@ Ziggy, yours are a bit more difficult to answer and require a bit more thought from my side before I'll be able to answer them to my (and hopefully your) satisfaction.
Yours do overlap a bit with Erez' questions, which are slightly easier, to answer.
Atheists don't "believe in nothing". That's a straw man and an attempt to show atheists in a cynical way. Atheist's don't believe in gods. That's all. Some might believe in other stuff (like Democracy), other might even believe in nothing (like crazy people), but being an atheist does not mean believing in nothing.
You're absolutly right. I wasn't clear enough on that point and it wasn't an attempt to show atheists in a cynical way. I am hardly ever cynical about any outlook on life, being it Monotheïstic, Polytheïsitc or Atheïstic.
Other than that, you said
"He doesn't, directly, interfere in daily life. He offers support and inspires to do the "right" thing."
That contradicts itself. How can god offer support and inspire if he has no interference in life?
Excellent question.
With I kind of responded to question that weren't asked and I see I had to give a bit more detail about it.
I'll answer in twofold starting with 'supports and inspires'.
God offers me support in "hard" times. This support is purely mentally. When I feel the need to ask for support I'll pray to God for this. This prayer doesn't have to be a lengthy one, most of my prayers are 2/3 lines and are said in my head, others are longer and spoken outloud. It just depends on the need and situation. These prayers result in an "mental boost", if you will, that help me get through certain things, give me the strenght to make certain hard decisions etc.
The inspiring part is even more "unreal"
and, I find while I'm writing, hard to explain.
I'm comming back to this.
You say that God can't interfere in life without offering support an inspiring.
I don't see the latter as interfering but rather as influencing with permission
With direct interfering, because that is what I said, I mean interfering in daily events.
I ment that God isn't involved with a drunkdriver killing an bypasser, or somebody who jumps of a roof because he believes God will protect him.
The first is an human fault and not a punishment for the bystander. The second is just an idiot (in my book).
You also said
"He can't be proven but neither can he be disproven."
Than how can you tell it exists?
I can't tell he exists that's the most dificult part. I had my share of doubts especially when I was a teenager.
but as I said God is a believe. I can't tell he is here in such a manner that I can tell the chair I'm currently sitting on is here. But I believe he is here and I can tell he is here when I need him.
The short answer I think.
This will probably come up again when I answer all of Ziggy's questions/comments
and as final word. I am in the assumption that as soon as you start to take believes to serious they get dangerous. I haven't done it in this post but I tend to make fun of religions/atheïsm. If you see me doing this, don't take it as if I'm not taking it serious but rather as a sign I feel the need to get things "back to earth"
In my discussion group I am notorious for making comments that border on blasphemy and certainly critizise relious aspects
It's just not a set.
