Comicsartist

Emotionally, way more than likely.

Honestly, I'm not sure how to answer this. Obviously I should go by "am I my brother's keeper" which, going by Christian beliefs, I am supposed to be. But truthfully I really don't know what I would do in that situation. Mainly because I have not been in that situation.

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nroberts

If you have a family, it's more than just emotionally. This person is stealing away a bread winner, a husband, and a father. Even if you don't, this person is stealing away the investment made in you by your parents and educators.

Are you sure that's what goes by Christian beliefs? Is it Christian to do nothing while someone else suffers or is killed? Maybe you are supposed to turn the other cheek, but are you to also stand idle?

The turning cheek thing...is it talking about allowing yourself to be murdered or is it talking about not taking offense at the first offense?

There's a concept among philosophers and scientists about morality and its foundation in the strategic playing of the life game, which just so happens to be the prisoner's dilemma. There's a variant of the game that adds memory and allows the game to be repeated. In this variant it pays to be a cooperator, not a defector (as opposed to the other version when the strategically sound play is to defect). But just how cooperating should you be? It turns out that doves, those that always play cooperate no matter what, fair rather poorly when they play with any but each other. On the other hand, that is not how the world is. The world contains hawks (always defect) and many grey strategies.

It turns out that one very effective strategy is the grudger. Grudgers play cooperate until their opponent plays defect and then play defect from that point on. Grudgers do great with each other and with doves...and better than doves when faced with defectors. Another simple strategy is tit-for-tat. This version plays cooperate the first time and then matches the opponents last play from then on....so cooperate until a defect, then defect, but forgive if the opponent played cooperate.

Now, tit-for-tat is a very solid strategy and performs very well in mixed company but there is a problem. If a tit-for-tat meets a mean variant of tit-for-tat (mean strategies defect for no reason) then the one might randomly decide to defect, then the nice tit-for-tat plays defect the next time, then the mean one does, then the nice one does, then the mean one does...and they can't break this cycle.

So what might be even better than this? Well there is just such a simple strategy that plays better than tit-for-tat: tit-for-two-tats. This one turns the other cheek once. So it takes two defections in a row before it will start playing defect. It can be taken advantage of of course, but that takes some planning and isn't a simple strategy. The only simple strategy it doesn't perform very well with is the total defector since it will allow itself to get fucked one extra time.

But a tit-for-tat that is playing against a murdering defector won't do well at all!

Consider what would happen if your strategy was used by everyone that wasn't a murderer. Just sit and let yourself get killed. Don't stop anyone else from getting killed either. Why the world would quickly get overrun by murderers, wouldn't it.

Your instincts would take over and you'd either freeze or fight. Nobody knows which they will be until they are.

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"There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure."

—Jack E. Leonard

Environment Man

I do realize that I would fuck that crazy motherfucker up.

Environment Man

In an artistic mood early in 08 eh Cat?

Environment Man

That fool is a child of Satan and your defense of him is not surprising.

LeisureChrist

So you believe that Satan can create life? Your worship of the dark one know no limits.

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"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to be Environment Man and remove all doubt."---Benjamin Frank-N-Furter

Environment Man

I do not know if God has limited his powers in that way. He DID transform himself into a serpent. And he talked as a serpent. So his powers ARE great.

Titanium Cat

A quick check of the link to the picture would reveal that it is not my art work. I liked the addition of the Bud cans, it gives the character of RamboJesus more depth.

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Where the hell is E-man?

Titanium Cat

But according to you god is all powerful. So without even the slightest strain god could make Satan disappear thus removing his evil influence on mankind. Yet your god does not do so. She likes Satan, perhaps she is even in cahoots with him.

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Where the hell is E-man?

LeisureChrist

Moreover, the bible shows that impressing Satan is important to God. So much so, that God even put the devout Job through torturous tribulation just to amuse Satan. Perhaps God has been courting Satan all along.

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"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to be Environment Man and remove all doubt."---Benjamin Frank-N-Furter