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

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AI Thread Summary
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
  • #51
Borek said:
The longer the thread, the more I think it should be deleted or moved to philosophy.

Sorry, it doesn't meet the Phil guidelines.
 
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  • #52
Math Is Hard said:
Sorry, it doesn't meet the Phil guidelines.

I like the new Phil guidelines more than this thread. :biggrin:
 
  • #53
This thread is lame. :-)
 
  • #54
╔(σ_σ)╝ said:
This thread is lame. :-)

You have an interesting sense of humor, but I like it.
 
  • #55
Borek said:
The longer the thread, the more I think it should be deleted or moved to philosophy.

Because we all know, General Discussion is not the place for long threads :P
 
  • #56
Evo said:
We could fix it by asking "how many gods do you lack belief in?"

That only fixes it if you can prove the existence of at least one god.

Otherwise, it is in the same "meaningless words" category as a variation on Bertrand Russell's standard example, "how many kings of the USA have been bald".
 
  • #57
AlephZero said:
That only fixes it if you can prove the existence of at least one god.

Otherwise, it is in the same "meaningless words" category as a variation on Bertrand Russell's standard example, "how many kings of the USA have been bald".
You guys forgot how to have fun. Just enjoy the freaking irony of this thread. Have fun! :P
 
  • #58
DanP said:
You guys forgot how to have fun. Just enjoy the freaking irony of this thread. Have fun! :P

"I don't do irony. I send my shirts to the laundry."
-- Scott Adams
 
  • #59
nismaratwork said:
You have an interesting sense of humor, but I like it.

Why "but"? Shouldn't you say "and"?

"You have an interesting sense of humor, AND I like it."

What a curious distinction you've made!

Nismar, you seem to be very intelligent, but I like you.
 
  • #60
"2869" for me. I'm a monotheist. I believe in myself.
 
  • #61
FlexGunship said:
Why "but"? Shouldn't you say "and"?

"You have an interesting sense of humor, AND I like it."

What a curious distinction you've made!

Nismar, you seem to be very intelligent, but I like you.

Good point, you have a good sense of humor, AND I like it, and you. I can only plead a deep need for sleep!
 
  • #62
And I just LOVE this thread. It breaks the surface tension. I use soap a lot to make bubbles.
I love bubbles. They are light, float away, break, the dross falls to the Earth and 0 remains.

I also think this can be a good way to think in abstracts by playing without hurting anyone. :biggrin:
 
  • #63
nismaratwork said:
Good point, you have a good sense of humor, AND I like it, and you.

Geeze, dude, calm down... you're acting all, like, you want to hold hands, or something... pfffst...
 
  • #64
From this:
Lacy33 said:
And I just LOVE this thread. It breaks the surface tension.
To this:
Lacy33 said:
I use soap a lot to make bubbles. I love bubbles.
In nothing but a single space-bar hit. Admirable if not mildly incomprehensible.
 
  • #65
FlexGunship said:
Geeze, dude, calm down... you're acting all, like, you want to hold hands, or something... pfffst...

... I can't quit you... :biggrin:
 
  • #66
nismaratwork said:
... I can't quit you... :biggrin:

I'm never gonna' give you up, Nismar. Never gonna' let you down.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmsF0rUttc78I_cICMxne0wBg2TQ3aB5SSCDPdCZ-Yv2tLjhzY.jpg
 
  • #67
FlexGunship said:
I'm never gonna' give you up, Nismar. Never gonna' let you down.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmsF0rUttc78I_cICMxne0wBg2TQ3aB5SSCDPdCZ-Yv2tLjhzY.jpg

I hate you for putting Rick bloody Astley in my head. I have to go stick a coat-hanger up my nose now, and try to fish out, THE BAD SONG!...

... never going to turn around, and hurt you!

ARRRGH!
 
  • #68
Is it just me, or are the poll results really interesting? Of the theistic crowd: 25% believe in one god, 25% believe in three gods, and 50% believe in ALLLLLLLL of the gods.

