How strong is your faith

[jake-the-peg]

You are in an airliner and the captain and co-pilot have collapsed.

Amoung the passengers are a retired pilot (atheist) who has not flown a jet but and is a bit out of practice and a priest / rabbi / imam (whatever ) who is convinced with Gods aid he can land it although he has never flown anything other than a PC "flight simulator".

You have to choose - who do pick to land the plane?

[Octavius]

But jake, the Archbishop may feel he is being lead by faith and godliness in that God�s purpose for him would be choose the pilot and save many lives. If this one person (the Bish) on the entire plane has the sole decision to choose, then this would be the least selfish and most virtuous choice.

For a moment there Dave I thought you were comparing China to an old joke!

[China Doll]

A devoted christian prays everyday to God to win the lottery and every week he finds that he hasn't won.

Desperate one day he cries out 'why don't you let me win? I do work for charity, i support my mother in a home, my family are poor because I can no longer work and we always keep all the holidays special and live our life to your commandments'

To which God replies, 'Meet me half way and buy an effing ticket!'

[China Doll]

Watch it chuckles...

[Davethedog]

I hope to forever a a Gentleman \o/

[123everton]

I'd let the retired pilot fly the plane, and pray we all get out alive.
I dare say many (if not all) of the atheists would be saying a prayer too.
In the end you always find your way to God, when faced with that last breath you're never alone, you'll seek consolation and hope for absolution.
The earthquake analogy, you could look at the dodgy builders, Martin Luther King once said "the taller man builds his buildings the farther he moves away from God, how can man conquer outer space and yet fail to find inner peace?"

[Davethedog]

I will never grasp that straw. I am as sure that god does not exist as you are he does.

[123everton]

A brave boast Dave.

[Octavius]

And therein lays the truth Dave. I suppose our opinions would differ on the (impalpable) talents of Mariah Carey as well, but as I said earlier, it makes for a more interesting and varied existence.

I am perplexed though that China assumes God says sweary words. Diabolos! She is heading down towards the hot fiery stuff for deffo.

[Davethedog]

123 its not brave and its not a boast. and to be frank I resent you saying it is.

I do not need the crutch of a mythical diety to steer my life or influence my future.

[Davethedog]

Octi - suspect that we may differ about the music but pssible not the lady her self :-)

[Octavius]

Er, I think we might.
I would crawl over 50 naked Mariahs to get to one Halle Berry.

So I am going away to think about that now.

[123everton]

When you're young, you're indestructable but as you get older people start leaving (especially the dangerous 40s) I don't know how old you are, I don't know if you've seen people die or held their hand (I have), I don't know if you've lain in a hospital bed gasping for air (I have) or if you've lain there shivering with a high temperature (I have), I don't know your history I do know that none of these events altered or shaped or shook my belief in God although it did comfort me when I could'nt breathe.
Until you've fought for air, until you've faced up to what might be your fate you cannot say with certainty, I've seen the "bravest" of men cut and run in the face of a fight, I've seen the stoutest of hearts broken into pieces, nobody can say with any certainty how they'll face their end because none of us know how that'll transpire.

[Davethedog]

I was 10 in 1966 and I am afraid that you have made a common mistake in that you beleive that I share your values and fears and I don't.

I have never lain gasping for air but if I did I would call for a doctor.

I have seen people on their death bed calling for god and it did them no good.

You have every right to your faith but DO NOT try and impose your superstions on me.

[Octavius]

But you could present a couple of scenarios.

Die sleeping
Die screaming

I can think of at least one of those where you might consider changing to Team God. In the other one it may not even enter your mind. Well not before the windscreen.

[QueenOfAmber]

I believe in God but I would choose the retired pilot to land the plane.
This is a very interesting question you've come up with here! Top marks for initiative!
Who would you choose?

[123everton]

I'm not trying to impose anything on you, it's just that none of us know how we're going to go, and in what manner.
Captain Nolan was a very brave man (he led the charge of the Light Brigade) his last words to Lucan were "there is your enemy",without faltering he headed forth, he was the first casualty, he got shot through the throat and died almost instantly how does posterity recall his death?
Lord Raglan "how did he die?"
"Screaming like a girl" came the reply.
Who'd have thought he'd go like that, certainly not him.

[bosschester]

This is a very interesting scenario Jake. The most important consideration must be 'which of the 3000 or so gods do you believe in' . No doubt the Rabbi/Imam will crash the plane if you believe in Ra. Sounds like you're really a Humanist!

[naomi24]

Everton, Martin Luther King was mistaken in automatically assuming that those who haven't found God don't have inner peace.

I'd choose the retired pilot.

[Jafi]

I would choose the retired pilot, simply because human survival kicks in.

No matter how strong ones faith is, human survival will always kick in.

[keyplus90]

Sometime it really makes me feel sad that what sort of question people post here. And then for some reason they believe that religious people are forbidden from utilizing what God has created. In this case the knowledge of the pilot. At least my religion does not forbid any thing like this. If any other religions do, then the believers of those religions should think again.

My religion does not forbid me from seeking medical advice, or any sort of knowledge regardless who the person is from whom I am getting it. But final decision is of God alone. Or please someone let me know that how many airliners were being controlled by people who were not qualified pilots when they crashed over the history of flying?