Something mystical in our world?

[Riddick]

Let's see...

[Gregory]

Couldn't you at least try to make an unbiased poll?

[DangerousBeliefs]

I love your fallacy-laden polls.

So Riddick, have you stopped hitting your mother?

[Johnny Pneumatic]

You left off the options "I strongly doubt anything mystical exists, but with enough proof I'd change my mind." and "yes I'm tired of Riddick posting crap"

[Riddick]

Surely you hold one of those more closely to your ideals than another.

The poll wasn't written to please people. It was written to find how they stand.

[DangerousBeliefs]

So Riddick, have you stopped hitting your mother?

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Riddick
[B]Surely you hold one of those more closely to your ideals than another.

Nope

[Gregory]

It was

1) Written so that people wouldn't be pleased with any of the options and
2) Written to find out where they stand by making them select an option. Does this seem even remotely self-contradictory to you?

[Yahweh]

Is this "something mystical" a testable claim? Can it be reliably observed or logically analyzed?

If not, the question is moot...

[Zep]

What a dumb poll.

I vote Planet X.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Yahweh
Is this "something mystical" a testable claim? Can it be reliably observed or logically analyzed?

If not, the question is moot...
I'm glad you brought that up, sister Yahweh. Let me bow to you while I post here the meaning of mystical:

mys-ti-cal: def
1 a : having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence <the mystical food of the sacrament> b : involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality <the mystical experience of the Inner Light>

That helps clear that up a bit.

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Riddick
I'm glad you brought that up, sister Yahweh. Let me bow to you while I post here the meaning of mystical:

Why do you want Yahweh to be a woman so much?
Oh and I'm a guy too, so don't start.

[DangerousBeliefs]

Originally posted by Riddick

I'm glad you brought that up, sister Yahweh. Let me bow to you while I post here the meaning of mystical:

mys-ti-cal: def
1 a : having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence <the mystical food of the sacrament> b : involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality <the mystical experience of the Inner Light>

That helps clear that up a bit.

Well heck, my answer is yes.

Now, "Yes" or "No" to my question.

[Gregory]

So we can't sence it or intelligently deduce it's existance? Sounds important:rolleyes:

[neutrino_cannon]

I dub this:


the Trichotomy

Of course, that sounds like a medical procedure.

Though, the option "there might be something mystical" is probably the only one anybody can fairly choose.

How much do mystaical experiences feel like drugs?

[Hexxenhammer]

Does Riddick have a very small penis?

It is highly likely that he does have a very small penis.

He may have a very small penis, but I have not experienced it.

There is nothing in Riddick's pants; his penis won't/can't exist. We have knowledge of everything that can ever exist. Our knowledge is our perfection and we would have measured his penis in the lab by now.

Lets see...

[LawnOven]

I voted one of each, because the poll allowed for that.

[Riddick]

No, I haven't hit my mother.

Plz vote, ty very much.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by LawnOven
I voted one of each, because the poll allowed for that.
Thank you for making use of all the poll's options.

NOTE: I don't encourage this behavior

[T'ai Chi]

I'd say there already are mystical things, but by mystical I mean peoples' impressions of things other people call natural.

Why there is something rather than nothing mystifies me, as does thinking of how life originally started, and birth and death, just to name a few.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas


Why do you want Yahweh to be a woman so much?
Oh and I'm a guy too, so don't start.
Well God I hope Yahweh is a girl, cause I have this bet going on with her...if God show's in the end, I get to bang her.

Now if Yahweh is actually a guy...erm...I would look even worse than I am!

[LawnOven]

Originally posted by Riddick

Thank you for making use of all the poll's options.

NOTE: I don't encourage this behavior

Haha, well I do

The only correct answer is one of each.

[Riddick]

Actually, it was my first multiple choice poll. I just had to try it.

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by Riddick

I'm glad you brought that up, sister Yahweh. Let me bow to you while I post here the meaning of mystical:
....neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence

There you go... It would seem that ' mystical ' has no meaning unless you are a senseless idiot...



Our next poll will be about the taste of air...

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Riddick
[B]
Well God I hope Yahweh is a girl, cause I have this bet going on with her...if God show's in the end, I get to bang her.

What would you want to hit a women for? Yahweh is a guy.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Diogenes


There you go... It would seem that ' mystical ' has no meaning unless you are a senseless idiot...



Our next poll will be about the taste of air...
I sense a fart joke in the works.

[Millionframe]

I think we should make a new poll, one that decides if Riddick deserves "Critical Thinker" under his screen name.

