Would you buy it?

[ninerbuff]

I called about ten years ago. They said they don't offer a money back guarantee.

Think if we all file complaints they'll change their policy?

Nope. I think they just have CS call us back and try to convince us that what we paid for is totally worth it.

 

[McBell]

A company is selling a box with wonderful attributes. After all, it explains why evil exists and how the world was created. Furthermore it grants you eternal life. Sometimes if you ask it for things then it will happen for you, other times it won't (the box is temperamental, or has a higher purpose that it doesn't want your wishes to inferfere with sometimes). Many people who've purchased the box have had good things happen to them and many gained a lot of self-confidence to drop drugs and other things like that. In fact, there were a few people who had their cancer go into remission inexplicably after purchasing the box! There are even reports of people hearing the magic in the box. One time, there was a cloud that looked exactly like the box -- logo and everything.

The catch is, though, that you can never look inside it while you're alive; or scan or probe it. Also the box is $1,000 USD.

Sorry, you get most of the benefits of the box after you both purchase the box and then die (don't worry, eternity and all those answers are waiting for you inside the box right?)

So, who here would buy the box? Surely $1,000 and taking some time to whisper desires and thankfulness to it as well as taking the time to indoctrinate the children towards getting their own boxes* is worth the time, right?

(* - you DO want them to live forever right?)

If not, why not?

I think it's incredibly obvious what I'm getting at here.

Edit: Also the box still works even if it's physically destroyed because you live eternally inside the spiritual box. So, nobody can point to the fact that some of the boxes will decay after a person's death and use that as evidence that the box's claims of immortality are false.

OMFG!!!!!
Your forgot to mention what colours it comes in!!

Now the box is gonna be really ****** at you!

I have a purple one.
It was bought for me by a nice fellow who says he is the son of the box.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Well, to answer the question, I have no real use of that particular box, because I heard on good authority that we all have one, sewn into the lining of our clothes, so buying it would be a waste of money.

I made my own, crafted from the discarded remnants of others' armor.

 

[Venatoris]

A company is selling a box with wonderful attributes. After all, it explains why evil exists and how the world was created. Furthermore it grants you eternal life. Sometimes if you ask it for things then it will happen for you, other times it won't (the box is temperamental, or has a higher purpose that it doesn't want your wishes to inferfere with sometimes). Many people who've purchased the box have had good things happen to them and many gained a lot of self-confidence to drop drugs and other things like that. In fact, there were a few people who had their cancer go into remission inexplicably after purchasing the box! There are even reports of people hearing the magic in the box. One time, there was a cloud that looked exactly like the box -- logo and everything.

The catch is, though, that you can never look inside it while you're alive; or scan or probe it. Also the box is $1,000 USD.

Sorry, you get most of the benefits of the box after you both purchase the box and then die (don't worry, eternity and all those answers are waiting for you inside the box right?)

So, who here would buy the box? Surely $1,000 and taking some time to whisper desires and thankfulness to it as well as taking the time to indoctrinate the children towards getting their own boxes* is worth the time, right?

(* - you DO want them to live forever right?)

If not, why not?

I think it's incredibly obvious what I'm getting at here.

Edit: Also the box still works even if it's physically destroyed because you live eternally inside the spiritual box. So, nobody can point to the fact that some of the boxes will decay after a person's death and use that as evidence that the box's claims of immortality are false.

Keep the box. I will however pay $1000 for a date with the one and only, gorgeous, Meow Mix. One night and the unlikely chance to convert you to the other team would be well worth the money.:flirt:

 

[Atomist]

Probably not... but I should start my own, competing magic box company... hmmm who wants to start a religion with me?

 

[Father Heathen]

I would rather build my own, vastly superior box.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

Is this honestly what you guys think of religion?
I can't say I'm surprised, but I have to ask; To what end?
(To the OP, I'd buy the box.)

 

[yourhopeboundheart]

i really hope this box comes with an antiquated, often contradictory instruction manual.
and i'm really looking for a box that makes me feel particularly guilty much of the time. is that do-able?

(if at all possible, i'd like for the box to send bears to maul any groups of young children who have anything insensitive to say about my haircut. but if not i can live without that feature.)

 

[Walkntune]

A company is selling a box with wonderful attributes. After all, it explains why evil exists and how the world was created. Furthermore it grants you eternal life. Sometimes if you ask it for things then it will happen for you, other times it won't (the box is temperamental, or has a higher purpose that it doesn't want your wishes to inferfere with sometimes). Many people who've purchased the box have had good things happen to them and many gained a lot of self-confidence to drop drugs and other things like that. In fact, there were a few people who had their cancer go into remission inexplicably after purchasing the box! There are even reports of people hearing the magic in the box. One time, there was a cloud that looked exactly like the box -- logo and everything.

