Fallacious argument trotted out by religious believers, particularly in the Judeo-Christian tradition, in favour of belief in divinity. The argument goes as follows: you may either believe in God or not, and he may or may not actually exist. If you believe in him, it is irrelevant if he doesn't exist (and by extension there is no afterlife), while if he does you are offered a place in the light eternal. If you don't believe in him, then if you are right it is irrelevant to your metaphysical fate and if you are wrong you will go to Hell. Therefore you might as well believe in him ... what do you have to lose?
Leaving aside the pettiness the argument ascribes to a supposedly all-loving and all-powerful God who has supposedly gifted us with some of the finest intellects on the planet, the problem with the argument is that it ignores the fact that a life lived in the firm belief in a supernatural entity is likely to be different from one lived in the acceptance that there is no such being. Belief in God seldom comes on its own, but as part of the package offered by a formal religion. As such, it frequently involves the acceptance of taboos and fears that have nothing to do with the rational or the physical world, and that are liable to crush any hope that many people may have for happiness it what may well be the only life they will ever know. Arguably it is shameful to give over what are likely the finest minds to have evolved in billions of years of life on Earth to such malarkey. Furthermore, there is of course the small matter expounded by that great religious thinker, Homer J. Simpson, in the well-known Simpson Rebuttal.
Leaving aside the pettiness the argument ascribes to a supposedly all-loving and all-powerful God who has supposedly gifted us with some of the finest intellects on the planet, the problem with the argument is that it ignores the fact that a life lived in the firm belief in a supernatural entity is likely to be different from one lived in the acceptance that there is no such being. Belief in God seldom comes on its own, but as part of the package offered by a formal religion. As such, it frequently involves the acceptance of taboos and fears that have nothing to do with the rational or the physical world, and that are liable to crush any hope that many people may have for happiness it what may well be the only life they will ever know. Arguably it is shameful to give over what are likely the finest minds to have evolved in billions of years of life on Earth to such malarkey. Furthermore, there is of course the small matter expounded by that great religious thinker, Homer J. Simpson, in the well-known Simpson Rebuttal.
by Fearman February 23, 2008
Get the Pascal's Wager mug.1. A last minute choice from a menu when everyone else at your table has ordered and it's your turn.
2.A choice made out of desperation resulting from the inability to decide.
2.A choice made out of desperation resulting from the inability to decide.
"I can't decide just yet, I'll panic pick after everyone else orders."
indecision panic choice menu wish-washy
indecision panic choice menu wish-washy
by Bart's Mom August 6, 2009
Get the panic pick mug.Related Words
Pasic
• pasic rules
• panic! at the disco
• papichulo
• Pascal
• panic
• panic attacks
• Panican
• pascale
• panic at the disco fan
She/he is a funny person and are a really good friend but also really breve ..and can fall in love too easy
by The_name_of_the_name December 12, 2016
Get the Parichat mug.When you see your crush breathing and your dick starts having a seizure and you start to panic.
- Stanley Marsh 2018
- Stanley Marsh 2018
by owo whats this? August 5, 2018
Get the Panic! At The Dick mug.When you unreasonably panic in a social situation (i.e. the squad wants to leave the bar, your crush walks in) and chug your drink.
by Kat DeJuneau November 24, 2018
Get the panic chug mug.Panickedcosplays, otherwise known as Eddie, is an actor and cosplayer who has gained over a half of a million followers on TikTok. They are known for their energetic expressions and mannerisms.
by Arthur McCarkle July 7, 2021
Get the panickedcosplays mug.