[Wrath of the Swarm]

The concept of 'mysticism' is the problem.

Sure, there could be unicorns and gremlins and vampires and what have you - but by definition, they'd be natural phenomena, not supernatural or paranormal or whatever term you'd prefer.

The concept is what's impossible. If that concept is left out from the definition of things, then many things are possible. Including it makes them impossible.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas


What would you want to hit a women for? Yahweh is a guy.
Very good question. Never have, nor wanted to hit a woman. Well, I might have wanted to at one time or another, but I never did.

Now, there is another meaning for "hit on," and that is an entirely different matter.

I don't think we have anything definitive as to Yahweh's gender, and I don't think she wants to verify it.

If Yahweh's a guy, well then bet's off. Whatever.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Millionframe
I think we should make a new poll, one that decides if Riddick deserves "Critical Thinker" under his screen name.
Kind of strange they put those things in under a R&P forum. I mean, if you buy into a religion, you're pretty much kissing good by critical thinking, aren't you?

[Millionframe]

No comment.

[Hexxenhammer]

Originally posted by Riddick
I mean, if you buy into a religion, you're pretty much kissing good by critical thinking, aren't you? Saved.

Priceless.

[triadboy]

I voted for nothing mystical. Prove me wrong.

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas
What would you want to hit a women for? Yahweh is a guy.
Oh, well...

I thought the joke was funny while at lasted.

Thanks a lot, BoD... :D :p


Riddick,

Yes, I did use my portrait as my avatar for a while.

You're a riot. :D

[Wrath of the Swarm]

"... and he felt like sunshine... "

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Riddick
Well God I hope Yahweh is a girl, cause I have this bet going on with her...if God show's in the end, I get to bang her.

Now if Yahweh is actually a guy...erm...I would look even worse than I am!
:D

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Wrath of the Swarm
"... and he felt like sunshine... "
I wish she'd appear in more episodes...

Two more 'til the finale, can hardly wait.

[kuroyume0161]

Originally posted by Gregory
So we can't sence it or intelligently deduce it's existance? Sounds important:rolleyes:

Thanks, Gregory! That made my day!!! :D

Kuroyume

[wollery]

Originally posted by Riddick
Kind of strange they put those things in under a R&P forum. I mean, if you buy into a religion, you're pretty much kissing good by critical thinking, aren't you? Riddick once again displays his reasoning skills by suggesting that anyone posting in an R&P forum has bought into a religion.

[Ladewig]

Let's re-rail this thread.

So, Riddick, at this time, over 80% voted for one of the first two options. Do you have any comments?

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by Diogenes


There you go... It would seem that ' mystical ' has no meaning unless you are a senseless idiot...



Our next poll will be about the taste of air... Aw, don't be that way. You think only idiots deal in things that aren't readily perceived by the senses or easily grasped by the intellect? All those years I wasted on graduate education...

Originally posted by Diogenes
Our next poll will be about the taste of air... Good idea for a follow-up. Now that you mention it, I've heard there's a natural mystic blowing through the air, and that if you listen carefully now you will hear.

[frisian]

:confused:

Threads like these?

Is this what Hal was bitching about?

[Gregory]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
Aw, don't be that way. You think only idiots deal in things that aren't readily perceived by the senses or easily grasped by the intellect? All those years I wasted on graduate education...

You're modifying Riddick's definition by adding the "readily" and "easily."

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
...You think only idiots deal in things that aren't readily perceived by the senses or easily grasped by the intellect?


Pray tell, where did I state such a thing?

[evildave]

Originally posted by Riddick

I'm glad you brought that up, sister Yahweh. Let me bow to you while I post here the meaning of mystical:

mys-ti-cal: def
1 a : having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence <the mystical food of the sacrament> b : involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality <the mystical experience of the Inner Light>

That helps clear that up a bit.

So, basically, "mystical" means something that can't be sensed or understood?

Sounds like 'mystical' gibberish to me.

[Virgil]

of course there is magic in the world...when my cat comes up to rub against me even thought his dish is full.

the rainbow after the rain, bluegrass music. waking up in the morning so I have one more chance to make the world a better place.

but no there is no god, or homeocrap, or chiroquakery. And I still can't cast the magic missle spell.


Virgil

[Yahzi]

I voted for number 3. Our knowledge isn't actually perfect, but it's good enough. For instance, even though our knowledge isn't perfect, and the shape of the earth keeps getting refined (from sphere to oblate to pear-shaped), it will never, ever turn out to be square.

And mysticism will never turn out to be true.

Just like polls this poorly constructed will never reveal anything meaningful.

