Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!ucdavis!ucbvax!decvax!bellcore!petrus!magic!joevax!nvc!sabre!zeta!epsilon!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxd!rlr From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: On the Power of Arcane Symbols Message-ID: <2059@pyuxd.UUCP> Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 18:44:35 EST Article-I.D.: pyuxd.2059 Posted: Wed Nov 6 18:44:35 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Nov-85 05:32:54 EST References: <2002@umcp-cs.UUCP> <17027@watmath.UUCP> <2038@umcp-cs.UUCP> Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week Lines: 35 >>>At one time, a number of researchers substituted randomly selected >>>horoscopes for the normal ones in a newspaper for a period of some weeks. >>>Not suprisingly, the change went unnoticed; what was suprising was the >>>number of 'hits' the random texts produced. I myself believe that most >>>oracles work in the same way. So I treat these things with great respect; >>Sure they do. But they "work" not because they have any "power", but >>because (1) horoscopes and oracles are written ambiguously, to maximize >>the number of "hits" and gain a reputation for credibility; (2) people >>are predisposed to believe in them, and so they interpret whatever >>happens in a way that gives them validity; and (3) such people are >>sometimes influenced by the prediction to behave in a way that makes >>it come true -- e.g. if it is predicted that I will have an automobile >>accident, and I believe the prediction, my driving will likely become >>nervous and jerky, and you can guess what will happen. > So does this not give them a certain power over those who believe in them? Mr. Wingate, could you, by any chance, by any stretch of the imagination, just possibly, be making references to your OWN beliefs with this response? >>One may argue that these are undesirable effects, but I do not think >>a Christian can rationally believe that the fault lies in some >>devil-driven oracle or spell. It lies in human stupidity, gullibility, >>desperation or misplaced faith. > Certainly. But therefore the power is still there; it is simply > psychologically derived. You mean this "simple" statement applies to other people's beliefs in "occult" things. Does it apply equally to yours? Why or why not? Please take the time to answer these questions. -- Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen. Rich Rosen pyuxd!rlr