Freethought & Rationalism Archive

RogerLeeCooke · 07-17-2002, 04:18 PM

I'm aware that Pascal's wager is a very tired topic here, but since I haven't posted much until recently, I don't know if anyone has looked at it quite this way before. Moderator, I won't be offended if you lock this out for being too tiresome.

Most of the refutations of Pascal's wager point out that you might wind up worshipping the wrong God if you bet Pascal's way. What I'd like people to consider is the invisible aliens who watch over us. I don't mean the UFOs; those are just hallucinations of excitable people. The *real* aliens are so good at hiding that no one has ever seen them. But they take an intense interest in us, and reward people who behave well with prosperity (they are able to predict the stock market and plant good hunches in your head). So, since they know if you've been bad or good, be good for goodness sake! The main thing they want is for you to believe in them without ever seeing them or having any evidence that they exist, other than the word of their Prophet (Me).

So, to anybody who says they don't exist, I say, if they don't exist, what do you lose by being good and believing in them? But it is of great importance to you, and you may get great rewards if your belief turns out to be true. Any good game theorist can see that this is a game with a winning strategy, and I don't have to tell you what it is.

Jobar · 07-17-2002, 04:37 PM

"Pascal's Wager with the Invisible Vulcans."

Don't recall it being done in just this way before...

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ · 07-18-2002, 05:36 PM

But what about MY invisible aliens? If I kill people and eat their intestines, they'll insure that I get all the women I want. They say that anyone who does this will be king of a planetoid filled with as many sex partners as they desire! So, why not kill people and eat their intestines? It's not as if you have much to lose if you're wrong. An insanity plea will get you some waaaay cool drugs really easy.

RogerLeeCooke · 07-19-2002, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesus Christ:
<strong>But what about MY invisible aliens? If I kill people and eat their intestines, they'll insure that I get all the women I want. They say that anyone who does this will be king of a planetoid filled with as many sex partners as they desire! So, why not kill people and eat their intestines? It's not as if you have much to lose if you're wrong. An insanity plea will get you some waaaay cool drugs really easy.</strong>

ROFLOL. That's humor on a scale I can't match. I yield to your invisible aliens and will ritually sacrifice goats to them every day.

ishalon · 07-19-2002, 06:14 PM

Sorry, but the true aliens aren't so generous... we require 50% of your wages, to be paid every month. Email me for more information.

Jobar · 07-19-2002, 06:57 PM

Intestines? YUCK! Now if it were brains... or maybe sweetbreads...

Dr. Hannibal Jobar

07-17-2002, 04:18 PM	#1
RogerLeeCooke Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Burlington, Vermont, USA Posts: 177	Pascal and the aliens I'm aware that Pascal's wager is a very tired topic here, but since I haven't posted much until recently, I don't know if anyone has looked at it quite this way before. Moderator, I won't be offended if you lock this out for being too tiresome. Most of the refutations of Pascal's wager point out that you might wind up worshipping the wrong God if you bet Pascal's way. What I'd like people to consider is the invisible aliens who watch over us. I don't mean the UFOs; those are just hallucinations of excitable people. The real aliens are so good at hiding that no one has ever seen them. But they take an intense interest in us, and reward people who behave well with prosperity (they are able to predict the stock market and plant good hunches in your head). So, since they know if you've been bad or good, be good for goodness sake! The main thing they want is for you to believe in them without ever seeing them or having any evidence that they exist, other than the word of their Prophet (Me). So, to anybody who says they don't exist, I say, if they don't exist, what do you lose by being good and believing in them? But it is of great importance to you, and you may get great rewards if your belief turns out to be true. Any good game theorist can see that this is a game with a winning strategy, and I don't have to tell you what it is.

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07-17-2002, 04:37 PM	#2
Jobar Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: secularcafe.org Posts: 9,525	"Pascal's Wager with the Invisible Vulcans." Don't recall it being done in just this way before...

07-18-2002, 05:36 PM	#3
Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Heaven Posts: 6,980	But what about MY invisible aliens? If I kill people and eat their intestines, they'll insure that I get all the women I want. They say that anyone who does this will be king of a planetoid filled with as many sex partners as they desire! So, why not kill people and eat their intestines? It's not as if you have much to lose if you're wrong. An insanity plea will get you some waaaay cool drugs really easy.

07-19-2002, 06:14 PM	#5
ishalon Regular Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: From: Posts: 203	Sorry, but the true aliens aren't so generous... we require 50% of your wages, to be paid every month. Email me for more information.

07-19-2002, 06:57 PM	#6
Jobar Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: secularcafe.org Posts: 9,525	Intestines? YUCK! Now if it were brains... or maybe sweetbreads... Dr. Hannibal Jobar

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