Originally posted by Cris
Mucker,
But the post represents a defeatist and lazy approach to life. That trying to discover truth is too hard and that we should all give up trying.
I understand this point of view very well. You have missed a segment of my story however. What I was trying to do was tell why this works for me. About 10 years ago I said these same types of things that you have. It used to seem to me that, taking into account the lack of cold hard proof in any way of the existence of God, believing was just too rediculus to even consider, and was a "Brave" thing to do. Also, that even now I so thoroughly undertand these issues that I know there is no way I can relate my experiance in such a way to conclusively change anyones mind that is seeing things from my old point of view. But what I can do though is open your mind back up to the possibility of it.
Why would I want to do that? To be right? No, I am not arguing this point of view from any egotistical point of view. I am doing this because, for me I have found something new that works.
How about " Because in my blind unenlightened point of view I believe God is watching and it is my duty to try to pass on the unending Chain Letter of religon. That is not what I am trying to do either. Im a level or two past all of that, when you grasp what im actually saying here maybe at least you will see a fresh point of view on religon that you can at least respect in someone else as more then just a blind leap of lunacy.
One thing I know about you is that your very smart. So what i ask is that since you stepped up to discuss this with me what rather then drawing conclussions now from what you know, seek out a little more information. Because to draw a conclusion now would be a mistake. Why? Well because your still alive. Your not quite done here in this world yet and it certainly wont hurt you or anyone else to put off drawing a definte conclussion on any matter like one related to Gods existance.
The first semester I returned to school I had an economics class. One portion of the class discussed Oligopoly, a market composed of just a few large competitors, and the properties and types of Oligopoly. One theory called game theory, looked at all the possible outcomes In the pricing of a product like gas in an Oligopolistic market and showed in conclusion how it cost consumers money and is generally bad for all business because of reduced efficiency.
The game theory reminded me of something I had been turning over in my head for a long time. A philosophical idea called Pascals Wager. It works in much the same way as game theory. You examine all possible beliefs and outcomes.
Ok in Pascal's Wager you consider two philosophies, A belief in God, and a non belief in God.
Also in Pascal's Wager you consider two outcomes, God exhists, and God doesn't exhist.
You draw a little chart with the beliefs on top, and out comes on the left side and a cross section drawn between the terms.
OK now we consider each possibility and what it would mean IF that out come came to pass.
The first one is, I believe in God and it turns out he doesn't exhist. Result, I live a life that is deluded, but happy because while I was alive I allways belived evil doers would ultimately be punished and that I had an ally there to give me strength. I also never know I was wrong because I die and that is that.
The 2nd result comes from, Belief in God , and God exhists. Well then I go to heaven.
The 3rd result possibility, on the next line of the chart is " Didn't belive in God and God did not exhist" Well, then I live in a world with no belief at all. It is really up to you to think about this one and how it makes you feel. But for me it makes me feel hopeless, because it means the universe is pointless. I know what your thinking, that hopelessness is no reason to run to a religon out of fear and blindness. All I am spelling out in this discussion is what these possible outcomes MEAN. Anyhow, you never get to even KNOW that you were right because you die and that is that.
The 4th result is, didn't believe in God and God exhists. Well, this possibility is open for different results by different religons. Most would agree though that this means "hell".
The conclussion from this little chart, if you look at it, is that it is foolish to rule out religon very easily.
The chart is not a reason for believing but it is a reason for not drawing a conclussion yet. I ask that you think on this chart now, but also that you keep the idea with you as you get older because as time goes by perspectives change a bit.
I know you have a 2nd post I have to answer so ill end this one here.