The catch is, though, that you can never look inside it while you're alive; or scan or probe it. Also the box is $1,000 USD.

Sorry, you get most of the benefits of the box after you both purchase the box and then die (don't worry, eternity and all those answers are waiting for you inside the box right?)

So, who here would buy the box? Surely $1,000 and taking some time to whisper desires and thankfulness to it as well as taking the time to indoctrinate the children towards getting their own boxes* is worth the time, right?

(* - you DO want them to live forever right?)

If not, why not?

I think it's incredibly obvious what I'm getting at here.

Edit: Also the box still works even if it's physically destroyed because you live eternally inside the spiritual box. So, nobody can point to the fact that some of the boxes will decay after a person's death and use that as evidence that the box's claims of immortality are false.

This idea of paying for this free gift of God is nothing new.

Acts CH. 8
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

 

[yourhopeboundheart]

i think it's sortof obvious that the price in the analogy is representative not solely of a monetary sacrifice.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

At first I thought it was a rhetorical question. I was thinking it explains all of that, grants me immortality, and it will sometimes give me what I want? For only $1,000? HELL YEAH I would take that.
And then I realized it was a metaphor.

 

[Walkntune]

i think it's sortof obvious that the price in the analogy is representative not solely of a monetary sacrifice.

Well I took it as a monetary exchange for the gift of the box.If there is a another meaning I must have missed it?

 

[Valjean]

Is it an attractive box? Could I keep it on the mantelpiece? Would it clash with my decor?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Is it an attractive box? Could I keep it on the mantelpiece? Would it clash with my decor?

I am assuming one must model your decor around the box.

 

[yourhopeboundheart]

Well I took it as a monetary exchange for the gift of the box.If there is a another meaning I must have missed it?

the monetary exchange in the analogy may or may not be in reference to something that starts with g that requires a certain level of sacrifice to obtain or keep it.

 

[Thief]

We all live in boxes we have made for ourselves.
Some of us are using narrowly minded instructions.
And we don't like it when others come tapping on the lid.....
'is there anybody in there?'

Others are using various techniques with excellent results.

But ultimately we all end up in a box....built by someone else.
And it's always a good deal more than a thousand dollars price tag.

Are you going to that box forever?

Or perhaps you will shed the notion of boxes...altogether.

 

[michel]

For one, I don't want to live forever.

 

[Wotan]

Is this honestly what you guys think of religion?
I can't say I'm surprised, but I have to ask; To what end?
(To the OP, I'd buy the box.)

Yes pretty much it IS what we think supernatural religion is and what it teaches.

As to 'what end' that is what we ask of you. What is the point of being a toady to a mythological creature who promises to burn you alive forever if you don't prostrate yourself and follow his every whim?

As for buying the box I have some stock I get you for a very attractive price. Great company just starting out. Going to remake oil into a clear pollution free fuel that we can sell for $.50 a gal. And it will get 60mpg in most cars.

Great price.

Interested?

 

[Meow Mix]

So I got a lot of sarcasm and jokes but I was more interested in any theists explaining what's different between theism and the box...

I'm also confused by the people who said they would indeed purchase the box. Not to be offensive, but are people really that credulous? Or were those of you who said you'd actually purchase the box just kidding?

Everybody did get that the box is only CLAIMED to do those things right? I get the feeling some were taking it as a hypothetical in which the box really does do what it's claimed to do.

I'll be more clear just in case: you don't KNOW whether or not the box does what it claims. Will you still buy it? Why or why not? What's difference between buying the box or not and believing in gods?

As for those who made comments like "I don't want to live forever" or "Not all theists believe X," etc. -- the analogy just included as many typical attributes as possible. You still get the point of the analogy, I hope, so you can still answer the question. What's different between believing in gods and believing in the box?

 

[Meow Mix]

i think it's sortof obvious that the price in the analogy is representative not solely of a monetary sacrifice.

yourhopeboundheart is correct, for those who took the $ cost of the box literally.

It's representative of all sacrifices involved with just having faith that something is true: the time invested in it (such as reading holy texts over and over), tithing, time spent proselytizing or going to church, time spent thinking about it, time spent indoctrinating children about it, worldviews affected by it (e.g. disliking victimless crimes like homosexuality), abstaining from delicious foods like porkchops, etc. etc.