[Hexxenhammer]

Originally posted by Virgil
And I still can't cast the magic missle spell.


Virgil You're not trying hard enough. REEEAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYY concentrate next time.

[Riddick]

I'm very suprised by the results. 81% of JREF'ers are open to the idea of something mystical, which was beyond my expectations.

It appears that the difficulty is in accepting a supreme being, God. Could it be that we can't accept someone who is greater than all of us? I think therein lies the problem. I guess we don't like the idea of somebody owning us intelligence wise.

[Beleth]

Originally posted by Riddick
I'm very suprised by the results. 81% of JREF'ers are open to the idea of something mystical, which was beyond my expectations.Poorly worded options aside, it just goes to show you that we're skeptics, not cynics.

It appears that the difficulty is in accepting a supreme being, God. Could it be that we can't accept someone who is greater than all of us? I think therein lies the problem. I guess we don't like the idea of somebody owning us intelligence wise.Not at all. We can't know someone whom we have no evidence for, or whose existence is beyond our ability to detect. God's higher "intelligence" (for lack of an adequate word) has nothing to do with it.

God might exist. God might not exist. Without evidence one way or the other, there's no way to know, and there cannot possibly be any evidence one way or the other.

[Ratman_tf]

Originally posted by Riddick
I'm very suprised by the results. 81% of JREF'ers are open to the idea of something mystical, which was beyond my expectations.

It appears that the difficulty is in accepting a supreme being, God. Could it be that we can't accept someone who is greater than all of us? I think therein lies the problem. I guess we don't like the idea of somebody owning us intelligence wise.

Not necesarily. I'm quite certain there are people out there who are better than me at certain things. That's just how life is. I would accept a supreme being. I just haven't seen anything to cause me to suspect that there is any kind of supreme being out there.

I'm also really sceptical of the notion of omni-things. Omnipotence, Omnisience, Omnibenevolence. I think these terms get thrown around WAY too often without exploring their full meaning.

[EGarrett]

I'm still wondering what the hell "kissing good by critical thinking" means...

[DangerousBeliefs]

Originally posted by Riddick
I'm very suprised by the results. 81% of JREF'ers are open to the idea of something mystical, which was beyond my expectations.

I was thinking of sex being mystical...

[rebecca]

Originally posted by DangerousBeliefs


I was thinking of sex being mystical...

You're doing it wrong.

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Riddick
I guess we don't like the idea of somebody owning us intelligence wise.

I don't want to be a slave; do you?

[triadboy]

Originally posted by rebecca


You're doing it wrong.

:D

[scribble]

Originally posted by Riddick

It appears that the difficulty is in accepting a supreme being, God. Could it be that we can't accept someone who is greater than all of us? I think therein lies the problem. I guess we don't like the idea of somebody owning us intelligence wise. [/B]

No, the problem is EVIDENCE.

Boing!

[Riddick]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas
I don't want to be a slave; do you?
exqueeze me, by "owning" I meant one who is superior in skill or ability

[Roadtoad]

I have a problem with the lack of a "I experienced something mystical, but later learned that it could be explained." Much of the "Mystical" that I experienced wound up being explained away by reason and logic.

Much of the time, for example, answered prayers are "answered" in the broadest possible terms. For example, a loved one who's ill dies. The pastor says that in reality, death is itself a healing. (A statement that makes me wonder why the Church gets so freaked out by Jack Kevorkian.) You see what you choose to see, in many cases, not what really is.

It's difficult to confront, but it can, and should, be done.

[Riddick]

I remember one time, I was laying in my bed and thinking to myself, you know, I'm really a sorry sack of ****.

And I continued thinking to myself: "I'll bet if I came across someone who was out of gas, I wouldn't even stop to help them. I doubt I'd even help them."

Well anyway, I fished myself out of that melancholy moment. I was set to go skiing that morning, so I geared up with all my stuff and set out for the ski lake.

So I was on my way over to my friends house to do some skiing. It was my usual route I was driving, and wouldn't you know it, there was a van stopped on the shoulder, and a chick, so I ask her what's up. She says she's out of gas. She asks me to push, which I quickly reject, but offer to go to the gas station on the next corner and bring her some gas.

She got her gas. Of course she wasn't bad, so I gratuitously asked her out for lunch. I got a gratuitous rejection to notch in my belt. And she was quickly on her way.

Now, I don't know, but I'm just sort of suspicious of something at work in all that. Call it Karma if you're eastern or whatever. But things happen sometimes that make you say "Hmm."

