Pascal's Gambit

(I know I’m going to get some heat for this one...)

"God either exists or He doesn't. Based on the testimony, both general revelation (nature) and special revelation (Scriptures/Bible), it is safe to assume that God does in fact exist. It is abundantly fair to conceive, that there is at least 50% chance that the Christian Creator God does in fact exist. Therefore, since we stand to gain eternity, and thus infinity, the wise and safe choice is to live as though God does exist. If we are right, we gain everything, and lose nothing. If we are wrong, we lose nothing and gain nothing. Therefore, based on simple mathematics, only the fool would choose to live a Godless life." (Pascal Wager)

What’s the number one fear most people have? The FEAR OF DYING! Okay, but if God doesn’t exist, and we all just drift into nothingness when we take our last breath, what are we so afraid of? Socrates said “If death be but a dreamless sleep, what have mortals to fear?" Obviously there’s something after this life, if there weren’t, then we wouldn’t be so afraid of the possibility of spending eternity in heaven or hell.

Before we can begin to believe that God exist, we must have faith that He does. Don’t get it twisted, any really Christian will tell you that at some point in their Christian walk, they’ve doubted the reasoning behind there belief in God, but consider this, faith that has never doubted is of little value, but doubt and faith are inseparable. Faith requires that you believe in something that you’re not sure is there. Example, if I tell you that if you send me your mailing address, then I’ll send you $1,000 in the mail, and you do indeed send me your address, then you have faith that I’ll keep my word. Yes, there may come a point when you’ll doubt what I said is true, but you still send me your address anyhow because you want the cash just in cause I’m telling you the truth. My analogy may suck, but it’s almost the same with the decision to believe that God exist. It’s better to believe than not to believe. Cause in the event that you don’t believe, and you find out that the “thing” you didn’t believe in truly existed, and then you’ve lost. If you believe and that “thing” doesn’t exist, you’ve lost nothing.

Pascal's Gambit: One of all my time favourite philosophical debates.

I was presented with this offhand when my commander mentionned he was having a conversation he had with another Witch in my company. He mentionned the whole thing. I was sitting there gritting my teeth trying so hard not to state what an Equal Oportunity violation that was to me. I later pulled aside my supervisor and advised him that I was going to file a complaint, but I felt that it would be best that I told him first. He confronted my commander and arranged a meeting between myself, my boss, the commander, and the other Witch in my company. The commander told me that he had no idea what my religion was when he told me of the conversation (still not sure if I believe that or not since the commander usually knows everything going on in the company). He apologized that he meant no malice in presenting the argument to the other Soldier. I decided to let it go - for that moment at least.

Still, back to your point, Shenelly. Back before I found my current path I was an Atheist and I found that was a totally absurd path that was almost as bad as having blind faith in any religion. The advantage of blind faith in a religion is that at the end of the day you still have something that you know is "out there" watching over you. Believing in Nothing leaves you totally alone. Something that scares me more than anything.

Faith is a wonderful thing. Faith in SOMETHING is even more wonderful.

Find Your Own Truth

-Ferret

no heat coming from here. That was a great post.