TobyBartels 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: Strange7 22 December 2010 10:54:12AM 2 points [-]

They spend most of their time in a liberal, scientific culture, so sooner or later they would all probably figure out that the stories aren't historically accurate,

That sounds an awful lot like neglecting externalities.

None of them are going to vote for politicians, e.g., who promise to make the sun stop in the sky so that they can finish a battle.

My understanding is that the more popular saints and prophets did not announce the specifics of their tactically-significant miracles in advance, and that more than a few people voted for Bush on the strength of his claim to communicate with God (along with the implication that he can ask for help when needed, and has a better-than-average chance of receiving it).

Comment author: TobyBartels 23 December 2010 12:41:23AM *  2 points [-]

he can ask for help when needed, and has a better-than-average chance of receiving it

But anyone who asks for help will receive it! (See Matthew 7:7–11.)

I know, I know; nobody really believes that; they only believe that they believe it.

Comment author: Strange7 18 April 2011 10:58:00AM 0 points [-]

Even if they genuinely believed that, claiming to talk to God on a regular basis could sill be reassuring. The smaller-scale equivalent would be

Vote Sgt. Johnson for platoon leader! He's not to proud to call for fire support when things get ugly, and plays poker with some guys in the mortar battery every week.

Comment author: TobyBartels 20 April 2011 08:34:03PM 0 points [-]

But if this ad is directed at me, and I also play poker with some guys in the mortar battery every week, and I genuinely believe that those guys will provide fire support whenever I ask them, even if I'm a lowly grunt, then what does it matter who's platoon leader?

Actually, I can think of a reason: It's best if the platoon leader knows these guys too, since the platoon leader will actually know of more situations than I will to call on these guys. It's the "better-than-average chance" that shouldn't affect anybody with a genuine belief in Matthew 7. According to the Bible, the chance is either 1 or 0 (or so close that you might as well round it off), once you know whether a person is Christian or not.

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