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Are you a skeptic?
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Are you a skeptic? on Fri May 26, 2006 12:22 am

### michellethemit

Joined: 13 Jan 2006
Posts: 161

Forgive me if it's been a misunderstanding, but I've seen a few posts around here where members go 'Hey! You can do (blablabla) with psionics!' and said member gets a bucket of cold water dumped on him/her.
I can understand that yes, this is a forum where the aim is to discuss psi in a scientific manner with some sort of evidence...but why so fast to claim fluff or bs? If a member claims that he can do so and so, why not ask the member for his/her method and try it out for yourself before calling on it?
And to the skeptics of psi...if you say we're all a bunch of crazy fools, be my guest But seriously, give it a shot first. I mean, we're not saying 'ooh, if you stick this drug in your veins or pop 30 packets of whatever substance in your mouth you get this really wierd feeling!'. I doubt what we're doing can be called hazardous to your health, unless mild headaches are considered hazardous Give it an honest try
(offtopic: BLOODY HELL I JUST GOT GANKED WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS OUT )

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Posted on Fri May 26, 2006 12:35 am

### sgtpsion

Joined: 13 Jan 2006
Posts: 425

I agree with you, we need more people in the middle ground.
Psis need to be a bit more skeptical (that means that even Psi is not unlimited). Granted, lots of us ask for proof (usually in the form of videos) when it comes to extraordinary claims, and that's a good thing. But don't be quick to believe (or dismiss, for that matter) everything.
Skeptics need to be more open-minded too. Sure, this stuff's not mainstream, but that doesn't mean you can dismiss us as a bunch of wacky-tack New Agers. (Apologies to any New Agers that may take offence.) TRY THINGS! You didn't doubt that driving was possible before you did it, did you? Likewise, most Psi skills are possible, just rather difficult, and not very widespread.
This is just my humble opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

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Posted on Sat May 27, 2006 4:40 pm

### Kief

Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 120

"but why so fast to claim fluff or bs"
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.
And because I have witnessed paranormal phenomena and it is unlike what people discuss here, which is mostly fluffy BS.
If someone can do something, I would want them to prove it with a video that maintains some set of controls on whats happening before they can anonymously claim "oh man, I can do this and this and that! I'm amazing!". If they want to share anecdotes, that is another thing I suppose, even I do that, but I do not like to make claims to what I may or may not do without first being able to provide adequate proof to a community.
"try it out for yourself before calling on it"
Why don't you try out christianity or mormonism before calling BS on it? Or perhaps hinduism or islam? Just try it out and see if god works for you, what can it hurt to trust in jesus?
A lot.
I do not need to try something out when I know it will not work in the first place. I do know what does work, and very few people seem to have grasped that mechanism. I do not think any kind of paranormal phenomena is psionic at all, that psionics is in most ways incorrect and does not explain paranormal phenomena. Just like how christianity and hinduism do not explain paranormal phenomena and are inadequate paths to divinity that may or may not exist.
Evidence is key, and evidence for these things is sorely lacking.

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Posted on Sat May 27, 2006 5:14 pm

### bladeslinger

Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 1337

Kief wrote:

"but why so fast to claim fluff or bs"
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.
And because I have witnessed paranormal phenomena and it is unlike what people discuss here, which is mostly fluffy BS.
If someone can do something, I would want them to prove it with a video that maintains some set of controls on whats happening before they can anonymously claim "oh man, I can do this and this and that! I'm amazing!". If they want to share anecdotes, that is another thing I suppose, even I do that, but I do not like to make claims to what I may or may not do without first being able to provide adequate proof to a community.
"try it out for yourself before calling on it"
Why don't you try out christianity or mormonism before calling BS on it? Or perhaps hinduism or islam? Just try it out and see if god works for you, what can it hurt to trust in jesus?
A lot.
I do not need to try something out when I know it will not work in the first place. I do know what does work, and very few people seem to have grasped that mechanism. I do not think any kind of paranormal phenomena is psionic at all, that psionics is in most ways incorrect and does not explain paranormal phenomena. Just like how christianity and hinduism do not explain paranormal phenomena and are inadequate paths to divinity that may or may not exist.
Evidence is key, and evidence for these things is sorely lacking.

you don't KNOW that it's all fake so you can't say we need evidense...what's your evidense that it's fake? So far you've shown none.....and you are seriously self centered, take a class on being proactive....

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Posted on Sat May 27, 2006 6:14 pm

### psi_manipulator_3000

Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Posts: 1274

Kief, I'm not gonna attack you or anyone, and we should keep this non-flamy, but you are saying that we should provide solid proof that psionics is real, when you are not prepared to try it out for yourself? Trying it out for yourself is proof of it. Your proof. Personal proof. You can't rely on scientists/friends to tell you what is real and what you believe. You have to test it out. Because there is a simple fact that any amount of videos that we show you, under any amount of conditions is not going to change your mind so stop demanding proof from us because we obviously can't satisfy you with it. If evidence is sorely lacking from the psionic community, then try and make your own evidence. Experience it first hand, or do you just not want to go through the pain of kicking yourself afterwards?

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Posted on Sun May 28, 2006 9:13 am

### michellethemit

Joined: 13 Jan 2006
Posts: 161

Kief wrote:
"try it out for yourself before calling on it" Why don't you try out christianity or mormonism before calling BS on it? Or perhaps hinduism or islam? Just try it out and see if god works for you, what can it hurt to trust in jesus? A lot.

While I may not have actually practised those religions, I have had relatives and friends who are christian/islam..not so much hindu tho. There are things there that I agree with, things there that I disagree with. I'm not going to say because I dont' want this to turn into a religious discussion and have this locked
But isn't religion quite different from psionics? I'd prefer to compare psionics to sports, maybe. For instance...if someone tells you that you can lift 200 pounds in a week (just something I pulled outta my ass lol). Sure, you can rely on evidence. But if you try it out yourself, it's a learning experience. And we all benefit from learning experiences differently. You may learn things, or gain things, that the other person may not have.
I realize, yes, in sports there is a chance of injury. But really...what is the chance of injury in psionics compared to sports? I believe I mentioned it in my earlier post, that psionics is relatively safe compared to sports
Anyway, that's just my 2 cents on it. If you want to depend on anecdotal/scientific evidence, that's fine. But I feel that you'd miss out a lot if you did

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Posted on Sun May 28, 2006 4:34 pm

### sawyerhickory

Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 85

I've been around Psipog for quite a while, as have some other members of the forum, and I can say that I have seen an ungodly amount of bullshit get passed around. I've seen people running aorund claiming they can fly with PK, they can move cars, and so on and so forth. The reason these types of claims are usually shot down so fast is because of the massive scientific evidence backing up the impossibility of such things. Our ablility to maneuver energy simply isn't that good- not to mention our ability to produce it.
A lot of people also come around forums and chats just looking for attention, or to start a fight. People like to plant absurd claims and then laugh as people get worked up about the likelihood or relevancy of a claim. Most people would like to just shoot things down before they have a chance to get out of control.
Most people on this site enjoy healthy debate, but there's a difference between healthy debate and flaming. Absurdist claims- or those which seem absurdist- much more often produce the latter.
(And by the way, in terms of injuries, I have seen people hurt themselves SEVERELY through bad practices of psionics. It's not less dangerous than sports, just dangerous in different ways.)

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Posted on Sun May 28, 2006 8:21 pm

### mattz1010

Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Posts: 885

It becomes dangerous when you disregard your limits, and act foolishly.

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