Good questions and a problem with Pascal

In church Sunday, our pastor suggested asking a couple key questions when you want to dig deeper - especially when talking to people about religious issues.

#1 Ask: "What do you mean by that?" As-in... "I think reincarnation is true". Then respond, "What do you mean by that?"

#2 Ask: "How do you know that is true?" As-in... "I think that the Secret's message of the Law of Attraction is how everything really works." Then respond, "How do you know that is true?"

#3 Ask: "What difference does that make in your life?" As-in... "I think all religions all lead to the same end". Then respond, "What difference does that make in your life?"

#4 Ask: "What if you are wrong, what do you stand to lose?" (similar to Pascal's Wager)

I really like #1 and #2. They help us understand what people really mean without "correcting" or "preaching" at people.

I don't really like #3 or #4.

#3 Can be great, but runs the risk of placing experience over everything else. Then anything the makes a difference in your life (i.e. having a car, having a cell phone, going to Sedona) can be a legitimate basis for religious convictions.

#4 I really don't like at all because to agree with it, no faith is required (Rom 3:28, Eph 2:8-9, Mk 1:15, Acts 20:21). The Wikipedia article lists even more objections to Pascal's Wager. When I accepted Christ a person in my group suggested I should accept Christ because it is a "win-win", my leader (Dick Mason) said this is not faith at all. When he said that, it felt like the missing piece to the puzzle (faith) that I needed in my life. I needed faith, not a wager.