The wager argument of Pascal
speaks of two things. I believe God exists and I do not believe God exists.
First, if I believe God exists and God in fact does exist, then, I will gain
infinite happiness. However, if I believe God exists and God in fact does not
exist, then, I will have no payoff. Second, if I do not believe God exists and
God in fact does exist, then, I will gain infinite pain. However, if I believe
God does not exist and God in fact does not exist, then, I will have no payoff.
Thus, I have everything to gain and nothing to lose by believing God and
everything to lose and nothing to gain by not believing God. On these grounds,
one would be foolish not to believe. This whole wager-argument of Pascal is
intended for the atheist and for the particular persons who are not yet
convinced about the truth of Christianity. It does not express proofs of God’s
existence but rather a device to introduce one to faith. This is so because
Pascal believed that an individual must have faith first before he will know or
will have knowledge of God.
Unfortunately, Pascal's Wager fails due to the fact that there are multiple monotheistic gods and their associated religions are incompatible with each other. For example, Judaism and Islam forbids worship of Jesus as God, while Christianity practices this. Other polytheistic religions haven't even heard of a monotheistic god.
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