Entries Tagged as 'Skepticism'

Two Big Spiritual Mistakes and Why Many Hate Religion

First_CommunionLast month my family and I attended my nephew’s First Communion. It was the first time I had experienced a full Catholic mass in a long time, and I took note of one interesting change since my early church-going days. When the priest invited family and friends to receive communion, he also welcomed non-Catholics to approach as well. While it wouldn’t be appropriate for a non-Catholic to receive communion, we were told that we could receive a blessing from the priest – and indicate that wish by crossing our arms across our chest. After a few moments of reflection, I decided to participate.

It was after that ceremony that I had an epiphany of sorts regarding religion, belief systems, and my past approach to spirituality. I realized for the first time that it is a mistake to search for absolute truths within spiritual belief systems! [Read more →]

Dr. Dean Edell says Acupuncture no Better Than Placebo

Edell-AcupunctureWhile the results of some research in the efficacy of acupuncture has appeared to demonstrate no significant difference between “real” acupuncture and “placebo” acupuncture (where the needle does not penetrate the skin), I applaud many in the medical community who feel that further study is needed to determine the effectiveness of this form of alternative medicine. It’s a good thing they aren’t following in the footsteps of Dr. Dean Edell. He has made up his mind that acupuncture is a sham. According to Dr. Edell, any perceived results are due purely to the placebo effect.

And Dr. Edell persists in his close-minded bias, despite being presented with recent evidence to the contrary. [Read more →]

Spirit Orbs Strike Again at My Home

I believe I have a decent digital camera. It’s a Canon PowerShot A540 that I just got this past Christmas and I actually like it a lot. It’s easy to use and takes great pictures.

Except that sometimes small blemishes appear in the picture.

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Spirit Orb Photographed in the Redwoods?

Don’t you hate it when a speck of dust ruins a photograph?

But what if that blemish on your picture wasn’t caused by dust, or pollen, or water? What if your camera captured something that modern science cannot explain?
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What Does Karla McLaren’s Conversion to Skepticism Mean?

It’s rare when a New Age/metaphysical believer turns into a skeptic. In fact, I use to think that such a thing was pretty much impossible. Why would someone take that step backwards, was my thinking. Well, it happened, giving me cause to reflect on my own convictions and basis for why I believe in what I believe.
[Read more →]