Believing in the God of the Western Tradition

Pascal’s Believe in God
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Pascal’s Believe in God
Introduction
Religion is a practice that has been in existence for many years. People believe in different gods depending on the culture, geographical location, and period in time. For example, there are no longer people who believe in the God Zeus, although this was common in the 16th and 17th centuries. As people evolve, so do their belief systems. Pascal uses decision theory to explain why individuals should believe in God. According to him, there is much to be gained and little to be lost if one believes in God. It is in a person's best interest to believe in God because if someone is suitable, they will go to heaven, but if they are wrong, they will go to hell. The philosopher uses a different approach, and he does not try to prove or disapprove of God. His only area of interest is what one will lose or gain if one believes in God.
God of the Western Tradition
Pascal argues that believing in the God of the Western tradition has a higher expected utility than not believing in him/her/them. Pascal falls under the category of modern pragmatics, which holds that people need to use reason when deciding whether to believe in God or not. Most gods in the western tradition believe that believing in God has punishment or a reward. Christians, Muslims, and other modern religions hold the same view (Nemoianu, 2018). The type of punishment and the way it will be administered varies. However, all Western faiths agree that the penalty and the reward will be eternal. A person that believes in God will live in eternal happiness after they die. However, a person that does not believe in God will end up in hell, where they will be punished forever (Nemoianu, 2018). According to Pascal, because people are rational, it will be better to choose eternal life rather than not believe in God and everlasting punishment. According to him, if there is no god and the person dies, there is nothing to lose from the belief.
The wagers theory was developed by Pascal to convince people why it is the right decision to believe in God. Pascal uses decision theory, commonly used in gambling, to illustrate why his argument makes sense (Nemoianu, 2018). If the reward is high and the risk is nill, a person should gamble. However, if the risk of losing is high, it is advisable to refrain from gambling. It does not matter, therefore, whether God exists or does not. It also does not matter whether one can prove the existence of God or not. The rational thing for a person to do is to believe.
Pascal's aim is not to prove or disapprove of the existence of God but rather to show why rational people should believe in him/her. As a mathematician, Pascal takes emotions out of the equation and uses real-life examples of how people think and make their decisions. According to Pascal, believing in the God of the Western tradition has a higher expected utility because of the things that one benefits from religion. Pascal believes that although believing in God may curtail some personal freedom, overall, they believe in God is a good thing (Nemoianu, 2018). To begin with, believing in God is good because there is no physical loss. One does not suffer or...