More controversially, they point to “psi phenomena,” which seem to illustrate a capacity in human minds to act upon physical objects, even at a distance, and to communicate with other minds in verifiable ways yet in the absence of physical means of doing so.
Balderdash. Even with Dr. Peterson concentrating intently, not one crack has appeared on the floor under the Maxwell Institute Director's chair.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
He seems to be borrowing from mainstream Christian arguments against materialism. The problem is that Mormonism is theologically materialist. There is no immaterial matter. Even the spirit has matter, only more refined.
If you aren't a materialist, you aren't an orthodox Mormon. Which is fine, but it's strange that he would take this position in the Deseret News
These wizards of woo never get clear about what they are talking about. It is just taken for granted that matter is this, er umm, stuff, "dead stuff" and there must be this something else. More stuff? Secretly they are all materialist of the basest sort, they just think there is ordinary "stuff" and then since that doesn't explain anything (to them, apparently they lack imagination when it comes to subtle information bearing structures that can supervene on this ordinary stuff), they then posit some more "stuff", you know,... spirit (ta dah!). It can explain anything just by being special stuff in some unspecified way.
If they were ever forced to get clear on what they meant by material/physical as opposed to the immaterial/spiritual, and exactly how positing such ever really explains anything, there would be great embarrassment.
A couple questions. Is spirit something that pertains to places and times? Can it effect events in space and time? Does it have properties and structure?
Hmmm, sounds "physical" after all by any reasonable definition. They've gotten nowhere.... all in an attempt to explain what already has an explanation. This is a murky fantasy world where brains aren't implicated in memory or cognition (any OBE should prove the brain superfluous, not to mention the eyes and ears).
I am amazed they don't find cars and computers deeply mysterious.
Great post. Theology and pseudoscience are first cousins. In the "new" age they're blended together with marketing and business acumen. Joseph Smith was an early adopter.
This is a very Simon Belmontian position to take. Basically an apple isn't an apple, and words don't mean what they mean. As long as you're free to re-define anything and everything to fit your narrative, then no one can prove Mormonism wrong. Mormonism is reduced to endless what ifs, what abouts, maybes, and we don't know yets. Plain and precious truths indeed!
At the end of the day this is what they're trying to tell people makes sense:
In the face of madness, rationality has no power - Xiao Wang, US historiographer, 2287 AD.
Every record...falsified, every book rewritten...every statue...has been renamed or torn down, every date...altered...the process is continuing...minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Ideology is always right.
Sometimes you hear the more apologetic Mormons say that religion and science can be reconciled, that they are harmonious. Perhaps for some of them it legitimately can be. But articles like this seem set on undermining science. Not just the credibility but the methodology. With everything from near death experiences to telekenesis thrown in. This campaign if successful would have scientists studying Voodoo.
Sammy Jankins wrote:Sometimes you hear the more apologetic Mormons say that religion and science can be reconciled, that they are harmonious. Perhaps for some of them it legitimately can be. But articles like this seem set on undermining science. Not just the credibility but the methodology. With everything from near death experiences to telekenesis thrown in. This campaign if successful would have scientists studying Voodoo.
It requires massive redefinition of both "science" and "religion", but Mormons are masters of redefining and reframing to their advantage. Problem is, too many people can catch them at it.
Maksutov wrote:Dr. Gary Schwartz, of this Open Sciences group, was involved in What the Bleep Do We Know?, a hilariously dense and dishonest production/film by assorted post-physics, post-modern, post-science types literally supported by J. Z. Knight, a.k.a. "Ramtha", the channelled Atlantean warrior.
You know, when I saw this article it immediately reminded me of "What the Bleep". Thanks for pointing out the connection.
Maksutov wrote:Dr. Gary Schwartz, of this Open Sciences group, was involved in What the Bleep Do We Know?, a hilariously dense and dishonest production/film by assorted post-physics, post-modern, post-science types literally supported by J. Z. Knight, a.k.a. "Ramtha", the channelled Atlantean warrior.
You know, when I saw this article it immediately reminded me of "What the Bleep". Thanks for pointing out the connection.
Maybe DCP is channelling the old Nephite warrior and tapirherder, Naphtha. That would explain his incredible depth of knowledge of, well, everything.
