It tells me that their religion is based on fear.
2007-06-29 02:32:27 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It tells me some people want others to experience the joy they have found by being a Christian. Their hearts are in the right place, but the wager really isn't what God wants. We aren't supposed to be lukewarm in our faith and believe just "to be safe". God wants genuine devotion, not people playing the odds.
God Bless.
2007-06-29 02:50:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If I were to hear a Christian posing Pascal's Wager to an Athiest as a reason to become a Christian, I would question whether that person was Christian because he believed, or if he was really an Athiest in Christian clothing working the wager himself? I would wonder if he has doubts himself.. I would wonder at the audacity of anyone who would portray the Christian God as all seeing, and all knowing, yet maintain the idea in thier hearts that such a being can be fooled by the outward appearance of belief, if no actual belief or relationship exists, and admit to Heaven someone that doesn't even believe that Heaven exists, for outwardly praising or expressing belief in him where none exists, or that such a being could be fooled by an outward appearance of prayer and churchiness, overcoming whatever this person does when the eyes of the congregation are not on him. If the person making the wager did actually believe in God and Heaven, then I would wonder if this person really cares if the Athiest believes in God or not, or just wants to recruit warm bodies for "point-gaming", so to speak....
I need a keg for this one... *CHUG!*
2007-06-29 10:13:42 · answer #2 · answered by beatlefan 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It tells me that the people who use that argument base their religion on fear, but I don't think it's fair to make a judgment on Christianity as a whole because of some people's ridiculousness.
I'm a Christian and I think Pascal's Wager is one of the silliest things I've ever heard.
...oh, and *drink*
2007-06-29 09:35:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
No it doesn't. What is says is pure common sense.
I have no fear of my God, why should I? He isn't angry with me, and when he pours out that big old cup of wrath, there won't be any "friendly fire". The Holy Spirit to Gods Children will warm us while it burns the hell out of whatever is evil or offensive. What do i have to fear? Nothing whatsoever.
I have never in my life been so secure and without fear. In fact,
there is nothing even in this physical life that I have to fear, since I have a power behind me that no man can stand against. Fear is for those who are without protection. Fear is for those without God. I never really paid too much attention to that pascals wager thing, until i joined this forum and now I keep hearing about it. I understand it simply says that if you are right about God, you are in good shape, but if you are wrong about God, then you have something to worry about.
That seems like plain common sense to me (assuming thats all it says - in fairness, I have not read the thing - I don't believe in wagers when it comes to the Creator. Either you have faith and believe in God or ya don't, plain and simple).
2007-06-29 09:49:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, and it also tells me that they are at least one hundred years out of date. Pascal's Wager was recognized as bad reasoning for religion well over a century ago.
Pascal's Wager actually is significant in decision theory though for being the first argument utilizing a decision matrix to calculate a payoff matrix for decisions. .
2007-06-29 09:42:23 · answer #5 · answered by ? 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Actually, I think it's more about people grasping for a winning argument, chuffed with their own cleverness without realizing that it's superficial.
They're trying to ponder through something with incomplete knowledge, so of course they miss the mark. As in: Now, if I were an atheist, I'd think this way, so therefore that's how atheists think.
Hopefully a few of the Wagerers will come to learn that many people think many different ways.
2007-06-29 09:42:38 · answer #6 · answered by The angels have the phone box. 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes I agree, but it also exposes some other things.
Apparently the only two possibilities are Christianity or atheism.
Apparently their God can be fooled by false piety.
Pascal's wager is nonsense for many reasons.
2007-06-29 10:14:27 · answer #7 · answered by Adoptive Father 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Does Pascal's Wager also apply to religions other than christianity? Like "what if you're wrong about christianity, wouldn't it be safe to be muslim?"
2007-06-29 09:37:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Pascal's Wager is a horrible proposition in general, do not follow it God would not accept someone who simply wants the best odds and believes in him superficially.
2007-06-29 09:35:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Mullah, my friend.. it's about the sales.
Were you not aware of the afterlife incentive plan offered by their religion?
For every soul you get into heaven, you get a gold crown and jewels. (of course there is a fine print which says that as soon as you get it, you have to throw it at Jesus' feet because you really weren't worthy in the first place but, hey, it's a pretty shiny thing!)
This is why they push the fear-based selling on you.
It's all about fire insurance man!
2007-06-29 09:44:37 · answer #10 · answered by Kallan 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