POG Philosophy and Religion thread

[younguns87]

Originally Posted by DonkDonkDonkDonk

That's just one point in which pascal's wager falls down, you can't just choose to believe something.

When there is uncertainty, everyone does

[DonkDonkDonkDonk]

when did you make this choice younguns?

[younguns87]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

feel free to use another example though

Doctor says you have 2 months to live.

You live 10 years.

Why?

[DonkDonkDonkDonk]

starsigns

[younguns87]

Originally Posted by DonkDonkDonkDonk

when did you make this choice younguns?

Not sure exactly.

I mean growing up I just followed what my mom made us do and didn't think about it. But around 15/16, I actually thought about it, talked to my rabbi about stuff, and truly believed in a God. But like I said, I don't go to temple anymore, I still follow jewish holidays to please my mom, but I don't feel any more spiritually connected during such practices.

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by younguns87

The bold is choosing whether to believe something or not lol

I know you're just trolling so this is pointless, but If you want to believe the earth is flat then do it. There. In your mind. Earth is flat. done.

No I don't believe the earth is flat so I couldn't do it.

I'm not trolling and you're contradicting yourself

you say you can choose then you say you can't believe something because you don't believe it

but then you say if I want to, I should be able to believe the earth is flat

what kind of self-hypnosis is this?

I can just choose to believe something and it's done?

I call bull****

voluntarily change a belief right now, any belief you want

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by younguns87

Doctor says you have 2 months to live.

You live 10 years.

Why?

the doctor was wrong

how is this relevant to what we were talking about?

[master3004]

Originally Posted by younguns87

In response to Digger's question:

I believe in God because I choose too. There is no reason, I haven't had an out-of-body-experience. But In times of need, I know I can go to him and that gives me a sense of comfort. I may be praying to no one, I could very well be wrong, but why does it matter if I'm wrong if it gives me (and others) comfort?

Also, If you had irrefutable evidence God was not real, not that the bible is wrong, but that God was not there, would you share it with the world?

Does mean that you base no sense of morality on your belief in god?

Have you ever voted on a law based on your perceived moral standards presented by a god you believe in?

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by younguns87

I know you're just trolling so this is pointless

how can you know something that isn't true?

[bsball8806]

Originally Posted by younguns87

Doctor says you have 2 months to live.

You live 10 years.

Why?

Because the doctor screwed up.

Because the doctor didn't screw up, but the equipment they used was incorrectly set up.

Because the doctor didn't screw up and the equipment was set up correctly, but your body reacts differently than the body of the average person they deal with.

Because the doctor didn't screw up and the equipment was set up correctly, AND your body doesn't react differently from how most people's do, but the environment in which you live makes you do better than predicted.

Because the doctor didn't screw up and the equipment was set up correctly, AND your body doesn't react differently from how most people's do, and the environment in which you live is nothing special, but you have a stronger will to live.

...

Do you see the point? There's nothing WRONG (of course) with believing in a god, but my point (and I believe the point of many other atheists) is that to attribute something you can't understand to the existence of a god is just silly. There are a million reasons why things can happen. Sure, god MIGHT be one of them. But...

[younguns87]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

I'm not trolling and you're contradicting yourself

you say you can choose then you say you can't believe something because you don't believe it

but then you say if I want to, I should be able to believe the earth is flat

what kind of self-hypnosis is this?

I can just choose to believe something and it's done?

I call bull****

voluntarily change a belief right now, any belief you want

When you choose to believe something you actually have to believe it. Correct I can't believe something because I don't believe it, that is a choice I just made. But if you wanted to, I'm sure you could believe the earth is flat just like those people on that website you just posted. But there is very convincing evidence against that. So it would be hard.

I can't change a belief right now because I have that belief for that reason. So you need to show me why I shouldn't believe it.

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

the doctor was wrong

how is this relevant to what we were talking about?

Ok Perfect.

Congrats. You just choose to believe something that is uncertain. You took option A) THe doctor is a dumbass and read the charts wrong

But there are 50 other options that other people can believe in. You are not wrong, and either are they.

[kokiri]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

how can you know something that isn't true?

how can you ever know anything? (clue: you can't)

[Sun Tzu]

I don't want to believe the earth is flat so let me give better examples:

1. we all know how important confidence with women is

why can't I just choose to believe that I'm God's gift to women or whatever?

2. some people have irrational fears

they "know" they're not in any actual danger, yet they can't just choose to not be afraid

I don't think choosing has much if anything to do with what we believe

[clowntable]

Originally Posted by DonkDonkDonkDonk

That's just one point in which pascal's wager falls down, you can't just choose to believe something.

Can you choose not to choose? And if you can't what does that say about the category choice?

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by kokiri

how can you ever know anything? (clue: you can't)

clue: I'm not the one claiming to know things