I was inspired to create this post after reading this thread in its entirety:
http://www.internationalskeptics.com...=104131&page=5
I had it bookmarked on my web browser for months and finally got around to reading it. In brief, the topic was about a study postulating that New Age beliefs and practices focus too much on personal gratification and therefore are making its believers less happy. One user, thoth108 chimed in saying new age beliefs have made him happier and that they helped him tap into magical powers which he could not substantiate. Moreover, he accused skeptics of never believing the evidence he could show because skeptics would need to suspend their rational faculties in order to accept the paradigm that magic exists. In my opinion thoth108 exhibited key characteristics of New Age believers that I have encountered throughout my life: circular reasoning, feigning humility and open mindedness but in actuality giving off a sense of superiority to have discovered the truth of existence. There are no mysteries to them, all of the riddles of the universe have been solved yet when inconsistencies are pointed out you are deemed "not enlightened" enough to see. Thus they can never be wrong. It is a pernicious, anti-rationalist philosophy.
When asked to take the million dollar challenge, Thoth said he did not need the money. When asked to give the money to charity, Thoth declared that suffering is no big deal, it only helps us all learn after all, so it would be bad karma for him to intervene in the lives of others by giving the money to charity or helping those lacking food and shelter.
I'm sure I have offended some of you. My post is directed at anyone who was a believer in the new age cult (s) and practices and became a skeptic/rationalist. What was your journey like? How did it begin? How did you go from being an ardent believer in magic energies/cosmic journeys/interactions with 4th and 5th dimensional beings to a believer in the scientific method?
I'm very interested to know as I've heard the "I was a skeptic but became a believer after xyz" too many times. Thank you
http://www.internationalskeptics.com...=104131&page=5
I had it bookmarked on my web browser for months and finally got around to reading it. In brief, the topic was about a study postulating that New Age beliefs and practices focus too much on personal gratification and therefore are making its believers less happy. One user, thoth108 chimed in saying new age beliefs have made him happier and that they helped him tap into magical powers which he could not substantiate. Moreover, he accused skeptics of never believing the evidence he could show because skeptics would need to suspend their rational faculties in order to accept the paradigm that magic exists. In my opinion thoth108 exhibited key characteristics of New Age believers that I have encountered throughout my life: circular reasoning, feigning humility and open mindedness but in actuality giving off a sense of superiority to have discovered the truth of existence. There are no mysteries to them, all of the riddles of the universe have been solved yet when inconsistencies are pointed out you are deemed "not enlightened" enough to see. Thus they can never be wrong. It is a pernicious, anti-rationalist philosophy.
When asked to take the million dollar challenge, Thoth said he did not need the money. When asked to give the money to charity, Thoth declared that suffering is no big deal, it only helps us all learn after all, so it would be bad karma for him to intervene in the lives of others by giving the money to charity or helping those lacking food and shelter.
I'm sure I have offended some of you. My post is directed at anyone who was a believer in the new age cult (s) and practices and became a skeptic/rationalist. What was your journey like? How did it begin? How did you go from being an ardent believer in magic energies/cosmic journeys/interactions with 4th and 5th dimensional beings to a believer in the scientific method?
I'm very interested to know as I've heard the "I was a skeptic but became a believer after xyz" too many times. Thank you
via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1G2i4jr
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