(August 12, 2016 at 11:35 pm)robvalue Wrote: By the way, what are people supposed to get out of Scientology? What's the carrot? Do they have afterlives and stuff?

I think they believe in a form of reincarnation, because I've seen it mentioned before somewhere that they think L Ron Hubbard will return and lead them again. Also, to join the Sea Org, you have to sign a contract which makes you promise to serve them for a billion years.

I see, thanks

I knew there had to be a bullshit incentive in there somewhere. Where would religions be without it?

(August 12, 2016 at 11:48 pm)Bella Morte Wrote:

(August 12, 2016 at 11:35 pm)robvalue Wrote: By the way, what are people supposed to get out of Scientology? What's the carrot? Do they have afterlives and stuff?

I think they believe in a form of reincarnation, because I've seen it mentioned before somewhere that they think L Ron Hubbard will return and lead them again. Also, to join the Sea Org, you have to sign a contract which makes you promise to serve them for a billion years.

But isn't it true you can change those prizes in for cash in this lifetime if you want?

That's the issue I'm getting at here in a nutshell, actually. All the rewards are promised for after your death. There's no extra rewards during this life, further than what you can get by believing any old rubbish and being part of a community.

The perfect con. Pay me a premium each month, and you get a big payout once you're dead.

(August 12, 2016 at 11:18 pm)SteveII Wrote:

(August 12, 2016 at 9:31 pm)bennyboy Wrote: Your assertion is false.

We are wired to be predisposed toward superstition, because a superstitious reaction to a mysterious environment has a better survival value than a non-reaction.  In other words, a bird who always flies when it senses anything unusual will survive better than a bird which only flies when it KNOWS something presents a danger.

Now, it's true that people often attribute their superstitious feelings to an anthropomorphic entity, aka God.  That's because we ARE people, and our biggest threats/help are in the form of other people.

As in almost every post you've made so far, you are confusing EXPERIENCE with ATTRIBUTION.  Your senses are working just fine.  Your attributions of this or that experience to your Biblical God are a completely illogical non sequitur.

I didn't assert anything and your assertion is just a theory. In what possible way could you prove any of that? Even if there is no God, there may very well be another reason why we are predisposed to the supernatural.

Just a theory? Bennyboy was talking about natural selection, which is the most obvious method of evolution. It's not "just" a theory. A scientific theory (as opposed to the common use of theory you are using) is the highest peak of scientific fact. It's not a guess or a placeholder. There's actually mountains of evidence to back it up. But of course, you probably don't like real evidence. Real evidence opposes your guess about god.

The real religion is the one that spreads the most bullshit everywhere.

Pretty sure, because that's what they seem to be all competing for.

(August 13, 2016 at 1:00 am)robvalue Wrote: That's the issue I'm getting at here in a nutshell, actually. All the rewards are promised for after your death. There's no extra rewards during this life, further than what you can get by believing any old rubbish and being part of a community.

The perfect con. Pay me a premium each month, and you get a big payout once you're dead.

Hey religious guys, I just thought...

You can pay me half your current premiums, and I'll double your payment after death. What do you say? It's got to be a winner.

Just posted this on FB, due to this thread:

I rarely post those atheist memes anymore despite the fact that I am an atheist.
I figure, sometimes, I should give those believers on my friend's list a break.
This is not a meme.
I figure I will, instead, provide a slice of life in the form of reason.
Religion seems to have this idea that one must not live fully in order to receive a reward when one is dead. First and foremost, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever in relation to what one encounters after one dies.
Religion creates this rather illogical rule whereby one can live in the world but not be a part of the world.
Religion promises you rewards when you die.
That is a typical con.
The rewards are in living and enjoying life, despite the authority figures who want to hold you back, not ending one's life in order to reach a goal that has no evidence to back it up.

(August 12, 2016 at 2:26 pm)SteveII Wrote:

(August 12, 2016 at 2:09 pm)Whateverist Wrote: What do you make of the fact that so many of us are possessed of this 'god hole'?  Perhaps you belief is less basic than you'd like to believe.

The Bible teaches in many places that God has written on the hearts of men/women things like morality, knowledge of God, etc.

Well if that's the case why has he not provided any evidence for his existence? in the myths based on him he is able to do almost anything, so proof would be easy, but no, the best way is to give some people a vague unsupported notion that there must be something more and leave it at that, apparently.

The real religion is The Church of Klondike Pimpin'