I use the word “street” loosely since these travelling skeptics appear to focus on smaller villages and the likes. But still, excellent effort, and hopefully it’ll keep the God Men at bay.
Oct 16 2011
Street Skepticism In India
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Contact me via these services:
I reserve the right to publish any contact, especially if it's hateful or ridiculous.
Not detailed enough to allow for proper stalking? Please read my Hello Freethought Blogs post. I promise* it will include my favorite style of underwear.
* Not a real promise
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'Tis Himself, OM
October 16, 2011 at 10:33 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This is pretty impressive. And I’m not surprised the fake guru travels with body guards.
Longjocks
October 16, 2011 at 10:55 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
The James Randi of India? :)
Avicenna
October 17, 2011 at 5:41 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
They are followers of this man
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periyar_E._V._Ramasamy
Periyar is basically an early Indian James Randi. His followers actually go around doing the same tricks as the sadhus to show people how it’s done.
Basically a lot of people don’t like them but they don’t associate them with atheism in so much as a sort of “periyarism”. But they are a rather quiet voice out here comparatively.
Avicenna
October 17, 2011 at 5:51 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Actually on a more serious note, mental health is often treated like this in India. The problem being that psychiatrists are either rare or worse symptomatic of being crazy. (You must be crazy if you have to see a shrink).
So a lot of people simply don’t get seen. Therapy in India in psychiatry is only developing now and most psychiatric patients are treated solely through medication.
So this gives rise to a lot of holy men who “cure” psychiatric issues by claiming they are demons. They prey on those who are desperate, because admitting your loved one needs a psychiatrist is worse than blaming a demon. This feeds into the idea of demons in the population.
Even simple cases of OCD often are treated like this and there are many stories of temples where the gods intercede if you pray in them. (Like a reverse C’thullu)
Nepenthe
October 17, 2011 at 10:36 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You’re right, they aren’t street skeptics. It’s not a street in South Asia without a gaping mudhole in the middle and at least three goats. I saw no goats.
Traveling Skeptics of India « The Call of Troythulu
October 18, 2011 at 8:43 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
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