How atheistic are you? How many gods do you NOT believe in?

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The discussion revolves around a poll asking participants how many gods they do not believe in, based on a figure of 2,870 known deities. The poll's structure leads to confusion, with participants interpreting the results in various ways. Some argue that if one believes in one god, they might still consider other gods as representations of that singular deity, leading to debates about monotheism and polytheism. The concept of atheism is explored, with some participants suggesting that true atheism would mean believing in none of the gods, while others argue that lacking belief does not equate to actively disbelieving. The conversation also touches on the Invisible Pink Unicorn and other humorous references to deities, illustrating the playful tone of the thread. Participants express a desire for clearer options in the poll and engage in philosophical discussions about belief, evidence, and the nature of gods. Overall, the thread highlights the complexity of belief systems and the nuances in how individuals define their spirituality or lack thereof.

How many gods do you NOT believe in?

  • 2870

    Votes: 21 60.0%

  • 2869

    Votes: 3 8.6%

  • 2867

    Votes: 3 8.6%

  • 0

    Votes: 8 22.9%
  • Total voters
    35
FlexGunship
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Often, members of our species rate themselves by how religious they are. I hope you all don't mind if I start a brief poll. I'm going to enter in the most common possible responses (though I know there are so many possible answers).

There are over 2870 known gods or goddesses that are classified as "deities" (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_gods_and_goddesses_are_there). Rather than ask how many you DO believe in, I'm going to pose a different question:

How many gods do you NOT believe in?

EDIT: I should be clear:
"2870" means you are an atheist. (Perfect atheist)
"2869" means you are a monotheist. (Almost a perfect atheist)
"2867" means you are a traditional Christian polytheist. (Still very very atheistic)
"0" means you are the most amazing "true believer" ever! (You could also use this as an "other" option, I guess... sorry I didn't add one.)​
 
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A trick post eh? If people don't fully read your post and go by the title, they will be voting wrong.
 
Evo said:
A trick post eh? If people don't fully read your post and go by the title, they will be voting wrong.

No, sorry. It was a mistake. I fixed the thread as quickly as I could and added an "EDIT" to clarify. Honest mistake.

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FlexGunship said:
No, sorry. It was a mistake. I fixed the thread as quickly as I could and added an "EDIT" to clarify. Honest mistake.

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Awwww.

Was the IPU included in the list? I *do* believe in the IPU.
 
Evo said:
Awwww.

Was the IPU included in the list? I *do* believe in the IPU.

I'm not 100% sure that the Invisible Pink Unicorn is worshiped as a deity. There are many many more supernatural beings that aren't included in the 2870 number. I'm pretty sure the IPU is one of the "other ones."
 
Since there is no god TO believe in, then there is no god NOT to believe in. Hence "0" would be the choice for the perfectly atheistic person.

Nyah :-p
 
I like the fact that all monotheists are classified as "almost perfect atheists." I'm sure that this will go over well! :rolleyes:

Also, what's a Christian polytheist?
 
Chi Meson said:
Since there is no god TO believe in, then there is no god NOT to believe in. Hence "0" would be the choice for the perfectly atheistic person.

Nyah :-p

Hmm, it's actually impossible to argue that. You're right. It should really be: "How many god-claims do you NOT believe in?"

Sigh...

G01 said:
I like the fact that all monotheists are classified as "almost perfect atheists." I'm sure that this will go over well! :rolleyes:

Well, to be fair (2869/2870) is very close to (2870/2870). It's 0.99965 to 1.00000. I mean, that's a pretty tight tolerance, all things considered. So, mathematically speaking, monotheists are pretty close to perfect atheists.

G01 said:
Also, what's a Christian polytheist?

Some sects of Christianity worship the holy trinity has a three-figure godhead.
 
I was going to go for 2869, that is I do not believe in any of these god-claims except for ONE!... Wow,that was a close one! I was about to become an atheist. :biggrin:
 
  • #10
This is really surprising, there are no monotheists on PF. Granted the sample size is small...
 
  • #11
FlexGunship said:
This is really surprising, there are no monotheists on PF. Granted the sample size is small...

Problem is if you believe in one god; you would assume that all different gods are just different representations of one god so you would end up believing in all gods.


I would like one more option "NA" :biggrin:
 
  • #12
rootX said:
Problem is if you believe in one god; you would assume that all different gods are just different representations of one god so you would end up believing in all gods.

