Could you handle the truth?

[Claireliontamer]

If one religion were true which would you like it to be?

Buddhism.  I like the idea of karma!

[Crow]

Yes or no? I wouldn't bother as that is pretty much pointless bit of knowledge that won't change anything.

[Tank]

Yes or no? I wouldn't bother as that is pretty much pointless bit of knowledge that won't change anything.

Christian presses button, gets 'No'.
Muslim presses button, gets 'No'.
Jew presses button, gets 'Yes'.

And you recon that wouldn't change anything.

[Crow]

Yes or no? I wouldn't bother as that is pretty much pointless bit of knowledge that won't change anything.

Christian presses button, gets 'No'.
Muslim presses button, gets 'No'.
Jew presses button, gets 'Yes'.

And you recon that wouldn't change anything.

Nope. Most people would just ignore it, specifically the ones that cause all the problems in the first place calling it the works of evil and propaganda of the Jews. The one that it does affect would be your person who isn't overly religious anyway and replacing religion X with religion Y will be as deep as putting on a new pair of shoes. I take the Buddhist stance on the importance of gods, i.e. they aren't and if they exist or not it bares no basis to our everyday life nor can knowledge be gained from a belief in them.

[Firebird]

But the point of the exercise appears to be whether someone would press the button presuming they believe the results. I think we're getting too deep in the weeds when we start pondering who would believe in the button.
And yes, I'd push it.

[Asmodean]

Asmoism. Which is true and good and right and proper, by the way. 

...Oh. And apparently, His quote disappeared.  He blames them sneaky Luxemburgers.

[Sandra Craft]

Wait, are we talking about pushing a button that would tell you if god exists, or tell you whether the religion you follow is true?   

Yes, there is a god.
No, there is no god.
OR
Yes, there is a god, and the religion you follow is true.
Yes, there is a god, but the religion you follow interprets God all wrong.
No, there is no god, so the religion you follow is not true.

The article isn't all that clear.  I think that non-believers get a yes/no god answer, while believers get only if their religion is the right one (the assumption seems to be that if it isn't, that would be the same as no god to them).  I really don't think Kirby thought the question thru as deeply as everyone else is.

Let's assume for our purposes that everyone gets told whether or not any god/s exist and, if it does, what its nature is and which religion came closest to guessing right.

[Sandra Craft]

If one religion were true which would you like it to be?

I'll go with Pantheism or, if that's more a philosophy than a religion, then I'll go with Wicca.  My dancing in the moonlight days may be over, but I wouldn't mind having 8 holidays a year.

[Sandra Craft]

Here's another side question: if there is a god, yes or no to worship?  And what would your decision depend on, or would there be any deciding at all -- would it be an automatic yes or no?

I got to thinking of the conditions to worship, and it occurred to me that there must be more options than just yes/no worship.  One can admire, love and/or revere without worshipping, after all.  I'm not sure I'd be any more capable of worship than I am of faith -- that seems to me to require way more unquestioning emotional commitment than I can muster, even if the god were precisely what I would want if I had to accept a god at all.  I don't necessarily hold worship in contempt, I just don't think my mind is wired for it.

[jumbojak]

Push the button. If theism turns out to be true, convert to a religion - doesn't really matter which one - and push the button again. If the religion you chose turns out to be false convert to another and push the button again. Continue until you receive two affirmative answers. Or, until supper is ready and you give up and decide to go home.

[Pasta Chick]

Here's another side question: if there is a god, yes or no to worship?  And what would your decision depend on, or would there be any deciding at all -- would it be an automatic yes or no?

I got to thinking of the conditions to worship, and it occurred to me that there must be more options than just yes/no worship.  One can admire, love and/or revere without worshipping, after all.  I'm not sure I'd be any more capable of worship than I am of faith -- that seems to me to require way more unquestioning emotional commitment than I can muster, even if the god were precisely what I would want if I had to accept a god at all.  I don't necessarily hold worship in contempt, I just don't think my mind is wired for it.

Assuming for the sake of the exercise that the button is accurate in its information, if the button stated that a religion demanding worship was truth, I would worship. If that religion is true, there must be a reason for it.

Unless "worship" involves ritual slaughter or something, then things get morally dicey.

[Crow]

Here's another side question: if there is a god, yes or no to worship?  And what would your decision depend on, or would there be any deciding at all -- would it be an automatic yes or no?

Why would anyone in their right mind worship something? A god is not worthy of worship for just existing in the same manner a parent shouldn't be worshipped by their children for engaging and going through a series of basic biological actions, nor would they be worthy of it if they asked or demanded it. Then secondly if a religion is flagged up as being correct that really doesn't actually say much at all seeing as they are all full to the brim of shit, opposing ideologies, ways to worship and conflicting writing's.

[Sandra Craft]

Unless "worship" involves ritual slaughter or something, then things get morally dicey.

Well, that's the big question.  Does worship only involve adoring something but going your own way if conscience dictates, or does it require both adoration and yielding to the will of the adored entity?

[Ecurb Noselrub]

I suggest a second button to serve beer so you will be able to handle the truth of the first button.  I would press both at least twice - to get more beer and to make sure the truth button is consistent.

[Magdalena]

I say we make it mandatory.
Every single person has to push the button. Some will still do this, even after pushing the button:

I can see a bumper sticker with those words.