15) What is lost if I believe in God and he does not exist? Worldly pleasure is lost. What is gained? Perceived morality, satisfaction of helping others, a loving life and despairing death.
16) What is lost if I do not believe in God and he does exist? My soul and my salvation from damnation are lost. What is gained? Damnation to eternal hell, correction and punishment for misdeeds and disbelief, and worldly freedom are gained.
17) What is lost if I do not believe in God and he does not exist? There is a potential to loose happiness, satisfaction, and reason for morality. What is gained. Perceived freedom is gained.
*The keystone and underlying question here is what is to be valued more? Is it personal freedom and worldly pleasures (whatever that may include) or is it eternal salvation by a celestial being? Clearly there is the most at stake when asking questions of whether or not God exists. If he does not exist, then the questions are a matter or ethics, poise, and rationality. However, when God is involved there is a threatening of punishment beyond our comprehension. Everything listed in theses answers is dependent upon the virtues one holds at the time of answering the questions. I know this is a very wishy-washy answer, but the fact of the matter is that an atheist is not going to be concerned with his eternal salvation regardless of whether God does or does not exist. It is equally irrelevant to prod at a strict theist the same way because they will hold to their beliefs relentlessly as well. I do not ask that anyone believe me or take me (or these questions) as any guide of how to live life. These are my answers generated from my beliefs via simple words in complex sentences. I believe that I ought to be honest. I can not say that you or EVERYone should be honest with themselves, but I believe that I should. What this honesty means is that I must weigh the questions personally and subjectively not democratically and rationally; emotionally and not objectively. What is most precious to be gained and most vital to be lost?
| (Question) Gain (Rank) | (Question) Loss (Rank) |
| (14) Salvation (2) | (14) Damnation (4) |
| (15) Moral Satisfaction (4) | (15) Worldly Pleasure (2) |
| (16) Worldly Pleasure (3) | (16) Salvation (1) |
| (17) Freedom (1) | (17) Moral Incentive (3) |
Above is a chart of how I have ranked the things that are at stake in the questions of this section. It is important to know that I developed the "key" for the rating scale AFTER I had ranked the losses and gains. The key is as follows: 1 - Very Important, 2 - Important, 3 - Somewhat Important, 4 - Negligible. What can be taken from this chart? Compare the rankings 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4. We see that the 4s are very true and that is because losing being eternally damned is (by way of double negatives) a good thing and moral satisfaction is often superficial, pretentious, and overzealous. The 3s are accurate but may contradict. The 2s are also accurate but may contradict. But what is particularly important are the 1s. They are very true as salvation is a terrible thing to loose and freedom is a precious waste if it is not gained. It is also important to note that worldly pleasure is not automatically a "sin of the flesh" but rather all things that make us human and make this world manageable and barely enjoyable. Freedom is king, I do not fear damnation if I can say with absolute conviction that I have lived my life authentically with sincerity, honesty, compassion, a hint of bitterness, sympathy, gratitude, and embraced all that I love, all that I hate, all that scorns me, all that loves me, everything I am, and everything I have failed to be.
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