I would like one more option "NA" :biggrin:

Not necessarily. Yahweh even had a commandment forbidding belief in competing gods like Baal. So, you could still believe in just one god but recognize a multitude of non-gods.
 
  • #13
rootX said:
Problem is if you believe in one god; you would assume that all different gods are just different representations of one god so you would end up believing in all gods.


I would like one more option "NA" :biggrin:

This is not necessarily true. You would need to know what qualifications one must have to become a GOD? I. e. I know that I would worship Cyrus! ... Giving it a second thought, nah, a bug can kill him. :biggrin:

I'm quite busy right now, if this thread doesn't end up locked, I'd be happy to reply later.
 
  • #14
I would prefer to see a "All of them" as on option. Someone selecting 2870 always risks that one or two gods have been lost during counting. Besides, we don't know how many gods are worshiped on Mars or Aldebaran, so the count is pathetically local.
 
  • #15
Borek said:
I would prefer to see a "All of them" as on option. Someone selecting 2870 always risks that one or two gods have been lost during counting. Besides, we don't know how many gods are worshiped on Mars or Aldebaran, so the count is pathetically local.

Well, can you accept 2870 as a theoretically reference value and everything else is a fraction there of? Whatever number of deities might have been proposed, that number is normalized to 2870.
 
  • #16
Borek said:
I would prefer to see a "All of them" as on option. Someone selecting 2870 always risks that one or two gods have been lost during counting. Besides, we don't know how many gods are worshiped on Mars or Aldebaran, so the count is pathetically local.

Ok, you've excluded the possibility that any of these counted gods might've claimed to be worshiped on any other place un/known to us? :biggrin:
 
  • #17
FlexGunship said:
Well, can you accept 2870 as a theoretically reference value and everything else is a fraction there of? Whatever number of deities might have been proposed, that number is normalized to 2870.

Now you are twisting your own words. Have you thought about becoming a politician?
 
  • #18
Borek said:
Now you are twisting your own words. Have you thought about becoming a politician?

[STRIKE]No.[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]Yes.[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]It's not that the idea hasn't been carefully considered, but rather, the many facets have yet to be mutually resolved.[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]Should I decide to enter the arena of public service, I would do so in such a way so as to not compromise my dedication to both my family, and my god.[/STRIKE]

No comment at this time.
 
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  • #19
Borek said:
Now you are twisting your own words. Have you thought about becoming a politician?

:smile:
 
  • #20
drizzle said:
Ok, you've excluded the possibility that any of these counted gods might've claimed to be worshiped on any other place un/known to us? :biggrin:

No, I am just pointing to the fact that the number given is almost for sure underestimated.
 
  • #21
Borek said:
No, I am just pointing to the fact that the number given is almost for sure underestimated.

:smile:
 
  • #22
Evo said:
Was the IPU included in the list? I *do* believe in the IPU.

What about the FSM?
 
  • #23
Chi Meson said:
Since there is no god TO believe in, then there is no god NOT to believe in. Hence "0" would be the choice for the perfectly atheistic person.

Nyah :-p

And "0" is also the perfect answer for a person who has a direction of understanding towards a higher power that is essentially Nothing but higher and more refined levels of Nothing=0 :smile:
 
  • #24
flexgunship said:
[strike]no.[/strike]

[strike]yes.[/strike]

[strike]it's not that the idea hasn't been carefully considered, but rather, the many facets have yet to be mutually resolved.[/strike]

[strike]should i decide to enter the arena of public service, i would do so in such a way so as to not compromise my dedication to both my family, and my god.[/strike]

no comment at this time.

lol..
 
  • #25
Ask Terry Pratchet, he knows all about multiple gods.
 
  • #26
I only believe in the gods of PF.

Space Tiger said:
Happy birthday, god of physics.

bow.gif
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  • #27
There's not a single monotheist in the entire forum?!
 
  • #28
FlexGunship said:
There's not a single monotheist in the entire forum?!


HELLO!

A little more chicken soup? :!)
 
  • #29
:smile::smile::smile:
 
  • #30
Lacy33 said:
HELLO!

A little more chicken soup? :!)


drizzle said:
:smile::smile::smile:

Okay... I don't get it. Someone want to help me out?
 
  • #31
Is it just me, or do people seem to be avoiding 2869? Could it be the placement, or... something about the last two digits? Hm. :rolleyes:
 
  • #32
FlexGunship said:
Okay... I don't get it. Someone want to help me out?

