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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 1634 Views
If I was a Christian, I'd pray that he would burn forever in hell. - 19/12/2011 03:47:52 AM 1047 Views
See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 03:53:55 AM 1008 Views
I agree about atheism - 19/12/2011 04:19:02 AM 864 Views
It's an approximation. - 19/12/2011 05:40:05 PM 893 Views
no, I'm not saying that the sheer number of people alone is sufficient - 19/12/2011 10:13:09 PM 786 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:25:06 AM 866 Views
No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM 878 Views
You obviously misread my comments or ignored them. - 19/12/2011 03:39:59 PM 889 Views
You're answering a different point to the one I was addressing. - 19/12/2011 04:01:54 PM 810 Views
For atheism to be a tenable position, one must assume that millions lie about their experiences. - 20/12/2011 04:11:53 AM 888 Views
Look, doesn't this go against your most sacred principle? - 20/12/2011 06:43:27 AM 858 Views
I'm pretty sure he's not saying it's undeniable proof. - 20/12/2011 09:19:44 AM 812 Views
No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 08:30:55 PM 770 Views
Re: No, it doesn't. - 20/12/2011 09:21:22 PM 812 Views
This militant atheism is somewhat amusing. - 20/12/2011 09:48:57 PM 836 Views
... somewhat irrational at times too - 21/12/2011 01:22:54 AM 754 Views
Huh? - 21/12/2011 10:47:06 AM 790 Views
That's somewhat unrelated to the intended point of the post - 21/12/2011 12:41:49 PM 805 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 788 Views
You're objecting to me calling the Military Dictator militant? - 21/12/2011 03:13:35 PM 834 Views
Is that the long way of saying you can't back up what you said? - 21/12/2011 04:06:06 PM 765 Views
Okay - 21/12/2011 05:03:07 PM 853 Views
Your position isn't rational nor logical - 20/12/2011 12:45:03 PM 835 Views
How about a faith atheist? - 19/12/2011 04:28:59 PM 940 Views
Nevermind. It appears you answered that in your reply to Tim. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:32:19 PM 450 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. - 19/12/2011 04:57:23 PM 903 Views
Sounds like you must be a modern-day prophet - 19/12/2011 05:24:24 PM 753 Views
Well, it's *possible* that he is. - 19/12/2011 05:49:34 PM 832 Views
Hah, fair enough - 19/12/2011 06:47:07 PM 790 Views
Idiocy. Confirmation bias doesn't explain away external phenomena. - 20/12/2011 04:19:10 AM 872 Views
Well. - 21/12/2011 01:49:36 PM 821 Views
I didn't forget about it. I was getting ready to give up on it. - 21/12/2011 02:27:18 PM 744 Views
That doesn't really make sense. - 21/12/2011 03:04:23 PM 678 Views
No, it does make perfect sense. - 21/12/2011 06:17:02 PM 819 Views
Also, learn to use the subjunctive. It's "if I WERE a Christian..." - 19/12/2011 03:54:20 AM 863 Views
The sad thing about that comment... - 19/12/2011 04:52:57 AM 984 Views
I really am gonna miss Hitchens...a lot *NM* *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:06:50 AM 395 Views
I will miss him, too...a lot. *NM* - 19/12/2011 04:17:05 AM 381 Views
so, hypothetically...if I was to send you a list of people... - 19/12/2011 04:25:47 AM 823 Views
Let's not try that. - 20/12/2011 04:21:35 AM 779 Views
I'm so ronery - 19/12/2011 06:36:38 AM 870 Views
I thought you were asking if I believed in KJ-I, the Eternal Leader - 19/12/2011 06:55:08 AM 769 Views
You know what's really weird? - 19/12/2011 11:32:23 AM 831 Views
It has been there for 6 hours at this stage. - 19/12/2011 12:34:57 PM 907 Views
don't forget Mugabe (sp) - 19/12/2011 01:06:24 PM 745 Views
Zimbabwe basically is dust by now. *NM* - 19/12/2011 02:52:51 PM 375 Views
They took it down, apparently. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:40:24 AM 355 Views
Turns out Kim Jong really was il? - 19/12/2011 12:10:15 PM 789 Views
all praise Madokami! *NM* - 19/12/2011 01:03:26 PM 439 Views
He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 04:23:48 PM 814 Views
Re: He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. - 19/12/2011 09:15:09 PM 748 Views
That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:45:48 PM 881 Views
Re: That happened to me too. - 19/12/2011 09:48:36 PM 757 Views
Re: Legend - 20/12/2011 04:54:40 PM 754 Views
I wonder if they're going to embalm him? - 20/12/2011 04:39:33 AM 687 Views
The problem with predictions that come true - 19/12/2011 05:28:24 PM 853 Views
I don't make a lot of predictions. *NM* - 19/12/2011 08:18:53 PM 495 Views
Just ones about old, sick guys dying? *NM* - 19/12/2011 09:51:12 PM 345 Views
No, sadly. - 20/12/2011 04:31:44 AM 691 Views
I can attest to the fact that this conversation took place on Facebook Saturday. - 19/12/2011 09:19:06 PM 765 Views
Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:28:17 PM 769 Views
Re: Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place - 19/12/2011 09:31:00 PM 767 Views
Yes, TMJ, you also contributed in this case. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:38:42 AM 347 Views
I am not a dog to be petted! - 21/12/2011 02:42:55 AM 757 Views
HAHAHAHA!!!! *NM* - 21/12/2011 05:31:06 AM 440 Views
Coincidentally, I found this site today - 19/12/2011 10:57:36 PM 800 Views
Oh, I liked that site. I found it a few years ago. *NM* - 20/12/2011 04:37:04 AM 348 Views
Jeez, I hope I never get on your bad side - 20/12/2011 12:06:54 AM 703 Views
Things did change for the better with Stalin's death. - 20/12/2011 02:51:12 AM 803 Views
Not for Stalin *NM* - 20/12/2011 09:49:39 PM 411 Views
eh, you can't have everything - 20/12/2011 11:08:36 PM 705 Views
Not to downplay your awesomely uncanny coincidence... - 20/12/2011 01:19:33 PM 779 Views

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