Too bad the majority of “sheeple” will never see this. Perhaps it would put in perspective (for the few that would stop to think about it) just how out of touch with reality their claims really are.
Elisays
I’m sold.
You should start writing those fake horoscopes again, like you did a few months back. Those were hilarious!
Elisays
Sorry, I mean deliberately humorous horoscopes. Just saying “fake horoscopes” doesn’t narrow anything down.
yoyosays
newton and those evil apples with razor blades! what more will big science hide?
You know, I’ve heard that astrology works even if you don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in it, but then I’m an Aries, and we’re all like that.
AndyDsays
Amazing! So re they scientists who are good at acting or are they actors who are good at science? Well done either way. I bet they’re all Aries… Ariens… Ariesians… Leos!
black wolfsays
Ah, so that’s what Expelled is about. I was wondering.
My former boss believed in astrology – he went broke. Now he makes money by teaching Reiki.
But what what would I know; I’m Sagittarian, nearly flunked 4th grade math, and I’m still not a scientist.
Okay, maybe the cinematic work wasn’t particularly slick, but they got the paranoia and inflated sense of self-importance down pat.
Niobesays
And the baffling thing, the comments about the AIDS and 9/11 and Hawking aren’t even hyperbole parody, they’re mirrors of the actual arguments in expelled. Let that sink in.
andyosays
Sadly, I don’t have much hope in people at large realizing anything. Check out this youtube video on water crystals. Check the comments. I just posted a long-winded rant because I got sent the thing by email and some of the people I knew and care about were going to be seeing that BS and (SIGH!) believe it. Check how clueless people are about science and the scientific method. They all think science is a set of beliefs some elitist wrote in a book.
If we evolved from Sagitarreans, how come there are still Sagitarreans?
Think about it, all you star haters.
andyosays
By the way, is it too presumptuous to ask to Pharyngulate that youtube link I posted above? It shouldn’t take that much to bring down the rating and maybe leave a smart comment or two.
Fernando Magyarsays
andyo re# 18,
That strikes a particularly raw nerve for me.
Recently me dear mother asked me to give her my honest opinion about this. I did the best I could to explain why, based on very well known, chemical properties of H20 this was complete and unadulterated bunk. I then suggested she ask my cousin who is a chemical engineer to give her a more detailed scientific explanation. He told her something along the lines of science doesn’t know everything and that there might be something to this. So I’m afraid you are right if someone with a degree in chemistry can’t see through the bullshit in something that they should know better about, what chance is there that the average layman won’t fall for this kind of crap. Sometimes I just want to give up and crawl into a hole.
Hey they ought to do Meth Crystal translations like:
Paranoia
Psychosis
Insomnia
The music would have to be more upbeat
Kittysays
At the corner of my street a new business venture has opened – The NewEarth (sic) Warehouse. It looks as though it’s full of the sort of stuff it was fashionable to import from India 20 years ago and boasts a cafe, drop-in centre, yurt rental(!), treatment centre, and plant nursery.
My daughter and I thought we’d take a look, perhaps have a coffee, buy a plant or two.
It only took 30 seconds for the ‘head’ man to invade our personal space – and I mean invade. His body odour pushed us into a corner until we could go no further. We were trapped.
We accepted a tour of the ‘facilities’, quickly abandoned any idea of coffee (mould in the coffee pots), and I set out my non-believer stall.
Here are a few ‘choice’ beliefs.
My osteoarthritis (I was on crutches after an op) is caused because I embrace the Matriarchy when I should return to the Patriarchy, which will restore my inner well-being.
King Arthur was real, is real and will be real again. (holy trinity Batman!)
Crystals have been ‘scientifically proved’ to cure cancer and warts (warts!).
The prediction of the end of the world on 21.12.2012 is set in stone.
Of particular interest to Pharyngulans and of real importance to PZ is that on this date the new North Pole will establish itself – he showed us a globe, suitably mangled with a new axis – through Morris!!!!! I kid you not – and he’s never heard of PZ. Synchronicity man!
