belief in the paranormal= happiness?

Odin

Atheistic Aesir
Odin
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Messages
806
"there is nothing wrong with believing in the paranormal if it makes you happy/ gives comfort e.t.c"

What do people here think of this?

(sorry if this has already been discussed, can someone post a link to the thread? Thanks.)
 
"there is nothing wrong with being drunk or stoned if it makes you happy/ gives comfort e.t.c"

Catch my drift?
 
If someone wants to believe something paranormal then I say that is their business. However, if someone tries to use belief in the paranormal to make money then, in most cases, I believe they are guilty of fraud and belong in jail. Also, I would disagree with someone who tries to pass new laws based on their paranormal beliefs.

In short, your beliefs are your business, as long as you keep them to yourself.
 
Odin said:
"there is nothing wrong with believing in the paranormal if it makes you happy/ gives comfort e.t.c"

What do people here think of this?

(sorry if this has already been discussed, can someone post a link to the thread? Thanks.)
Click to expand...

Have a look at some of the examples here: http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52819



(Waits for the inevitable "but science is nasty too!" - Not from you Odin but some people always do bring it up. And that’s a shame as it shows how much they totally miss the point.)
 
Does belief necessarily make people happy at all? It's apparent from the reaction you often get when you challenge people's beliefs that many "believers" feel rather insecure about the whole thing. When asked why they adhere to a particular belief people often seem to get kind of upset.
 
To a point, i used to think this is ok (thats why I ceased in to trying to convince some christian fundamentalists), but when this people demands to change school programs to introduce ID, or a president talks about "the forces of good and evil", then I would say it is not ok.
 
Belief does have some positive psychology benefits, a feeling of attachment to something larger than yourself. Common community based on beliefs.

All these of course can be achieved without having to believe in an "invisible sky god" as TragicMonkey put it.

Question is, does the upside of belief overcome any downsides? I'm sure christian sciencetist have a nice tight community which they derive happiness from. Which works, until they need medical care.
 
Dragonrock said:
If someone wants to believe something paranormal then I say that is their business. However, if someone tries to use belief in the paranormal to make money then, in most cases, I believe they are guilty of fraud and belong in jail. Also, I would disagree with someone who tries to pass new laws based on their paranormal beliefs.

In short, your beliefs are your business, as long as you keep them to yourself.
Click to expand...

And remember that Mr. Randi makes money perpetuating the skepticism thing.
 
mayday said:
And remember that Mr. Randi makes money perpetuating the skepticism thing.
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LOL. Yeah, like scepticism has even a tiny, tiny percentage of the income of paranormal or pseudoscientific beliefs.

That is very funny Mayday.

Just for a laugh, how much do you assume Randi makes? (Or do you have some actual figures?)
 
mayday said:
And remember that Mr. Randi makes money perpetuating the skepticism thing.
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Heres the thing, what Randi is "pushing" is a mode of thinking where ideas are viewed objectively and rationally.

Thus, if his "followers" use this mode of thought, and find Randi as an individual or his organisation objectionable, then poof, no more money/support.
 
mayday said:
And remember that Mr. Randi makes money perpetuating the skepticism thing.
Click to expand...
Really? That's a strange way of putting it. I would have described it as Randi making a LIVING out of believers' gullibilities...by being paid to explode them in public and showing how silly they are. It's public and community service, really.

And of course Randi drives to each and every venue in his stretch limo, and flies on his own private jet. ;)

Just like "Christian minister", Kenneth Copeland has hornswaggled out of his faithful followers' wallets... http://elitecxteam.org/
 
Damn that Randi for promoting critical thinking, individualism and for fighting against scumbags that would scam people out of every cent they have if they could.
 
Zep said:
Really? That's a strange way of putting it. I would have described it as Randi making a LIVING out of believers' gullibilities...by being paid to explode them in public and showing how silly they are. It's public and community service, really.

And of course Randi drives to each and every venue in his stretch limo, and flies on his own private jet. ;)

Just like "Christian minister", Kenneth Copeland has hornswaggled out of his faithful followers' wallets... http://elitecxteam.org/
Click to expand...

That link just makes me want to puke. :(
 
The Kenneth Copeland site is unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable. It would be funny if it were not so despicable. :mad:
 
mayday said:
And remember that Mr. Randi makes money perpetuating the skepticism thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Damn him. And damn all those schools and teachers who make money by encouraging kids to think for themselves. Who do they think they are?
 
With regards to the original question, I know a few people who are believers and who are downright miserable.

The "Everyman" series of last year gave us a prime example of a family who regularly pay for psychic consultations, desperate for a message from their dead son. They have not received anything that they feel is accurate, but they keep on trying.

They didn't look very happy to me.
 
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