Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The thread about "What if you're wrong?" reminded me of a thread I started a while back on a Christian site. I got almost NO responses, except a predictable handful saying "I'M 100% SURE OF JESUS!!!"
Anyway, I like to periodically assess the state of my beliefs on what I call the Doubt-O-Meter. Being as honest with myself as I can, how confident am I that what I say I believe will prove to be ontologically true? How confident am I that what I now believe will really match ultimate reality?
My Doubt-O-Meter looks like this at the moment:
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness (mind), not matter, is the fundamental “stuff” comprising our reality.
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness survives physical death (in some form).
95% confidence (5% doubt) we live in a created reality.
90% confidence (10% doubt) in theism (meaning a personal creator who interacts with the creation, as opposed to a deistic creator who doesn’t).
90% confidence (10% doubt) that, of the available alternatives, Christianity (as I have come to understand it) will prove to be the closest match with ultimate reality.
I thus try to live my life as though my understanding of Christianity were ontologically true, even though my understanding may be flawed or completely wrong. Even 1% doubt would require me to acknowledge that what I believe may prove to be 100% wrong, as I do.
One legitimate way to claim a 100% level of confidence in Christianity would be to say that I have an actual "knowing" through the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. If I didn't think I had this knowing, I wouldn't claim even a 90% level of confidence. However, I recognize that plenty of people claim an inner knowing for things I don't believe and that some or all of us could be mistaken.
I'm less interested in what you think of my beliefs than how you assess your own.
I have got to say that the best odds I can give any kind of god -claim is no better than 5%. And that's a for a sorta intelligent nature that isn't bothered about us. One that cares about us and intervenes is down to 3% at best as intervention just doesn't make its' case.
The god of any particular religion... we are down on the .0 something percentages. Really. Odds so piddllng that they aren't worth bothering about.
0.00000000000000000000 (keep going, there will eventually be a 1)% confident that consciousness (mind), not matter, is the fundamental “stuff” comprising our reality.
0.00000000000000000000 (keep going, there will eventually be a 1)% confident that consciousness survives physical death (in some form).
0.00000000000000000000 (keep going, there will eventually be a 1)% confident we live in a created reality.
0.00000000000000000000 (keep going, there will eventually be a 1)% confident in theism (meaning a personal creator who interacts with the creation, as opposed to a deistic creator who doesn’t).
0.00000000000000000000 (keep going, and where you found a 1 in the above, keep going. Eventually there will be a 1. Trust me, keep going. No, not yet. OK, take a break. Ready? OK, then keep going.)% confident that, of the available alternatives, Christianity (as I have come to understand it) will prove to be the closest match with ultimate reality.
The thread about "What if you're wrong?" reminded me of a thread I started a while back on a Christian site. I got almost NO responses, except a predictable handful saying "I'M 100% SURE OF JESUS!!!"
Anyway, I like to periodically assess the state of my beliefs on what I call the Doubt-O-Meter. Being as honest with myself as I can, how confident am I that what I say I believe will prove to be ontologically true? How confident am I that what I now believe will really match ultimate reality?
My Doubt-O-Meter looks like this at the moment:
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness (mind), not matter, is the fundamental “stuff” comprising our reality.
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness survives physical death (in some form).
95% confidence (5% doubt) we live in a created reality.
90% confidence (10% doubt) in theism (meaning a personal creator who interacts with the creation, as opposed to a deistic creator who doesn’t).
90% confidence (10% doubt) that, of the available alternatives, Christianity (as I have come to understand it) will prove to be the closest match with ultimate reality.
I thus try to live my life as though my understanding of Christianity were ontologically true, even though my understanding may be flawed or completely wrong. Even 1% doubt would require me to acknowledge that what I believe may prove to be 100% wrong, as I do.
One legitimate way to claim a 100% level of confidence in Christianity would be to say that I have an actual "knowing" through the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. If I didn't think I had this knowing, I wouldn't claim even a 90% level of confidence. However, I recognize that plenty of people claim an inner knowing for things I don't believe and that some or all of us could be mistaken.
I'm less interested in what you think of my beliefs than how you assess your own.
Your percentages track with the percentage of our Reality that can be measured and validated by science <5% (dark energy and dark matter comprise 95+%). The estimates of the likes of Harry, Arq, and thrill fly in the face of that <5% base for their views.
Your percentages track with the percentage of our Reality that can be measured and validated by science <5% (dark energy and dark matter comprise 95+%). The estimates of the likes of Harry, Arq, and thrill fly in the face of that <5% base for their views.
My view is not an estimate, it is based on what we know.
The ratio of dark energy and matter is irrelevant to how confident we should be in our beliefs (unless you like non sequiturs).
