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Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 5:35 am
Seriously Christians use this all the time. If your a Christian how much time have you spent worrying about Brahma and he is gonna say to you in the after life. My guess is not much. That pretty much how any atheist feels after they go through the period of doubt that many of us do. So next time your about to say Pascal's wager, or the you secretly believe in god bit, imagine a wiccan sitting in front of you saying exactly the say things about the goddess. Would it convince you to convert to Wicca? No likely not and if wouldnt convince you, why on earth do you think can convince someone else with it?
In fact Christians, I think that would be a good test for your arguments. Just imagine someone trying to you to their religion using the same arguments. You may realize that a lot things you may otherwise say are fucking stupid. What would you think if a Muslim told you that you knew Mohammed was the messenger of god but you rejected him out of hate? Or that you reject brahma because of a traumatic child hood? Seriously, gladly some of you already know this but too many of you dont. The sad part is that the ones that need this advice won't take it.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 6:08 am
Particularly as there must be a possibility that this is all an intelligence test and only those that do not believe will be saved. What use has God for the gullible?
Kuusi palaa, ja on viimeinen kerta kun annan vaimoni laittaa jouluvalot!
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 6:35 am
The big danger with christianity, and it's so easily demonstrated in Pascal's Wager, is that it teaches you not to be empathetic about certain subjects, to disengage your critical thinking and develop a blind spot where christianity can hide.
Just think about what the bible teaches you: that you already have all the answers, that they're here in this book, that everybody believes exactly the same things you do, everyone is exactly the same, and if they say they believe differently they're actively lying to you... if you've been taught to believe all that crap, why would you consider other religions?
The reason Pascal's Wager gains any traction at all is that the kind of person who would accept it as cogent argumentation probably already believes that everyone knows there's only one hell, and they just deny it because they're sinful.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 3:12 pm
(May 11, 2014 at 6:35 am)Esquilax Wrote: The big danger with christianity, and it's so easily demonstrated in Pascal's Wager, is that it teaches you not to be empathetic about certain subjects, to disengage your critical thinking and develop a blind spot where christianity can hide.
Just think about what the bible teaches you: that you already have all the answers, that they're here in this book, that everybody believes exactly the same things you do, everyone is exactly the same, and if they say they believe differently they're actively lying to you... if you've been taught to believe all that crap, why would you consider other religions?
The reason Pascal's Wager gains any traction at all is that the kind of person who would accept it as cogent argumentation probably already believes that everyone knows there's only one hell, and they just deny it because they're sinful.
In reality that makes no sense, if I believed in hell wtf would be the point of denying it if I was sinful when I all I have to is accept Jesus and he forgives everything? I mean if I was to accept Jesus I could bash a baby off of rocks and eat its corpse and Jesus would still accept me into heaven as long as I put faith in him. Conversely according to Christian teaching Gandhi is burning in hell right now.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 3:16 pm
(May 11, 2014 at 3:12 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: In reality that makes no sense, if I believed in hell wtf would be the point of denying it if I was sinful when I all I have to is accept Jesus and he forgives everything? I mean if I was to accept Jesus I could bash a baby off of rocks and eat its corpse and Jesus would still accept me into heaven as long as I put faith in him. Conversely according to Christian teaching Gandhi is burning in hell right now.
You and I know that, but the bible also teaches to accept it all uncritically by faith.
Shit doesn't have to make sense if you've got faith! 
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 11, 2014 at 3:44 pm
(May 11, 2014 at 3:16 pm)Esquilax Wrote: (May 11, 2014 at 3:12 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: In reality that makes no sense, if I believed in hell wtf would be the point of denying it if I was sinful when I all I have to is accept Jesus and he forgives everything? I mean if I was to accept Jesus I could bash a baby off of rocks and eat its corpse and Jesus would still accept me into heaven as long as I put faith in him. Conversely according to Christian teaching Gandhi is burning in hell right now.
You and I know that, but the bible also teaches to accept it all uncritically by faith.
Shit doesn't have to make sense if you've got faith!
Which is peticular in and of it self. If God was real why the emphasis on taking his existence on faith? I don't ask you to take my existence on faith, would be preposterous. In fact there is nothing that has been proven to be true that was demanded to be taken on faith first. Incidentally you know who really push faith as a virtue? Conmen.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
May 12, 2014 at 11:27 am
Quote:Pascal's wager: Why is anyone dumb enough to use it
Because there are still people dumb enough to fall for it.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
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