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On a currently godless note...

(41 Posts)
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Anne58 Mon 02-Feb-15 11:33:40

A bit like the difference between and agnostic and an atheist?

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petallus Mon 02-Feb-15 11:30:40

I'm the one in the back row gazing out of the window! grin

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tanith Mon 02-Feb-15 11:02:58

Really!! confused

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Elegran Mon 02-Feb-15 10:46:58

"I don't believe God exists." = I am NOT convinced that he exists = It may be true, but I am not 100% sure.

"I believe God doesn't exist". = I AM convinced that he does not exist = I am 100% sure that he does NOT exist.

A subtle difference, but there is a difference.

But if you want to get really tied up, you could go into double negatives with "I don't believe that God doesn't exist" .

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feetlebaum Mon 02-Feb-15 10:17:30

But Jings - what about all those gods you don't believe in? The ones the commandment warns against putting first? As has so often been said, the only difference between you and me is that I do not believe in one more god than you...

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jinglbellsfrocks Mon 02-Feb-15 10:00:46

This should be Pedants' corner.

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jinglbellsfrocks Mon 02-Feb-15 09:59:03

Right. Firstly, the god/gods thing is confusing and totally superfluous to the argument. So:-

I don't believe God exists.
(ie at the moment of making that statement you do not believe God exists)

I believe God doesn't exist.
(ie at the moment of making that statement (same moment as before) you do believe God does not exist)

They mean exactly the same. Because there are no grey areas. Either he does or does not exist. At that moment.

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Lona Mon 02-Feb-15 09:01:46

grumppa has expressed it much better than I could. I can see your point but the belief can change.

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loopylou Mon 02-Feb-15 08:25:00

Very confused, bailing out.....

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petallus Mon 02-Feb-15 08:08:24

Bloody hell! grin

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thatbags Mon 02-Feb-15 07:42:35

Hmm. Good point, grumps. Glad you see the difference though.

Thanks, jings, I slept well smile

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grumppa Sun 01-Feb-15 23:53:32

I can see the difference in degree between the two statements, Bags, but I don't accept your interpretation that the second does not leave room for belief in the light of new evidence. Use of the word belief carries inevitably the possibility of ceasing to believe. "I don't believe the bus will come", and "I believe the bus won't come", convey different degrees of faith in the local transport service, but if the bus actually turns up the belief will be shattered however it has been expressed.

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durhamjen Sun 01-Feb-15 23:26:26

Bit late to start working that out, bags.

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rosequartz Sun 01-Feb-15 23:18:24

Night night. God bless (even if .......)

moon

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jinglbellsfrocks Sun 01-Feb-15 22:53:48

confused

Night night Bags. Have a good sleep. x smile moon

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thatbags Sun 01-Feb-15 22:17:50

If I say I don't believe god(s) exist, I am not saying that I believe god doesn't/gods don't exist. The statements "I don't believe gods exist" and "I believe gods don't exist" are not the same and do not mean the same thing.

I'm mentioning this because the second statement tends to be assumed when people make the first statement or similar ones such as "I don't believe in god".

The first leaves room for belief in gods should satisfactory evidence turn up. The second does not.

Just thought I'd make that clear because comments on a couple of other threads recently suggest that some people don't distinguish between the two and, since the two mean different things, they really should distinguish.

So on that currently godless note, I'm off to bed. Goodnight, grans moon smile

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