In Blaise Pascal's comment, “Yes, faith is a logical gamble”, having faith in God is a rational choice in contrast to not having faith in God because he exists much to gain and nothing to lose (Rickabaugh Lecture). According to Pascal, hypothetically, it is possible that a God exists, and if we have faith in Him, we could experience infinite gain beyond the finite we know. However, due to the finite world in which our finite bodies live, we are incapable of truly knowing the existence of God because His infinity is beyond our parameters of knowledge. Therefore, we cannot be certain that there is even an infinity, let alone a God. With this mindset, Pascal argues that despite insufficient evidence for the existence of God, it is still rational to have faith because if there is an infinity beyond the finite life we live, we will reap the rewards. However, if there is no infinity, and yet we still stake our faith, there is nothing to lose because the outcome of finite life will remain the same. While Pascal is right that faith is logical and rational, the way he presents his argument is invalid and misleading. In reality, faith in God is not a simple concept. Rather, it is quite intricate because there is a lot to gain and a lot to lose. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The way Pascal presents his argument offers a false sense of simplicity. It is understandable that one would bet on faith if there was absolute certainty that nothing would be lost. The only option is to acquire something that has not been acquired before, which would be advantageous, or to leave the situation unchanged, which would be indifference. However, having faith is itself a gamble due to the magnitude of the loss involved. Despite having true faith in God, we are challenged to abandon the pleasures of our limited self: sin. To have faith in God, ultimately, we must recognize the evil nature of our sins and attempt to give up the pleasures that our limited bodies cling to. Although sin is still alive and operating in the daily lives of those who have faith in God and those who do not, there is a difference between those who have sacrificed pleasures to gain this faith. Those who have faith recognize and try to free themselves from their sin for God: an infinite. Those who do not have faith either do not recognize their sin, or recognize it and try to free themselves from it for their own well-being: a finite person. When one understands or attempts to understand the desirability of these pleasures, a true faith in God is present because it is a sacrifice of a finite being given on behalf of an infinite. While those who do not have true faith sacrifice a finite for a finite. Getting rid of finite and sinful pleasures might not seem like much danger if you want to achieve an infinite experience. However, according to Pascal, there is no way to prove an infinite God. If the reality is that God does not exist, getting rid of what is most desirable for us in our finite life is too big a gamble because finite pleasures would be the only pleasures. In conclusion, faith in God is not an easy choice. Betting gains and losses is a risk that many are not willing to take without sufficient evidence. The idea of participating in a possible infinity may seem intriguing, but the consequences of sacrificed pleasure deter many from devoting full faith. Only those with true faith are willing to suffer the loss of finite pleasures in the hope of a greater infinity beyond what our limited minds could imagine. Having faith may be logical and rational for its hypothetical rewards, but there is great dedication and sacrifice involved.
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