Everyone belongs to a tribe (weep for Kurt Vonnegut) but some of us don’t. Weird that. Of course I’m an outsider – no Patriarch and a scientist – but hey I’m married – yes but to another outsider – not the right SORT of Patriarch -aargh.
Finally they asked my star sign and I said if they were so sure of themselves and had all the answers they would tell me.
The argument was fierce, all the ‘staff’ were involved (about 20 people). Every sign was thrown out as possible – except one. The only one they completely rejected was my very own!
I said I’d go back for another 5 minute argument even though by the end many of them had become hostile to me – I lied. It was the only lie I told all day. Mr Big of the NewEarth Warehouse lies every time he opens his mouth – either that or he’s completely barking mad.
My daughter and I think it’s the latter.
negentropyeatersays
I don’t know why but here in Europe amongst my friends, who are all mainly fairly well educated, rational non religious people, the only weird thing that a majority of them believe in, is astrology.
No spirits, no bearded skydaddys, no ghosts, no psychics, but the influence of the moon, and the stars, and the planets on our personality, or future events.
Sometimes, I’m sitting at diner, and it’s like hitting my head against a wall, I’m the only one who tries to show them the obvious evidence that it’s bullshit.
Does anybody know, why it seems as if this is the most pervasive of all delusions ? Or is this just my impression ?
Juliansays
I think its hilarious that so many buy into this whole “the Mayans predicted the world will end on 21/12/2012” thing; the Mayans predicted nothing of the sort. Being good, fastidious mathematicians, they merely calculated the date at which their calender would no longer be accurate and they’d have to create another. That date is no different than the date when Europe switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calender; its merely the result of record keeping, not prediction.
Nick Gottssays
The argument was fierce, all the ‘staff’ were involved (about 20 people). Every sign was thrown out as possible – except one. The only one they completely rejected was my very own! – kitty
Wow! I’m impressed. Don’t you know that J.B. Rhine long ago established that “target missing” at above chance levels is just as valid evidence-of-woo as target hitting?
Smansays
Beware of the Sagittarians!!!
Aquariasays
Been through all of this.
I didn’t deconvert from religion, but from New Age bullshit. I blame my aunt, who was an astrologer. When I was a very young girl, she let me help with her charts. No, not interpreting them, but sorting them out, plugging in data, all of that. Along the way, I learned all the lingo and thinking (if one could call it that) of interpreting charts. I know what the houses “mean,” what planets in houses and signs mean, the aspects between planets–all of it.
What convinced me that astrology was bullshit was that numerous charts cast for me never got me right, and that I saw astrologers literally change the data to make a chart fit a client. I’m not talking about changing the position of the charts, but changing the actual time (or even day) of the person’s birth!
I remembered something I read about Keynes, a remark he made: “When the facts change, i change my mind.” It summed up being rational better than anything else I’ve ever seen. You don’t change the facts when they conflict with what you thought you knew. You change how you think about the subject. You look at it differently. You let the facts lead you wherever they go. You don’t try to fit the facts to what you want them to support. The facts are what they are.
And yet here were these people “adjusting” facts to fit what they wanted the truth to be.
That’s why astrology (or numerology, or tarot, or crystals) are bullshit. Utter and complete bullshit.
But the sociologist, by taking aim at astrology as his laughing stock, merely corroborates the lamentable scenarios one finds in mediated wheeling and dealing. He does not study astrology, his attention rests only on its parody, i.e. “mass astrology.” Nor does he study the astrologer, but only the histrionic public figure that the media encourage and that sociological discourse takes as its object. He appears to remain oblivious to the fact that in order to get an astrological column published one need not necessarily be an astrologer: one may also be a comedian, a singer, a businessman, a loan shark …
What exactly is it about the credulous that they never seem to be able to grasp the irony in what they say?
