Would the World be Better off Without Religion?

I've had hit-and-miss stuff since I started. Still don't fool myself into thinking that my last miss has any influence on my next odds.

God must think so. But seriously, the lottery is just a tax on the poor.

You bought the biggest lottery ticket of them all. You've gambled your whole existence on the chance that the invisible friend in the sky might be real and give you the jackpot of eternal existence in heaven. Me, I just drop ten bucks now and again, not really expecting much more than an occasional 5-dollar reduction in outlay. I'm fully aware that I'm just paying for entertainment.

I heard it was a tax on the stupid, but £2 is a small price to pay for a dream. I only do it now and again.

I myself always failed to apply Pascal's wager...

Seemed the cowardly option to me.

Being stupid time to time feels reliefing specially if it just costs 2 pounds, normally stupiditty is so much more expensive...

We're all still paying for Dubya's.

When I decided to 'gamble' on my invisible friend it wasn't for the eternal life thing. I just wanted to know WTF 'all this' is for. I was about 7 at the time and asked for that. Long story followed, won't bore you.

When I first opened a bible around age 21 (just out of curiosity, family was not religious) one of the first things I read was where it said 'Seek God first and everything else will be given to you.' I talked with my friend and said OK, that's what I want to do anyway, I'm kind of lazy and virtually incapable of doing anything I'm not interested in, so if I don't need to worry about my needs, I'll be free to seek answers about what God was all about.

I came from a poor family, went to a shitty trade school (radio/TV repairman), flunked out of college, got drafted but I never looked for a job, they always found me. In spite of having no degree or ambition I wound up in an engineering position (fun!), retired at 45, played with toys I built, met interesting people that wanted copies of them and became CEO of a company that built them (cause it was fun) and got more money than I can use in several lifetimes. And all that time I was most focused on 'finding the answer to life universe and everything'.

And yes, my invisible friend answered my first question to my full satisfaction. It was a good gamble, even if the eternal life thing wasn't in the cards.

Wooow !!!

I get a huge laugh out of the people who get a huge laugh out of the people who guess there is a god.

Most of the people who get a huge laugh out of the people who guess there is a god...are guessing there are no gods.

One thing about the people who guess there is a god...they at least announce that "there is a god"is their guess...although they do call it a "belief."

Most of the people who guess there are no gods...pretend they do not guess that there are no gods...apparently so that they can feel superior to the people who guess there is at least one.

So, that's your example of "what passes for truth"?

No.
You asked what makes me chuckle.

I get a huge laugh at the people who like to fool themselves that they're reasonable, and not proselytising fanatics.

Ahhh...good for you.

I get a huge laugh out of you, Izzy.

So much that you need a big picture to show how big a laugh it is.

I asked you what passes for truth that makes you chuckle.

Nope.

Just to show I love ya, Izzy.

I use much smaller pictures for people I don't.

You mean it's not self evident?

Good for you. As long as you're not practicing your beliefs by preaching anti-vax crap, or denying children modern health care or education, or discriminating against people who aren't like you, or trying to force schools to teach the bible as if it were a history book, or knocking on my door on weekend mornings, then knock yourself out. Keep your childhood invisible friend in the sky as long as you need. No skin off my teeth. But as long as you post bad ideas online, expect to be challenged on them.