Pascal's Wager and Free Bets

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David, I realize how unlikely you find christianity or the other major religions, a probability compared to 100% that isn't that much bigger than that for scientology in absolute terms. But copared to each other, christianity to scientology, christianity is at least several orders of magnitude a larger probability. We at least have some, if not to non-believers' minds, sufficient, evidence. Where is the least evidence for the the souls of those killed by Xenu the evil galactic ruler millions of years ago inhabiting us?

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BlufTHIS,

Excuse me for butting in to a question obviously addressed to DS. I just can't help myself and it is a public forum, and an interesting one at that. Specifically with regards to soul, I guess there is no more evidence for the scientologists or for the catholics. What seems more important is which of the two creed is more dangerous or noxious. There I would have side without hesitation: the scientolgists are more dangerous. But on reflection, I am not sure... if we were to count the deaths/murders in the name of each creed... ?

Lets say, that, imho, as things stand todays except for the size of the following, the scientologist are more pernicious. Especially given their secrecy. At least I can read as much as I want about the catholic creed without parting with my hard, or soft, earned cash.

See, I am not just here to run them catholics or christaians or theists down. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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But on reflection, I am not sure... if we were to count the deaths/murders in the name of each creed... ?

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Obviously Catholics take the cake on that one.

But I think the truly nasty side of this cult is the number of HIV infections they cause each year. As well as increasing overpopulation and famines in various parts of the world.

[RJT]

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But on reflection, I am not sure... if we were to count the deaths/murders in the name of each creed... ?

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Obviously Catholics take the cake on that one.


But I think the truly nasty side of this cult is the number of HIV infections they cause each year. As well as increasing overpopulation and famines in various parts of the world.

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The poster formerly known as the Little Prince,

I do not catch your HIV connect? Please explain. Also, I assume the overpopulation thing alludes to birth control. I must ask for further explanation here too; as it is my understanding that hunger is not attributed to over-population, but more to food distribution. I am quite certain that there is enough food in the world to feed all at this time. I could be wrong though as my information is a few years old.

RJT

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I am not in the least thin skinned and am never upset when someone derides my views. Nor even when they deride God, though that does make me sad for them because I know they're spending the rest of eternity in a place of torture and anguish. I believe that this is just. This does not make me a rather sick individual.

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FYP

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We at least have some, if not to non-believers' minds, sufficient, evidence. Where is the least evidence for the the souls of those killed by Xenu the evil galactic ruler millions of years ago inhabiting us?


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You answered your own question right here. To Scientologists, Scientolgists have reasonable evidence and Christians have no evidence.

In fact, this is an excellent comparison. Can you give us any facts that make Christianity more likely to be true than Scientology?

Only atheists are in the priviledged open-minded position that lets them see the entire comedy unfold.

[BluffTHIS!]

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To Scientologists, Scientolgists have reasonable evidence and Christians have no evidence.

In fact, this is an excellent comparison. Can you give us any facts that make Christianity more likely to be true than Scientology?

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Show me any evidence for Xenu and the alleged goings on 70 million years ago.

[DougShrapnel]

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To Scientologists, Scientolgists have reasonable evidence and Christians have no evidence.

In fact, this is an excellent comparison. Can you give us any facts that make Christianity more likely to be true than Scientology?

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Show me any evidence for Xenu and the alleged goings on 70 million years ago.

[/ QUOTE ]Are you joking? Your existance is enough proof that L Ron Hubbard is correct. Your thetens are making you not believe the truth. Let them run your life if you wish, I will laugh at you from the clear state. You suffer from a egocentric worldview.

[tomdemaine]

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To Scientologists, Scientolgists have reasonable evidence and Christians have no evidence.

In fact, this is an excellent comparison. Can you give us any facts that make Christianity more likely to be true than Scientology?

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Show me any evidence for Xenu and the alleged goings on 70 million years ago.

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now show me proof that god created the earth 5000 years ago and gave his son Jesus for our sins. Every religion has their magic book that proves them right and everyone else wrong.

[PokerAmateur4]

I have just learned about Pascal's Wager. Upon reading the summary of it on Wikipedia it struck me as a very powerful argument. Reading on to the criticisms of it I was soon made aware of the assumptions which you must make in order for it to make sense. I don't think it's a very strong argument at all now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascals...scal.27s_wager

[BluffTHIS!]

I said in the preamble to my OP here that I wouldn't rehash the wager since we have already discussed it plenty in other threads, and stated that there are valid, but not to the point of being invalidating, criticisms of the manner in which it is formulated.