Fernando Magyarsays
My previous post was aimed at negentropyeater
Elliottsays
But, Julian, let us remember the effect of politics, especially the politics of religion, on Europe’s calender(s).
Was Newton born in the year Galileo died, or the year after?
That would have depended on whether you asked that question in a Protestant or a Catholic country.
SCsays
But what what would I know; I’m Sagittarian, nearly flunked 4th grade math, and I’m still not a scientist.
I’m a Sagittarian, and when I was in 4th grade my school set up a special advanced math program just for me. As any professional will tell you, we cannot explain these differences without a complete understanding of the subject. We must know the exact dates, times and places of birth, and all of the relevant influences. To do this work properly requires years of diligent study.
Really, this video is going for the low-hanging astrological fruit. It says nothing about the more sophisticated astrological concepts of squares, trines, quincunxes, etc. Just the other day, I was arguing with an astrologer, and was only able to prove his predictions for Venezuela false because I could show that he had miscalculated the semi-sextile! If we hope to debunk astrology, we will have to address its more complex and subtle, intellectual and philosophical arguments, which will require advanced logic and mathematics. ;)
“Astrology helped me find my first wife….and my second wife.”
LOL
SCsays
Thanks, Nick! High praise, indeed, coming from you.:)
And Fernando Magyar, thanks for that link! That is great!
The anti-astrology of sociologists consists first in postulating that astrology should be an object of study for sociology, but never that science,[36] astronomy, or sociology itself be such an object.
What utter bullshit.
negentropyeatersays
Fernando,
well, it’s not that I particularly spend my time arguing about those things with my friends (otherwise, I guess they’d think I’m this kind of “sociologist”), but this was to illustrate my point that I get the impression that astrology is so pervasive as a delusion, here in Europe, even amongst fairly well educated non religious people.
It just seems to be again one of those beliefs that people buy in so easily.
(I’m not talking of people who have advanced scientific degrees, I’ve never met any who believes in Astrology, but they represent such a tiny fraction of the population)
Citizen Zsays
negentropyeater, for the little that it’s worth, it’s my impression that homeopathy is a more pervasive delusion than astrology. But that may just be my shock at European friends who would never believe in astrology, but think that homeopathy works.
BMSsays
When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
Nick Gottssays
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars BMS
Speaking as the official representative of the Force of Gravity, I consider this to be a blatant infringement of established demarcation guidelines, and unless this provocative management proposal is withdrawn forthwith, will be balloting my membership with regard to immediate industrial action.
Nat Law,
General Secretary,
UNFEMAT (Union of Natural Forces, Evolutionary Mechanisms and Allied Trades)
JoJosays
I was involved in a discussion of astrology at a different website. I was denounced for letting logic and rational thought cloud my understanding of how the stars, planets, or whatever don’t influence events but rather were coincidental markers for how the universe orders things. When I said I didn’t accept predestination either, this was taken as evidence that I had a closed mind.
I was nearly persuaded by the earnest sincerity and obvious devotion to truth seeking so skillfully displayed by the actors. I confess to feeling just a bit of vertigo in my logic centers but it was only a momentary inconvenience. I realized that if astrology was so very true and of such great and immediate practical application, why then, everything would have a sign. Even astrology would have its own sign. And that would be Taurus.
And that’s as snarky as I’m going to get on this fine Sunday morning.
Lindasays
#39 “I was denounced for letting logic and rational thought cloud my understanding…”
It’s like they belong to some club that teaches them the lingo. I, too, was denounced as a “rationalist” who didn’t realize the new thinking of “quantum theory–that anything goes” when I dared to demand one definition for “reality.” I wish I were making this up. What a bunch of wackos.
I really don’t know if I should trust Big Steve (yup, that is exactly what I call him) to brush his own teeth.
Maybe I should consult one of those tarot card reader types.
