Pascals topic
Pascal’s Wager is basically a blind bet based on the possibility of the existence of God (and by extension Heaven and Hell). Pascal thinks that if a person chooses to be a theist, and it turns out God actually does exist, then the theist will automatically get into Heaven. On the other hand, if a person chooses to be an atheist, and it turns out God actually does exist, then the atheist will automatically be sent to Hell. God is supposed to be omnibenevolent (perfectly good). Under Pascal’s thinking it seems possible for a morally good person to choose to be an atheist and still be automatically sent to Hell. Do you think it is consistent with God’s omnibenevolence for a morally good atheist to be sent to Hell? Explain your answer.
Philosophy of Religion
The philosophical definition of God focuses on three attributes or characteristics: omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), and omnibenevolence (all-good). Historically some philosophers have insisted that other characteristics have to be included in the definition of God or are essential to God. For example, medieval philosophers thought that God has to be immutable (never changing). Do you think there are other characteristics that are essential to God? In other words, are there any other characteristics that have to be in the definition of God, so that any being lacking those characteristics cannot be God? Explain your answer.
