Plans

Blaise said: "Thus if we are always planning to be happy it is inevitable that it should never be so." which is truer than true and although quoting Mr. Pascal is never a way to impart true knowledge upon the many I know, I allow it to inform my advice and recommendations so very much. The very little bit of truth that I have the privilege to see so clearly in this world is not similarly easy to share with others. This language we have, though it is courage, is grossly imperfect. For example, you might think I was humbly suggesting I only see a very little bit of the total truth, when, in actuality, I am saying that I see very nearly all of it, and you can take it from me that there is precious little of it.

Blaise is also credited with a wager that proposes it is better to live as though there is some omnipotent deity then as if there is none, because one has everything to gain and nothing to lose. Its not like its a new idea or anything. There's some story about the Buddha proposing the very same thing about reincarnation and karma. And there is probably a similar story in every religion about whatever crazy promises that particular belief system makes to true followers.

Its not to hard to conceive of this all powerful thing, after all, I have myself as a model, but it is hard to imagine that this thing, in my image, cares one whit about, well, you. I'm just kidding darling. Of course, I care about you. I'm just saying God probably doesn't.

Now as far as I'm concerned, all of this is somewhat academic, but here's something that's been on my mind lately. We are, right this instant, at some kind of war with a group of people who we denounce for their fanaticism, who we imagine would murder us all if they had the opportunity, but at the same time that we are at war with these people, rightly or wrongly for whatever reasons, we are--at least partly, you must grant me partly--doing so in the name of people who consider it a requirement to kill anyone who ponders the wager and chooses not to believe. Apostasy is a capital offense in Iran, and though there really aren't any laws in place, probably also Iraq, but perhaps more importantly, also Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.

I've slipped up quite a bit these past few days. I've liberally sprinkled question marks though out my missives despite the fact that I'm not at all interested in what you have to say on the matter.

Lets just not pretend these people are anything like you, and certainly not like me. At some point, a people have to be held responsible for their values.