I totally disagree with "Eggzacherry!" I'm going to debate that.Eggzacherry!
Everyone knows Eggzamuffin not a cherry!
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
I totally disagree with "Eggzacherry!" I'm going to debate that.Eggzacherry!
You can't fix what ain't broke: especially with faulty grammar. Criminy, you haven't been able to even fix your faulty premise! You have only succeeded in deceiving your self!Fixed that for you.
Your premise is faulty. Since Christianity isn't predicated upon a rewards-based paradigm, there is no "carrot" to "dangle."If it weren't for the dangling carrot of heaven and the threat of eternal torture in hell, would you still be a christian?
Do you find belief in heaven and hell to be convincing enough to convert you to theism, LogDog?
I personally don't follow God because of any promise of "Heaven" or any threat of "Hell". I don't honestly believe that there are many Christians that do.
Did it ever occur to you, Logdog, that some of us are Christians because of the teachings of Jesus or some other reason?
You are an atheist--Do you believe in, hmmm, let's say evolution because you think there is a reward if you do or a penalty if you don't believe in it?
Thanks for your reply. I'd suggest that the expected value of believing is greater than the expected value of not believing and that this notion has led many to define themselves as christian.
Sure.
The theory of evolution doesn't promise anything.
Not a Christian, but I know a few for whom it wouldn't change a thing.
I totally disagree with "Eggzacherry!" I'm going to debate that.
Everyone knows Eggzamuffin not a cherry!
If it weren't for the dangling carrot of heaven and the threat of eternal torture in hell, would you still be a christian?
He shoots... HE SCORES! The crowd goes wild!Perhaps some atheists are just as stupid to characterize Christianity in this way as the people who follow Christianity like a rabbit after the carrot stick. I suppose thoughtless religious fundamentalism has its dualistic parallel with dogmatic, proseltyzing atheism.
He shoots... HE SCORES! The crowd goes wild!
OTOH, most atheists probably get Pascal's Wager thrown at them more often than most theists do. I imagine that this might skew each group's estimate of what an "average Christian" believes.Perhaps some atheists are just as stupid to characterize Christianity in this way as the people who follow Christianity like a rabbit after the carrot stick. I suppose thoughtless religious fundamentalism has its dualistic parallel with dogmatic, proseltyzing atheism.
Did the expected value of believing and the expected value of not believing play any role in your decision to follow christianity? Since Pascal's Wager is a common argument put forth by theists to suggest to nonbelievers that christianity is a reasonable world view, I would assume that many converts found the argument compelling.
Can you offer any Scripture to prove that point?The premise is faulty since heaven is here and now. It's not a dangling carrot, but a real slice of carrot cake and it tastes good!
If I were to die tommorow and that were the end then my life as a Christian would still have been totally wortwhile. But that is not the case.If it weren't for the dangling carrot of heaven and the threat of eternal torture in hell, would you still be a christian?
Did the expected value of believing and the expected value of not believing play any role in your decision to follow christianity? Since Pascal's Wager is a common argument put forth by theists to suggest to nonbelievers that christianity is a reasonable world view, I would assume that many converts found the argument compelling.
Pascal's Wager was found to be faulty logic.Did the expected value of believing and the expected value of not believing play any role in your decision to follow christianity? Since Pascal's Wager is a common argument put forth by theists to suggest to nonbelievers that christianity is a reasonable world view, I would assume that many converts found the argument compelling.
Plenty...Can you offer any Scripture to prove that point?