If It Were Proven That God Does Not Exist, Would You Change The Way You Lead Your Life?

[Zennie 0]

This is a question I frequently pose to people. The responses I get back are interesting.

Since I'm agnostic, my answer is obviously "no".

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[storm1977 0]

If God were vengfull then HELL YES...oops. Actually,it depends. God could still exist and I wouldn't change. However, if Hell existed and it sucked, yeah... I may change!!!!

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Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[Zennie 0]

I guess I should add the follow-up.

If you answer "yes", how would you change it and why?

I'd also be interesting in hearing from those who have faith and answered "no". Why would you not change?

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[rehmwa 2]

I'm agnostic and I'd change.

There'd be a lot more pointing and mockery.

I think your real problem would be convincing the masses to believe the proof.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[PhillyKev 0]

A better question might be addressed to catholics...

If it were proven that confession does not absolve you of your sins would you change the way you live your life?

It's been my experience that most people don't let religion affect their actions anyway, especially if they can tell someone all the bad things they've done and be absolved of responsibility. Now if someone who did believe in God and hell found out there wasn't forgiveness, would they change their ways?

[Zennie 0]

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I think your real problem would be convincing the masses to believe the proof.

It's a hypothetical. So part of the hypothetical is that you must accept the proven fact that God does not exist.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[Blahr 0]

My life and my choices are dictated by my concience.

I DO believe in god, but that is not the reason I live the way I do.

[diablopilot 2]

Ummmm. no.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[rehmwa 2]

Good one.
Do what's right because it's right.
Not because you want some kind of prize after you die. (or are scared of being punished)


That's one tough hypothetical. People think the ozone is going even though the proof... etc etc and so on and so forth. (Stirring the pot is GOOD)

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[aero04 0]

Nope, wouldn't be any different for me.

[turtlespeed 219]

I do it as I like it...Yes there are a few of my ways that I am trying to change, but not because of guilt, or whatever, it's because I think it will lead to my own life being better.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[lawrocket 3]

No. I am not religious.

Nevertheless, I think I live a far more pure and holy life than many of my friends and associates who are outwardly religious.

One of them once told me, "Jesus died for my sins. I don't think his death should be in vain." And he meant it. That meant he'd continue his lifestyle and go to church on Sunday.

I think PhillyKev hit the nail on the head. That's the behavior that we'd see changed.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Clownburner 0]

Ignoring the fact that proving a negative is scientifically impossible...

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[Push 0]

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If It Were Proven That God Does Not Exist

Which God?

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[happythoughts 0]

These two nuns rode into town on their bicycles to shop at the market. On the way home, they took a different route than the usual one.

One nun says "I've never come this way." The other replied, "It's the cobblestones..."

If there was a god, then I would quit telling nun jokes.

[Zennie 0]

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Ignoring the fact that proving a negative is scientifically impossible...

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[Push 0]

Neutrons are not charged
Bricks do not fly

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[Zennie 0]

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Which God?

Curse you polytheists!

Ain't no deity. None. Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[bobsled92 0]

Change? safe????
THe most "MORAL" person I know is Agnostic (due to his wife being Athiest and harsh on him). He is not allowed to practice a faith.
I would be a public hazard if I lost faith.
Reason: I am then just a bunch of chemicals and nothing to "Live for" or answer to.
If I love my wife and child, it's because the chemicals in my brain make me do it.
Without faith in higher meaning/love,
I could fight every moral "feeling" and do IMPULSE action a random.
Afterall, no God=no Love, responsibilites, or cares. Why worry , we are then just carbon compounds of crap with a 70 year battery.
Don't worry, I keep to faith and wish serve my fellow mankind and get personal satisfaction from this called "Love".

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[Push 0]

You misunderstood me. Do you mean that someone found proof that the christian God does not exist? Or that my idea of God (not necessarily a guy with a beard) does not exist?

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[txblondie 0]

Good question; I voted no, but that would have been a very different story about 3 months ago. Then, I lived a "morally clean" life out of fear of God. Although I do still believe in God, and I do want to please him, I no longer live my life according to that same fear. With the help of a friend, I came to realize that the fear was not so much of God, but of organized religion, which is a man-made system. Therefore, it is imperfect and is built upon individual beliefs and interpretations of the bible.
I, for one, feel like, as long as I obey the laws of the land and live by the codes of the bible, then I am doing what is necessary to please God.
So, now that my views on my own actions have changed, and I am living as I please rather than by the standards of a particular religion, I would say that no, I wouldn't change the way I lead my life because I'm perfectly happy on the road I'm travelling now.

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Blondes do have more fun!

[billvon 2,989]

Impossible for me to answer, since my version of god is not provable or disprovable. I do not live my life based on a perceived punishment or reward at the end of it, though, if that's what you mean. I live it according to values that make sense to me, and that I wish to see reciprocated.

[Luv2Fall 0]

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My life and my choices are dictated by my concience.

I DO believe in god, but that is not the reason I live the way I do.

Pretty much my thoughts also.

[FallingMarc 0]

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Impossible for me to answer, since my version of god is not provable or disprovable. I do not live my life based on a perceived punishment or reward at the end of it, though, if that's what you mean. I live it according to values that make sense to me, and that I wish to see reciprocated.

Bill says "no."

M

[turtlespeed 219]

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Impossible for me to answer, since my version of god is not provable or disprovable. I do not live my life based on a perceived punishment or reward at the end of it, though, if that's what you mean. I live it according to values that make sense to me, and that I wish to see reciprocated.

Yeah..me too...

I think the answer to the original question...the one i think he was probably looking for goes something like this:

If it were(without any doubt whatsoever) proven that (again assuming) the Christian God was not real, or did not exist, (different ideas by them selves), and all that believed in Him(for lack of a better term) accepted this proof(as stipulated before) then the population that 1) believed in the Christian God would a)Be thrown into a state of Chaos, depression, uncertainty, and moral Disatin. b) either get over it and move on or move to another religion(the latter IMO would be more likely) 2) Those that didn't believe in the Christian god would a) Welcome all the "Non Believers into their religious circle. b) Say, "I told you so" and cast them out c) start a holy war and kill them all.

I think the most likely scenario would be that those that were Believers in the Christian God would migrate to other religions. (My opinion) People need to believe in something powerful and omnipresent. Most People (No, I did not say ALL People) are insecure at one level or another, and without the promise of a better life it would make this one unbearable.

The underlying question seems to be : Would Humanity survive if the proof (Perhaps Darwin) was so compelling that we had no choice but to believe it. Siplistically the answer is yes, but you wouldn't recognize it.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun