
- KeyWestKitty (message)
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I don't take ultimate all-powerful spiritual entities for granted.
-David
- 9/21/2007 9:24 AM
- Direshark (message)
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No, it does not prove that God does not exist. It proves that God according to a particular concept (as a chalk-catching servant, always eager to prove his existence) does not exist.
- 9/21/2007 9:25 AM
- darkoozeripple (message)
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Nope.

God always answers.

He either,

a) takes his time.

b) doesn't answer like your finite mind should wish him to.

and

c) answers immediately.

Sincerely listening for an answer helps.

If that story was true, then that professor is so full of himself and proving something, that he wasn't actually considering his challenge.
- 9/21/2007 9:28 AM
- Kaysera (message)
- reply