Fernando Magyarsays
negentropyeater,
well, it’s not that I particularly spend my time arguing about those things with my friends
Not to worry, judging from your other posts I didn’t exactly think that you did, ;-)
Disclaimer, my first and last wife was an astrologer she still hasn’t quite figured out that our divorce was due mainly to Pluto being demoted to drawf planet status and therefore losing it’s stabilizing influence on our marriage. Anyways I now have a more rational female in my life. I’m sure that was in the stars too.
Logicelsays
“What did Astronomy do for Sagan? He’s dead!”
Direction, acting, especially the script, is more than decent.
Patriciasays
#38 – UNFEMAT – The Liars & Fornicators Union #666 joins you in solidarity.
Patricia, Grand Poohbah
Patriciasays
Holy crap, that was fantastic.
Patriciasays
er…#48 wasn’t posted by this Patricia. Do we have two now?
andyosays
Heh, thanks guys for the youtube pharyngulation above. Hopefully the video poster is “open minded” and leave our comments there for future viewers to read. At least the top page now has sensible comments.
I also agree that astrology is too pervasive, but I don’t know if it’s a more serious ailment than prayer. Most people I know that believe in astrology don’t take it that seriously. They may follow patterns of behavior dictated by the charts, but when the shit hits the fan, it’s always prayer what will save the day.
One crass inconsistency with my “open minded” friends, is that they’re god-botherers in the catholic way and yet they still boast their “open-mindedness” about woo like this. Don’t they know that for catholics any superstition other than their own is either false or simply the work of the devil?
Oh, and 95% of them don’t even know what “transubstantiation” is and even fewer know why it’s ridiculous. I mean, that’s the MAIN super-duper event on mass!
Patriciasays
OT – Seems kind of quiet on this thread…could someone clue me in on what happened to Brenda? She’s not in PZ’s dungeon. Things seem to stay lively 24/7 here, and us old gals have to sleep & miss it. ;)
Well its good to know that water crystals are magic too.
I thought it was just other crystals, because my bro-in-law, expert on crystals, moved down to FL to bear near the magical beaches of Sarasota which have healing power because the sand there is made of some special crystal. And he didn’t want to shovel snow.
I couldn’t figure out why the billions of beautiful, perfect crystals that fell into his back yard for free each winter weren’t healing crystals.
Are there “bad” crystals?
Intelligenceresignedsays
“How can you trust him with the secrets of the cosmos, when you can’t even trust him to brush his own teeth?” HHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! Hilarious.
Gordysays
“You know what? That’s for you to decide, but yes.”
Comedy gold! Respect and thanks to all involved : )
Lancesays
This triggers a memory of when I was 14 years old and on a youth trip to visit the Mormon temple in Washington D.C.
Along the way we stopped for dinner in a local mall, and some of us ended up in the inevitable Waldenbooks.
I headed straight for the science section so I could look at books on astronomy. One of the adult escorts who came along with us asked me, “What are you looking at?”
“Books on astronomy!” I said.
“Ohh, astronomy…. that’s of the Devil,” he replied.
“No no, not astrology. Astronomy.”
“Oh! Oh, well I guess that’s ok.”
Gerry Lsays
“If astronomy is so wrong, why do so many people believe in it?” So there.
Great stuff.
I headed straight for the science section so I could look at books on astronomy. One of the adult escorts who came along with us asked me, “What are you looking at?”
“Books on astronomy!” I said.
“Ohh, astronomy…. that’s of the Devil,” he replied.
“No no, not astrology. Astronomy.”
“Oh! Oh, well I guess that’s ok.”
Given that astronomy tells us the world is billions of years old, wouldn’t that make it the devil’s work? ;)
BMSsays
OMG.
Right this very moment I’m watching “Cosmos” on Science-HD.
Sagan is discrediting astrology.
The irony…
Kittysays
Nick Gotts
Wow! I’m impressed. Don’t you know that J.B. Rhine long ago established that “target missing” at above chance levels is just as valid evidence-of-woo as target hitting?
