Thanks to viewer Quinn Martindale for posting this quick snippet from a show this March in which Matt Dillahunty, in two minutes, says everything that needs to be said to destroy the most tired and banal argument for belief still making the rounds. You’d think most believers would have gotten the message that Pascal’s Wager is the sort of thing you only bring up if you’re walking around with the word DOOFUS tattooed to your forehead in a lovely decorative serif font. But you’d be surprised how many believers still take it seriously. After this, hopefully they’ll be properly schooled.
Jun 13 2008
Pascal’s Wager dies and is dead like a dead thing
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Atheist in a mini van.
June 13, 2008 at 9:18 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
If I hadn’t already had four babies with some other guy, I’d totally want to have babies with Matt D.
That’s one of my favorite Matt D. clips.
otakursed
June 14, 2008 at 2:01 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Never minding the hell threat, I gotta agree with Hitchens on the lack of appeal of what you’d supposedly win in said wager. Namely an eternity of praising his high holiness with a choir of angels. Oh rapture, oh joy. Better yet, sign me up for the pillar of salt ride in that amusement park, mmkay?
Aquaria
June 16, 2008 at 1:15 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I’m with otakursed–heaven would be hell to me. One of my favorite comebacks when asked if I want to go to heaven is, “If I wanted to spend an eternity praising a megalomaniacal control freak for letting me bask in his glory, I’d still be with my first husband.”
Joshua
July 10, 2008 at 12:58 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Pretty concise explanation of why Pascal’s Wager is so ridiculous. But my favourite part is the end: “And by the way, for future callers, you do not have to lie…”
normdoering
August 8, 2008 at 2:15 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Anyone here ever watch the SciFi Channel series called “Scare Tactics”?I’ve got a hubpage article on why I think Scare Tactic’s victims are using an effective version of Pascal’s Wager:http://hubpages.com/hub/Pascals-Scare-TacticAnd they don’t pay the hidden cost of Pascal’s original wager.