Two weeks ago, when I was supposed to be writing a 10-page research paper for my British Literature class, my roommates and I got into a discussion about God. I've heard it said that religion, politics and money are those things that you should avoid discussing at all costs because they can tear people apart; however, this was quite a productive talk as we were able to come to the mutually agreed upon conclusion that to believe in God is one of the finest demonstrations of logic and intelligence. When I began brainstorming for my weekly Odyssey article, this idea seemed like fruitful ground for exploration. Since I began seriously thinking about it, I have come up with several reasons why faith in a higher power is not an example of absent-minded ignorance or naivety in an attempt to debauch that stereotype that spiritual or religious persons are irrational.
If you are not familiar with the brilliant Blaise Pascal and his wager, get a load of this. It is perhaps the most logical defense of the faith that I have ever come across. To sum up a complex argument in laymen's terms, Pascal's Wager is based on the assumption that there is an afterlife of some sort. He says that if one does not believe in God, declares that He does not exist and finds that, when he dies, God really does exist, he will be destined for an eternity of unhappiness (Hell). If one lives his life according to the belief that God exists and dies to find that there is no God, he will suffer very little as a result of his belief and will be remembered on earth as a great person. To simplify with the help of Wikipedia — yes, I am using Wikipedia — "If God does not actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss (some [earthly] pleasures, luxury, etc.), whereas they stand to receive infinite gains (as represented by eternity in Heaven) and avoid infinite losses (eternity in Hell)." So really, why wouldn't you believe if it cannot hurt you? As humans, we are naturally hedonistic and selfish. Doesn't this argument appeal to your selfish side? Aren't you interesting in attaining infinite pleasure? Your belief could only help your case.
Obviously, Pascal's Wager does not work for those people who do not believe in an afterlife, and for those folks, I ask why? Why don't you believe? Think about it this way: would it not be the most depressing thing you've ever heard if someone told you that your loved ones who have passed are gone forever? If someone came up to you and said, "I'm sorry, but that's the last time you'll ever see her. I hope you've made your peace because that's it." No one wants to hear something like this. It is a hopeless mentality that can only lead to lifelong grief and severe depression for many. So why not believe because then, if it is not a reality when you die, at least your earthly life will have been more pleasant, and your heart will have had the opportunity to rest easy in a bed of hope and faith.
Next, I think that when you dismiss the existence of a higher power altogether, you destroy some of the wonder and mystery of life completely. There are actual instances that have been proven miracles by scientists and historians. To reduce something like that to pure coincidence is not only untrue, it also ruins some of the magic of living. As someone who believes in the merits of science and recognizes the importance of empirical evidence and data-driven study, I would still find life less satisfying if I did not believe in God because belief in Godly miracles appeals to my inner child. We all want to be astonished by the inexplicable whether we admit it or not. Why do you think people are so obsessed with the idea of Bigfoot, the supernatural and the potential for the existence of extraterrestrial life? We like things we cannot understand because they force us to keep searching. Now, I'm not comparing God's influence to that of Bigfoot, but we tiny little humans might approach faith with that same mentality. A belief in God gives us a reason to look at the world and think, "This is a magical place."
I could go on forever writing this article as I think there are many other ways to defend a belief in God, but I will close with this one. I will strongly defend the position that a belief in a higher power greatly reduces the likelihood that you will do things that harm others both directly and indirectly. Typically, belief in God comes with some sort of religious affiliation, and most all religions are rooted in the same principle — treat others the same as or better than you would like to be treated. Heck, I mean look at the Catholics. The Catholic Church is the largest charitable organization in the entire world! Even non-religious believers in God are typically people who strive, though they may fail terribly and often, to be people for others. You can be a good person and not believe, but I think that believing in God helps to shape us into instruments of and for goodness in this world and provides us with humble motivation to better ourselves for the sake of others. That is, it dramatically reduces the probability that we are doing good deeds out of arrogance and a personal need for praise and validation. Instead, it provides us with a reason beyond ourselves to do and be good.
If you are skeptical about the existence of God, thank you for clicking on this article and giving me a chance to defend my position. I respect you for reading a post by a fervent believer, even if I made you roll your eyes once or twice. To those who have been told or led to think that their belief in God is silly and fruitless, you can raise your head high knowing that you are actually a man or woman of logic.
