Point of Disorder
Here’s something you don’t hear every day -- Sen. Craig Estes citing a 17th century philosopher on the question of the afterlife. “How do you explain Pascal’s Wager?” Estes asked famed author and contrarian Christopher Hitchens. The author fired back at the Republican from Wichita Falls: “Religious hucksterism, the cheapest, vulgarist, nastiest kind possible to imagine!”
The event was a debate on religion and politics Monday night at the LBJ Library between Hitchens, a self-professed anti-theist, and UT professor Marvin Olasky, a devout Christian. Hitchens was in Austin to promote his new book, “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.”
Estes took the mike during the question and answer session. The senator is no stranger to the sacred and the profane. He went to Oral Roberts and Harvard Business School and he shares the Senate floor every day with John Whitmire and Dan Patrick (insert your own joke here).
Pascal’s Wager basically goes like this: If you believe in God and are wrong, you lose nothing. But if you disbelieve in God and are wrong, you lose everything. So why not believe?
Hitchens’ definition was more, ah, secular: “Whatcha got to lose? I’ve got a good offer for ya. Come to my used car lot. Come on baby, just lie a little and you never know.” Hitchens shook his head. “Don’t talk to me like that and don’t call it piety when you do!”
Actually, Hitchens and Estes seemed to hit it off just fine. They chatted amiably afterwards and shared an elevator down to the reception. Now if only Patrick and Whitmire could get along as well.