In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
Blaise Pascal
Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true.
Blaise Pascal
2006-11-24 02:58:42 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
the first quote is good but the second one is crap
2006-11-24 03:00:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Looked at very closely, they are not very complimentary to religion - which is surprising given how "committed" to religion Pascal became in the last years of his short life.
The first quote is damned by its mention of those who "want to believe." Faith becomes a consequence of the desire to believe. Could there be a more anemic criteria for arriving at a mind-set?
The second, which is psychological in nature, speaks to the fears people may well have. Even assuming he was generally correct, which I doubt, my son's fear of the monster under his bed is hardly likely to force me to call in "Ghost Busters."
They both suffer from the virus of rhetorical suggestion: belief and light are somehow related, as are hatred and the fear of truth. The resulting "thoughts" are nothing more than feverish renditions of the original iffy associations.
2006-11-24 03:40:38 · answer #2 · answered by JAT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The second one pretty much sums up Pascal's beliefs. He chose to believe in God because he was afraid of going to hell.
2006-11-24 03:32:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pascal was a fool. Believers arguments today sound just as fatuous.
His wager was the stupidest "reason" to believe in god ever offered. As if believing in the non-existent is a choice one makes..
2006-11-24 03:04:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Haha, Pascal.
2006-11-24 03:00:45 · answer #5 · answered by Cassi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It shows the thinking of a person who has convinced himself that he holds the answers to the universe. It would be grand to know the answers to the great questions.
B
2006-11-24 03:14:00 · answer #6 · answered by Bacchus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Written by a believer.
2006-11-24 03:01:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Brilliant!!
2006-11-24 03:00:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the second one has me thinking, ppl being afraid it may be true
2006-11-24 03:02:15 · answer #9 · answered by chastityelizabeth 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God bless Pascal !!!
That is absolutely brilliant ......... and so true - unfortunately
2006-11-24 03:05:20 · answer #10 · answered by Regina 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