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No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. Tim Send a noteboard - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM
I'm sure you're familiar with its criticisms, so rather than repeat them here I'll just post a link. But how do you answer them?

Your other criticism of atheism essentially boils down to "you can't prove a negative". True, but no sensible person believes a positive without sufficient credible evidence. Until then, you assume the negative and lead your life as if the purported entity doesn't exist. This applies equally to extraterrestrial life, mythical creatures such as Nessie, and deities. Your supposed atheist who believes there's no possibility that a god could exist (as opposed to merely not believing that one exists) is a strawman: most atheists don't think that way, and those who do are wrong to do so.

The real point of difference is whether one accepts the evidence, such as it is, that a god exists. Just because I don't, doesn't mean I wouldn't if better evidence turned up.
Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt.

—Nous disons en allemand : le guerre, le mort, le lune, alors que 'soleil' et 'amour' sont du sexe féminin : la soleil, la amour. La vie est neutre.

—La vie ? Neutre ? C'est très joli, et surtout très logique.
Criticism of Pascal's Wager
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Kim Jong-il is dead. Would you become a fervent believer? - 19/12/2011 03:37:28 AM 1532 Views
If I was a Christian, I'd pray that he would burn forever in hell. - 19/12/2011 03:47:52 AM 941 Views
See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 03:53:55 AM 908 Views
I agree about atheism - 19/12/2011 04:19:02 AM 770 Views
It's an approximation. - 19/12/2011 05:40:05 PM 792 Views
no, I'm not saying that the sheer number of people alone is sufficient - 19/12/2011 10:13:09 PM 674 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:25:06 AM 765 Views
No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM 774 Views
You obviously misread my comments or ignored them. - 19/12/2011 03:39:59 PM 762 Views
You're answering a different point to the one I was addressing. - 19/12/2011 04:01:54 PM 693 Views
For atheism to be a tenable position, one must assume that millions lie about their experiences. - 20/12/2011 04:11:53 AM 784 Views
Look, doesn't this go against your most sacred principle? - 20/12/2011 06:43:27 AM 746 Views
I'm pretty sure he's not saying it's undeniable proof. - 20/12/2011 09:19:44 AM 709 Views
No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 08:30:55 PM 672 Views
Re: No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 09:21:22 PM 717 Views
This militant atheism is somewhat amusing. - 20/12/2011 09:48:57 PM 735 Views
... somewhat irrational at times too - 21/12/2011 01:22:54 AM 649 Views
Huh? - 21/12/2011 10:47:06 AM 694 Views
That's somewhat unrelated to the intended point of the post - 21/12/2011 12:41:49 PM 701 Views
My "Huh?" was at your claim that any reasonable definition Kim Jong-il was a millitant athiest - 21/12/2011 12:58:44 PM 695 Views
You're objecting to me calling the Military Dictator militant? - 21/12/2011 03:13:35 PM 733 Views
Is that the long way of saying you can't back up what you said? - 21/12/2011 04:06:06 PM 659 Views
Okay - 21/12/2011 05:03:07 PM 759 Views
Your position isn't rational nor logical - 20/12/2011 12:45:03 PM 721 Views
How about a faith atheist? - 19/12/2011 04:28:59 PM 841 Views
Nevermind. It appears you answered that in your reply to Tim. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:32:19 PM 409 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:57:23 PM 797 Views
Sounds like you must be a modern-day prophet - 19/12/2011 05:24:24 PM 641 Views
Well, it's *possible* that he is. - 19/12/2011 05:49:34 PM 741 Views
Hah, fair enough - 19/12/2011 06:47:07 PM 691 Views
Idiocy. Confirmation bias doesn't explain away external phenomena. - 20/12/2011 04:19:10 AM 771 Views
Well. - 21/12/2011 01:49:36 PM 680 Views
I didn't forget about it. I was getting ready to give up on it. - 21/12/2011 02:27:18 PM 673 Views
That doesn't really make sense. - 21/12/2011 03:04:23 PM 573 Views
No, it does make perfect sense. - 21/12/2011 06:17:02 PM 711 Views
Also, learn to use the subjunctive. It's "if I WERE a Christian..." - 19/12/2011 03:54:20 AM 761 Views
The sad thing about that comment... - 19/12/2011 04:52:57 AM 888 Views
I really am gonna miss Hitchens...a lot *NM* *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:06:50 AM 355 Views
I will miss him, too...a lot. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:17:05 AM 337 Views
so, hypothetically...if I was to send you a list of people... - 19/12/2011 04:25:47 AM 716 Views
Let's not try that. - 20/12/2011 04:21:35 AM 677 Views
I'm so ronery - 19/12/2011 06:36:38 AM 763 Views
I thought you were asking if I believed in KJ-I, the Eternal Leader - 19/12/2011 06:55:08 AM 663 Views
You know what's really weird? - 19/12/2011 11:32:23 AM 736 Views
It has been there for 6 hours at this stage. - 19/12/2011 12:34:57 PM 806 Views
don't forget Mugabe (sp) - 19/12/2011 01:06:24 PM 640 Views
Zimbabwe basically is dust by now. *NM* - 19/12/2011 02:52:51 PM 336 Views
They took it down, apparently. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:40:24 AM 318 Views
Turns out Kim Jong really was il? - 19/12/2011 12:10:15 PM 691 Views
all praise Madokami! *NM* - 19/12/2011 01:03:26 PM 405 Views
He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 04:23:48 PM 722 Views
Re: He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 09:15:09 PM 641 Views
That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:45:48 PM 780 Views
Re: That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:48:36 PM 643 Views
Re: Legend - 20/12/2011 04:54:40 PM 654 Views
I wonder if they're going to embalm him? - 20/12/2011 04:39:33 AM 589 Views
The problem with predictions that come true - 19/12/2011 05:28:24 PM 759 Views
I don't make a lot of predictions. *NM* - 19/12/2011 08:18:53 PM 454 Views
Just ones about old, sick guys dying? *NM* - 19/12/2011 09:51:12 PM 304 Views
No, sadly. - 20/12/2011 04:31:44 AM 586 Views
I can attest to the fact that this conversation took place on Facebook Saturday. - 19/12/2011 09:19:06 PM 681 Views
Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:28:17 PM 679 Views
Re: Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:31:00 PM 669 Views
Yes, TMJ, you also contributed in this case. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:38:42 AM 306 Views
I am not a dog to be petted! - 21/12/2011 02:42:55 AM 651 Views
HAHAHAHA!!!! *NM* - 21/12/2011 05:31:06 AM 392 Views
Coincidentally, I found this site today - 19/12/2011 10:57:36 PM 702 Views
Oh, I liked that site. I found it a few years ago. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:37:04 AM 306 Views
Jeez, I hope I never get on your bad side - 20/12/2011 12:06:54 AM 607 Views
Things did change for the better with Stalin's death. - 20/12/2011 02:51:12 AM 717 Views
Not for Stalin *NM* - 20/12/2011 09:49:39 PM 368 Views
eh, you can't have everything - 20/12/2011 11:08:36 PM 604 Views
Not to downplay your awesomely uncanny coincidence... - 20/12/2011 01:19:33 PM 673 Views

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