Rejecting Pascal's Wager

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

If the shoe fits....

And what if it doesn't? Never mind, I already know. You make it fit.

[science_is_my_god]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

I call it "funny." People believe things they cannot comprehend all the time, relativity and QM, for example. Also funny is putting the same God you cannot comprehend in box, telling him how to be who He is. For all you know, God is self-limited so that through us he can escape the finality infinity. Funniest of all, at least to me, is that you believe the God you do not believe in would validate the existence of evil by personally responding to it. Sounds a wee bit vain to me. It would be easier, and more just, IMV, to simply withdraw his sustaining presence and let entropy do the rest.

Just because someone believes something exists, does not mean that it does. Ever wonder why scientists call it the theory of relativity? Because it is still a theory. At least we scientists don't get so bull-headed as to call our ideas "truth" until after we have established an understanding of it. And I'm not telling any god how to act, think, or interact with our concept of reality, I'm just looking at the understanding we do have, and making the observation that "god" just simply did not give us enough understanding to understand.

[Rolling_Stone]

Originally Posted by science_is_my_god

Just because someone believes something exists, does not mean that it does.

Really? Gee, I didn't know that.

Ever wonder why scientists call it the theory of relativity? Because it is still a theory. At least we scientists don't get so bull-headed as to call our ideas "truth" until after we have established an understanding of it.

I love oxymoronic statements. Scientists may be a brilliant bunch, but they tend to make lousy philosophers (I can even cite Hawkings as an example.) They should keep to their own field of expertise.

And I'm not telling any god how to act, think, or interact with our concept of reality, I'm just looking at the understanding we do have, and making the observation that "god" just simply did not give us enough understanding to understand.

Want me to quote you?

You're just looking at the understanding youhave. Like a recent Pope said, the problem with atheism isn't disbelief, but wrong belief...and you just illustrated it

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

You're just looking at the understanding youhave. Like a recent Pope said, the problem with atheism isn't disbelief, but wrong belief...and you just illustrated it

You know, saying it doesn't make it true. I'm sure you do believe that atheists are wron gin their belief or disbelief, but just saying it doesn't do much of anything.

[science_is_my_god]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

You're just looking at the understanding youhave.

And whose understanding progressed the human race further, yours or mine? What brand of understanding saves lives? What understanding better helps us discover the universe? Of course you are going to say "Mine, mine, and mine," but just take a look at the world around you, the computer you are sitting in front of, and the comfortable life you are living. Open up a history book and see how far along makind was when they rejected science but clung to the notion of a god. Usually, it was one of three things: war, disease, and tyrannic government. So choose the understanding that you want, but remember, the next time a doctor cures an illness, thank the doctor, not god.

[BalanceFx]

Originally Posted by science_is_my_god

And whose understanding progressed the human race further, yours or mine? What brand of understanding saves lives? What understanding better helps us discover the universe? Of course you are going to say "Mine, mine, and mine," but just take a look at the world around you, the computer you are sitting in front of, and the comfortable life you are living. Open up a history book and see how far along makind was when they rejected science but clung to the notion of a god. Usually, it was one of three things: war, disease, and tyrannic government. So choose the understanding that you want, but remember, the next time a doctor cures an illness, thank the doctor, not god.

You forgot to mention the injections you recieved as a kid running through your viens and your body. You can pray or take a helping hand from science....

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by science_is_my_god

And whose understanding progressed the human race further, yours or mine? What brand of understanding saves lives? What understanding better helps us discover the universe? Of course you are going to say "Mine, mine, and mine," but just take a look at the world around you, the computer you are sitting in front of, and the comfortable life you are living. Open up a history book and see how far along makind was when they rejected science but clung to the notion of a god. Usually, it was one of three things: war, disease, and tyrannic government. So choose the understanding that you want, but remember, the next time a doctor cures an illness, thank the doctor, not god.

But if God is the source of all good, and knowledge then there is no real difference between a healing miracle and the skill of a physician.

Both are the mercy of God.

Regards,
Scott

[UnityNow101]

We must reject the ideas and opinions about God. I cannot know whether he exists or not, so I do not reject him nor accept him outright. To form a true understanding, you must begin with a clean slate, which could be your own inner emptiness, and begin the search for the Almighty. Do not search out of fear of hell or judgement, as that only leads to a deformed spiritual state that does not bear the fruits of true love.

[Tau]

Originally Posted by science_is_my_god

Pascal's Wager states that it is better to believe in god because if you are wrong, you lose nothing, but if you are right, you gain eternal life. These are my thoughts. If a god created everything, he created my personality, my mind, and my logic. So why then does my mind and my logic reject his existence even though he knows with my personality I value logic above faith? Using that same logic a god supposedly created, this means one of three things:

1. God did it by accident. (so long for omnipotence)

2. God doesn't want my belief in him.

3. God is sadistic and creates this this way for no reason.

Anyways, I wanted to know wh