Christopher Hitchens: Pascal's wager = religious hucksterism

Christopher Hitchens discusses Pascal's wager.

This is during the LBJ Future Forum on May 14, 2007, at the LBJ Library and Museum in Austin, Texas.

http://lbjfutureforum.org/events/events_details.cfm?ID=110

After a debate with Marvin Olasky, Christopher Hitchens responds to a question from audience member Craig Estes.

Hitchens sums up Blaise Pascal's wager with this memorable imagery:
"Religious hucksterism of the cheapest, vulgarest, nastiest kind it's possible to imagine. He says, 'What have you got to lose? I've got a good offer for you. Come into my used car lot. Come on baby, just lie a little, and you never know!' No, don't talk to me like that, and don't call it piety when you do, or be prepared to have piety despised."

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• Christopher
• Hitchens
• Blaise
• Pascal
• Pascal's
• wager
• bet
• gamble
• belief
• argument
• debate
• atheism
• religion
• Christian
• God
• Jesus

[KMallinson]

My objection to Pascal's Wager has always been:

1. It's a false dichotomy; you'd better hope you have the right god! The Christian one is a jealous one, to say NOTHING of some of the other ones out there...

2. More to the point, if you spend all your life being pious in preparation for eternity and you were wrong, it is NOT the case that you've lost nothing; the idea of squandering this gift of life waiting for the next one is abominable; it is a supreme act of hubris.

[volound]

@meanlittledog brilliant, utterly brilliant.

this is one i wont ever forget. i hope you wont mind me plagiarising it every couple of weeks for the rest of my life.

[lllv1989]

"Who has the bluest eyes and is the most sexually attractive?"-Hitchens. Love it.

[iBeep2009]

A: you had the bluest eyes and most sexual charisma - and i'm not just saying that because youre dead chris: )

[jayleeds2006]

If one believes based on Pascal's wager, then one would not only be betting on the existence of the god of the bible, one would also have to make sure they are betting on the right god. There are many horses (gods) in the race, including the gods of the Hindus, Greeks, Mayans, Incas, Aztec, etc. Bets would also have to be placed on each of these gods. Further more, if all the gods existed, one had better be betting on the most powerful to worship. It's better and simply rationalize than gamble.

[dkthg]

@wrjamescom stop drinking metal.

[semiLivedj]

He to me already sadly missed.He alone made more sence to me than anyone with the fire to defend his truths in front of anyone.

[AsSomedayItMayHappen]

@metalliholic He is known for his other works. Calm down.

[fegu]

RIP great man

[tristaNINchains]

@KMallinson nice words!

[wrjamescom]

@Timetowatchbadvideos If my body, and with it my nerves, are buried in a grave somewhere, then why would I care hot hot hell is? :)