Atheists/Agnostics - any chance you'd believe under duress?

[mjkidd]

Sure, why not. I'd have nothing to lose, and my plan would be to try and trick God into believing that I've repented so I can eek my way into heaven at the last minute.

[kerowo]

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If someone's belief system is thought to be so rigid it can never change then why do we even bother to discuss it on this board or anywhere else? Being able to change your mind isn't a sign of weakness or hypocracy, being unable to change your mind is a far worse thing.

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Changing your mind because you are scared you equate with changing your mind because of sound argument. hmmmmm?
BOO !

luckyme

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Why does the reason matter? If someone is in a jam and finds god and it calms them, big deal. If they then change their mind back when not in danger I could see making a big deal out of it, but otherwise? Meh.

[bocablkr]

Not for me - I was once on what I thought was my death bed and never once thought about God.....

[chezlaw]

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Sure, why not. I'd have nothing to lose, and my plan would be to try and trick God into believing that I've repented so I can eek my way into heaven at the last minute.

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Sounds like a very bad plan. Believing won't change whether god exists or not and if he does then honesty is more likely to be +ev than attempting a trick.

chez

[revots33]

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If someone is in a jam and finds god and it calms them, big deal. If they then change their mind back when not in danger I could see making a big deal out of it, but otherwise? Meh.

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I think, in the "buried alive" scenario I described, that if the athiest-turned-believer was somehow rescued, he almost certainly WOULD stop believing again pretty quickly. His belief is based on fear and the hopelessness of his situation, once that's gone the need to believe is gone also.

[revots33]

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Not for me - I was once on what I thought was my death bed and never once thought about God.....

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So out of curiosity (this goes to luckyme also), there was no fear of death or sense of hopelessness on your part?

[Duke]

Yes, there are some people who will do whatever it takes to make themselves feel good in times of fear. Yes, there are other people who realize that really wanting something to be true doesn't make it so.

[bocablkr]

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Not for me - I was once on what I thought was my death bed and never once thought about God.....

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So out of curiosity (this goes to luckyme also), there was no fear of death or sense of hopelessness on your part?

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I actually fear death more now than at that moment. You are slipping in and out of consciousness so you aren't really lucid. However, fearing death doesn't mean I would suddenly start believing in someone I find impossible to exist. I wouldn't start believing in Santa Clause either.

[PairTheBoard]

This reminds me of the lines spoken by Al Pacino in the movie, "The Devil's Advocate".
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Pressure.

It changes everything. Pressure.

Some people, you squeeze them,
they focus.

Others fold.
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So the Foxhole question is,

"Is God the Focus or the Fold?"

Sort of depends on your point of view.

PairTheBoard

[vhawk01]

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Yes, there are some people who will do whatever it takes to make themselves feel good in times of fear. Yes, there are other people who realize that really wanting something to be true doesn't make it so.

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I'm both of these and they cancel each other out. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]