Thanks for this – I hadn’t realised I was actually validating their woo!
As a post script, the cafe has been closed for public health reasons – think they should have read that in the stars (or the coffee grounds).
Holbachsays
Ha! Love it! Talking Turnips!
Santokisays
Can someone repost this? The video got taken down :(
CosmicTeapotsays
An old girlfriend believes in Asstrology, crystals, card reading, etc.
She once had me deal the cards to see what was in store for her, but didn’t like what they told her, so she had me deal them again.
And then a third time, which was a more favourable result for her!
Hahah, this is amazing.
Too bad the majority of “sheeple” will never see this. Perhaps it would put in perspective (for the few that would stop to think about it) just how out of touch with reality their claims really are.
I’m sold.
You should start writing those fake horoscopes again, like you did a few months back. Those were hilarious!
Sorry, I mean deliberately humorous horoscopes. Just saying “fake horoscopes” doesn’t narrow anything down.
newton and those evil apples with razor blades! what more will big science hide?
love the lazy telescope eye!
This made me smile. And even giggle a bit.
The redhead is hot.
Pretty much what I would have expected from the nerds in A/V Club. How did the creationists get the better video makers? Dawkins’ rap, anyone?
So amateurish but still very clever. Loved it
If only you knew what this guy does to squid…
You know, I’ve heard that astrology works even if you don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in it, but then I’m an Aries, and we’re all like that.
Amazing! So re they scientists who are good at acting or are they actors who are good at science? Well done either way. I bet they’re all Aries… Ariens… Ariesians… Leos!
Ah, so that’s what Expelled is about. I was wondering.
My former boss believed in astrology – he went broke. Now he makes money by teaching Reiki.
But what what would I know; I’m Sagittarian, nearly flunked 4th grade math, and I’m still not a scientist.
Okay, maybe the cinematic work wasn’t particularly slick, but they got the paranoia and inflated sense of self-importance down pat.
And the baffling thing, the comments about the AIDS and 9/11 and Hawking aren’t even hyperbole parody, they’re mirrors of the actual arguments in expelled. Let that sink in.
Sadly, I don’t have much hope in people at large realizing anything. Check out this youtube video on water crystals. Check the comments. I just posted a long-winded rant because I got sent the thing by email and some of the people I knew and care about were going to be seeing that BS and (SIGH!) believe it. Check how clueless people are about science and the scientific method. They all think science is a set of beliefs some elitist wrote in a book.
If we evolved from Sagitarreans, how come there are still Sagitarreans?
Think about it, all you star haters.
By the way, is it too presumptuous to ask to Pharyngulate that youtube link I posted above? It shouldn’t take that much to bring down the rating and maybe leave a smart comment or two.
andyo re# 18,
That strikes a particularly raw nerve for me.
Recently me dear mother asked me to give her my honest opinion about this. I did the best I could to explain why, based on very well known, chemical properties of H20 this was complete and unadulterated bunk. I then suggested she ask my cousin who is a chemical engineer to give her a more detailed scientific explanation. He told her something along the lines of science doesn’t know everything and that there might be something to this. So I’m afraid you are right if someone with a degree in chemistry can’t see through the bullshit in something that they should know better about, what chance is there that the average layman won’t fall for this kind of crap. Sometimes I just want to give up and crawl into a hole.
Hey they ought to do Meth Crystal translations like:
Paranoia
Psychosis
Insomnia
The music would have to be more upbeat
At the corner of my street a new business venture has opened – The NewEarth (sic) Warehouse. It looks as though it’s full of the sort of stuff it was fashionable to import from India 20 years ago and boasts a cafe, drop-in centre, yurt rental(!), treatment centre, and plant nursery.
My daughter and I thought we’d take a look, perhaps have a coffee, buy a plant or two.
It only took 30 seconds for the ‘head’ man to invade our personal space – and I mean invade. His body odour pushed us into a corner until we could go no further. We were trapped.
