Hypothetical: Casting Lots

[Ironhold]

A hypothetical that has come to mind of late.

You have recently joined a new congregation. While getting to know everyone, you discover that Brother _____ is one of the more colorful members of the congregation.

Among other things, he's on retainer for the State Gaming Commission.

It turns out that he's been playing pencil-and-paper role-playing games since he was young, during which he discovered a rather incredible affinity for handling and rolling dice. Thanks to 2+ decades of practice, his affinity is so strong (almost to the point of being supernatural) that he can tell just by handling them whether or not any given set of die are loaded. He'a also so skilled / lucky that for most types of dice (6- , 8-, 10-, 12-, and 20-sided) if he's allowed to roll them by hand he can tell you ahead of time what number will come up, loaded or not. He can also seemingly calculate in his head the probability of any given set of numbers coming up from any given dice roll, and can - through observation - tell if a set of dice are deviating from this and by how wide a margin.

The State Gaming Commission first learned about him when he and some friends decided of their own accord to "raid" a dirty casino. After confirming via observation that their dice games were indeed rigged, he put his skills to work by taking them for $5 million; he was literally going to bet the casino owner "all or nothing" (casino ownership vs. the $5 million) when an undercover inspector finally intervened, at which point he explained - publicly - his discovery.

Since then, most casino owners in the state won't let him through the front door unless he's waving his state credentials around, and when he is waving his state credentials around they panic because they know he's there to inspect their dice tables and there's no trick in the book they can use to deceive him.

How would you react upon discovering that you're going to church with Brother _____?

[Guest]

Hi Brother ______, I'm Sister anatess.  How would you like to come to my house for dinner on Friday.  It would be super cool to have my kids try to stump you at dice.

[beefche]

Hi, Brother___. How are you today? Thanks for your talk. I appreciated your comment on x.

[AnnieCarvalho]

What anatess and beefche said.

[Vort]

I would ask him if Nephi had to go alone into Jerusalem after the plates because Laman and Lemuel rigged the die.

[NeuroTypical]

Can I borrow some money?

[Crypto]

This is why you always roll with a cup.

[pkstpaul]

Oh, the things I have learned about my brothers and sisters. It actually puts everyone on an even field. I don't treat some people better just because I haven't learned their secrets yet.

[The Folk Prophet]

I'm curious what your expectations are as to how people might react to this. As near as I can figure, why would anyone react at all and in any way differently than they would with any other member?

[Ironhold]

I'm curious what your expectations are as to how people might react to this. As near as I can figure, why would anyone react at all and in any way differently than they would with any other member?

Every so often, I'll drop hypotheticals to shake up whatever board I'm on.

Usually, it's because the board's not all that active, and so this gives people something to talk about for a while.

[mirkwood]

Ask him which adventure module is his all time favorite.  Then probably end up in a nerdy conversation about said adventure.

[Guest]

Every so often, I'll drop hypotheticals to shake up whatever board I'm on.

Usually, it's because the board's not all that active, and so this gives people something to talk about for a while.

 

Well, if that was the intent, this hypothetical, I don't think, is the thing for it.  This has a pretty unanimous kind of answer.  You would want to use a hypothetical that doesn't get a universally homogenous answer.

[Ironhold]

Well, if that was the intent, this hypothetical, I don't think, is the thing for it.  This has a pretty unanimous kind of answer.  You would want to use a hypothetical that doesn't get a universally homogenous answer.

Normally, I don't get homogeneous answers.

[Guest]

I once had the blessing to know an absolutely wonderful couple.  I really thought they had a fairy tale marriage.

 

They invited my family over to dinner with all our children.  My daughter wanted their son to be her boyfriend.  My sons wanted him to be their big brother.  I saw their interactions with each other and their son, as well as the step/half children that came over in the middle of dinner.

 

Sometimes I'm oblivious, sometimes my senses are fine tuned.  That night was the latter.  While no one else noticed the subtleties, I did.  There was unhappiness there.  There was tension there.  There were unspoken feelings both good and bad.

 

I didn't mention my observations to anyone.  I took it home and pondered it in my heart.  The next day I came to one inescapable conclusion.  They really have a fairly tale marriage.

 

I write this to mention the fact that just because you know some things about people, doesn't change what you DO know about those people.

 

BTW, I really don't see anything "controversial" about the given hypothetical.  What do some people say that is so objectionable?

Edited November 11, 2015 by Guest

[clwnuke]

I think I'd ask him if he ever played Dungeons and Dragons. Boy that game had a lot of different dice!