Hypothetical for theists

[bpesta22]

Posted on another board--Not sure if this is interesting enough to also post here, or if the nyquil is just kicking in.

Which do you think the typical christian would pick?

1) You die a christian; your soul goes to heaven; Only, it's the muslim version. You've been believing a lie all your life as a christian. But, Allah is a forgiving God, and welcomes you into heaven anyway, to live an eternity filled with renewable virgins and fruit.

2) You die a christian; your soul goes to heaven. It's indeed the jesus heaven-- you picked the right religion! However, Jesus tells you that you just weren't pure enough to enter heaven, so

2a) poof, you cease to exist, forever (as most heathens assume this is what happens when you croak)

2b) you spend an eternity in isolation, with no chance of ever entering heaven.

I think it might be interesting were a christian ever forced to pick one of the above (I think most would just refuse to play the game--asserting that they know they picked right, so the hypothetical is impossible...).

The rational pick is obvious, but does picking the best option suggest that the theist would believe any such thing or its opposite for the prize of eternal life (is this a fair characterization?). If so, is religious belief just a self-serving ploy to continue one's existence, or is it trully a "relationship with" whatever god it is the person thinks exists?

What if the person were instead an atheist? Does this make any difference in terms of the rationality of the decision one is faced with? In other words, does believing in x, only to find out y is true change the nature of the decision compared with believing in not x only to find out x is true?

 

[shemp]

The renewable virgins thing is actually a mistranslation of the original. It actually is "inflatable virgins." And, yes, it was previously done on The Man Show.

 

[yrreg]

Serious distinction and the world or life is a stage...

I would like to hear from serious scholars here, if there is any basis or is it just humor to the distinction between renewable virgins and inflatable virgins -- paging students of Islam and the Koran.


It has been my impression that religion is a script like the script people play in formal dining.

So different peoples, societies, cultures have different scripts of religion.

Religion is more, much more a script, than science is a paradigm.

The fallacy is that people who are into a religion sincerely or fanatically in effect do not see the script basis of religion; and they take religioun literally, the teachings and the practices imposed, so as to restrict their intelligence and their liberty to the script of the religion they believe in -- too sincerely to the extent of fanaticism.

What then? I consider myself a religious person but I am fully aware and constantly on guard against hand-me-down religions and their protagonists who are more interested in power and gain -- even though they might themselves not know about it, or they prefer to continue in the script of religious leadership precisely for the power and gain over followers.


Which choice then, the Muslim paradise or the Christian heaven, for me?

I woiuld prefer to keep it personal, because I have been willy-nilly inured to feel shame for making this or that choice on the basis of advantages which my social conditioning has accustomed me to not cater to.


Hahaha.


Yrreg

 

[Humphreys]

I think most believers would choose to cease to exist, but the atheists would take the virgins in a flash.

I've asked a similar question before, using female new-agey Goddesses instead of Allah, because Christians seem to loathe female Gods more than anything - the idea really irates them.

The Christians I've met seem to love their God so much, they'd carry on worshipping him even if they discovered he weren't real. The thought of following another God would literally crush them, which may be evidence of how brainwashed they can really be.

Of course, I'm generalizing a lot now.

 

[Shevek-72]

I think most believers would choose to cease to exist, but the atheists would take the virgins in a flash.

Can I try out the virgins but switch to 2a) later if it gets too boring or the virgins turn out to be white raisins ?

As for christians. Most of those I know (open-minded catholics and protestants, I am not and have no wish to be personally acquainted with bible bashers) believe in a fuzzy warm benevolent sky-daddy anyway so I doubt they'd be very much opposed to option 1. - The guys anyway.
I think most females would not really appreciate the virgin thing, whether male or female.

 

[Humphreys]

Can I try out the virgins but switch to 2a) later if it gets too boring

Let me get this straight.

You'd like to cease to exist forever, if your virgins, fruit, pure paradise, happiness and all-round fantastic afterlife become a bit of a chore?

Sure! Just let someone else take your place!

 

[Shevek-72]

You'd like to cease to exist forever, if your virgins, fruit, pure paradise, happiness and all-round fantastic afterlife become a bit of a chore?

No one mentioned "all-round fantastic". And if his/their version of "paradise" consists only of virgins, fruit and (I am guessing here ) the odd camel, it won't keep me happy for eternity.
It depends - Will there be new things to experience? New places to explore? Will people be writing new books? Will there be any challenges at all?
I imagine paradise could become hell after a few millenia if it's all repetition. And if it's only feasting and fcuking I doubt I could even bear it for a century.

Sure! Just let someone else take your place!

Be my guest.

BTW: The whole virginity thing is vastly overrated IMO. I've never met someone who missed it after he/she lost it. And the best sex I had was definitely not as or with a virgin.

 

[Humphreys]

No one mentioned "all-round fantastic".

I think the Quran does, doesn't it?

And if his/their version of "paradise" consists only of virgins, fruit and (I am guessing here ) the odd camel, it won't keep me happy for eternity.

Don't forget the wine!

I think the idea is you want for nothing. You'd be content with a turd on a stick if the omnipotent big man willed it.

It depends - Will there be new things to experience? New places to explore? Will people be writing new books? Will there be any challenges at all?

Well, if you cease to exist, you get none of that, plus no virgins or wine.

And if it's only feasting and fcuking I doubt I could even bear it for a century.

BTW: The whole virginity thing is vastly overrated IMO. I've never met someone who missed it after he/she lost it. And the best sex I had was definitely not as or with a virgin.

I don't think they'd be virgins for long, with nothing else to do...

 

[Shevek-72]

I think the idea is you want for nothing. You'd be content with a turd on a stick if the omnipotent big man willed it.

Ok, you conviced me. No try-outs. I'll go straight for total annihilation. Better that than being trapped in some sick bastard's thought-control machine.

But how can I know that I'm not already..... aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggghhh!

 

[Beerina]

Can I try out the virgins but switch to 2a) later if it gets too boring or the virgins turn out to be white raisins ?

Well, if eternity doesn't involve a large supply of creamy, raven-haired, "dark-eyed beauties", then an eternity involving flawless, "crystal clear" wine is definetly a decent, if distant second best.

 

[Humphreys]

Yeah, but apparently, in heaven, the wine doesn't affect your ability to think.

Doesn't sound like as much fun, to me.

 

[Soapy Sam]

What's to think about? You know all the answers anyway.

 

[Humphreys]

You get to think about how happy you are you're not an atheist right now...