We accepted a tour of the ‘facilities’, quickly abandoned any idea of coffee (mould in the coffee pots), and I set out my non-believer stall.
Here are a few ‘choice’ beliefs.
My osteoarthritis (I was on crutches after an op) is caused because I embrace the Matriarchy when I should return to the Patriarchy, which will restore my inner well-being.
King Arthur was real, is real and will be real again. (holy trinity Batman!)
Crystals have been ‘scientifically proved’ to cure cancer and warts (warts!).
The prediction of the end of the world on 21.12.2012 is set in stone.
Of particular interest to Pharyngulans and of real importance to PZ is that on this date the new North Pole will establish itself – he showed us a globe, suitably mangled with a new axis – through Morris!!!!! I kid you not – and he’s never heard of PZ. Synchronicity man!
Everyone belongs to a tribe (weep for Kurt Vonnegut) but some of us don’t. Weird that. Of course I’m an outsider – no Patriarch and a scientist – but hey I’m married – yes but to another outsider – not the right SORT of Patriarch -aargh.
Finally they asked my star sign and I said if they were so sure of themselves and had all the answers they would tell me.
The argument was fierce, all the ‘staff’ were involved (about 20 people). Every sign was thrown out as possible – except one. The only one they completely rejected was my very own!
I said I’d go back for another 5 minute argument even though by the end many of them had become hostile to me – I lied. It was the only lie I told all day. Mr Big of the NewEarth Warehouse lies every time he opens his mouth – either that or he’s completely barking mad.
My daughter and I think it’s the latter.
I don’t know why but here in Europe amongst my friends, who are all mainly fairly well educated, rational non religious people, the only weird thing that a majority of them believe in, is astrology.
No spirits, no bearded skydaddys, no ghosts, no psychics, but the influence of the moon, and the stars, and the planets on our personality, or future events.
Sometimes, I’m sitting at diner, and it’s like hitting my head against a wall, I’m the only one who tries to show them the obvious evidence that it’s bullshit.
Does anybody know, why it seems as if this is the most pervasive of all delusions ? Or is this just my impression ?
I think its hilarious that so many buy into this whole “the Mayans predicted the world will end on 21/12/2012” thing; the Mayans predicted nothing of the sort. Being good, fastidious mathematicians, they merely calculated the date at which their calender would no longer be accurate and they’d have to create another. That date is no different than the date when Europe switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calender; its merely the result of record keeping, not prediction.
The argument was fierce, all the ‘staff’ were involved (about 20 people). Every sign was thrown out as possible – except one. The only one they completely rejected was my very own! – kitty
Wow! I’m impressed. Don’t you know that J.B. Rhine long ago established that “target missing” at above chance levels is just as valid evidence-of-woo as target hitting?
Beware of the Sagittarians!!!
Been through all of this.
I didn’t deconvert from religion, but from New Age bullshit. I blame my aunt, who was an astrologer. When I was a very young girl, she let me help with her charts. No, not interpreting them, but sorting them out, plugging in data, all of that. Along the way, I learned all the lingo and thinking (if one could call it that) of interpreting charts. I know what the houses “mean,” what planets in houses and signs mean, the aspects between planets–all of it.
What convinced me that astrology was bullshit was that numerous charts cast for me never got me right, and that I saw astrologers literally change the data to make a chart fit a client. I’m not talking about changing the position of the charts, but changing the actual time (or even day) of the person’s birth!
I remembered something I read about Keynes, a remark he made: “When the facts change, i change my mind.” It summed up being rational better than anything else I’ve ever seen. You don’t change the facts when they conflict with what you thought you knew. You change how you think about the subject. You look at it differently. You let the facts lead you wherever they go. You don’t try to fit the facts to what you want them to support. The facts are what they are.
And yet here were these people “adjusting” facts to fit what they wanted the truth to be.