[Ratman_tf]

Originally posted by Riddick

exqueeze me, by "owning" I meant one who is superior in skill or ability

Known in online gaming as Pwning. Which is where I suspect Ghengis Pwn got his nick.

Damn that was off topic. ;)

[Ratman_tf]

Originally posted by Riddick
I remember one time, I was laying in my bed and thinking to myself, you know, I'm really a sorry sack of ****.

And I continued thinking to myself: "I'll bet if I came across someone who was out of gas, I wouldn't even stop to help them. I doubt I'd even help them."

Well anyway, I fished myself out of that melancholy moment. I was set to go skiing that morning, so I geared up with all my stuff and set out for the ski lake.

So I was on my way over to my friends house to do some skiing. It was my usual route I was driving, and wouldn't you know it, there was a van stopped on the shoulder, and a chick, so I ask her what's up. She says she's out of gas. She asks me to push, which I quickly reject, but offer to go to the gas station on the next corner and bring her some gas.

She got her gas. Of course she wasn't bad, so I gratuitously asked her out for lunch. I got a gratuitous rejection to notch in my belt. And she was quickly on her way.

Now, I don't know, but I'm just sort of suspicious of something at work in all that. Call it Karma if you're eastern or whatever. But things happen sometimes that make you say "Hmm."

Eh. I'm sure every religious belief finds meaning in coincidence.
Call me when there's trumpets and angels.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Ratman_tf
Eh. I'm sure every religious belief finds meaning in coincidence.
Call me when there's trumpets and angels.
When the trumpets and angels happen, at Jesus 2nd coming, you'll find yourself among the saved or the unsaved. I'll look for you among the saved.

[Dancing David]

Mysticism is readily available and quite cheap compared to street drugs.
Some people have an emotional sentimental side and some don't.

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by Ratman_tf


Eh. I'm sure every religious belief finds meaning in coincidence.
Call me when there's trumpets and angels.

I was once very close to a funnel cloud that produced a high straight line wind at about seventy miles per hour, it sounded like a giant horn, scary but cool! (I don't chase storm much anymore but you can see some cool stuff.)

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by Riddick

When the trumpets and angels happen, at Jesus 2nd coming, you'll find yourself among the saved or the unsaved. I'll look for you among the saved.


Bon Voyage! Don't forget to write , leave your keys in the car.

(Uh, dude the second coming of Christ is a metaphor for adopting christ as your mentor. Remember the kingdom of god is to be found within.)

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Dancing David
Mysticism is readily available and quite cheap compared to street drugs.
Some people have an emotional sentimental side and some don't.
Some will be right, and some will be wrong.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by Dancing David
Bon Voyage! Don't forget to write , leave your keys in the car.

(Uh, dude the second coming of Christ is a metaphor for adopting christ as your mentor. Remember the kingdom of god is to be found within.)
Your interpretation of the second coming is not generally accepted among Christians. That's like saying you don't like driving a Ferrari. How do you know? You've never driven a Ferrari. Same with Christianity, you have no idea what it's about.

Your kingdom of god leaves lots to desire. Personally, I can jerk off and find a better "within."

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by Riddick

Your interpretation of the second coming is not generally accepted among Christians. That's like saying you don't like driving a Ferrari. How do you know? You've never driven a Ferrari. Same with Christianity, you have no idea what it's about.

Your kingdom of god leaves lots to desire. Personally, I can jerk off and find a better "within."

And most people would find your crudeness an affront.

No, it's not the same, really. Most people have an idea of what it might be like to drive a Ferrari. It's been well documented. Cruise through the net, and you can find any number of articles about what it's like to drive a Ferrari, and if you've spent any time behind the wheel at all, you can get a sense of what that might be like.

On the other hand, meeting God, (however you may or may not perceive God), is somewhat beyond any known description. Not too many people have met God face to face, and had much to say about it that can be reasonably translated to everyday language and metaphor. And, as I've said, much of the "Mysticism" that we've encountered can be explained by reason and logic.

Your encounter with the woman who ran out of gas: Running out of gas is a fairly common occurance, and it's merely coincidence that she did so on a day when you were feeling so sorry for yourself that you'd said earlier in the day that you would never stop for someone who'd (*gasp!*) run out of gas. You did stop, however, which would indicate a streak of kindness, which makes me wonder if you're really a Christian. Most Christians I know would roll down a window, tell the woman "I'll pray for you," and roll off on their way.

[EGarrett]

Originally posted by Riddick

Your interpretation of the second coming is not generally accepted among Christians. That's like saying you don't like driving a Ferrari. How do you know? You've never driven a Ferrari. Same with Christianity, you have no idea what it's about.


