Do Mormon's gamble?

[_Drifting]

To gamble or wager, is to stake something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome.

Hmmm...

Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being.[citation needed] Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition, "things will turn out well in the end," can be enjoyed in the present and secured in the future. This faith appeals to transcendent reality, or that reality which is beyond the range of normal physical experience (e.g. the future).

Looking at these two defintions I think it is fair to say that Faith and Gambling are siblings. Both have an element of chance, both require an upfront stake, decisions made are ultimately based on gut feelings.


Faith is just another word for gambling.

"I have faith that the Church is true"
"I am gambling that the Church is true"


I think I have just gained a better understanding of faith.

[_subgenius]

To gamble or wager, is to stake something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome.

Hmmm...

Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being.[citation needed] Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition, "things will turn out well in the end," can be enjoyed in the present and secured in the future. This faith appeals to transcendent reality, or that reality which is beyond the range of normal physical experience (e.g. the future).

Looking at these two defintions I think it is fair to say that Faith and Gambling are siblings. Both have an element of chance, both require an upfront stake, decisions made are ultimately based on gut feelings.


Faith is just another word for gambling.

"I have faith that the Church is true"
"I am gambling that the Church is true"


I think I have just gained a better understanding of faith.

your argument is flawed and the assumptions are absurd.
Gamble clearly involves "chance" in every standard definition. which involves the notion that events are not predicted, controlled, or understandable.
Faith is not the same as Luck or Fortune.
Furthermore, the claim that decisions are "ultimately" based on "gut feelings" is ridiculous and unsupported.

This thread is dead outta the box

[_Drifting]

your argument is flawed and the assumptions are absurd.
Gamble clearly involves "chance" in every standard definition. which involves the notion that events are not predicted, controlled, or understandable.
Faith is not the same as Luck or Fortune.
Furthermore, the claim that decisions are "ultimately" based on "gut feelings" is ridiculous and unsupported.

This thread is dead outta the box

I wasn't making an argument, I was asking a question "Do Mormons gamble?"
(the clue is the question mark)

1. You stake 10% on the chance that you are right.
2. You do so based primarily on gut feelings.
3. You have agency and so events in your life are not predicted and controlled (which would be Satan's plan).

Which of these statements are incorrect and why?

[_Buffalo]

your argument is flawed and the assumptions are absurd.
Gamble clearly involves "chance" in every standard definition. which involves the notion that events are not predicted, controlled, or understandable.
Faith is not the same as Luck or Fortune.
Furthermore, the claim that decisions are "ultimately" based on "gut feelings" is ridiculous and unsupported.

This thread is dead outta the box

That's true - at least with gambling, you have a chance of winning something real.

[_subgenius]

I wasn't making an argument, I was asking a question "Do Mormons gamble?"
(the clue is the question mark)

sorry, then my answer is no. and since there is no argument being proposed, no justification would be required.....correct?

1. You stake 10% on the chance that you are right.

not stake and not by chance. I offer 10% by faith.

2. You do so based primarily on gut feelings.

nope, by spiritual discernment and by physical rationale.

3. You have agency and so events in your life are not predicted and controlled (which would be Satan's plan).

agreed, but the events are understandable - which means that consequences can be predicted and controlled. To manipulate a coin to fall on heads is cheating and without chance, but not flip the coin at all is agency.

Which of these statements are incorrect and why?

the statements are flawed, as shown, and the attempted conclusion is more so.
Your attempt at reduction-ism and generalization in order to diminish the LDS faith has missed its mark.

[_Drifting]

So, you are offering 10% of your income on the basis that the return will be what your spiritual discernment tells you it will be.

Am I right in thinking that spiritual discernment is based on your ability to understand properly the promptings of the Holy Ghost?

And if so, do you think there's a chance that you might sometimes misunderstand?

Actually, when you really think about it.
You are gambling your 10% and your life, on your ability to interpret things correctly - feelings, promptings, scriptures, talks, broadcasts etc.

[_Buffalo]

I wasn't making an argument, I was asking a question "Do Mormons gamble?"
(the clue is the question mark)

sorry, then my answer is no. and since there is no argument being proposed, no justification would be required.....correct?

1. You stake 10% on the chance that you are right.

not stake and not by chance. I offer 10% by faith.

2. You do so based primarily on gut feelings.

nope, by spiritual discernment and by physical rationale.

3. You have agency and so events in your life are not predicted and controlled (which would be Satan's plan).

agreed, but the events are understandable - which means that consequences can be predicted and controlled. To manipulate a coin to fall on heads is cheating and without chance, but not flip the coin at all is agency.

Which of these statements are incorrect and why?

the statements are flawed, as shown, and the attempted conclusion is more so.
Your attempt at reduction-ism and generalization in order to diminish the LDS faith has missed its mark.

Restating exactly what Drifting said using synonymous terminology isn't much of a refutation.

[_subgenius]

So, you are offering 10% of your income on the basis that the return will be what your spiritual discernment tells you it will be.

nope. your posts seem to have a bad habit of applying the "in other words" philosophy to clear statements. i said i "offer" ,and i never said what the basis was or that there was a basis. Your assumptions, once again, reveal the truth of your motivations and the flaws of your position.

Am I right in thinking that spiritual discernment is based on your ability to understand properly the promptings of the Holy Ghost?

can one understand improperly? or is that not just simply misunderstanding? Your feverish quest for a loophole is interesting but i think "spiritual discernment" is a pretty clear term and needs no dissecting. I am not interested in posting a primer on religion 101 in light of the OP ( i assume the fundamentals of faith and religion are present with most who post here).

And if so, do you think there's a chance that you might sometimes misunderstand?

a chance? you mean like a gamble?...seriously?
let us simply consider that i can be mistaken, and yes, i can agree with the statement that i can be mistaken.

Actually, when you really think about it.
You are gambling your 10% and your life, on your ability to interpret things correctly - feelings, promptings, scriptures, talks, broadcasts etc.

again, no "gamble" has been established.
The assumption that things must be "interpreted" implies that things are not what they appear to be, another point you have yet to prove.
I do not gamble with 10% or with my life, because i have faith and where my faith is absent there is knowledge of the truth.

[_bcspace]

I enjoy playing hearts and other card games. If a restaurant gives out tokens for the slot machines, I play them. But I never gamble.

[_Drifting]

yes, i can agree with the statement that i can be mistaken

You can dance around as much as you like using fancy alternative terminology but if your choices have more than one potential outcome then you are taking a chance. You could be right, you could be wrong. Yes, you're gambling.

You are gambling that the Mormon religion is right and that it is the pony in the race that has the best chance of getting you back to live with Heavenly Father.

You also take a gamble when you offer your 10%, that it will be spent how you think it will be spent.