That’s why astrology (or numerology, or tarot, or crystals) are bullshit. Utter and complete bullshit.
You must be one of those sociologists or sumthin:
http://cura.free.fr/12athem4.html
What exactly is it about the credulous that they never seem to be able to grasp the irony in what they say?
My previous post was aimed at negentropyeater
But, Julian, let us remember the effect of politics, especially the politics of religion, on Europe’s calender(s).
Was Newton born in the year Galileo died, or the year after?
That would have depended on whether you asked that question in a Protestant or a Catholic country.
But what what would I know; I’m Sagittarian, nearly flunked 4th grade math, and I’m still not a scientist.
I’m a Sagittarian, and when I was in 4th grade my school set up a special advanced math program just for me. As any professional will tell you, we cannot explain these differences without a complete understanding of the subject. We must know the exact dates, times and places of birth, and all of the relevant influences. To do this work properly requires years of diligent study.
Really, this video is going for the low-hanging astrological fruit. It says nothing about the more sophisticated astrological concepts of squares, trines, quincunxes, etc. Just the other day, I was arguing with an astrologer, and was only able to prove his predictions for Venezuela false because I could show that he had miscalculated the semi-sextile! If we hope to debunk astrology, we will have to address its more complex and subtle, intellectual and philosophical arguments, which will require advanced logic and mathematics. ;)
Nice one SC!
“Astrology helped me find my first wife….and my second wife.”
LOL
Thanks, Nick! High praise, indeed, coming from you.:)
And Fernando Magyar, thanks for that link! That is great!
What utter bullshit.
Fernando,
well, it’s not that I particularly spend my time arguing about those things with my friends (otherwise, I guess they’d think I’m this kind of “sociologist”), but this was to illustrate my point that I get the impression that astrology is so pervasive as a delusion, here in Europe, even amongst fairly well educated non religious people.
It just seems to be again one of those beliefs that people buy in so easily.
(I’m not talking of people who have advanced scientific degrees, I’ve never met any who believes in Astrology, but they represent such a tiny fraction of the population)
negentropyeater, for the little that it’s worth, it’s my impression that homeopathy is a more pervasive delusion than astrology. But that may just be my shock at European friends who would never believe in astrology, but think that homeopathy works.
When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars BMS
Speaking as the official representative of the Force of Gravity, I consider this to be a blatant infringement of established demarcation guidelines, and unless this provocative management proposal is withdrawn forthwith, will be balloting my membership with regard to immediate industrial action.
Nat Law,
General Secretary,
UNFEMAT (Union of Natural Forces, Evolutionary Mechanisms and Allied Trades)
I was involved in a discussion of astrology at a different website. I was denounced for letting logic and rational thought cloud my understanding of how the stars, planets, or whatever don’t influence events but rather were coincidental markers for how the universe orders things. When I said I didn’t accept predestination either, this was taken as evidence that I had a closed mind.
HILARIOUS!!
~Dan
http://jazzsick.wordpress.com/
I was nearly persuaded by the earnest sincerity and obvious devotion to truth seeking so skillfully displayed by the actors. I confess to feeling just a bit of vertigo in my logic centers but it was only a momentary inconvenience. I realized that if astrology was so very true and of such great and immediate practical application, why then, everything would have a sign. Even astrology would have its own sign. And that would be Taurus.
And that’s as snarky as I’m going to get on this fine Sunday morning.
#39 “I was denounced for letting logic and rational thought cloud my understanding…”
It’s like they belong to some club that teaches them the lingo. I, too, was denounced as a “rationalist” who didn’t realize the new thinking of “quantum theory–that anything goes” when I dared to demand one definition for “reality.” I wish I were making this up. What a bunch of wackos.
Brilliant!
I really don’t know if I should trust Big Steve (yup, that is exactly what I call him) to brush his own teeth.
