What specific evidence would people require to believe in God's existence?

Over and over again it has been claimed that there is no evidence whatsoever of God's existence...despite other's claims to the contrary...What I would like to know is what specific evidence or at least what types of evidence would people require to believe in the existence of God...Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Changed topic title from "Proof of God's Existence" to "What specific evidence would people require to believe in God's existence?"

Welcome to EvC mjfloresta,Thank you for proposing a new topic and adding to our diversity and sorry for the delay. Since you are new to EvC, I suggest that you carefully read the Forum Guidelines and familiarize yourself with the functions of EvC by using the Practice Makes Perfect Forum if you haven't already.I see you had a very busy first day on the board. I feel that your topic will fit nicely into the Faith and Belief Forum if you still wish this topic to be promoted. Please reply to this message and let me know your decision.In the purple signature box below, you'll find some links that will help make your journey here pleasant.Abide by the Forum Guidelines and all will go well.Again welcome and fruitful debating.

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Usually, in a well-conducted debate, speakers are either emotionally uncommitted or can preserve sufficient detachment to maintain a coolly academic approach.-- Encylopedia Brittanica, on debate

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Thanks for the consideration..I've read the links you suggested and I'd like to still promote this topic...The Faith and Belief Forum would be perfectly appropriate for this topic...

I think the above question is a good basis for a new topic, IF we can keep things focused on that question.There have been a number of previous "Proofs of God" type topics. The main pair offhand seems to be: Is God determined to allow no proof or evidence of his existence?
Is God determined to allow no proof or evidence of his existence? Part IIGoing to do a topic title modification, and then will promote topic - Please stand by.AdminnemooseusAdded by edit: Changed topic title from "Proof of God's Existence" to "What specific evidence would people require to believe in God's existence?". You can possibly have "evidence", but (IMO) you can not ever have "proof".Edited by Adminnemooseus, : See above.

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OK, thanks..

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

Before giving anything like a full answer to this question I would have to know what you mean by "God" - i.e. I would have to know what I would supposedly be looking for evidence about.However, there is an exaple that was discussed here some time ago. We looked at what evidence we would need to consider "fulfilled prophecy" as significant evidence of God. We came up with some pretty good criteria for what would be accepted. But we weren't offered any real examples or any decent rebuttals to the criteria. This is a relevant thread, although there are many others discussing prophecy. The first post is the really important one from my point of view (although there are some refinements to be made)
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If my physical body snuffs it but I suddenly discover my consciousness is still 'alive' and it meets a divine being - well I'll own up to God existing. Until then I'll probably remain agnostic.Mind you, how will I know this being is God?I struggle to think of any physical evidence that would persuade me (fulfilled prophecy, archeological finds etc.). It could happen but I've never heard of anything that comes even close up to now.If an apparently all-powerful being appears in the sky one day and tells us it is God I'll be wondering about Arthur C. Clarke's dictum that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".Edited by MangyTiger, : Correct speeling of 'prophecy'

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Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after

Suppose a man came to your door and said, "Hello. My name is John Smith. Here's my driver's license and passport and two other forms of ID. Here are references from thirty people who can vouch for my identity and character."I live in that blue house on the corner. Come over any time and see me. If I'm not home, my wife will show you the pictures of our vacation in Mexico."I work at the Marmaduke Building. Feel free to drop by my office any time. If I'm not there, the intern will show you pictures of me at the company picnic, the Christmas party and last year's awards dinner."Here's my home phone, office phone, cell phone and fax numbers and my email address."That's the kind of effort a person makes when he wants to convince you that he is who he says he is.But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Suppose "Mr. Smith" told you he was the former President of Angola, the Pope's personal emissary to Beijing and a three-time Nobel Prize winner for physics and literature.What kind of evidence would you require to back up those claims?

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Who's existence?

quote:

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What I would like to know is what specific evidence or at least what types of evidence would people require to believe in the existence of God...

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For me, personally, stuff like God did to convince Gideon that he was speaking with God would be good.Although it would be better and even more convincing if there were lots of prophets speaking directly with God, given unambiguous prophecies, healing the sick, calling down lightning, water from rocks, booming voices coming from heaven, and so forth. You know, people like Moses, Elijah, and the like, all in front of everyone.

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"These monkeys are at once the ugliest and the most beautiful creatures on the planet./ And the monkeys don't want to be monkeys; they want to be something else./ But they're not."
-- Ernie Cline

John Smith as opposed to Hank, eh?

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"These monkeys are at once the ugliest and the most beautiful creatures on the planet./ And the monkeys don't want to be monkeys; they want to be something else./ But they're not."
-- Ernie Cline

I would like something like use of a Divine Salient Ability such as:DIVINE CREATION
Prerequisites: Divine rank 16, Int 29, Create Object salient divine ability, Create Greater Object salient divine ability.Benefit: As a full-round action, the deity can create mortal creatures or magic items whose total weight is up to 100 pounds per divine rank, or with a total volume of 20 cubic feet per rank. If the deity uses this ability on a divinely morphic plane or within its own godly realm, double the volume and weight the deity can create. If the deity’s realm is located on a divinely morphic plane, triple the volume and weight the deity can create there.Notes: This ability works like the Create Greater Object ability, except as noted below.A deity can use this ability to create any kind of creature that does not have a divine rank. The deity can create a creature with class levels, but never with more class levels than the deity has itself or the deity’s divine rank, whichever is lower.Rest: The deity must convert a considerable amount of its own energy into a creature, which always leaves the deity impaired. The deity must rest for 10 minutes the creature’s Hit Dice the creature’s Challenge Rating for each creature created, with a minimum of 10 minutes per creature. If the creature has class levels, each level counts as an additional Hit Die.The deity can create any kind of magic item except an artifact.
The rest requirement for creating magic items is the same as for the Create Greater object ability.Suggested Portfolio Elements: Crafts, creation, supreme.Ok, so it looks like I'm taking the piss. But it is this type of thing that would make me sit up and take notice.A warm feeling when I see a rainbow does not cut it.

I would find it much easier to believe in God or 'a God' if there was something concrete I could put my hands on. Such as rocks and water and the like.It would also help if that matter was so utterly incomprehensible, that science wouldn't be able to so easily agree on it's base components and origin.If life were more of a mystery and not so easily understood it would be helpful. As it is now it all clearly explains itself.If the universe was infinite, 'or so appeared', and otherwise incomprehendible, it would make it easier to believe in 'the other'.If even without a cohesive natural explanation there was a mysterious need for a moral framework in man, that would make it easier. If God would come on a space ship or even better as one of us, and clearly speak the truth and show the way. If while here, He could perform miracles, and then die for me to prove who He is, that would be best case evidence.And If He promised to make right, every foul thing in life, while somehow not taking away my free will, I would be impressed.And last but not least, If He gave me a manual or something to decipher all of this mess, I would be obliged.Other than that, I don't know what else He could do without totally imposing His perfect reality on people who really don't want it if it doesn't include their sin of choice.

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Any biters in the stream?

The evidence for God ought to be stronger than the kind of evidence that Children have for the tooth fairy. The evidence for God ought to be stronger than the kind of evidence children have for Santa Claus. That is to say, the evidence should not depend on what could be faked, or could have been faked by scripture writers.The evidence for God should be stronger than the evidence for the placebo effect. That is, there should be better evidence than can be accounted for by human psychology, self-delusion, self-hypnosis, etc.The evidence for God should be stronger than the evidence for the emperor's new clothes. That is to say, it should be more than the effects of mob psychology.When we say it is a matter of faith, we admit that the evidence does not meet these requirements.