Let’s analyze Pascal’s Wager argument, which can be summarized as follows: You have two things at stake – truth and goodness – and two things to commit – your reason and your will. You must choose between believing in God or not. If you choose to believe and God exists, you win everything. If you choose to believe and God doesn’t exist, you don’t lose much. But if you don’t believe and God exists, you lose a lot. The most logical bet is to believe in God.
The problem with this argument is that it puts reason at stake, giving the false impression that faith in God is irrational. With this article, my aim is to provide a more well-founded response to the question of why to believe in God, rather than simply relying on a blind wager motivated by simple self-interest.
Denis Diderot, an Enlightenment intellectual, offered an interesting refutation of Pascal’s Wager. He argued that we cannot know which God to bet on, as there are multiple religions and conceptions of the divine across different cultures and beliefs. Blindly betting on a specific God could lead us to be wrong if the true religion turns out to be different from the one we’ve chosen.
This critique is rooted in religious pluralism and the diversity of beliefs in the world. If we limit ourselves to Pascal’s Wager, we might risk focusing our faith on a deity that isn’t the true one, leading to a loss in terms of blessedness in the afterlife (as per Pascal’s original argument).
Diderot raises a valid question that has been debated in the realm of the philosophy of religion for a long time. Pascal’s Wager is built on the idea that it’s more reasonable to believe in God because there’s more to gain and little to lose. However, Diderot points out that choosing which God or religion to bet on isn’t as straightforward as the original argument suggests.
To respond to Diderot, one must consider that sincere truth-seeking and intellectual honesty in exploring different religions can help find a solid basis for faith. And the foundational basis of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus.
For a convinced believer in the truth of the resurrection, Pascal’s Wager isn’t the reason why we choose to believe in God. Our conviction isn’t the result of a blind decision akin to gambling in a casino. We believe because we know that Jesus rose from the dead!
The historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is a central and fundamental argument in favor of the true God being the God of the Bible. The resurrection is a historically documented event in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, with multiple testimonies from eyewitnesses and followers of Jesus.
This momentous event is tangible and compelling evidence that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that His teaching and divine mission are authentic. The resurrection not only validates Jesus’ identity as the promised Messiah in the Scriptures but also confirms His victory over death and sin, granting hope and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
There are several Catholic authors who have defended the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection. Some of them include:
- Karl Rahner: A Catholic theologian and one of the leading thinkers of 20th-century theology. He addressed topics related to Christology and the resurrection in various writings.
- Raymond E. Brown: A Dominican priest and prominent Catholic biblical scholar. He specialized in studying the Gospel of John and extensively wrote about the life and resurrection of Jesus from an academic and theological perspective.
- Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger): As a theologian, he wrote about various theological subjects, including the resurrection of Jesus, and offered reflections on its significance in the Christian faith.
- Dante Urbina: A Peruvian apologist, in his work “What is the True Religion,” presents a thorough analysis that solidly substantiates the existence of the God of Christians. This work is complemented by two others, “What is the True God” and “What is the True Church,” making it essential reading for those sincerely seeking the Truth.
It’s worth mentioning the following non-Catholic Christian scholars who provide valuable data in favor of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection:
- N.T. Wright: A prominent New Testament theologian and scholar who has extensively written about the resurrection of Jesus. His books “The Resurrection of the Son of God” and “Surprised by Hope” are important references in the debate over the resurrection’s historicity.
- Gary R. Habermas: A philosopher and Christian theologian who has dedicated a significant portion of his career to researching and defending the resurrection of Jesus. His work “The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus” is widely recognized in academic circles.
- William Lane Craig: A philosopher and apologetic theologian who has debated and written on many topics related to the Christian faith, including the resurrection of Jesus. His book “Reasonable Faith” includes a defense of the resurrection from a philosophical perspective.
- Lee Strobel: While not an academic in the strict sense, Lee Strobel is a journalist and author who converted to Christianity and wrote the book “The Case for Christ,” where he investigates the resurrection of Jesus from a journalistic and apologetic standpoint.
- Michael Licona: A New Testament scholar who has extensively researched and written about the resurrection of Jesus. His book “The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach” is a significant work in the historical analysis of the event.
These are just a few examples of authors who have dedicated time and effort to researching the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection from an academic and apologetic perspective. Their works provide arguments and evidence for those seeking to understand and defend this central belief of Christianity.
With the presented authors, I aim to guide sincere truth-seekers to study the history and documents that support our belief. Intellectually honest investigation can only lead us to the Truth.
In conclusion, while it’s true that many believers have faith in the resurrection, for those of us coming from atheism who consider Pascal’s Wager, the strong evidence that the resurrection is true leads us to ‘bet’ while knowing the Truth. We don’t believe in God solely to avoid the damnation of our souls. We believe because we know that Jesus rose from the dead. God exists!
“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.“
(1 Corinthians 15:14, Latin American Bible)”