Computer Says No

I have just finished reading an immense book about a Russian navy officer, Sergei Kourdakov, in the 1970's who escaped the communist persecution of Christians, which he was involved in, by swimming through icy waters to Canada from his ship 12 miles from shore.

Here's a quote:

During my weeks in jail, someone from a government office came to me and said something to the effect, "Kourdakov, we have checked your story very carefully from start to finish. We have put all the factors into a computer, especially programmed to make an analysis. We have put in the water temperature, the direction and strength of the wind, the severity of the storm, the distance from the ship to the shore, the height of the waves-even your physical strength. Our analysis is that your swim and survival were impossible. This is the conclusion of our computer. Is there anything at all that you have failed to tell us about that night?"

I thought for a moment and said "The only thing I left out is that I prayed to God very much."

He left, then came back a few days later. "Sergei," he said, "you'll be interested to know that when all the factors were fed into the computer, including your prayer to God, the computer now reports that your swim and survival were possible. We believe your story."