Let's see, if I choose not to be a Christian and there is no God, I die and nothing happens. If there is a God, I die and go to Hell.
If I choose to be a Christian and there is no God, I die and nothing happens. If there is a God, I die and have eternal life.
Which is the rational choice?
74 comments
You know how News of the Weird every so often decides that a formerly weird story has happened so many times, that it's no longer worthy of being printed in their column?
FSTDT may need to start doing that with Pascal's Wager.
What happens if islam is right and you get hell for either of your choices? Or if the hindus are right? or norse mythology?
False dichotomys are lame, pascals wager even more so.
If you choose to be a fundamentalist christian
So even if it doesn´t matter to you,
What's truly sad is that a great many fundies have never heard of this "logical breakthrough" before, but instead believe that their own limited minds had thought it up for the first time, as though they've finally solved the Gordian Knot.
Pagnostic & MK: If we did that, FSTDT would be gone in a matter of days. Fundies aren't very original.
JT: Even if that WAS true, you're making THIS life Hell for a lot of people. But you only care what happens to you. When you DIE, no less. If you're wrong, I hope you die a karmic death.
@ Lithp, not really. There are things posted here that make you weep for humanity, that make you ROFL, etc, but this quote isn't one of them.
The rational choice is to not use false dichotomies to prop up your beliefs.
But then again, it's not like your average fundy has anything better to use.
So you are to fake belief to go to heaven? Won't god see through that?
You can't choose to believe douchebag.
Either you use your brain and realize that there are no invisble men in the sky (rational) or you believe whatever it is you want to believe just cause you want to (irrational). Your choice.
@JohntheAtheist
So you are to fake belief to go to heaven? Won't god see through that?
Yes, I would think that violating the Ninth Commandment to the great creator would not be a smart thing to do.
Two problems:
1) You can't choose to believe in anything, it's not a rational choice.
2) False dichotomy. What if the Musilms, Hindus, or Cathars were correct? You go to hell anyway.
In short, Pascal's Wager => immediate fail.
Or...
If you choose to be a good person and live a good life, after you die either there will be nothing (if there is no gods) or something (if there is), but no punishment, if you have done the best you can.
Pascals wager is such an obvious cop out..and besides, Pascals wager displays a cowardice of coming to a GOOD conclusion. If you are going to believe, then believe because you love god, not because you think youve got nothing to loose.
There are millions of gods and goddesses out there that man has worshipped at one time or another. No lets add those to the wager and sudenly honest atheism looks like the best rational choice. But strangely, something tells me you would just flat out reject all of the other gods and goddess as imaginary or some kind of demons..which tells me you are being manipulative with this wager, and its not about what you honestly think, but more about trying to dupe me into joining your cult with the hopes that I am ignorant to world theology.
You sir, are an ass either way you approach this comment.
So you treat your religion as nothing more than an insurance policy?
You will go to hell if there is a god because your faith is a shallow faith. Of course, if I'm right, you'll just be dead like the rest of us.
I first encountered Pascal's Wager in much this same form (i.e., completely independently created and put to me by a religious friend who thought his reasoning quite clever) back when I was about a teenager, and I could tell it was a load of illogic even then. I've never understood how anyone with the slightest intellectual ability (and honesty) over the age of 20 could consider the idea seriously for even a minute.
what if God is Odin?
And so you go to Hell anyway for worshipping the wrong God?
In any case, why would you want to spend eternity with such a petty deity that he would damn you for simply not believing he exists?
Billions don't know I exist. I wish them no ill will because of it. Shouldn't a God be at LEAST as moral as Me?
Well according to your argument, JT if the is your real name PASCAL.
You only live forever if you die, which makes no sense, and are christian.
So therefore if you die and go to hell you'll just die again. And then from then on who gives shit?
Quote: "Grigadil #737753 2008-Sep-24 10:01 PM
Which is the rational choice?
Done that twice in my 73 year life.
pascals wager is so flawed..how about this one:
"What if I do not want to have eternal life"?
kind of throws a wrench in your gears doesnt it?
Which denomination of Christianity is the right denomination? There are umpteenth denominations of Christianity, most of which think all the rest are going to Hell. How do I know which one is the right one, and that's not even taking into account all the other religions that say you will go to Hell if you don't believe in them.
In that case, and just in case, you should be muslim, Jew, Zoroastrian, buddhist...............................and you can't be all that at the same time.
Pascal's Wager - the most effective argument for Christianity worldwide*.
You forgot that there are thousands of other gods you can believe in, or disbelieve.
The rational choice is to lead a good life, following the Golden Rule, and hope that most just gods, if they exist, accept that.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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