...who among you actually believe...

PUBLIC NOTICE: Although I haven't denoted this on any previous occasions, I would like it known that any opinions I express towards any general views or beliefs should be read with an automatic asterisk on the end with the disclaimer (*except for Dark Angel)

As for my beliefs, I sport two core beliefs that may seem at first contradictory but truly in essence compliment each other.

1-Perception is reality.

2-Science kills magic.

If a perceived action consistantly leads to the same end result, why ask why?

Unfortunately I'm a skeptic too and this forces me to deny all of the above statements.*

<font size="1">*Except the first statement which kind of makes this statement moot.</font>

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Originally posted by Drau:

I'd have to apply my "willingness to believe" due to my faith in God/heaven/afterlife.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thank you drau you just saved me alot of typing. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

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Originally posted by Moviemaniac4:
I seeeeee a "Fried Chicken" in my future.....

I'll be back [img]wink.gif[/img]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You see, only works with movie.....couldn't afford the chicken. Had to eat an "empanada"

[img]confused.gif[/img]

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Originally posted by Andyman:

1-The very perceptive individual with very keen senses who can read clues in body language, voice tone and other signals that are not so obvious to the subject. These individuals may or may not be aware of how their talent works. This is as close to as "genuine" a psychic could be in my book.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'd wager that this is the most prevalant case. Hence the access to commonly unused portions of the brain, Higher Order Thinking Skills perhaps.

"Belief" is, of course, a strong word. The research I did years ago in my own quest for faith led me to "accept" certain perceptions. Nothing has been legitimately revealed to me on this specific matter, rather, the basis of my opinion is rooted in the work and findings others have written about, combined with disspelled mythology and reports of phenomena scientifically solved, and topped off with the legends and lore contained in the tomes of various religions. Firmly do I believe in God, and so just as sure am I of the devil. I am aware that God's power is infinite, immeasurable, infallible, and is the pinnacle of balance and harmony throughout all of existance, but evil has limits. I don't profess to know many particulars beyond that. That about sums up my disclaimer, and I've told you that to tell you this:

Evil is defeated. Despite anything Hollywood or popular authors, artists, politicians, whatever may have to say on the matter for the purpose of entertainment or other, Evil has never nor will ever have the upper hand. However, evil will stop at naught to have mankind "believe" otherwise. Evil is relentless because although the decision of supremacy has been affirmed since the beginning, the human soul is not so easily spoken for. While we have been granted free will, the nature of evil is to stifle that choice by any means necessary. Evil will lie, cheat, steal, and destroy to get at the essence of what makes us sentient beings. We are presented with the notion that some have special connections with the next phase of existance - psychics, for example - to devalue our free will, to challenge the purpose of our existance, and to steal away the notion that God even exists. Therefore, I don't accept that any man has the power to predict future events, nor speak directly to the deceased, but rather the presence of evil in such a man will allow him to deceive to an inhuman degree.

Personally, in my journey to find myself and establish my own beliefs, I have experienced many forms of psychic deception, and some that I can't simply explain away as such. Even now I occasionally encounter the kind of deja vu that comes with having previously dreamt about or otherwise perceived events that now unfold in real life. Those who have known me long here know about the premonitions I had that taught me about the Imbalance, and I doubt I'll ever have any solid answer for that mystery aside from an uphill battle with insanity. Biblically, there were those prophets who foretold such things as the lineage of Christ's forefathers, and other holy books have similar predictions. A distinction can be made between divine prophecy and parlor fortune telling, but it's not for me to define. However, when a guy says he talked to my Uncle Joe and he says not to get on the bus next week, I know he's full of shat.

From a more practical and tangible POV, how come Dion Warwick didn't see the bankruptcy coming, and why didn't Miss Cleo know to get out of Dodge when the Feds came knocking? Perspective...

Gawddamn, Fluffles has critical thinking skills! Go figure. [img]wink.gif[/img]

However, he did fail my test. Maybe this will spur him to re-examine that. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

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Originally posted by -Dark Angel-:
Gawddamn, Fluffles has critical thinking skills! Go figure. [img]wink.gif[/img]

However, he did fail my test. Maybe this will spur him to re-examine that. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I knew you were going to say that! [img]wink.gif[/img]

i believe due to personal experience and i will leave it at that [img]wink.gif[/img]

...its interesting that so many of you cite (presumably christian) religious faith as conjunctive to your willingness to at least keep an open mind toward "paranormal" issues. Unusual, actually. Not to be isulting at all, but most self-identified christians do not come across as very tolerant of "new age" viewpoints.

That being said, I hjope I am not making anyone defensive...I have no intiention of judging anyone's opinions or beliefs, I just want to hear about them...

One thing is for sure....Science can not explain everything. In fact, some explanation we get are just based on what others write and add to try to give a conclusion. Sure, we learn how babies are born, but is not the "how" it happens but rather "why". Does the soul really exist ? When we die we really cease to exist or as the body, we transform into something else ? What happened BEFORE the big bang theory ?

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Originally posted by Moviemaniac4:
One thing is for sure....Science can not explain everything. In fact, some explanation we get are just based on what others write and add to try to give a conclusion.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">EXCELLENT points! To me, being a skeptic also means accepting that there ARE no answers to certain things...a rather depressing notion, on occasion.