CoffeeJedi
may the java be with you
debunkin' Monday 
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Name: CoffeeJedi
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18th-Feb-2008 02:52 pm
tiki
Hello there LJ friends.
It occurs to me that the Christians on here get a bit of a lopsided amount of critisism sent their way concerning their views on homosexuality and creationism. In the interest of fairness, here's a bunch of stuff that has no evidence or basis in reality whatsoever, but I'm sure some of you believe in it:

homeopathy
acupuncture
reiki
astrology
numerology
tarot cards
past lives / reincarnation
ghosts / speaking to the dead
angels
psychic powers (includes ESP, telekenisis, predicting the future, remote viewing)
divination (finding water with a divining rod)
applied kineseology
"traditional" chiropractic (inate intelligence)
magnetic/copper bracelets
alien abduction
alien cattle mutilation
Bigfoot/other cryptids
over-priced audiophile equipment ($3,000 speaker cables, $400 wooden volume knobs)
mercury in vaccines causing autism

Also, in 1969, human beings did in fact walk on the moon, thankyouverymuch.

edit: added s'more
Comments 
18th-Feb-2008 08:12 pm (UTC)
[info]annicat
theoretically, all of modern pharmacology is based on homeopathy ...
18th-Feb-2008 08:14 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
In some ways, perhaps... however, old and outdated theories should be discarded. I mean, no one in astronomy thinks that light travels through "the aether" any more.
18th-Feb-2008 08:19 pm (UTC)
[info]annicat
but that wasn't your statement.

you said In the interest of fairness, here's a bunch of stuff that has no evidence or basis in reality whatsoever, but I'm sure some of you believe in it:

my comment is simply that homeopathy DOES have a basis in reality.
19th-Feb-2008 04:40 pm (UTC)
[info]clayfoot
Homeopathy got some of the treatments right, but the explanation was wrong.
Clinging to that incorrect explanation is simply unfortunate. For example, treating people with cinchona bark (which contains quinine and produces symptoms similar to Malaria in healthy people) really was a good treatment and preventative for malaria, leading to the principle of "like treats like."
18th-Feb-2008 08:20 pm (UTC)
[info]vectorb
Lets not forget who killed JFK

Documents released!

18th-Feb-2008 10:06 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
I'm not into conspiracy theories. I think that the sheer stupidity of our government has been exposed enough. Also, they can't keep tiny little things quiet, there's just no way that these vast international conspiracies wouldn't break wide open and the news media would descend like a plague of brain-starved zombies on the story.

For instance, I don't believe that our government knocked the World Trade Center over with explosives, my dad was trying to convince me of that recently actually.

But the whole Lee Harvey Oswald shooting JFK with a magic bullet thing.... just doesn't make any damn sense.
18th-Feb-2008 08:21 pm (UTC) - I likes dem numbers, dem numbers, dem numbers
[info]resk
One atheist's perspective

1. homeopathy -- Never rly looked into it

2. acupuncture -- It's helped friends of mine. Never tried it meself.

3. astrology -- Bollocks

4. tarot cards -- Bollocks

5. past lives / reincarnation -- Bollocks

6. ghosts / speaking to the dead -- I know people who claim to have seen/experience them (including my uncle), so I won't deny the possibility of their existence, but I don't personally believe, having never had an ghost experiences meself

7. angels -- Bollocks

8. psychic powers (includes ESP, telekenisis, predicting the future, remote viewing) -- I think that once we "little brainers" tap into using more than 3-5% of our brains, this stuff might be possible. We have yet to evolve enough to realize this kind of power.

9. divination (finding water with a divining rod) -- Bollocks

10. Also, in 1969, human beings did in fact walk on the moon, thankyouverymuch. -- I, too, believe that they did. The whole "fake moon landing" thing is a buncha Bollocks.
18th-Feb-2008 08:25 pm (UTC) - Re: I likes dem numbers, dem numbers, dem numbers
[info]coffeejedi
That whole "only use 10% of our brains" thing is a silly myth that somehow managed to take hold. We use 100% of our brains, and we know what most of the parts do. Now, only 10% may be active on average at any given time, but rest assured that you use every part of your brain for some purpose.
18th-Feb-2008 08:25 pm (UTC) - Re: I likes dem numbers, dem numbers, dem numbers
[info]vectorb
I think that once we "little brainers" tap into using more than 3-5% of our brains

Bollocks.

