Risk, Reward, and God - Page 4

Eileen · 10-10-2008, 11:01 AM

Hey, what about MY questions?

notjeffgoldblum · 10-10-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

Hey, what about MY questions?

I thought those were meant to be rhetorical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

What is "real"? What is "true"? What is a "lie"? Sometimes I think that is so much more relevant than "What is God?"

Also, what is "everything" and "nothing"?

RE: "everything" and "nothing", the answer would change depending on who you are asking. I think the easiest way to give you my definition is just by rephrasing the statements themselves.

I think this is the way most theists view the first statement:

"If you believe in God, and he turns out to not be real, then you don't go to hell, but if he is real, you get to go to heaven."

The meaning of "everything" is different for the non-theist:

Everything, whether God turns out to be real or not, is simply all that has absence of religion as a prerequisite.

Eileen · 10-10-2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notjeffgoldblum

I thought those were meant to be rhetorical.

No, not at all. It matters--what is "real"? What does it mean to believe something is REAL or TRUE?

notjeffgoldblum · 10-10-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

No, not at all. It matters--what is "real"? What does it mean to believe something is REAL or TRUE?

It means an assumption was made.

SolitaryWalker · 10-11-2008, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notjeffgoldblum

The first quote should suffice to describe the version of the God I had in mind when I made this thread.

The second quote describes my take on an "improved" version of it.

Direct me to it, because I do not recall seeing a coherent and thorough definition of any particular entity in this thread.

notjeffgoldblum · 10-11-2008, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueWing

Direct me to it, because I do not recall seeing a coherent and thorough definition of any particular entity in this thread.

How about using a little of that N in your INTP?

SolitaryWalker · 10-11-2008, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notjeffgoldblum

How about using a little of that N in your INTP?

No thanks. Just an attempt on your part to make what is implausible appear plausible. Sound thought needs no appeal to mysticism, it can be stated clearly and thoroughly.

notjeffgoldblum · 10-11-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueWing

No thanks. Just an attempt on your part to make what is implausible appear plausible. Sound thought needs no appeal to mysticism, it can be stated clearly and thoroughly.

Why, then, are you the only one that doesn't know what I'm talking about? How can I not appeal to mysticism when talking about God? This thread is not about truth. It is about my perception of the general perception of God that I have so far observed in America which is BEST defined, in my opinion, by the first statement I gave.

Googly_Eyes · 10-12-2008, 02:12 PM

Pascal's wager = *fart*

Simplified, it's essentially asking atheists, "What if you're wrong?" The most obvious response is "What if you're wrong?" Worse yet, what if you're half wrong? A blissfully ignorant (but blissful!) life isn't the only possible outcome for a Christian. What if it turns out that Islam was right? Then you lost just as bad as the atheists.

Besides, even if heaven and hell do exist I'd rather live my life the way I want to live it and wind up in Hell for it than not and wind up in heaven. Heaven and Hell are unchangeable. It's either eternal torment or eternal bliss. Seems the only place any of the decisions that we make will have an impact is right here on earth. Do you really think anyone wins if the purpose of our lives is to achieve a life without purpose? Best to actually do something positive in the only place that matters and suffer for it, I say.

And my temperament has a huge problem with the will-doesn't-matter connotation it carries with it. Go ahead, take the blue pill. What does your free will matter so long as your comfortable with your ignorance? Go to hell.

lowtech redneck · 10-12-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Googly_Eyes

What does your free will matter so long as your comfortable with your ignorance?

"Free will" is a faith-based concept, and I think the ability to believe in it is a major reason theists are generally happier than non-theists-and if the metaphysical dosn't exist, then utilitarian consequences are all that matter.

10-10-2008, 11:01 AM	#31 (permalink)
Eileen Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Type: INFJ Location: an awesome bubble Posts: 1,963	Hey, what about MY questions? __________________ INFJ - 4w5 sx "Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility: that's the essence of America's promise." -- Barack Obama

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10-12-2008, 02:12 PM	#39 (permalink)
Googly_Eyes Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Type: INTP Posts: 15	Pascal's wager = fart Simplified, it's essentially asking atheists, "What if you're wrong?" The most obvious response is "What if you're wrong?" Worse yet, what if you're half wrong? A blissfully ignorant (but blissful!) life isn't the only possible outcome for a Christian. What if it turns out that Islam was right? Then you lost just as bad as the atheists. Besides, even if heaven and hell do exist I'd rather live my life the way I want to live it and wind up in Hell for it than not and wind up in heaven. Heaven and Hell are unchangeable. It's either eternal torment or eternal bliss. Seems the only place any of the decisions that we make will have an impact is right here on earth. Do you really think anyone wins if the purpose of our lives is to achieve a life without purpose? Best to actually do something positive in the only place that matters and suffer for it, I say. And my temperament has a huge problem with the will-doesn't-matter connotation it carries with it. Go ahead, take the blue pill. What does your free will matter so long as your comfortable with your ignorance? Go to hell.