You do realize that most atheists here are former Christians?

[kuroyume0161]

Originally posted by EGarrett


You do realize that most atheists here are former Christians?

20 years indoctrinated Roman Catholic
2 years with Messianic Jews
2 years 'Born-again' Christian

Here!

Didn't Jeebie say somethin' about returning with 'this' generation, the one to whom he was speaking?

Kuroyume

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by Riddick

Your interpretation of the second coming is not generally accepted among Christians. That's like saying you don't like driving a Ferrari. How do you know? You've never driven a Ferrari. Same with Christianity, you have no idea what it's about.

Your kingdom of god leaves lots to desire. Personally, I can jerk off and find a better "within."

That just shows how blind your are, and your ignorance becomes more apparent. I have never driven a Ferrari, I was however raised in a Xian cult and was the religous one in my family. I was a jesus person for a long time time. I still respect the teachings of jeus and find great merit in them, however it would have been better if peter and paul had been stoned to death early in thier mission to subvert the teachings of thier master.

The kingdom of god is something you haven't studied it would seem.

I am so glad that you lampoon youself better than any of us could. :)

[Ratman_tf]

Originally posted by Riddick

When the trumpets and angels happen, at Jesus 2nd coming, you'll find yourself among the saved or the unsaved. I'll look for you among the saved.

That's nice. Until then, (IF then), I'll go on my merry way.

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by Gregory


You're modifying Riddick's definition by adding the "readily" and "easily." Negative. I drew those words from standard dictionary definitions of apparent and obvious, which terms, of course, appear in the phrase "neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence".

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by Diogenes


Pray tell, where did I state such a thing? You didn't state it as such, but your comment in response to the suggestion that things mystical are "neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence" was:Originally posted by Diogenes
There you go... It would seem that ' mystical ' has no meaning unless you are a senseless idiot...From this I perhaps unreasonably inferred that you think such things are fit for contemplation only by idiots. If that wasn't what you intended to suggest, feel free to supply the correct interpretation.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I clicked all three boxes. Just because.

[triadboy]

Originally posted by Riddick
...Christianity, you have no idea what it's about.


Back in '72, my bass players mother was a foaming-at-the-mouth, talking-in-tongues Christian. They took me to The Manna House where a bunch of people laid hands on me and started praying and moaning. They did this for at least 20 minutes! Lucky for me - it didn't take.

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by triadboy


Back in '72, my bass players mother was a foaming-at-the-mouth, talking-in-tongues Christian. They took me to The Manna House where a bunch of people laid hands on me and started praying and moaning. They did this for at least 20 minutes! Lucky for me - it didn't take.

And people pull this kind of crap, and wonder why atheists and others refuse to accept Jesus. HELLLOOOOOO!

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Originally posted by Riddick

exqueeze me, by "owning" I meant one who is superior in skill or ability


There are lots of things that have supperior abilitys compared to me. Calculators are much faster at math than I am, free divers can hold their breath far longer than I can etc. I also guess you quoined your own definition of owning.
v. owned, own·ing, owns
v. tr.

1.To have or possess as property: owns a chain of restaurants.
2.To have control over: For a time, enemy planes owned the skies.
3.To admit as being in accordance with fact, truth, or a claim; acknowledge.

[gnome]

Originally posted by Hexxenhammer
You're not trying hard enough. REEEAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYY concentrate next time.

And if that doesn't work, try visualizations. Concentrate on it, and pretend you've succeeded. You won't be able to do it until you really believe you can.

[Riddick]

Originally posted by triadboy
Back in '72, my bass players mother was a foaming-at-the-mouth, talking-in-tongues Christian. They took me to The Manna House where a bunch of people laid hands on me and started praying and moaning. They did this for at least 20 minutes! Lucky for me - it didn't take.
Have you let one bad sexual experience stop you from having intercourse?

[triadboy]

Originally posted by Riddick

Have you let one bad sexual experience stop you from having intercourse?

The foreplay was dismal.

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by triadboy


The foreplay was dismal.

:D :D :D

[joyrex]

Originally posted by triadboy


:D http://forums.philosophyforums.com/images/smilies/no.gif

[joyrex]

I'd say the only mystical things I've encountered are the experiences while on binaural beats. Multiple times they've provoked effects in me that have made me question the way reality is constructed; seeing the environment without eyesight, feeling lifting up, out of my body..

Also, interlocking with these experiences, are what I would call synchronities. Just a LOT of coincidendes happening every day.. evernts that seemingly have no connection to each other; until they are perceived and understood