If most religions believe if you are a good person you will go to heaven, and Christianity is the only religion that requires you to believe Christ is the Messiah then why not choose that one? I mean if you are a good Christian then even if your wrong you will end up in Heaven or if the Atheist are right you will be nothing it will just end. However if you are right then all of the Atheist and other religions will not enter the kindom of God because they did not believe. So...
is it worth taking the chance?
2007-07-31 06:45:00 · 30 answers · asked by With His Guidence 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You're not new here, so you should know by now that this gambit is called "Pascal's Wager" has been posted so often that those who do not believe just take a drink when they see it again.
There are also drink questions on the other side, things that atheists and others post so often that we take a drink, although many of us just sip tea or water. :-)
2007-07-31 06:50:12 · answer #1 · answered by cmw 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
There's one fundamental flaw in that reasoning: Belief is not a conscious decision.
I am agnostic, I'll say that upfront. I am because there's enough doubt and uncertainty (not just in Christianity) that I can't stand up and say "God is Real!" nor will I say the opposite.
One thing I have learned, however, is that religion MUST be total. If there is any doubt or uncertainty (not necessarily in the Word, but certainly in the Message) then anything you do is merely lip service.
What you're suggesting is playing the field. If there is a God, then it'll be your heart he listens to when the time comes, not your tongue.
2007-07-31 13:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by Kaka R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I had real alcohol to drink...
Here's a new lesson-Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan, Pagan religions believe 'life' is circular-there is reincarnation and each is a learning lesson to try and achieve enlightenment.
Judaism and Islam-the Jews believe when you die...that's it. Or, they used to. If you read the OT, there is no description of either Heaven or Hell. The word 'Hell' is used but the original word that was used-'Sheol'- was the equivalent of 'grave'. Whether you believe that or not, try to find a description of any kind of afterlife just in the OT. I'm not really sure what Islamic faiths believe. I've heard several times they believe they'll get 72 virgins when they reach heaven but I've also heard they believe in reincarnation.
Also, try to remember, 'Satan' also believes in the whole Xian 'Jesus is God's son' thing but he certainly isn't living in the Pearly Gate community.
2007-07-31 14:21:54 · answer #3 · answered by strpenta 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One life is all I ask for. By the time I'm old and I've heard the same song over and over, I'll be ready to make my sacrafice so that a child can experience it all for the first time in my place. I'll live a life of freedom and goodness and the gods can have their chess match; I want no part in it.
2007-07-31 13:58:28 · answer #4 · answered by Nexus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not. And that is the very reason I choose not to believe: the Christian religion has pulled a very cruel tactic in creating the logical dynamic that you have described, eliminating the viability of all other religions, and forcing you to follow them in order to live after life.
2007-07-31 13:53:03 · answer #5 · answered by Heidi S 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They cannot hear for the most part...they will just mock at this. I know because I was an agnostic for 37 years..so I know where they are coming from...I didn't have a clear idea of who Jesus was, although I had heard the name...I live in America, where churches are everywhere..
Have any of you who mock, read the Bible? If not, you are coming from a place of ignorance and have no right to form an opinion...if you interviewed an author and hadn't 't read his book,,you would look like an idiot if you tried to discuss his book....yet none of you read the Bible. How smart is that?
2007-07-31 14:15:04 · answer #6 · answered by dreamdress2 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
christians go about warning how satan will deceive the world.... why are you warning us, when I say you are deceived.... you teach that in time truth shall be known.... well truth is beginning to find it's way to the masses, but christians cannot feel the truth because they are deceived.... what does it mean to be deceived, perpetual confusion, imbalances , spiritual, emotional, mental and physical... what does it mean to a human, early death, it's here why should we chance a shorter guaranteed life here for a life we already know don't exists...... there is a reason the devil want you to keep praying to keep going about as you do, you lose he wins, but do you ever think of what you are giving up?
2007-07-31 14:02:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
is it really worth to use your intelligence and experience during this precious life to understand the truth. And the truth reside not only in Jesus teachings but also in Buddha's teachings
Blind faith will lead you nowere, unless you are not a correct compassionate wise and doing your best for yourself and others, so you see,
is it worth to just be happy with blind faith?
Jesus was so intelligent and wise that he thought 'behaviour' not just faith in him
too easy just to 'believe'
we will all be saved instantly, but instead we have to deserve it
otherwise you can forget heaven or another good life!
2007-07-31 13:55:26 · answer #8 · answered by dreaming 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's been a while since I've seen Pascal's Wager come up. Read up on Pascal's Wager to see that it's not as convincing as you may think. It is kind of telling that you view your religion as an insurance policy though.
2007-07-31 13:53:52 · answer #9 · answered by Jake S 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As the bowl of petunias said:
"Oh no, not again."
Do you seriously believe that *if* turning to Christ is the only answer, that salvation will come from believing "just in case"?
There's only one reference to "lukewarm" in the bible, but it's very instructive.
<< drinks>>
2007-07-31 14:01:15 · answer #10 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