So, I am told that I am a "hard-nosed skeptic."
Perhaps I am. My first reaction is usually to doubt. For example, I have an aunt who is a wonderful Christian lady who loves Jesus, but she can tell some pretty colorful stories. One time she told me about a depressed man who was planning to end his life by driving his car full-speed into the side of a brick building. But, as he was reversing his car so he would have more room to build up speed, he spotted a three-legged dog sitting not five feet from his vehicle. He stopped the car and the dog came over. As he rolled down the window, the dog began to speak to him. Not bark, but speak in a clear, audible voice, telling the man not to end his life. The man listened, turned his car around, and went home.
To me this story seems more than just a bit far-fetched; it seems downright cartoonish. Do I know for a fact that it is fiction? No, but until I have further evidence that it's true, I'm not buying into it. Maybe my aunt actually did know a man who was contemplating suicide. Maybe he actually did see a dog. Maybe he actually did believe that he heard the dog talk to him. But I look for a logical explanation. Because the man was suicidal, it is not unreasonable to believe that he was on drugs or medication for depression. The dog may have been an hallucination as a result of the drugs. Or perhaps internally he did not want to end his life, was looking so hard to find a reason to keep on living, and so somehow his mind created this wise, life-saving canine.
The truth is, I just don't know. I don't know if UFOs exist, or what's the deal with crop circles, or if Big Foot is running around leaving 17-inch long footprints up in Canada. But because there is such a lack of evidence, I can't believe it is true. Same with horoscopes, palm readings, and Benny Hinn miracles. I mean, I'm a Baptist for goodness sake--we are skeptical of women speaking in church and drums used in worship services.
This is not to say that I am totally against the idea that anything 'outside of the ordinary" could ever happen. In fact, I can't even watch scary movies because, late at night when the lights are off, I terrorize myself with thoughts of ghosts creeping around my room. I have seen reality TV shows such as "Ghostbusters" that make a fairly convincing case for "energy" in certain houses, castles, etc. On the show, they try to find logical reasons for every abnormal happening, but sometimes the evidence leads us to believe that it is more than just multiple coincidental events. Perhaps something actually is out there.
The main reason why I believe in happenings outside of the laws of nature is that Christianity clearly preaches that there is another realm outside of our human world. Angels, demons, spirits, Satan.. all are real, active, and involved in our world. The extent of their involvement is unknown to me, but their existence is fact. Because of this, dabbling with Black Magic is very dangerous. Musicians in particular--Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, et al.--have been known to get involved in witchcraft and satanic practices, and have been hurt or even killed from this involvement. Stories abound of people playing with Ouija boards who have been injured or died, as predicted by the game.
So yes, I suppose I am a skeptic, but only to an extent. I believe that most occurrences that people label "supernatural" are either fictional or can be realistically explained. However, I also am of the opinion that there is a supernatural world out there, and it can be extremely dangerous. Ouija boards, tarot cards, and other "magic" should not be messed around with. Demons are real, and they can possess us. Satan is real, and he can hurt us.
When it comes to magic tricks and UFOs, I will treat them the same way I treat Santa Claus: I think it is fun to talk and act as if they are real, but know in my brain that there is no proof for them. My belief is shallow; I only do it for fun. I believe that most things can be explained within the realms of nature, whether we are quite aware of it or not. But, once it begins to cross that line and it is no longer easy to explain logically, then it is time to back off and realize that there are forces out there that are unknown to us, and yet are strong enough to affect us in dramatic, and even life-threatening, ways.
(September 17, 2010)
Perhaps I am. My first reaction is usually to doubt. For example, I have an aunt who is a wonderful Christian lady who loves Jesus, but she can tell some pretty colorful stories. One time she told me about a depressed man who was planning to end his life by driving his car full-speed into the side of a brick building. But, as he was reversing his car so he would have more room to build up speed, he spotted a three-legged dog sitting not five feet from his vehicle. He stopped the car and the dog came over. As he rolled down the window, the dog began to speak to him. Not bark, but speak in a clear, audible voice, telling the man not to end his life. The man listened, turned his car around, and went home.
To me this story seems more than just a bit far-fetched; it seems downright cartoonish. Do I know for a fact that it is fiction? No, but until I have further evidence that it's true, I'm not buying into it. Maybe my aunt actually did know a man who was contemplating suicide. Maybe he actually did see a dog. Maybe he actually did believe that he heard the dog talk to him. But I look for a logical explanation. Because the man was suicidal, it is not unreasonable to believe that he was on drugs or medication for depression. The dog may have been an hallucination as a result of the drugs. Or perhaps internally he did not want to end his life, was looking so hard to find a reason to keep on living, and so somehow his mind created this wise, life-saving canine.
The truth is, I just don't know. I don't know if UFOs exist, or what's the deal with crop circles, or if Big Foot is running around leaving 17-inch long footprints up in Canada. But because there is such a lack of evidence, I can't believe it is true. Same with horoscopes, palm readings, and Benny Hinn miracles. I mean, I'm a Baptist for goodness sake--we are skeptical of women speaking in church and drums used in worship services.
This is not to say that I am totally against the idea that anything 'outside of the ordinary" could ever happen. In fact, I can't even watch scary movies because, late at night when the lights are off, I terrorize myself with thoughts of ghosts creeping around my room. I have seen reality TV shows such as "Ghostbusters" that make a fairly convincing case for "energy" in certain houses, castles, etc. On the show, they try to find logical reasons for every abnormal happening, but sometimes the evidence leads us to believe that it is more than just multiple coincidental events. Perhaps something actually is out there.
The main reason why I believe in happenings outside of the laws of nature is that Christianity clearly preaches that there is another realm outside of our human world. Angels, demons, spirits, Satan.. all are real, active, and involved in our world. The extent of their involvement is unknown to me, but their existence is fact. Because of this, dabbling with Black Magic is very dangerous. Musicians in particular--Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, et al.--have been known to get involved in witchcraft and satanic practices, and have been hurt or even killed from this involvement. Stories abound of people playing with Ouija boards who have been injured or died, as predicted by the game.
So yes, I suppose I am a skeptic, but only to an extent. I believe that most occurrences that people label "supernatural" are either fictional or can be realistically explained. However, I also am of the opinion that there is a supernatural world out there, and it can be extremely dangerous. Ouija boards, tarot cards, and other "magic" should not be messed around with. Demons are real, and they can possess us. Satan is real, and he can hurt us.
When it comes to magic tricks and UFOs, I will treat them the same way I treat Santa Claus: I think it is fun to talk and act as if they are real, but know in my brain that there is no proof for them. My belief is shallow; I only do it for fun. I believe that most things can be explained within the realms of nature, whether we are quite aware of it or not. But, once it begins to cross that line and it is no longer easy to explain logically, then it is time to back off and realize that there are forces out there that are unknown to us, and yet are strong enough to affect us in dramatic, and even life-threatening, ways.
(September 17, 2010)
I would also like to know if you've maintained your perspective on these matters.
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