Lacy = Hardcore Monotheist... in the sense that her people have a long tradition of monotheism... actually THE tradition. Before that... monolatrism... can you guess?! CAN YOU?!
 
  • #33
nismaratwork said:
Lacy = Hardcore Monotheist... in the sense that her people have a long tradition of monotheism... actually THE tradition. Before that... monolatrism... can you guess?! CAN YOU?!

Well, that fits quite a few religions.

Judaism was monlatrist, Catholicism is monlatrist (from a certain point of view given all of the saints).

Am I close? I'm not sure if "chicken soup" should tip me off, but I'm not aware of any chicken-worshiping religions.
 
  • #34
FlexGunship said:
Well, that fits quite a few religions.

Judaism was monlatrist, Catholicism is monlatrist (from a certain point of view given all of the saints).

Am I close? I'm not sure if "chicken soup" should tip me off, but I'm not aware of any chicken-worshiping religions.

Judaism! shbingo!

I don't know about the part I bolded, but if not worship there's a clear love and link.
 
  • #35
FlexGunship said:
Okay... I don't get it. Someone want to help me out?

You are a victim of your own oversophistication.
 
  • #36
Borek said:
You are a victim of your own oversophistication.

A felony in 23 states.
 
  • #37
I have to agree with above. Given I dismiss the idea of a god(s) then I can't "not believe" in any of them. So for me it's a 0. But I'm not sure if I should vote as it would skew the results.
 
  • #38
jarednjames said:
I have to agree with above. Given I dismiss the idea of a god(s) then I can't "not believe" in any of them. So for me it's a 0. But I'm not sure if I should vote as it would skew the results.

Grr... there's a difference between "believing xxxxx doesn't exist" and "not believing in xxxxx." If you claim you can fly, I can either "not believe it" or "believe you can't." They are different.

Flex getting angry... FLEX SMASH!

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTWWJwxItrqAcGJc7J3BXOYXPmjjyO5CDCRRs8CQPLf1mPmIS6.jpg
 
  • #39
We could fix it by asking "how many gods do you lack belief in?"
 
  • #40
I dismiss the whole notion of god(s), therefore there's nothing for me to believe / not believe.

To believe is to accept something - you believe in god, you accept there is a god.
To not believe is to reject something - you don't believe in god, you have entertained there may be one and said "nuh, no chance", for whatever reason that may be.

To dismiss it, I'm not even letting the possibility in. I'm not getting to the point of deciding to believe or not. In my case, I have no reason to even entertain the notion as there is absolutely zero evidence for it. To try to make such a choice on that basis would be ridiculous.

I'm not re-wording the "I don't believe" argument, I'm giving another option.
 
  • #41
FlexGunship said:
A felony in 23 states.

:smile:

@Borek: :smile:


SO... anyone going to tackle the 69-gap?
 
  • #42
jarednjames said:
I dismiss the whole notion of god(s), therefore there's nothing for me to believe / not believe.
So you lack belief. You don't disbelieve. Correct?
 
  • #43
Evo said:
So you lack belief. You don't disbelieve. Correct?

Correct.
 
  • #44
jarednjames said:
Correct.

You are saying that a God might exist but you've seen no evidence?
 
  • #45
Evo said:
So you lack belief. You don't disbelieve. Correct?

Why does it make me think about 2nd amendment thread.
 
  • #46
Ivan Seeking said:
You are saying that a God might exist but you've seen no evidence?
Lacking belief means you don't even bother to consider the possibility enough to disbelieve. You don't even consider it an option that it could exist.
 
  • #47
Evo said:
Lacking belief means you don't even bother to consider the possibility enough to disbelieve. You don't even consider it an option that it could exist.

Thank you evo, couldn't have said it better myself.
 
  • #48
The longer the thread, the more I think it should be deleted or moved to philosophy.
 
  • #49
Borek said:
The longer the thread, the more I think it should be deleted or moved to philosophy.

No, please! The thread isn't doing anything wrong... its those silly forum members. They keep arguing about minutia. The thread itself has actually been very well-behaved!

Furthermore, I was told that it made an anonymous contribution to your favorite charity.
 
  • #50
FlexGunship said:
No, please! The thread isn't doing anything wrong... its those silly forum members. They keep arguing about minutia. The thread itself has actually been very well-behaved!

Furthermore, I was told that it made an anonymous contribution to your favorite charity.

I think you'ld do a good diplomat. :biggrin:
 

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