lol even most theologians don't offer Pascal's wager as a valid excuse for anything.
"Then how was religion started let alone spread so wildly in the first place if this was true?"
You misunderstood my point. I was saying I can't just choose to believe in God so I don't go to hell. I either do or don't. People who were genuinely converted actually believed in God. So yes, my point is still valid.
"Technically they all parallel each other in the same basic ways in that they wish to promote peace and harmony and as a result, you gain a reward for penance of hard work. Just like any job and saving up for something you really want. The only reason there are so many religions is because humanity, not religion, can not agree on who was right when they say God speaks to them. Not a failing of religion, only the people who think they know what is going on, same thing applies to Atheists and them thinking the way they do. I won't pretend to know what drives them, nor do I care. They're happy in their belief so who am I to really judge. Just like any other faction vying for as many mindless being who will blindly follow them because some human comes along and says"Oh hey, guess, what, I'm right, listen to me because it's true!"."
Uh, by saying this you bypass the whole point of Pascal's wager. Pascal's wager assumes that if you don't believe in the Christian God you go to hell. You're saying you can believe any religion and avoid going to hell. If you're going to contradict what we're arguing about, you should at least notice it and fix your point.
"If you live a good life to begin with what need is there to fear retribution? That kind of thought process only works for those who have a guilty conscience. Next, God offers the reward, he doesn't just give it away. Its the same thing when people follow the law. It's because they fear going to jail. Well it seems to work for most people, doesn't it? Is that why you follow the law, because you're afraid of going to jail or because you know that if you are good, you'll never have to worry about being punished to begin with?"
Again, you're not seeing what Pascal's wager even says. It tells you to believe in God so you won't go to hell and go to heaven. If that's your only reason for 'believing' in God, won't he see through it? And are you really saying I don't break laws because it's illegal? You really think I don't go stealing and killing people on the street because it's illegal? Lame.
Your rebuttal is nothing more than repeated ignorance of the whole concept of Pascal's wager, mixed in with a skewed sense of what makes humans moral.
Nice job, you failed thrice.
