Would this be evidence for God?

bunny · #1 06-18-2006, 03:44 AM

If there was some fact that was found common in all world religions would this be evidence for God?

Obviously it wouldnt be proof as it could have arisen through some fundamental human trait, just evidence of some sort. Also, I mean clearly recognisable facts, not poetically worded extracts which can be interpreted as similar.

Andrew Karpinski · #2 06-18-2006, 03:46 AM

Like...? But I am thinking no. You could say... all religions used a base ten number system. Since number systems could be any number of digits, this is obviously proof of divine inspiration. Of course, our number of fingers doesn't have anything to do with it...

bunny · #3 06-18-2006, 03:54 AM

I was thinking something uncontroversial but not yet verified. Like "When the sun is eclipsed for four days straight, God will appear on Earth" or something like that. If every religion, in all cultures that had arisen in varying times all contained something like that (and it could be verified that they had arisen independently) would it be evidence that there was something to it? Even before it had occurred?

Edit: I guess uncontroversial was a poor choice of word. I meant uncontroversially a fact, not uncontroversially true.

Andrew Karpinski · #4 06-18-2006, 04:01 AM

(and it could be verified that they had arisen independently)

good luck on this one

ChrisV · #5 06-18-2006, 04:12 AM

A lot of things I don't think would qualify as evidence of anything other than the commonality of human nature. For instance, virtually all religions posit some kind of life after death. I don't think this is evidence of anything except wishful thinking.

bunny · #6 06-18-2006, 04:22 AM

I'm certainly not claiming there is anything like this - I'm just curious whether atheists would see it as evidence or not if something like this was present.

bunny · #7 06-18-2006, 04:24 AM

I agree that this is explainable in several ways. Less so with the eclipse example I gave above though. Would you count this as evidence (before it had occurred)?

chezlaw · #8 06-18-2006, 06:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If there was some fact that was found common in all world religions would this be evidence for God?

Obviously it wouldnt be proof as it could have arisen through some fundamental human trait, just evidence of some sort. Also, I mean clearly recognisable facts, not poetically worded extracts which can be interpreted as similar.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think the answer is that it depends.

If the common belief is held in place by a connection with the truth of the belief then it would be impressive. If its held in place by coercion or indoctrination then it would be meaningless.

Its unlikely precisley because religous beliefs are held independently of the truth of the belief so there's nothing to stop the beliefs being high, wide and fancy free.

chez

ChrisV · #9 06-18-2006, 09:04 AM

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I agree that this is explainable in several ways. Less so with the eclipse example I gave above though. Would you count this as evidence (before it had occurred)?

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It would depend on the way in which such a belief might come about. Connection of eclipse with divine events is natural because of the inexplicability and rareness of the events, so it would need to be something very specific, like two eclipses one day apart, or some such.

bunny · #10 06-18-2006, 11:30 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If there was some fact that was found common in all world religions would this be evidence for God?

Obviously it wouldnt be proof as it could have arisen through some fundamental human trait, just evidence of some sort. Also, I mean clearly recognisable facts, not poetically worded extracts which can be interpreted as similar.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think the answer is that it depends.

If the common belief is held in place by a connection with the truth of the belief then it would be impressive. If its held in place by coercion or indoctrination then it would be meaningless.

Its unlikely precisley because religous beliefs are held independently of the truth of the belief so there's nothing to stop the beliefs being high, wide and fancy free.

chez

[/ QUOTE ]
I was thinking about some universal prophesy for which the truth was not (yet) testable. (See my eclipse example above). Would it's mere presence in all religions be any evidence to you as a non-believer?