Atheist’s Wager

I think one of the best disproofs for theism is the classical theory of punishment. How can a fair God condemn either of the following to categories of people:
1) Moral and good atheists
2) Atheists who are completely intellectually honest about their position
The first person did nothing wrong, to mankind or to God to deserve any retribution and the second did the honest best that he could, (most theists are not intellectually honest about what they believe).
I think the emphasis of modern day religion, on the importance and redemptive nature of faith, is indicative of an unhealthy elitism as well as an enticing guarantee of a quick route to heaven. Pascal’s wager says it’s so easy to believe and possibly secure heaven so one might as well. I think such a position is: 1) suspiciously self-serving and 2) philosophically stupid.

“You should live your life and try to make the world a better place for your being in it, whether or not you believe in God. If there is no God, you have lost nothing and will be remembered fondly by those you left behind. If there is a benevolent God, he may judge you on your merits coupled with your commitments, and not just on whether or not you believed in him.”
-Wikipedia

[Professor Chaos]

[Kate]

[Professor Chaos]

Amichai, will you please just answer Kate's question about the sidewalk already? Was there a reason for not answering it? I gotta say, I'm pretty curious, too.

There is no Jewish commandment to walk in the street on the Sabbath

[Professor Chaos]

So the group of them that Kate observes refusing to use the sidewalk is likely refusing to use it for some other strange reason that has absolutely nothing to do with their Judaism?

[nkb]

That wasn't so hard now, was it?

I don’t think Kate was asking a question, I think she was objecting to an insensitive practice of a large group of people.

[nkb]

You must have missed it then, because Kate distinctly asked you the reason for their walking in the street.

[Kate]

Curiosity killed the cat....

[Kate]

Amichai2 wrote

There is no Jewish commandment to walk in the street on the Sabbath

Thanks! I'll get on with calling the cops on their jaywalking asses!

If Kate’s question was sincere, then I am sorry for not answering it.

[Rhinoqulous]

Amichai2 wrote

Pascal’s wager says it’s so easy to believe and possibly secure heaven so one might as well. I think such a position is: 1) suspiciously self-serving and 2) philosophically stupid.

I was actually chatting with a friend who's still teaching philosophy in academia (the poor sap), and Pascal's wager came up. We bounced around the idea that the "rational" solution to the wager is not belief, but disbelief (or at least suspension of belief). I won't bore y'all with the details, but our theory is based on the notion that any particular God would be more angry by someone worshiping the wrong God then not worshiping the right one, thus the safe bet is to not worship God at all.

[Professor Chaos]

Rhino wrote

I won't bore y'all with the details, but our theory is based on the notion that any particular God would be more angry by someone worshiping the wrong God then not worshiping the right one, thus the safe bet is to not worship God at all.

I say the same thing when confronted with the verbal dia...diarh...diahr...diarrhea?...liquid shit that is Pascal's Wager.

Rhinoqulous wrote

I was actually chatting with a friend who's still teaching philosophy in academia (the poor sap), and Pascal's wager came up. We bounced around the idea that the "rational" solution to the wager is not belief, but disbelief (or at least suspension of belief). I won't bore y'all with the details, but our theory is based on the notion that any particular God would be more angry by someone worshiping the wrong God then not worshiping the right one, thus the safe bet is to not worship God at all.

There are two types of Gods, physical Gods and nonphysical Gods. If you’re talking about physical (polytheistic) Gods, then you have an argument however, once we assume God is nonphysical, dispute about what to call him or how to worship him does not call into question the existence of that God.
This of course is another flaw in Christian philosophy, what does the belief in a historical character named Jesus have anything to do with belief in God or not?