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Agita
Skeptic Friend
USA
58 Posts |
 Posted - 10/10/2009 : 06:55:06 [Permalink]
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Atheist is such a clunky label. I don't claim to disbelieve in Gods existence, I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. My stance on this is, I don't see evidence that proves there is a God, so in light of that I consider myself a realist. Therefore, considering Pasqual's wager and all, I think it takes big brass balls to stand in the face of eternal damnation and say I don't believe.
Call me a realist. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 10:16:20 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Agita
Atheist is such a clunky label. I don't claim to disbelieve in Gods existence, I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. My stance on this is, I don't see evidence that proves there is a God, so in light of that I consider myself a realist. Therefore, considering Pasqual's wager and all, I think it takes big brass balls to stand in the face of eternal damnation and say I don't believe.
Call me a realist.
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Thing is, even if you allow for the idea of some kind of God, Pasqual's wager only concerns itself with a threat from the Christian version of God. Based on the logic of the wager, shouldn't we then follow for the teachings of all religions, just in case? I think the single worst argument for embracing Christianity is Pasqual's wager. It's dishonest (as it can't force you to believe what you don't believe, so it only calls on you to hedge your bets, just in case) and not practical if you bother to check the dictates of every other religion because once you start hedging your bets, where does that logically end? That Pasqual's wager assumes a Christian kind of God doesn't really matter because every other religion can make the same wager, and some do. The premise of the wager is therefor complete nonsense.
It's religion by blackmail. A common concept among religions, but a pretty stupid reason to follow one.
Also, I don't think my balls have turned to brass just because I have rejected that which there is not a single shred of evidence for. I have just kept my brain from turning into mush is all...
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 10:57:00 [Permalink]
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Agita said:
| I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. |
Based on what evidence?
Because it is also "quite possible" that the IPU, Gravity Fairies, and the FSM exist based on the same evidence we currently have to support any god-belief.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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Agita
Skeptic Friend
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 12:15:00 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
Originally posted by Agita
Atheist is such a clunky label. I don't claim to disbelieve in Gods existence, I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. My stance on this is, I don't see evidence that proves there is a God, so in light of that I consider myself a realist. Therefore, considering Pasqual's wager and all, I think it takes big brass balls to stand in the face of eternal damnation and say I don't believe.
Call me a realist.
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Thing is, even if you allow for the idea of some kind of God, Pasqual's wager only concerns itself with a threat from the Christian version of God. Based on the logic of the wager, shouldn't we then follow for the teachings of all religions, just in case? I think the single worst argument for embracing Christianity is Pasqual's wager. It's dishonest (as it can't force you to believe what you don't believe, so it only calls on you to hedge your bets, just in case) and not practical if you bother to check the dictates of every other religion because once you start hedging your bets, where does that logically end? That Pasqual's wager assumes a Christian kind of God doesn't really matter because every other religion can make the same wager, and some do. The premise of the wager is therefor complete nonsense.
It's religion by blackmail. A common concept among religions, but a pretty stupid reason to follow one.
Also, I don't think my balls have turned to brass just because I have rejected that which there is not a single shred of evidence for. I have just kept my brain from turning into mush is all...
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Isn't it all blackmail? |
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Agita
Skeptic Friend
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 12:20:18 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dude
Agita said:
| I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. |
Based on what evidence?
Because it is also "quite possible" that the IPU, Gravity Fairies, and the FSM exist based on the same evidence we currently have to support any god-belief.
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I base it on the fact that I cannot prove God does not exist.
What, now you're telling me there's no Gravity Fairies... |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 12:58:40 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Agita
Originally posted by Dude
Agita said:
| I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. |
Based on what evidence?
Because it is also "quite possible" that the IPU, Gravity Fairies, and the FSM exist based on the same evidence we currently have to support any god-belief.
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I base it on the fact that I cannot prove God does not exist.
What, now you're telling me there's no Gravity Fairies...
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You do understand that there are literally an infinite number of things you can't disprove. What criteria do you use to determine which of those things you are willing to leave the door open for? Why is a god belief more compelling to you than FSM or the invisible pink unicorn, or any old claim that anyone else can pull out of their ass and assert to be true?
You leave logic and rational thinking behind when you say you don't disbelieve a thing because you can't disprove it.
There is this thing called evidence. Claims and assertions made without supporting evidence should be dismissed, no truth value assigned. This does not mean that the door is open, it means that such claims are not worth considering.
Also, in my opinion, there is ample evidence to disprove any omnipotent and benevolent god. Just search around these forums for a couple of the threads on nasty critters. No benevolent god would create a small fish that swims up your urethra and digs in for lunch, or parasitic worms that feed on your children, or malaria, or any of the thousands of other horrors we fight off on a daily basis just to survive.
If there is a god out there, its one fucked up entity.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2009 : 16:16:01 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Agita
Atheist is such a clunky label. I don't claim to disbelieve in Gods existence, I actually believe it is quite possible that there is a God. My stance on this is, I don't see evidence that proves there is a God, so in light of that I consider myself a realist. Therefore, considering Pasqual's wager and all, I think it takes big brass balls to stand in the face of eternal damnation and say I don't believe.
Call me a realist.
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Just adding to what Kil said, you might as well worship god "sxdfjhsdf" by performing regular colon cleansing on goats. The probability that this procedure will save you from eternal damnation is equal to the probability that accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour will do the same thing. Both of these probabilities are equal to the probability that accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour will BRING you eternal damnation - i.e. pretty slim. |
METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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Why I am not an atheist
