Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmath.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!ucdavis!ucbvax!decvax!bellcore!petrus!sabre!zeta!epsilon!gamma!ulysses!burl!clyde!watmath!credmond From: credmond@watmath.UUCP (Chris Redmond) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: On the Power of Arcane Symbols Message-ID: <17027@watmath.UUCP> Date: Tue, 29-Oct-85 11:45:17 EST Article-I.D.: watmath.17027 Posted: Tue Oct 29 11:45:17 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 08:39:29 EST References: <1516@vax3.fluke.UUCP> <1227@mhuxt.UUCP> <2002@umcp-cs.UUCP> Reply-To: credmond@watmath.UUCP (Chris Redmond) Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 20 >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. 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.