A MATURE adult allows for the fact that he could be wrong about ANYTHING.

What does that say about the posters here?

A mature adult will also admit to believing some things more strongly than others.

Let's play a game. Imagine there exists an omniscient creator. Not the childish megalomaniac depicted in "holy" books but an actual all-knowing designer and initiator of the universe.

Let's further suppose that this creator, who has a wicked sense of humour, invites humans to make even money bets among themselves about their beliefs. Once all the bets have been placed he / she / it will provide definitive answers.

How much would you be willing to bet on the following? You can take either side of the bet. How I'd bet and the amount I would bet are shown in brackets.

--The basic framework of evolutionary theory is correct (YES. I'd bet everything I own plus everything I could borrow)

--A first century itinerant Jewish preacher was God (NO. Everything I own plus everything I could borrow)

--An angel dictated the koran to a seventh century Arabian warlord (NO. Everything I own plus everything I could borrow)

--The theory of global warming caused by human induced rises in atmospheric greenhouse gases is correct (YES. $2,000)

--There are differences in the average level AND in the variability of intellectual abilities between population groups and some of these differences have a genetic component. (YES. $500)

--The preponderance of men in some scientific disciplines has more to do with innate differences between men and women than social conditioning or discrimination. (YES. $500)

--Melbourne will win a grand final before 2020 (NO. $100)

--The Springboks will win the next rugby world cup. (In public I say YES and bet $20. In private I say "NO WAY")

Feel free to make up more bets.

Be careful. I may take some of you up on your bets.

Dear Steve,

The only thing that I would bet 'yes' to on your list is the one about global warming. But, hey - it's your list. And you're entitled to bet on it. My list? Well, let's see:

1) A cure for Cancer will be found within the next five years.
2) The great divide between rich and poor - will narrow.
3) Men and women of conscience - will enter Australian politics.
4) Alternative sources of energy - will be utilised.
5) Water pipelines will bring water into the interior.
6) There will be no more war.
7) Because terrorist impulses ferment in poverty, oppression and ignorance.The elimination of these conditions and the active promotion of a universal respect for human rights will become a priority.

There you have it Steve. Seven bets - by the date 2020. What are my odds?

LOL Foxy,

You've said men and women of conscience will enter Australian politics. You did not say they will get elected. Who decides whether a particular politician is a man or woman "of conscience" anyway?

"Alternative sources of energy - will be utilised."

By that I take it you mean alternatives to fossil fuels. That's happening already. The real question is what proportion of our energy needs will be met from environmentally friendly sources by, say, 2020.

"There will be no more war."

I doubt that. On the other hand I think wars will continue to be mainly localised affairs as has mostly been the case since about 1950. I doubt there will be a war between the world's major powers.

"The great divide between rich and poor - will narrow."

I think that's distinct possibility. In the past 20 – 30 years the size of the global labour force effectively doubled as China, India and Eastern Europe opened up their economies. This sort of positive "supply shock" puts downward pressure on wages.

There are no more supply shocks of comparable size on the horizon. I suspect the dollar wages of Chinese and Indian workers will be subject to a double whammy. They will rise and the both countries will be forced to allow their currencies to appreciate. This will generate increasing demand without concomitant increasing supply of labour. Over time the labour market will tighten again. That usually leads to a rise in wages.

So far as your point (7) goes you may wish to explain this to the likes of Hu Jintao, Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, Kim Jong-Il and King Abdullah to name but a few. These are the grand scale serial human right violators.

You have not said how much you will bet.

How much would you bet on a cure for cancer in five years? I may be prepared to take you on for cash on the table now. An independent third party holds the money.

Steve,

1/ Industrial action by unions cripples industry once again (yes $1000

2/ We see an increase of immigration from 3rd world countries (yep $1000

3/ A terrorist strike by Muslims in Australia within 2 years. (Ill bet my left nut on it)

4/ More leftist garbage coming from CJ Morgan ( Crown Jewels)

5/ Another riot coming from sudanese refugees in Melbourne ($2000 and My right nut)

I think Im pretty safe with those bets.

I’ll wager:

The USA will eventually comply with a Kyotoesque Protocol.
BUT when that occurs, and it then comes time to call on China, India, Brazil & co. to make AUDITABLE cuts –we’ll have a real cat-fight on our hands and most of the noble climate-change crusaders
( leastways those in her political domain ) will go-to-ground, ( or, they’ll have other pressing commitments): they’ll have no stomach for haranguing the others as they have the west.

stevenlmeyer

You display more blind faith and ignorance than most.