Maybe I should consult one of those tarot card reader types.
negentropyeater,
Not to worry, judging from your other posts I didn’t exactly think that you did, ;-)
Disclaimer, my first and last wife was an astrologer she still hasn’t quite figured out that our divorce was due mainly to Pluto being demoted to drawf planet status and therefore losing it’s stabilizing influence on our marriage. Anyways I now have a more rational female in my life. I’m sure that was in the stars too.
“What did Astronomy do for Sagan? He’s dead!”
Direction, acting, especially the script, is more than decent.
#38 – UNFEMAT – The Liars & Fornicators Union #666 joins you in solidarity.
Patricia, Grand Poohbah
Holy crap, that was fantastic.
er…#48 wasn’t posted by this Patricia. Do we have two now?
Heh, thanks guys for the youtube pharyngulation above. Hopefully the video poster is “open minded” and leave our comments there for future viewers to read. At least the top page now has sensible comments.
I also agree that astrology is too pervasive, but I don’t know if it’s a more serious ailment than prayer. Most people I know that believe in astrology don’t take it that seriously. They may follow patterns of behavior dictated by the charts, but when the shit hits the fan, it’s always prayer what will save the day.
One crass inconsistency with my “open minded” friends, is that they’re god-botherers in the catholic way and yet they still boast their “open-mindedness” about woo like this. Don’t they know that for catholics any superstition other than their own is either false or simply the work of the devil?
Oh, and 95% of them don’t even know what “transubstantiation” is and even fewer know why it’s ridiculous. I mean, that’s the MAIN super-duper event on mass!
OT – Seems kind of quiet on this thread…could someone clue me in on what happened to Brenda? She’s not in PZ’s dungeon. Things seem to stay lively 24/7 here, and us old gals have to sleep & miss it. ;)
Nick Gotts,
Gravity is just a theory.
Gravity is just a theory.
But why are we so drawn to it?
“As a cancer, I’m naturally crabby.” and “I think the Dean is in a house of badness.”
Wonderfully quotable.
Well its good to know that water crystals are magic too.
I thought it was just other crystals, because my bro-in-law, expert on crystals, moved down to FL to bear near the magical beaches of Sarasota which have healing power because the sand there is made of some special crystal. And he didn’t want to shovel snow.
I couldn’t figure out why the billions of beautiful, perfect crystals that fell into his back yard for free each winter weren’t healing crystals.
Are there “bad” crystals?
“How can you trust him with the secrets of the cosmos, when you can’t even trust him to brush his own teeth?” HHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! Hilarious.
“You know what? That’s for you to decide, but yes.”
Comedy gold! Respect and thanks to all involved : )
This triggers a memory of when I was 14 years old and on a youth trip to visit the Mormon temple in Washington D.C.
Along the way we stopped for dinner in a local mall, and some of us ended up in the inevitable Waldenbooks.
I headed straight for the science section so I could look at books on astronomy. One of the adult escorts who came along with us asked me, “What are you looking at?”
“Books on astronomy!” I said.
“Ohh, astronomy…. that’s of the Devil,” he replied.
“No no, not astrology. Astronomy.”
“Oh! Oh, well I guess that’s ok.”
“If astronomy is so wrong, why do so many people believe in it?” So there.
Great stuff.
Given that astronomy tells us the world is billions of years old, wouldn’t that make it the devil’s work? ;)
OMG.
Right this very moment I’m watching “Cosmos” on Science-HD.
Sagan is discrediting astrology.
The irony…
Nick Gotts
Thanks for this – I hadn’t realised I was actually validating their woo!
As a post script, the cafe has been closed for public health reasons – think they should have read that in the stars (or the coffee grounds).
Ha! Love it! Talking Turnips!
Can someone repost this? The video got taken down :(
An old girlfriend believes in Asstrology, crystals, card reading, etc.
She once had me deal the cards to see what was in store for her, but didn’t like what they told her, so she had me deal them again.
And then a third time, which was a more favourable result for her!