There Is No God

National Public Radio ^ | 11/21/05 | Penn Jillette

[machman]

Morning Edition, November 21, 2005 ·

I believe that there is no God. I'm beyond Atheism. Atheism is not believing in God. Not believing in God is easy -- you can't prove a negative, so there's no work to do. You can't prove that there isn't an elephant inside the trunk of my car. You sure? How about now? Maybe he was just hiding before. Check again. Did I mention that my personal heartfelt definition of the word "elephant" includes mystery, order, goodness, love and a spare tire?

So, anyone with a love for truth outside of herself has to start with no belief in God and then look for evidence of God. She needs to search for some objective evidence of a supernatural power. All the people I write e-mails to often are still stuck at this searching stage. The Atheism part is easy.

But, this "This I Believe" thing seems to demand something more personal, some leap of faith that helps one see life's big picture, some rules to live by. So, I'm saying, "This I believe: I believe there is no God."

Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me. It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more. Just the love of my family that raised me and the family I'm raising now is enough that I don't need heaven. I won the huge genetic lottery and I get joy every day.

Believing there's no God means I can't really be forgiven except by kindness and faulty memories. That's good; it makes me want to be more thoughtful. I have to try to treat people right the first time around.

Believing there's no God stops me from being solipsistic. I can read ideas from all different people from all different cultures. Without God, we can agree on reality, and I can keep learning where I'm wrong. We can all keep adjusting, so we can really communicate. I don't travel in circles where people say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less. But all obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought up and my imaginary friend means more to me than anything you can ever say or do." So, believing there is no God lets me be proven wrong and that's always fun. It means I'm learning something.

Believing there is no God means the suffering I've seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the world, isn't caused by an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that isn't bothered to help or is just testing us, but rather something we all may be able to help others with in the future. No God means the possibility of less suffering in the future.

Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.

[harbinger of doom]

Well, that sounded pretty easy, not able to make a decision and all.

More clearly stated, usually pertaining to a child who is not yet able to clearly choose or reject God.

[Junior]

For my edification, could you post them here?

[LibertarianInExile]

I notice there are quite a few of you Christian theists here, too. After all, you've wasted your entire life pretending to live in accordance with God's plan if you're wrong. And what of the notion that you might have the wrong plan? What if God's really a Mormon? Or a Torquemada Catholic? Don't you fear that you'll burn in Hell?

Me, I've accepted I'm going to Hell when I die, because I chose the wrong religion and God(s) will certainly punish me for it. I've sinned according to religions you and I don't even know about. Why spend half of my Sunday getting used to going to Hell in your religion, when I can do something fun in my church instead?

Plus, if I got it RIGHT, I get a beer volcano and stripper factory. You probably get a bunch of angels singing or something lame like that.

Wrapped in His Noodly Appendage,
I declare unto you, AARGH!
Ramen.

[Wormwood]

Plus, if I got it RIGHT, I get a beer volcano and stripper factory.

Sold! Where do I sign?

[Pipeline]

I believe

The first two words say it all. He has chosen to believe there is no God just like everyone chooses to believe in ____________ (fill in the blank). Its a choice. The author's belief that God does not exist requires the same 'leap of faith' necessary to believe in God. At the end of his life as he knows it, he will either be wrong or right. If he's correct in his beliefs he won't know the difference. If he's wrong..... well, sucks to be him.

[LibertarianInExile]

"You might want to read and discuss the arguments for the six ontological proofs for the existence of God and the six ontological proofs against the existence of God by Descartes. Your logic would not refute either position."

Then again, he might not. He could just be going by his playbook.

#109 ARGUMENT FROM LACK OF DISPROOF
(1) You can't prove God doesn't exist!
(2) Therefore, God exists.

#164 ARGUMENT FROM WE ALL GOT FAITH
(1) We all believe in something.
(2) Therefore we all have faith.
(3) My faith in God is no different from your faith that the sun will rise tomorrow morning.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

[Junior]

You probably get a bunch of angels singing or something lame like that.

I have to admit, the Christian concept of heaven is kind of boring.

[LibertarianInExile]

"Without God there is Darwin and that means the strong can take your possessions rape your women, kill your men and kidnap your children because that's is the natural thing to do."

So if you knew, absolutely, 100% certain, there was no God, you'd be out there doing that right now? Gosh, I am no practicing Christian, but I gotta thank Jesus for providing you and people like you with the opiate of the masses every day, I tell ya.

[pollyannaish]

Good Post. Excellent Points.

[DeweyCA]

One can sort of dance-around the human-caused evil with the whole free will thing but it doesn't really work for natural disasters; hence the frantic efforts of some to spin them into some sort of specific punishment for a specific sin.

