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Pascal's Wager

Blasé Pascal was a seventeenth century mathematician who reflected on what was likely to be lost or gained in believing in God or choosing not to do so.

He developed this pragmatic argument in his book Pensées.

His thought has come to be known as Pascal's Wager.

Pascal's reasoning is essentially as follows:

·         If you live this life consistent with the belief that God exists and you are wrong, you lose nothing. You die and that is the end.

·         If you live this life consistent with the belief that God exists and you are right, you gain everything - heaven and eternal bliss.

·         If you live this life consistent with the belief that God does not exist and you are right, you gain nothing. You die and that is the end.

·          If you live this life consistent with the belief that God does not exists and you are wrong, you lose everything. You die and experience eternal separation from God at the least.

      Some have argued against Pascal that a trust in God motivated by such reasoning leads to a 'low level' of faith, i.e. risk avoidance, rather than the authentic response of love, gratitude and joy which is the Christian's response to the resurrection and there is something to be said for that argument.

      There is also something to be said however for committing as much of yourself as you currently understand to as much of God in Christ as you currently understand and growing from there. And the value of exploring a first step is immeasurably high ...