Im not sure where this myth came from but we pretty much use all of our brains all the time. some parts are less active at specific times but on a whole them neurons are a firin!
18th-Feb-2008 08:35 pm (UTC) - Re: I likes dem numbers, dem numbers, dem numbers
[info]coffeejedi
The acupuncture thing is funny. It does make you feel good, though not for the reasons why acupuncturists claim. They've done studies using a technique they call "sham acupuncture" where real acupuncture is performed, however the needles are inserted in completely "wrong" locations for the patients' ailments. When compared with a control group of people who received "real" acupuncture, statistically no difference was seen.

However, the belief is that the relaxation combined with nerve stimulation and endorphin release did help with the pain. However acupuncturists still rely on archaic concepts like "chi" and "energy meridians" to figure out where to stick you.
18th-Feb-2008 08:45 pm (UTC)
[info]pencat
> edit: added s'more
I'm pretty sure s'mores are real.
18th-Feb-2008 08:51 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
yes... yes they are......... REALLY DELICIOUS!
18th-Feb-2008 08:53 pm (UTC)
[info]ikkarus01
I don't believe in ghosts, but I did see one once.

That's all I've got.
18th-Feb-2008 09:01 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
Hooray for personal anecdotal evidence! Its completely worthless in terms of actual study of phenomena... but hooray for it anyway!
18th-Feb-2008 09:01 pm (UTC)
[info]entelein
my third chakra's inner children told me to vote against your lifestyle
18th-Feb-2008 09:02 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
Ooooh! Chakras! Reiki! I should totally add that one!
18th-Feb-2008 09:24 pm (UTC) - (sigh)
[info]k_sui
I believe in Bigfoot, but not the creation fable. Suck it, James Dobson!!!
18th-Feb-2008 09:25 pm (UTC) - Re: (sigh)
[info]coffeejedi
you're having problems with this comment, aren't you?
18th-Feb-2008 09:52 pm (UTC)
[info]caspian_x
Wow, very nice. Thanks for the equal-opportunity debunking.

Of course, this doesn't change the fact that happen to believe Christianity is 100% based in reality while most of the above is pure codswallop, but hey, I appreciate the effort!
18th-Feb-2008 09:55 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
You're welcome!

Though I'm a bit disappointed. I was really hoping some hardcore homeopathy or astrology believer was going to step forward to defend their brand of woo-woo nonsense and we'd get a good rip-roaring debate/debunking going. Sadly, no.
18th-Feb-2008 11:55 pm (UTC)
[info]thebruce0
also, secondeded
18th-Feb-2008 10:43 pm (UTC) - Re: debunking
[info]shad_0
On the other hand, not too many astrologers/numerologists/ghost-hunters/etc. have insisted that my beliefs are wrong (or simply insulted them), tried to convert me to astrology/numerology/kineseology/whatever, or told me that I'm doomed to burn in Hell.


I WISH TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT THE FOREGOING COMMENTS IN NO WAY APPLY TO MY FRIENDS ON LIVEJOURNAL, WHO HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED MY DIFFERENT BELIEFS AND HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO PROSELYTIZE AT ME IN ANY WAY. THANK YOU.
18th-Feb-2008 10:47 pm (UTC) - re: how's that for proselytizing?
[info]entelein
I am a goddess who gives her supplicants chocolate when they're good.
18th-Feb-2008 11:26 pm (UTC)
[info]phaedra_amunet
There's no evidence that "chi" exists (and indeed, plenty of evidence that the philosophical system upon which acupuncture is based is bunk), but there actually are studies indicating that intense sensory input at certain points on the body causes an endorphin rush that relieves pain. Granted, it doesn't have to be a needle -- it can be heat or cold or electricity (electrostimulation of certain trigger points is an accepted medical treatment) -- but that doesn't mean that the basic idea -- stimulate these points for pain relief -- is along the same lines as tarot cards.

I'm sure the original rationale for using heat to soothe muscle aches was wacky too. But it doesn't change the fact that it's effective.
18th-Feb-2008 11:45 pm (UTC)
[info]coffeejedi
Yes!
Scroll up to a reply to Resk, I basically said the same thing!
(omg, you must be psychic!)
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