Atheists, what would you do if...

What would you do if?

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Braveheart
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Atheists, what would you do if...

Post #1

Post by Braveheart »

So you're talking to this total rude***, who hates you, (the feeling being mutual) and all of a sudden some random dude pulls out two guns and points one at each of you. He then asks you (the Atheist) who's gonna' walk out alive of this situation. He says if you say "shoot" the previously mentioned jerk gets his pretty head blown off. But if you say "bang" your guts splatter on the wall. Would you say "shoot" or "bang?" Why?

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Adurumus
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Post #11

Post by Adurumus »

Christians are "required" to do a lot of things. Luckily, you get to pick and choose which to follow. Enjoying that not 100% single material cloth, which was likely supplied by a farm that grew mixed crops?
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Post #12

Post by postroad »

Braveheart wrote:
Autodidact wrote:Why is this question addressed to atheists?
To answer your question, I already know what a Christian is required to say. "Bang." However, I figured if I were an Atheist, I'd want to live as long as possible. Survival of the fittest baby! :2gun: To answer at the same time Admurus, I would say "bang." I just went to confession today, I'm pretty clean, and the sooner I'm gone the better. This form of martyrdom, is looked upon as good in the eyes of the Church. Bonus points an' all that. Hopefully then you go to heaven. Or, God doesn't exist and you feel like an idiot. Oh wait, no you don't, you don't feel anything.
Or you find out that Jesus was a false prophet sent by the Jewish God to bring Gentiles into a state of blasphemy so that He in righteousness gets to roast your buttocks in hell for all eternity as a bonus feature for the glorification of His Self and the amusement of his faithful Law abiding followers?

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Post #13

Post by Braveheart »

postroad wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
Autodidact wrote:Why is this question addressed to atheists?
To answer your question, I already know what a Christian is required to say. "Bang." However, I figured if I were an Atheist, I'd want to live as long as possible. Survival of the fittest baby! :2gun: To answer at the same time Admurus, I would say "bang." I just went to confession today, I'm pretty clean, and the sooner I'm gone the better. This form of martyrdom, is looked upon as good in the eyes of the Church. Bonus points an' all that. Hopefully then you go to heaven. Or, God doesn't exist and you feel like an idiot. Oh wait, no you don't, you don't feel anything.
Or you find out that Jesus was a false prophet sent by the Jewish God to bring Gentiles into a state of blasphemy so that He in righteousness gets to roast your buttocks in hell for all eternity as a bonus feature for the glorification of His Self and the amusement of his faithful Law abiding followers?
OK... I don't Know why He'd do that... I sure as hell hope that ain't the case.

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Post #14

Post by Adurumus »

Hopefully then you go to heaven. Or, God doesn't exist and you feel like an idiot. Oh wait, no you don't, you don't feel anything.
On looking at this, did you just ask pascal's wager? Is that the point to the thread? I'm having difficulty pinpointed exactly what you're getting at here. I'm sure that the situation would impose more pressure than a simple shoot/bang reaction. Most people, I think, would go for lionel or postroad's approach; rush the guy.
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Post #15

Post by postroad »

Braveheart wrote:
postroad wrote:
Braveheart wrote:
Autodidact wrote:Why is this question addressed to atheists?
To answer your question, I already know what a Christian is required to say. "Bang." However, I figured if I were an Atheist, I'd want to live as long as possible. Survival of the fittest baby! :2gun: To answer at the same time Admurus, I would say "bang." I just went to confession today, I'm pretty clean, and the sooner I'm gone the better. This form of martyrdom, is looked upon as good in the eyes of the Church. Bonus points an' all that. Hopefully then you go to heaven. Or, God doesn't exist and you feel like an idiot. Oh wait, no you don't, you don't feel anything.
Or you find out that Jesus was a false prophet sent by the Jewish God to bring Gentiles into a state of blasphemy so that He in righteousness gets to roast your buttocks in hell for all eternity as a bonus feature for the glorification of His Self and the amusement of his faithful Law abiding followers?
OK... I don't Know why He'd do that... I sure as hell hope that ain't the case.
Why wouldn't he? He warned the Jews he would send a false prophet to test them regarding the Law.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5

New International Version (NIV)



Deuteronomy 13

Worshiping Other Gods
1 [a]If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods� (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,� 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
And the concept of the Trinity certainly qualifies as "(gods you have not known)"
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Re: Atheists, what would you do if...

Post #16

Post by McCulloch »

Braveheart wrote: So you're talking to this total rude***, who hates you, (the feeling being mutual) and all of a sudden some random dude pulls out two guns and points one at each of you. He then asks you (the Atheist) who's gonna' walk out alive of this situation. He says if you say "shoot" the previously mentioned jerk gets his pretty head blown off. But if you say "bang" your guts splatter on the wall. Would you say "shoot" or "bang?" Why?
Neither. If the random dude is going to shoot someone, it is his decision and his blame. I would not participate in the charade of him assigning even partial responsibility for his crime on me. Shoot or don't shoot, your decision, not mine.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Re: Atheists, what would you do if...

Post #17

Post by Adamoriens »

Duplicate.
Last edited by Adamoriens on Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Atheists, what would you do if...

Post #18

Post by Adamoriens »

Braveheart wrote:So you're talking to this total rude***, who hates you, (the feeling being mutual) and all of a sudden some random dude pulls out two guns and points one at each of you. He then asks you (the Atheist) who's gonna' walk out alive of this ituation. He says if you say "shoot" the previously mentioned jerk gets his pretty head blown off. But if you say "bang" your guts splatter on the wall. Would you say "shoot" or "bang?" Why?
Is there a morally correct answer within the OP's bounds? Do we have a duty to sacrifice ourselves? It seems to me that both of us have moral obligations we can only fulfil by remaining alive, and yet we would violate our duty to avoid abetting unnecessary death and suffering were we to allow the other to die.

The best outcome seems to be one in which both of us remain silent or simultaneously attempt to disarm the shooter. This sounds a lot like the "altruism" which arises in game theory's prisoner's dilemma.

I'm not sure what I would actually do in that situation.

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Post #19

Post by Slopeshoulder »

i'm christian and I'd say shoot.
god wants me around doin' what I do.

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Post #20

Post by Braveheart »

Slopeshoulder wrote:i'm christian and I'd say shoot.
god wants me around doin' what I do.
I find it increasingly strange the Atheists on this forum display better moral character than yourself...

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