Actually, according to the Bible, the world was cursed by God because of man's sin. Also, if there was a worldwide flood in Noah's time, sent by God as punishment for man's sin, then the earth's climate would have probably been radically changed. Before the flood, there was no such thing as rain, only a heavy dew or mist. So the weather patterns that now cause hurricanes and tornados probably didn't exist before the flood of Noah. I realize that all his probably seems quite fanciful to you, but it is consistent. Man's sin, ultimately, is the cause of even "natural" disasters. Insurance companies may call natural disasters "acts of God", but ultimately they are the result of mankind's sin. By the way, we can also add to these two reasons (Adam's sin & Noah's generation of sins), man's continuing foolishness or folly of building in places that are especially vulnerable to these disasters. In New Orleans, it seems that men also were sinful in their greed in not using money intended for strengthening the levees, and instead used that money for other purposes. Once again, the sinfulness of man leads to misfortune.

So I count 3 reasons for misfortune in the world: the Fall of man that led to God cursing the earth, the Flood that resulted from man's sinfulness, and the Folly or Foolishness of man's continuing greed or sinfulness. You may not agree, but the Bible is consistent and does make sense. Think about it and please point out my error. I appreciated your concise comments and I really would like to get your feedback on this alternative perspective.

[CzarNicky]

Apparently I'm not the only one who is shot on his raping and pillaging quota this month.

[harbinger of doom]

Worm, Oh, and thanks for being one fo the few reasonable posters to this thread.

You seem to be an intelligent and reasonable person. Why not? A pleasure as well.

If it is merely instinct, how do we put a ethical or moral value on the instinct if it is simply what we follow? Why should anyone receive praise or condemnation for following instinct?

Secondly, if two different instincts are present in situations, the stronger one should win. But sometimes the weaker one must prevail in order for us to function as a productive society, whether it be family, work, etc.

For example, if someone is drowning I have two reactions, one for self preservation and one for saving the life of the person drowning. Obviously, if I'm going to be of any good to the drowning person, I must put the stronger instinct aside and help. What dictates the weaker instinct prevailing?

When it comes to fidelity, I must keep my zipper closed; for the good of my family and, ultimately, for the stability of the larger society.

But like the U2 song goes "Every time she passes by, wild thoughts escape". If a man acted on every urge, he could populate a small village in no time. But, since I'm married, it wouldn't be prudent for me to populate a small village...other than with my wife. Of course, she would have objections to that!

So, I've got to keep that instinct in check most of the time.

I look forward to your thoughts.

[pollyannaish]

I get pretty mad if I listen to NPR news too much because they are way, way too smug.

But honestly, this has been a very interesting and varied series with real people from many backgrounds. I am not upset easily by what others believe as long as it is delivered in good faith and honestly, so that may be what makes the difference.

[TASMANIANRED]

"Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.AA'

Has a few problems here...love, truth and beauty are not measurable or quantifiable.

He claims to only believe in the quantifiable but lists things of value that only exist in the transcendent.

[LibertarianInExile]

"You tell me...what does the noodly appendage say? LOL."

---It is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia.

"Surely you know the answer to that, having investigated thoroughly the writings of the Prophets? ;)"

---I've looked, and I just can't find the scripture that names babies or intimates that there are babies who, when they die, will burn in Hell. Maybe you could cite it for me.

"I won't make judgments for God, but there is that theory of the 'age of accountability' in which it is said if a person isn't able to make a decision to follow God or the noodly appendage, they are 'innocent'."

---So is it that, theologically, nobody is innocent or that nobody is innocent after the age of accountability?

"However, theologically speaking, man is born into sin, therefore dead spiritually."

---Yes, yes, but WHY? Who says man is 'born into sin?' and why would that make man 'dead spiritually,' and what does that have to do with making him 'not innocent' from a theological standpoint?

"What is the noodly appendages' take on this? :)"

---It's the noodly appendages of the Flying Spaghetti Monster you misconstrue, and I'll have you know that your asking for the view of His Noodly Appendages--when it is in fact His Spicy Meatballs which speak to us, his chosen people--is heresy, and has not gone unnoticed. Luckily, He is a warm and marina-esque God, and may take pity on you. ARRGH!

[jec41]

Perhaps atheism, like liberalism, has become a "religion" unto itself. It seems atheists must constantly reinforce their "faith" that God does not exist.

They have no faith that God exists or does not exist.
It is Christianity that requires a tax (tithe) to further its cause.

[DouglasKC]

Penn Gillette doesn't know God. He's responding to what he wrongly believes God is. His prose shows a deep misunderstanding of the nature of God. One day he will know the nature of God.

[mc6809e]

"Sure, logic dictates that we are here by accident and without purpose. Now THAT, is a bunch of crap!"

Why is that so hard to believe?

[elbucko]

Hey "RoadTest", this passage applies to you:

"I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less.

There are quite a few on FR that this description applies to as well.

[TASMANIANRED]

You are making an error in logic.

It is not the fear of divine retribution that prevents the act.

It is the respect that the other person is a child of God that prevents the act.

Actually all societies that have developed civilly have somewhere at their foundation respect for the humanity of individuals.

Many societies that have not have largely succumbed to human sacrifice. Some central American cultures come to mind.

TROP comes to mind as well. Many Secular religions such as communism and Nazism have also required human sacrifice. 138million in the last century and that isn't including the odd millions in Cambodia,Vietnam, Cuba or Africa.