wedrifid comments on The Santa deception: how did it affect you? - Less Wrong

21 Post author: Desrtopa 20 December 2010 10:27PM

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Comment author: shokwave 22 December 2010 06:45:48AM 2 points [-]

I learned an amazing thing. All of my daughter's friends were there and it was a HUGE social event for her. Really? Church?

An atheist friend's younger sister is being drawn into a Christian youth-group for this exact reason. I felt conflicted because on epistemic grounds, believing whatever makes you friends isn't a procedure for making truthful beliefs, but on consequentialist grounds I advised him not to talk her out of it, because her expected loss from believing in God did not outweigh the expected gain of a greatly increased social life. This sounded to him like "believing in God is good because you get friends", which I agreed earlier was not a good reason to believe in God. I retracted my advice in confusion.

It really is a tough question. Which bastard attached social consequences to epistemic concerns?

Comment author: wedrifid 22 December 2010 06:57:32AM 1 point [-]

An atheist friend's younger sister is being drawn into a Christian youth-group for this exact reason.

Don't miss out on youth-group just because they might teach you about God. At least, don't if they are anything like the youth groups I used to engage in. It is amazing how much fun you can have once you eliminate consuming alcohol as a source of entertainment. For example, you can take the alcohol, pour it on a rag covered ball, ignite it and play some soccer in the paddock. Just go easy on the headbutting.

Comment author: shokwave 22 December 2010 04:24:44PM 0 points [-]

Consuming alcohol isn't the source of entertainment per se; consuming alcohol near members of the desirable sex who are also consuming alcohol is lead-up to the source of enjoyment. I am given to understand that this is not an option within the rules she has picked up from youth group; she has a boyfriend from said group, and they have publicly agreed to stay off third base until they are married.

Comment author: wedrifid 22 December 2010 05:33:01PM 3 points [-]

I am given to understand that this is not an option within the rules she has picked up from youth group; she has a boyfriend from said group, and they have publicly agreed to stay off third base until they are married.

Ewww. Now that is something you definitely don't want to catch.

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