He was born in 1623 and died in 1662.
It was this. If you believe in GOD you stand to gain everlasting life. If GOD does not exist what have you lost by doing so?
So he thought rational people would seek a way to believe in GOD. Now there was some argument that view was not necessarily rational. Some thought it irrational.
I personally see no harm in it. For me it is the same thing as trusting people. Until they prove untrustoworthy what does it cost to believe I can trust them?
Same thing here in my opinion. What does it cost me to believe in GOD or reincarnation or whatever? What is is. What will be will be. In the meantime what is big bad of believing in an afterlife? If there is one that would be great. If there isn't one then so be it. I CAN'T and DON'T KNOW. So I base what I believe and how I live on what makes sense to me. I see no harm in believing in angels and leprechauns and unicorns because they may in fact exist. If they don't what harm have I done to anyone believing in them?
I think criticizing and being contemptuous of what people choose to believe is quite obnoxious. Different strokes. You believe? Swell. You don't? Swell. Not my business what you believe. Believe whatever works for you. i condemn none of you for it. Why? Because I DO NOT KNOW and I am not arrogant enough to presume I do. That's just me.