I mean, just imagine, you could invent a god and be like: "hey, I just invented this god--" and they would be like: "no way! Tell me about him so I can believe in him!"
 
  • #69
FlexGunship said:
I mean, just imagine, you could invent a god and be like: "hey, I just invented this god--" and they would be like: "no way! Tell me about him so I can believe in him!"

Well strictly speaking, I was under the impression that's how it works anyway... :wink:
 
  • #70
FlexGunship said:
From this:

To this:

In nothing but a single space-bar hit. Admirable if not mildly incomprehensible.

Yeah! Thank you. :smile: "mildly incomprehensible" is this like mild hot sauce? :biggrin:

We are going places! :smile:
Love and laughter= light release.
 
  • #71
Lacy33 said:
Love and laughter= light release.

Just a light release? Well, let me know when you're ready for the whole thing.
 
  • #72
FlexGunship said:
Just a light release? Well, let me know when you're ready for the whole thing.

Oh man... now the phrase, "full release" is just rattling around my head like a penny in duct-work! Pure evil man...puuuure evil. Now it's Rick Astley singing full release. Great... I'm going to have some really weird dreams now. :-p
 
  • #73
Thank you for not having made me a man! Thank you for not having made me a slave!
Signed,
Freedom!~
 
  • #74
Lacy33 said:
Thank you for not having made me a man! Thank you for not having made me a slave!
Signed,
Freedom!~

Oh, come on now, really?! OK, we're not always the brightest or cleanest creatures, but thank god?! :cry:

*talks to groin* "It's OK lads, she didn't mean a word of it, stop crying!"

:smile:

Oh, I am going to the bad place, whatever and wherever that is...note: Not having made me a slave? Is that a traditional ending to prayer or are you intimating about just which organs are in charge of guys? In case you're wondering the organ is:...
... The Phneebenhompherfrackabrack! It's a little-known organ first isolated by Mary Poppins and the Marx Brothers.
 
Last edited:
  • #75
nismaratwork said:
Oh, come on now, really?! OK, we're not always the brightest or cleanest creatures, but thank god?! :cry:

*talks to groin* "It's OK lads, she didn't mean a word of it, stop crying!"

:smile:

Oh, I am going to the bad place, whatever and wherever that is...


note: Not having made me a slave? Is that a traditional ending to prayer or are you intimating about just which organs are in charge of guys? In case you're wondering the organ is:...



... The Phneebenhompherfrackabrack! It's a little-known organ first isolated by Mary Poppins and the Marx Brothers.


The answer is Both. Thank you for asking.

Well indeed very small but well known ... to some.

To the OP, I think you might consider adding "how many do you not believe in but fear going to some place, whatever and where ever that may NOT be... :biggrin:

Why ever would Mary Poppins feel a need to isolate Phnee ben hompher frackabrack? Was he not behaving?


Oh Dear! :blushing:

*talks to groin* "It's OK lads, she didn't mean a word of it, stop crying!"

:smile:

How many little lads do you have staying with you? Poor Dear. :redface:
 
  • #76
Lacy33 said:
To the OP, I think you might consider adding "how many do you not believe in but fear going to some place, whatever and where ever that may NOT be... :biggrin:

Ah, the converse of Pascal's wager? Or is it inverse? You've asked that question in a profoundly confusing way.
 
  • #77
Lacy33 said:
The answer is Both. Thank you for asking.

Well indeed very small but well known ... to some.

To the OP, I think you might consider adding "how many do you not believe in but fear going to some place, whatever and where ever that may NOT be... :biggrin:

Why ever would Mary Poppins feel a need to isolate Phnee ben hompher frackabrack? Was he not behaving?


Oh Dear! :blushing:



How many little lads do you have staying with you? Poor Dear. :redface:


Hmmm, if you mean do we fear going to, "the bad place"... probably not... if you mean a fear of possible extinction, I think the universal answer would be yes.

