In this essay, I will show that Blaise Pascal is wrong to think that it is rational to wager “that God is.” My first step in defending this thesis will be to review Pascal’s argument that it is rational to bet “that God is.” I will then try to undermine his view by showing how it supports implausible claims. For example, the premise of Pascal’s wager assumes that receiving infinite reward in the afterlife rests upon belief in one true God. However, infinite reward in the afterlife may be linked to any number of premises. Thus, I argue that because belief in one true God may not grant infinite reward, Pascal’s wager can be thought of as irrational.
Pascal’s argument suggests that belief in God’s existence is rational because it leads to an infinite amount of benefits. One should believe in God because if he exists you receive an entrance into heaven, and if God does not exist then you only have a minor loss and a false belief. Pascal says, “If you gain, you gain all and if you lose, you lose nothing.” Further, if you …show more content…
For example, if a person believes in God but he commits a sin there will be consequences for sinning and he may not end up having the best possible outcome in his afterlife. For example, according to the bible, one of the seven deadly sins is greed: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” Therefore, if a person who believes in God commits this sin, he may end up feeling alone, separated from God, and not experiencing infinite happiness in his afterlife. Moreover, God will not ignore if one commits a sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, this passage shows how even though one can believe in the correct God, that does not mean he will have an infinite reward in his
Pascal’s argument suggests that belief in God’s existence is rational because it leads to an infinite amount of benefits. One should believe in God because if he exists you receive an entrance into heaven, and if God does not exist then you only have a minor loss and a false belief. Pascal says, “If you gain, you gain all and if you lose, you lose nothing.” Further, if you …show more content…
For example, if a person believes in God but he commits a sin there will be consequences for sinning and he may not end up having the best possible outcome in his afterlife. For example, according to the bible, one of the seven deadly sins is greed: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” Therefore, if a person who believes in God commits this sin, he may end up feeling alone, separated from God, and not experiencing infinite happiness in his afterlife. Moreover, God will not ignore if one commits a sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, this passage shows how even though one can believe in the correct God, that does not mean he will have an infinite reward in his