How are atheists supposed to give a mature answer to a theist whose question just assumes that God exists? It's like someone asking you "How many elves do you think Santa Claus has doing slave labour all year round? Mature answers only please".
2007-08-05 02:19:39 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I've noticed that someone actually HAS asked the question about the enslaved elves, but I don't have any more answers left, someone tell the the person who asked it, "That's the way to do it mate!" from me please?
2007-08-05 02:28:45 · update #1
It was me who asked the Santa question... thanks for the acknowledgement and thanks for coming up with the question in the first place...
2007-08-05 02:30:44 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I really hate when anyone on any section tells people how they should or should not answer.
Such as "Atheists- what if you are wrong. Don't say this is just Pascal's wager."
If someone asks a quesiton that has been asked a thousand times, they why don't they expect answers which have been given a thousand times?
2007-08-05 09:46:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Would a logical debate qualify as mature? .
You live as though God exists and believe in God:
- If God exists, you go to heaven: your gain is infinite.
- If God does not exist, you gain nothing & lose nothing.
You live as though God does not exist and/or do not believe in God:
- If God exists, you go to hell: your loss is infinite.
- If God does not exist, you gain nothing & lose nothing.
It's Pascal's Wager, formulated by Blaise Pascal and circulated after his death in his Pensees. It's one of the foundations of game theory, and was postulated WAY back in the day where people had to justify their opinions logically and rationally, and not just toss out opinions like garbage.
There's a contrary position called the Atheist's Wager, but that rests on living a benevolent life so that God might forgive you for not believing in Him if He does, in fact, exist. The risk there, of course, is that the atheist hopes for a posthumously forgiving God who values the method of ones living higher than the manner of one's belief.
2007-08-06 20:56:41 · answer #3 · answered by equesniger 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"How many elves do you think Santa Claus has doing slave labour (sic) all year round? Mature answers only please".
None.
2007-08-05 09:25:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Alternatives:
Try asking your question somewhere you'll get answers you like better, maybe?
Block Christians, maybe, if you do it on RS?
The problem is you're doing a lot of silly, petty sniping and asking for someone to take you seriously.
2007-08-05 09:24:42 · answer #5 · answered by Jack P 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yeah i think its 57 elves, but they get time off after christmas.
2007-08-06 20:47:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
see what you're doing now? with the santa claus allegory. instead of being intolerant toward the beliefs of others, why not use phrases like "while i do not share your opinion" and then answer the question.
that's just my take on it.
2007-08-05 09:26:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
They should try asking mature questions, if they want mature answers.
2007-08-05 09:25:35 · answer #8 · answered by gelfling 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, they could, you know, just ignore the question and keep going, like I do when I find a question of that nature.
But that just makes too much sense, I guess.
2007-08-05 09:25:09 · answer #9 · answered by rabid_scientist 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Isnt that a bit hypocritical on alot of peoples part then if they hold that stance and then try to ask questions about the bible to believers here.
2007-08-05 09:25:05 · answer #10 · answered by disciple 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Answer:
They can not.
Here is the example I find again and again:
Atheist: "I get called an atheist by theists. This is because I have no belief in any of their Gods".
Religionist: "Why do you hate (my) God?"
The End.
2007-08-05 09:28:56 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