Must an Atheist believe in oblivion after death if he doesn't believe in God?
Harry Wesley Bruce wrote: > Harry Veeder wrote: > >> Wesley Bruce wrote: >> >> >> >> >>> Is you world view big enough for God? His is big enough for you. >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> An atheist would interpret this as a personal request. Based on his beliefs >> you are asking him if his world is big enough for you. If the atheist >> has a big heart he would say yes. >> >> Harry >> >> >> > Well said Harry. If an atheist doesn't try to kill my rights to my faith > or ban me from speaking then he or she is OK and free to have their > choice of faith. > Yet on their dieing the true test begins and the question of absolute > truth or absolute oblivion is faced. > The scientist Pascal was asked of his faith. He answered with a wager. > See http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pascal-wager/ > I'll pluck a table from the site. > Following McClennen 1994, Pascal's argument seems to be best captured as > presenting the following decision matrix: > > > > > > /*God exists*/ > > > > /*God does not exist*/ > > /*Wager for God*/ > > > > Gain all > > > > Status quo > > /*Wager against God*/ > > > > Misery > > > > Status quo > > > > > > In other words > > * If I believe in God and I am right what do I gain? All the > pleasures of eternity. > > * If I am wrong what do I loose? A few passing pleasures and then > oblivion. > > * If I disbelieve in God and there is life after death and some > judgement. What do I loose. Everything when I discover that I will > be held responsible for my actions up to the extent of my > knowledge. God honours my demand for his absence, and creates a > place where he is not found and I then discover that the simple > absence of God is hell itself and it is awful indeed for he is the > source of unselfish goodness. > > * If I disbelieve in God and there is no life after death, what do I > gain. Nothing of great value. A fleeting sense of freedom and then > oblivion. > >
