A central element of Pascal’s Wager is that the cost of becoming a Christian is negligible. But, personally what I would lose by becoming a Christians far out weights anything I could possible gain. But since answering your own question is poor form I will leave it to you all.
1. What would you lose by becoming a Christian?
2. Would you gain anything by becoming a Christian?
2007-06-18 05:57:28 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Belief without reason means you lose your humanity. You would profit more by going to hell. You would lose your integrity, all of your beleifs would lose their credibility if you can beleive for only profit. I cant think of a more terrible, tragic, and indeed pointless sacrifice.
By becoming a christian what do you gain? you would have to reinforce constantly this lie to yourself in the vain hope you will be rewarded with an eternity in heaven. But eternity of heaven doesnt sound that great to me. When you got to heaven, you would have to confront how simple, how shallow and irrational reality in fact is. How can we want to exist when our minds and our imagination is greater than God's? And eternity...simply that much time is more than a limited human mind can handle. After a million years, even in heaven, there will be immeasurable suffering, a longing for peace and silence.
2007-06-18 06:06:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
By accepting Pascal's Wager, you lose any credibility as a rational thinker. If we accept the basic form, we have to consider all the other choices. You might be accepting Christianity at the cost of Islam. If Islam is correct, this means you go to hell. You might be accepting one version of Christianity at the cost of another version, which may also mean going to hell. You could be accepting it at the cost of Buddhism, which could mean a step backward from Enlightenment.
When compared to the risks involved, the gain of salvation is negligible, if it's only a gamble. I would lose a sense of intellectual honesty, having found no credible reason for God's existence, and I would gain a security blanket, an illusion of comfort.
2007-06-18 06:10:52 · answer #2 · answered by stic_5_00 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I thought the terms of the wager were pretty clear.
If the Christians is right, he wins, the atheist loses.
If the atheist is right, nobody wins, nobody loses.
Or did I miss something?
Somehow, though, Christianity doesn't seem to be something that will fit on a poker table.
Who would actually play dice with God?
As far as what I might lose or gain, I can only speak for myself.
But, since you asked the question, I will try to answer to the best of my ability:
What do I, personally, lose by becoming a Christian?
Ummm...well, it might cost me materially, as I reach out to help those in need around me. But then, how much do I really need, of material things? How silly is it that some folks hoard way more then they will ever use in this lifetime, while others die in need of simple things, like enough food, water, and medical care?
It might cost me some time.
It might cost me some personal comfort.
What do I gain?
Well, for my material cost, I gain the knowledge that I have helped to feed a hungry child or two.
For my time, I gain the joy of spending time with "my" kids.
For my personal comfort, I gain the joy of giving comfort to kids who have so little comfort anywhere else.
Let me explain:
I've been a widow for almost eighteen years, my house is in an area that is not considered wealthy. I could, I suppose, sell this house, and move on. Some of my own children have indicated that they have room for me to build my own little cottage on their land, and I could go live in comfort and be cared for in my old age. Sometimes, I've even thought I might do that, but there are reasons I don't...read on.
Folks here are poor, and we have lots of kids whose parents have to work and cannot afford baby sitting. Because I have raised so many kids, and have so many grandkids, kids naturally gravitate to my house...and since I love kids and have lots of time, they are welcome here. I keep extra food and drinks around for them, I keep an extra bedroom just in case, and I love to bake goodies for "my" kids. None of this would have happened for them, or for me, if I were not a Christian.
Yes, they do hear about Jesus here. They have questions, and I try to have answers.
This forum is one way I try to learn, so that I can understand my kids a bit better, and give them answers that are relevant to their situation.
BTW, I'm having a Pepsi.
2007-06-18 06:27:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretending to practice a religion I don't believe in would cost me my self-respect and a fair chunk of sanity. On the upside, I'd probably pick up some new friends. One of the reasons Christianity does so well is that it's a very social religion.
On the larger subject of Pascal's Wager, it's a false dichotomy. You don't just have to decide to become a Christian, you have to decide what brand. Half of the Christians believe the rest of them are going to hell for believing the wrong thing. There's also the risk that Allah will be really pissed at you.
Other than that, it's still too early for a drink here on the left coast.
2007-06-18 06:06:37 · answer #4 · answered by injanier 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no longer relatively Pascals wager is a non starter good judgment smart. An all understanding something + loose will = Oxymoron. the two issues are at the same time unique... there may well be no loose will. An all understanding God may well be completely evil, with the aid of fact it intentionally creates sinners, and then tortures the poor unfortunates in a fiery hell for all eternity. What may well be the factor of torturing robots for all eternity. it ought to no longer make any much less experience if it tried. working in the direction of Shaman... quantum physics rocks.
2016-12-13 06:17:59 · answer #5 · answered by adamek 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. What would you lose by becoming a Christian?
To become a Christian, I would have to accept that Jesus was more than just a man. I can't do that and still be honest with myself. To say I was a Christian simply to err on the side of caution per the wager, I would be lying to myself and to others. I couldn't live with such dishonesty.
To actually become a Christian, I would have to brainwash myself, or allow others to do it for me, in order to change what I think is real. I would lose that part of myself which sees things as they are rather than as I would wish them to be. Couldn't do it.
2. Would you gain anything by becoming a Christian?
I can't imagine anything would be gained from it.
The cost is too big. I'll take my chances :)
2007-06-18 06:09:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
1) I would lose my freedom of thought and the freedom to do what I please. I would be forced to become a slave to a book of all things that on top of just being a book was written 2000 years ago
2) the only thing I would gain would be a crap shoot that the religion I picked is the right one out of the unlimited possibilities of gods that exist. In fact I could argue that a deity could exist that rewards only those that claim gods do not exist and it would be just as likely as the Christian god so in fact I would gain nothing from being a christian.
2007-06-18 06:02:35 · answer #7 · answered by John C 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't view life as a series of gain or lose situations. I left conventional Christianity because I didn't wholeheartedly believe in it. I don't wholeheartedly disbelieve in it either. Truthfully 'Pascal's Wager' offends me. It doesn't require any real devotion. It is opportunistic.
2007-06-18 06:02:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
1.) You really can't CHOOSE to believe in God, or anything else for that matter -- and do you think an omniscient god wouldn't be able to tell you weren't sincere?
2.) In order to be equally "covered", you'd have to devote equal devotion to EACH of the thousands of gods and religions that's ever existed all over the world and throughout the course of time, "just in case". Which would be an absolutely INSANE allocation of time and resources which could be better spent simply living your life.
3.) What exactly does that make YOU, other than a theological kiss-@ss, sucking up to Joe Hovah in order to avoid hell or gain heaven?
2007-06-18 05:59:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
1. I would lose the freedom to doubt. I would lose the freedom to think whatever I want. I would have to give up card games, dancing, dirty jokes, and girly magazines. I would have to sit in a pew every Sunday and hear how I deserve to go to hell. I would also lose 10% of my income.
2. I'm still thinking on this one. I don't know what I'd gain, except a sense of entitlement to change the laws to force peole to act like what I want them to act like.
2007-06-18 06:03:46 · answer #10 · answered by razzthedestroyer 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