joe1776
Well-Known Member
In the movie, The Godfather, Marlon Brando, in the title role, delivered this line a couple of times to explain how he was going to get someone to comply with his request. It's about reward and punishment.
Reward on its own is fairly effective. Punishment on its own is equally effective. But the two combined are very powerful in coercing compliance.
A few days after my seventh birthday, a Catholic priest made me an offer that most seven year olds can't refuse. If I believed as a Catholic, I'd go to Heaven (eternal reward). If I didn't, I'd go to Hell (eternal punishment).
There would be reward in this life too.
Only Catholics go to Heaven he told me. He didn't tell me this, but the idea of belonging to an elite group favored by God makes a strong appeal to the arrogant side of human nature.
The priest was wasting his time with me because I'd been born with an inclination to doubt. On hearing a claim of any consequence, my attitude is "Well, maybe that's true and maybe it isn't. I'll have to think about it." Faith, a belief without evidence, is impossible for me. It's not an option.
By making this offer so young, the priest had tried to rob me of a freewill choice as an adult and, for a while, that pissed me off. But then I realized that the same thing had been done to him when he was seven years old. So, I bear no grudge.
Reward on its own is fairly effective. Punishment on its own is equally effective. But the two combined are very powerful in coercing compliance.
A few days after my seventh birthday, a Catholic priest made me an offer that most seven year olds can't refuse. If I believed as a Catholic, I'd go to Heaven (eternal reward). If I didn't, I'd go to Hell (eternal punishment).
There would be reward in this life too.
Only Catholics go to Heaven he told me. He didn't tell me this, but the idea of belonging to an elite group favored by God makes a strong appeal to the arrogant side of human nature.
The priest was wasting his time with me because I'd been born with an inclination to doubt. On hearing a claim of any consequence, my attitude is "Well, maybe that's true and maybe it isn't. I'll have to think about it." Faith, a belief without evidence, is impossible for me. It's not an option.
By making this offer so young, the priest had tried to rob me of a freewill choice as an adult and, for a while, that pissed me off. But then I realized that the same thing had been done to him when he was seven years old. So, I bear no grudge.
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