Oh, and Phnee would have to be one unlucky guy to be the son of Hompher! Kids can be cruel, but I think that's a name-set that would really haunt a kid.

Flex: It's a decent wager, but it's not called a wager for nothing. Personally, I decline, but I know some atheists so superstitious that it may as well be religious sans organization.
 
  • #78
FlexGunship said:
"hey, I just invented this god--"

Not so fast my dear lad. All new inventions must be approved by the Supernatural Patent Office. My client has since the beginning of time been in office as the head clerk.

In case your invention is not sufficiently incompatible with the other 2870, and thus capable of creating a great deal of pandemonium, it will not be accepted. End of story.

If you do not get the point – we have all the papers ready for a comprehensive lawsuit, thank god.

fwmv76.png
 
  • #79
So many Lads, so little time.
:smile: :devil: :smile:...
 
  • #80
What about the Great Green Arkleseizure? or Almighty Bob?
 
  • #81
:bugeye:
So if I only believe in one God, then I don't believe in zero gods, right? This is a similar type of poll used in politics. Confusing enough to get the desired result by the pollster.
 
  • #82
drankin said:
:bugeye:
So if I only believe in one God, then I don't believe in zero gods, right? This is a similar type of poll used in politics. Confusing enough to get the desired result by the pollster.
If there are 2,870 gods and you only believe in one then you don't believe in 2,869. That would be your choice.
 
  • #83
Evo said:
If there are 2,870 gods and you only believe in one then you don't believe in 2,869. That would be your choice.

But not 0 could mean 1 as well. And who counts these things anyway?? Poor guy.
 
  • #84
Lacy33 said:
So many Lads, so little time.
:smile: :devil: :smile:...


Yup. The only reason for time is so that every lad doesn't happen ... at once ...
Chicken soup? Yes please!
 
  • #85
drankin said:
But not 0 could mean 1 as well. And who counts these things anyway?? Poor guy.
No he explains it in the OP. Choosing zero means that means that you believe in all gods because the number of gods that you "don't believe" in are zero. In other words, out of 2,870, you choose to disbelieve none, which means you believe in all.
 
  • #86
drankin said:
But not 0 could mean 1 as well. And who counts these things anyway??

I think the Indian scholar Pingala counts all the 0 and 1, but it’s a mess, because 10 means you’re something between a monotheist and polytheist...
 
  • #87
DevilsAvocado said:
I think the Indian scholar Pingala counts all the 0 and 1, but it’s a mess, because 10 means you’re something between a monotheist and polytheist...

A monolatrist?
 
  • #88
So how exactly would an agnostic fit into your scheme?
 
  • #89
nismaratwork said:
Flex: It's a decent wager, but it's not called a wager for nothing. Personally, I decline, but I know some atheists so superstitious that it may as well be religious sans organization.

It's really not a decent wager. It's an intellectual-coward's wager. Pascal's wager is a thinly veiled threat not different from the threat Catholic priests would hurl at my every Sunday until I was 18.

Evo said:
No he explains it in the OP.

I thought I actually did pretty well with the explanation. Sheesh. Sorry, everyone.

Norman said:
So how exactly would an agnostic fit into your scheme?

Uh, I guess I don't know. Agnostic seems a little silly at this point, doesn't it? I mean, what data are you realistically waiting for? A few more miracles?

Sorry... that sounded rude. I didn't mean it like that... bad night, everyone.
 
  • #90
FlexGunship said:
not different from the threat Catholic priests would hurl at my every Sunday until I was 18.

So it isn't just me! I can understand their position. :smile:

:biggrin:

It's really not a decent wager. It's an intellectual-coward's wager. Pascal's wager is a thinly veiled threat

A threat, but not veiled.
 
  • #91
What is "thinly-veiled" here is a dig at people of faith. We're pushing hard against the religious discussion guidelines.
 

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