“Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering
that God is. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain
all; if you lose, you lose nothing” (Pascal).
The above quote is essentially the thesis of
Pascal’s argument. He posits that it is irrational to not believe in
God because believing in God is the only way to get to heaven when you
die. In other words, the potential gains that could result from
believing in God far exceed the potential losses if God does not
actually exist. That is to say that, if God is not real, you have not
lost anything by choosing to believe in Him and live a Christian
lifestyle regardless. Other people probably benefitted from the way that
you lived, and you probably did too. Similarly, if you choose not to
believe in God, you lose everything because you will surely be sent to
hell if God does truly exist. The only thing that you could possibly
gain from not believing in God is the ability to indulge in immoral
earthly pleasures without guilt. Such activities, while enjoyable in
the short-term, are immoral and may actually create negative
consequences. Living a Christian lifestyle will not cause any negative
consequences. This is why Pascal considers believing in God to be a
better option, because the possibility of heaven far exceeds the
pleasures that can be experienced on earth. This is the argument that
Pascal uses to rationalize believing in God.
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