Boat analogy (in my eyes)

Posted by Matches on May 01, 1999 at 13:46:15:

In Reply to: Re: When you die ... posted by Tal on May 01, 1999 at 05:11:01:

> Well let's consider all possibilities. The atheist says "there's no boat because I can't see one." So he drowns. The believer thinks "I don't really have to worry about anything. God will come and save me." He does nothing and probably drowns too, though if he's a smart believer he may at least make some effort to seek out God (which will probably raise his chance of survival a notch or two). The agnostic thinks "well I don't see a ship, but let me keep my eyes and ears open and see what happens, maybe a ship will come along". Well to be honest, it's a big ocean, so he'll probably drown too, eh. But nonetheless he has the best chance of the three to be found, because the atheist has condemned himself to die and the believer is so sure he'll be saved that he refuses to accept any other possibility (even if it just happens to be the truth).

To kind of create the illusion that we are on track, I'll post my type at the end of this... the gain a perespective of what some types may beleive..

Atheist: His friend claims to see a boat. The atheist can not see it, so he does not swim for it.. His friend goes off. The atheist is floating around, and he's a bit upset about it all. In fact, he's getting to the point where unless a ship were to RIGHT up to him so he could touch its hull, he wouldn't beleive it was there. So he ends up drowning.

Beleiver 1 (fatalist): Beleiver 1's friend claims to see a boat in the distance. Beleiver says, "You know what I think I see it too." They'll come rescue us, I'm sure of it. Unfortunately no one on the ship sees them, and the ship just goes by. Believer 1 becomes either A.) Upset at the ship for not coming to get them. He ends up drowning. or B.) He says, "Don't worry they'll come back for us." Of course the ship has places to go, and doesn't come back.

Beleiver 2: Beleiver 2's friend has spotted a ship, and the beleiver can kind of make it out as well. He decided to swin towards the ship. Either A.) There is a ship there, and he is saved, or B.) There is no ship there. They drown.

Agnostic: The agnostic's friend claims to see a ship, but the agnostic says, "There may be a ship, there may not. I don't see a ship, but let me keep my eyes and ears open and see what happens, maybe a ship will come along." The Agnostic is not willing to put in the effort to swim toward what might be his only hope for survival. The guy drowns.

The point is, you've got to make the effort. I'm firmly beleive that there are hints of the existence of "This Thing We Call God." Why not go for it?

4w5,

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Matches
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Follow Ups:

• In the abstract Tal 20:33:51 5/01/99 (6)
  • Re: In the abstract Snake 01:28:56 5/03/99 (0)
  • Re: In the abstract Matches 00:23:56 5/02/99 (4)
    • Re: In the abstract Tal 19:02:33 5/02/99 (0)
    • Re: In the abstract Peter 04:52:18 5/02/99 (2)
      • Really? Matches 14:55:20 5/02/99 (1)
        • Yes Peter 06:45:18 5/03/99 (0)

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