Well, I dislike blind faith a lot.
I believe seeing is believing. Sorry, I do.
Those that have not seen
may have been blessed in Jesus' day, cuz they couldn't 'be' there to witness stuff....
But nothing tops direct, up-close and personal, intimate experience.
So I couldn't have doubt if I tried...seen too much.
To honor the question you have set it up, Irkle:
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness (mind), not matter, is the fundamental “stuff” comprising our reality. There is no matter. 100% Consciousness, Spirit, the Unseen is the Reality behind/within all
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness survives physical death (in some form).100% know it...not believe it or think it, have no 'hope' for it - it just is...again direct exp.
95% confidence (5% doubt) we live in a created reality. 100% Created, as a dream is. by mind
90% confidence (10% doubt) in theism (meaning a personal creator who interacts with the creation, as opposed to a deistic creator who doesn’t). 100% both personal and impersonal
90% confidence (10% doubt) that, of the available alternatives, Christianity (as I have come to understand it) will prove to be the closest match with ultimate reality. As asked? 100% No it is not.
Your percentages track with the percentage of our Reality that can be measured and validated by science <5% (dark energy and dark matter comprise 95+%). The estimates of the likes of Harry, Arq, and thrill fly in the face of that <5% base for their views.
Should my cofidence that I will be struck by an asteroid today be 5% or 95% ?
As far as the OP asks I do not know what level of confidence I have that there is no God. Somewhere between 50 and 99 percents. I think I have a higher confidence in that my lack of belief in any Gods will be found offensive to some posters than it will ever be proven that a God does exist or does not exist (if this could ever be proven as its a negative assertion)
A 95% confidence that God does exists seems more reasonable than the100% that he does or does not exist.
The thread about "What if you're wrong?" reminded me of a thread I started a while back on a Christian site. I got almost NO responses, except a predictable handful saying "I'M 100% SURE OF JESUS!!!"
Anyway, I like to periodically assess the state of my beliefs on what I call the Doubt-O-Meter. Being as honest with myself as I can, how confident am I that what I say I believe will prove to be ontologically true? How confident am I that what I now believe will really match ultimate reality?
My Doubt-O-Meter looks like this at the moment:
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness (mind), not matter, is the fundamental “stuff” comprising our reality.
95% confidence (5% doubt) that consciousness survives physical death (in some form).
95% confidence (5% doubt) we live in a created reality.
90% confidence (10% doubt) in theism (meaning a personal creator who interacts with the creation, as opposed to a deistic creator who doesn’t).
90% confidence (10% doubt) that, of the available alternatives, Christianity (as I have come to understand it) will prove to be the closest match with ultimate reality.
I thus try to live my life as though my understanding of Christianity were ontologically true, even though my understanding may be flawed or completely wrong. Even 1% doubt would require me to acknowledge that what I believe may prove to be 100% wrong, as I do.
One legitimate way to claim a 100% level of confidence in Christianity would be to say that I have an actual "knowing" through the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. If I didn't think I had this knowing, I wouldn't claim even a 90% level of confidence. However, I recognize that plenty of people claim an inner knowing for things I don't believe and that some or all of us could be mistaken.
I'm less interested in what you think of my beliefs than how you assess your own.
I'd say my Doubt-O-Meter is probably pretty close to yours. I used to think it would be really great to have a 100% confidence level, but over the years I've realized that that's not even really possible. It's also not even desirable, because once you're 100% confident that what you believe is right, and couldn't possibly be wrong, you can no longer learn. (Not to mention the fact that you're likely to become a pretty obnixious person when you reach that point. )
I'm less interested in what you think of my beliefs than how you assess your own.
I doubt that consciousness (mind) can exist without matter and if something does survive death I don't think it's anything material (like thoughts, emotions, personality, etc.). It opens another question - if that which (maybe) survives death (let's call it a SOUL) isn't material and it doesn't have MY thoughts, emotions and personality - is that ME at all any more?
I believe that the creation is the creator playing with itself and that there's nothing apart from that creator. The creator simply changes itself and creates billions of different forms and worlds from itself, but they are not real (from its point of view), just a game it plays with itself. So, from my point of view, of course, I do exist and I'm very real, but from its - I'm just a ... sand castle. Of course, I have no idea if this is true, but at the very moment I like to believe it. It sounds fun.
Christianity has some weird teachings about death - we die and then we go to heaven or hell, but that's not permanent, because once the judgement day will come and we will be judged again and then the good ones will be resurrected in their own bodies and live happily ever after on Earth while the bad ones will simply disappear into oblivion?! I really hope that this isn't the truth...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
Of course, I have no idea if this is true, but at the very moment I like to believe it. It sounds fun. 
I really hope that this isn't the truth... 
