a lot of people are atheists until they are dying and realize that with their beliefs they have no hope or future
amazing how that works
amazing how that works
Prosperity gospel
- Thread starter TheDude1
- Start date
My church growing up was a religious YMCA/country club(members only). Indoor Pool, track, tennis court, rec room with pool tables etc.
My family was huge supporters of it so went all the time. We had keys to the sports wing. Plus it was two blocks from our house.
My family was huge supporters of it so went all the time. We had keys to the sports wing. Plus it was two blocks from our house.
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I usually just call it a tax on people who are really bad at math. It never ceases to amaze how everyone that buys a lottery pick says, "Well, someone has to win it." Yes, and millions of people have to lose, too.
Where's your link lol. When I die, I die. Its the cycle of life. I'm not going to go to some heavenly kingdom, or somewhere to burn for eternity. If I was going to buy into something it would be the 72 virgins....
Nice. Would rather belive in being rewarded for killing innocent people than to believe in a loving and forgiving God.
start going to Hospice and visit dying people
then you will fully understand what i posted
We have FREE WILL to say, think.and to do as we want.
FREE WILL is a BLESSING and a CURSE.
... all I can say is this...GOD HELP US.
FREE WILL is a BLESSING and a CURSE.
... all I can say is this...GOD HELP US.
I'll bite.
You are making the Paschal's Wager argument. Paschal's Wager says "if I'm right and God exists I'm rewarded but if I'm wrong and God doesn't exist I lose nothing. If you're wrong, you go to hell."
1. You don't choose your beliefs. If you are choosing what you believe you are willfully trying to convince yourself what you actually believe is false. If God is all knowing, said God already knows this.
2. You do lose a lot if you live your life believing in a deity that doesn't exist. You are missing out on pretty big details of life that could be useful to you. And on a bigger scale, you're wasting your brain that is capable of much more by merely using God to explain everything.
I believe in paying my tithes. Which I do. But some this is beyond ridiculous. Like the pastor asking for $54 million to buy ANOTHER plane. Hate to be those kind when judgement day rolls around.
I'd rather be disappointed there is no heaven, then to be disappointed there is.
On #2. By believing in God, and everlasting life...exacrly what am I missing out on? Just curious. Because I have a wonderful family. Financially stable. All my children are jealthy; as are my grand kids. Able to give my wife pretty much what she wants. Have great friends. Travel all over. So I' d like to know. By choosing my belief, what is it that I'm missing out on?
Well, hypothetically, resisting sin or feeling guilty about committing a sin on the basis of doctrine alone. Without an omnipotent and omnibenevolent deity, there is no objective morality. If there is something we want to do and the only reason we don't is b/c we are obeying scripture, we could feasibly be "missing out" on something natural and enjoyable that we are suppressing.
Consider just about all sexual mores. There are all kinds of reasons not to be, for example, promiscuous -- emotional hazards, envy, jealousy, betrayal, disease, unwanted pregnancy -- but if we have all of those things figured out, the only thing left is the socially imposed shame, which is a pretty direct reflection of Puritanical ideology dating to the Pilgrims.
Ummm, ok??? I think?? I do regret my faith. I do not for one second believe my faith has caused me to miss out on anything. If anything, it' when I lost my faith that I missed out. I' not promiscuous because of the fear of sin. I choose not to be becaise...well, I love my wife. I' m quite content.
It was an example of how the hypothetical non-existence of a benevolent and all-powerful deity could result in the perspective that you've missed out. It was not a claim that you do, in fact, feel that way or that you have indeed missed out on anything.
Of course, the very nature of faith somewhat precludes awareness that you're missing anything... if you're missing anything. And we hardly regret what we're not aware of.
I'm not a Paschal's Wager guy. I think that is a poor way to try and justify faith. I agree we don't really choose our beliefs. If so, I would chose to not believe in anything tbh.
I don't really think all miss much by believing though. My faith doesn't really impact how I use my brain because I don't really justify anything using God to explain anything. In general, I think the people who do wouldn't be trying to figure those things out anyway. I don't understand the comment about missing details (maybe because I'm missing them
. However, I'm not like many Christians either. I am all in regarding understanding why people do not believe.
Well, you could be missing out on the real god, for one.
That is the flaw in Pascal’s Wager. There are thousands of gods and even more religions.
For Pascal’s Wager to even be in play, you have to add the caveat that, even if you believe in a god, statistics suggest you probably chose the wrong one.
Whether you are an atheist or a theist, you have about a 1/6,000 chance of getting it right.
Given those odds, I’d go with the one option supported by reason and evidence rather than the 5,999 based solely on intuition.
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Thats if you consider all religions/gods as equals. Even if you believe in "fantasy" stuff as some call it, you can use some logic and reason to make a decision.
Wait... are you saying some religions are more “fantasy stuff” than others?
If any one of them is correct, then yes, all the others are more "fantasy stuff." Is any are partially right, then those beyond it are more "fantasy stuff."
There is the agnostic case that all are equally fantastical. There's also a socio-anthropological case to be made that there are tiers of credibility with the Abrahamic religions and older Eastern religions near the top and Scientology and Flying Spaghetti Monster near the bottom.
I didn't say anything about killing innocent people. How many innocent people have been killed in the name of your loving and forgiving god? lol. Your god condones killing and and is about as believable as the tooth fairy and good ole st nick. Throw in the easter bunny for good measure.
Folks should call these numbers up and explain to their operators that they aren't greedy. Just tell them to give you the $1,000 they are asking for and they can keep the 7 times the amount,10 times the amount, or 100 times the amount blessing.
You said if you were to buy into anything it would be the 72 virgins. How do you think you would get those 72 virgins? I am not a real religious person, I just thought it was interesting that you were glorifying an evil belief, but dismissing the thought of everlasting life in a heavenly kingdom. As far as the loving and forgiving God, I feel like that is how Christians view God. Whatever you find to be hypocritical based on 2,000 years ago doesn't really apply in today's Christianity. But Muslims are being brainwashed by extremists to belive that there will be 72 virgins waiting in paradise for them if they kill innocent people, still today.
It was a hypothetical and his emphasis was on what he considered the most tantalizing reward. It was a lighthearted, frivolous quip and you're being all PC about it.
Maybe someday, but they're not in the MJ or Lebron conversation yet.
I suspect if it wasn't me who had said that, you wouldn't have said a damn thing. Do we have to have a pissing contest in every thread, datt?
I'm not a Paschal's Wager guy. I think that is a poor way to try and justify faith. I agree we don't really choose our beliefs. If so, I would chose to not believe in anything tbh.
I don't really think all miss much by believing though. My faith doesn't really impact how I use my brain because I don't really justify anything using God to explain anything. In general, I think the people who do wouldn't be trying to figure those things out anyway. I don't understand the comment about missing details (maybe because I'm missing them
And I have no problem with that. Not that you'd care if I did. But you also have a rational / educated context to religion.
My problem is with the hardline black and white fundamentalist types who derail education, scientific progress and generally damage society with their bullshit. **** them
One way to improve the odds against a pissing match is to reply to the post, not the poster.
Both you and datt have posted ITT since I responded to him two days ago. All of the sudden you want to chime in when I respond to him today. I know you are #TeamDatt, but all I said was it was interesting. I guess a practicing Christian like datt and you (another Christian?) Would rather call my posts out than a person who is mocking your faith. Some joke.
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