Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Bc they base their lives around something they dont know for sure they exists.
They may suspect it exists, but they dont know for sure.
Yet some of these said religions are against gambling. Lmao.
Ironic much?
I like your insight.
However, the "true believers" that would tend to be against things like drinking, smoking, or gambling don't merely believe that their god exists, they know that their god exists.
However, the "true believers" that would tend to be against things like drinking, smoking, or gambling don't merely believe that their god exists, they know that their god exists.
In their minds maybe. But in reality that is not the case.
In their minds maybe. But in reality that is not the case.
In fact its what we call delusion.
Yes. That was my point. They really are gambling like you say, they just don't realize it.
Of course, they would say that we nonbelievers are the ones who are gambling: we are supposedy betting that the Christian God, who would send us to hell for our non-belief, isn't real (Pascal's Wager).
I like your insight.
However, the "true believers" ...don't merely believe that their god exists,
they know that their god exists.
Your insight is also good Freak80. And we get mocked for it. When really it's not our fault!!!!
Can I help the many experiences I have had, given out of nowhere!? I could not
deny a permeating, conscious life force if I wanted to...It has made Itself too apparent !
NOT MY FAULT!!!
But, I understand the point, Hayden makes, many are wishing and hoping and believing in words that have given them an
upliftment in their hearts... Jesus said they are blessed...sure they are...but just think how much more blessed
those are that made the effort to be sure and have allowed themselves to be open to
the Divine Presence...up-close and personal!!
Remember, Hayden, if someone sees, feels, senses something that you do not...it does not make them
delusional...it makes you simply not able to see what they do...that's all...no blame, no labels, no
mocking of you or them.Go figure. *shrug* Are we delusional that we can not hear what a dog can or see as far as an eagle?
No. It just is what it is, dear.
My.02. And ps....I'm not a believer in the Christian idea of God and punishment.
And those who believe that God does not exist - don't have a proof either. Do they?
No, gods are inherently unfalsifiable so no supportable knowledge claim for their existence can be entertained, either for OR against.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
Aren't you gambling as well?
Perhaps in some technical sense, however, it is the only honest gamble because it's consistent with the preponderance of evidence (or more exactly, the lack of evidence) and in any case there's no honest way to gamble in FAVOR of god-belief. What if one gambles on the wrong god? What if one gambles on a god that actually exists but one is wrong about what that god actually cares about, if anything?
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
What if you find out that God does exist after death? Aren't you gambling now?
Only if the god in question makes some artificial and baseless dividing line at the moment of death, beyond which now for some reason I can't revise my beliefs based on new evidence which is now finally manifest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
Think again my young friend - things are based on probability, everywhere in nature.
And we know very little.
Well everything is probabilities, you are right there.
How probable is it that your particular deity (Allah) just happens to exist, versus all the others, and that you just happen to have the correct beliefs about Allah and his claims on you?
You have never demonstrated substantiation for your truth-claims about Allah, you have simply asserted truth about him.
Finally: do you think Allah would not know that I was just hedging my bets to believe in him "just in case"? Would he consider that "genuine" faith, and honor it as such?
No, I think all the Abrahamic faiths DEMAND blind faith and assert the right to demand it on behalf of their deity. And then they advance silly, fundamentally flawed non-arguments like Pascal's Wager.
Well picked up, Cardinals, mate. I wondered whether anyone would see that.
It was obvious really, as it is a sort of reverse of Pascal's wager.
However, you are overlooking two things -
(1) an informed wager - not 'believe or not'
(2) which God?
The religious gambler has to get these things right:
(s) there is a personal god
(b) this personal god has something worthwhile to offer. Promise of heaven; threat of hell
(c) it has not only to be the god of the religion you believe, but perhaps the sect or denomination.
(d) of course, that you are living up to its' requirements, though that's a problem rather than making the right bet.
The atheist on the other hand has odds on:
(w ) there is as likely a natural cause of everything rather than a god (evidence is not for a designed universe)
(x) if there is a god, that it has no interest in us (evidence indicates it does not intervene in human affairs)
(y ) if there is an afterlife, it is not within the remit of any particular religion (no reliable messages have come back that there even is one)
(z ) even if one of the religions is the true one, the chances of getting it right are impossible to judge, so the best thing is to make the most honest and informed judgement one can. If any God has a problem with that, it is such a psychotic bully that nobody is safe.
Do you see where the smart money goes?
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 09-11-2017 at 10:55 AM..
And those who believe that God does not exist - don't have a proof either. Do they?
Aren't you gambling as well?
What if you find out that God does exist after death? Aren't you gambling now?
The non-religious might be gambling, but they are gambling in the exact same manner that you are gambling by not reinforcing your basement floor against that man-eating dragon that *might* exist in a cave a few inches below your foundation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
Think again my young friend - things are based on probability, everywhere in nature.
And we know very little.
So it is obvious to assume that conscious agents are the cause of everything we don't understand. Right?
"We don't understand X, therefore the Invisible Man did X."
All life is a terrible gamble if it was a bet you wouldn't take it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And we get mocked for it. When really it's not our fault!!!!
