Half of Americans believe in Angels

[DarKnyht]

The Washington Times is carrying a story right now. The main theme of it is this:

Half of all Americans believe they are protected by guardian angels, one-fifth say they've heard God speak to them, one-quarter say they have witnessed miraculous healings, 16 percent say they've received one and 8 percent say they pray in tongues, according to a survey released Thursday by Baylor University.

So are you among any of those groups? And if so why?

[Grace]

The counter point to this is a novel ( I forget the author's name) called "My Guardian Angel Hates Me"

The premise of the story is that there is this person with exceptionally bad luck. Then one day he learns, that contrary to what he once beleived, he has a guardian angel. In fact, everyone does. The problem is, is that his hates him. This, of course explains why some people are fortunate and others, not so much. It all depends if your guardian angel is a jerk or not.

As you can imagine, I don't believe in guardian angels. I beleive in ballistics.

Avenging angels on the other hand... that I could buy into, maybe.

For the rest of it. Never seen any of it and ain't looking to.

[Sheyblade]

The Washington Times is carrying a story right now. The main theme of it is this:

Half of all Americans believe they are protected by guardian angels, one-fifth say they've heard God speak to them, one-quarter say they have witnessed miraculous healings, 16 percent say they've received one and 8 percent say they pray in tongues, according to a survey released Thursday by Baylor University.

So are you among any of those groups? And if so why?

No. Because I've never seen any of it.

But I don't discount it, either.

You won't catch me stepping back to let some dude in a camelskin loincloth kill his family just because "God told him to" either. That's when I show him my own "laying on of hands."

[Chen Lung]

This story just shows that more people would rather believe in supernatural influences than in physical forces and social effects. It would seem that Americans would rather live in ignorance than in knowledge. It is, however, up to us to live in knowledge, to protect their right to be ignorant if they choose to be so.

[Deacon Ash-Shaytan]

This story just shows that more people would rather believe in supernatural influences than in physical forces and social effects. It would seem that Americans would rather live in ignorance than in knowledge. It is, however, up to us to live in knowledge, to protect their right to be ignorant if they choose to be so.

While I wonder if I'll hate myself for bringing this topic back near the top, I'll ask anyway: how is "50% of America" more people? I am part of the other 50%. I don't believe in angels, demons, bogeymen, etc. There are good people that do good things, there are bad people that do bad things, good people that do bad, bad that do good, and so on.

There are also a lot of messed up people that belong in asylums.

[Lord Shakar]

I believe in many things. Angels not so much, for in my travels I haven't enountered anything that I would call an Angel. Though I have encountered many that I would call 'Demon', or 'Devil'

[Debunker]

Its all a simple psychological matter of perspective from the individuals that perceive each instance. Where one might see a miracle healing, another will see an excellent doctor at hand while another may see simple trickery.

Scientifically speaking, angels simply cannot and do not exist. Even in the most extreme cases of nature being witnessed, its still nature being misrepresented as a supernatural event to provide the easiest explanation.

In layman terms, 50% of American are too lazy to think beyond the easiest explanation and therefore devolve to the lowest common denominator of explanations when some simple deduction would provide a logical explanation.

[Lord Shakar]

Scientifically speaking, angels simply cannot and do not exist. Even in the most extreme cases of nature being witnessed, its still nature being misrepresented as a supernatural event to provide the easiest explanation.

Saying that something cannot and does not exist is the sign of a closed mind. Which in a scientist is never a good thing.

[Debunker]

Saying that something cannot and does not exist is the sign of a closed mind. Which in a scientist is never a good thing.

You are mistaken sir... it is a matter of a closed case, not a closed mind.

Answer me this, how many proven cases are there of angels existing in our world? My point exact... case closed.

[Chen Lung]

Trying to stay scientific? Try this then: Theories should not be any more complex than necessary. Or as William Occam put it:

"(Theories) should not multiply entities unnecessarily."

This known as Occam's Razor.

[Lord Shakar]

Saying that something cannot and does not exist is the sign of a closed mind. Which in a scientist is never a good thing.

You are mistaken sir... it is a matter of a closed case, not a closed mind.

Answer me this, how many proven cases are there of angels existing in our world? My point exact... case closed.

Just because there haven't been any cases that prove that they don't exist doesn't mean that the evidence for such proof does not exist.

But as you have proven in your posts on this thread you have a closed mind and see what you want to see.

One of the many reasons science is so fucked up currently is because of just that thing.

[Jackie Berry]

I believe in demons and hell. I have seen too much that I consider proof of these things.

If I believe in hell so heaven must exist. If I believe in demons so angels must exist.

How can one exist without the other?

[Chen Lung]

But belief is NOT proof that something exists. So your belief in heaven does NOT prove it exists. Stay open to the idea that it could, but don't become trapped in that desire for it to exist.

If those who lead you say, "Look, the kingdom is in heaven," then the birds of heaven will precede you. If they say "It is in the sea," then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and outside you. When you know yourselves, you will be known, and you will know you are the children of the living father. But if you do not know yourselves you will live in poverty and you yourselves are the poverty.

Let whoever seeks not cease from his seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will be troubled. When he is troubled, he will marvel and reign over all.

Recognize what is in front of your face, and what is concealed will be revealed to you. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed.

[Lord Shakar]

I KNOW that a variety of Hell's exist. Having personally visited them for various reasons. Never found a "Heaven" yet. But then again Heaven or Paradise varies for each person.

[Clarity]

_____I don’t understand quite what you mean, Mr. Chen. This is a topic about belief, not proof. Ethan and I would often talk about the Bible, (Is that where some of those pretty quotes you mentioned are from?) but there were only portions of proof there, too. Even then, though, people will always believe what they want to believe. Sometimes it’s very sad and sometimes it’s very beautiful. I haven’t ever seen an angel, but if they exist, I’m sure they would be very beautiful, too.
_____P.S. Ethan said something to me once that I didn’t quite understand. It was “seeing isn’t believing, but believing is seeing.
_____P.S. Again. I hope someday you’ll find your varies of heaven, Shakar.

[Deacon Ash-Shaytan]

The esteemed Chen Lung has it. You can have all the belief you want, but you can't transfer that belief to others by grabbing their lapels and screaming in their faces,

"But I saw it, man! I SAW it! It even gave me this scar!"

That sort of talk just leads more level-headed men to call the police, and rightly so. Give us more proof beyond inconclusive evidence, and we'll investigate.

There's a reason crimes are only convicted in America when all twelve jury members believe beyond a reasonable doubt. Why should "supernatural hunting" be any different?

[Lord Shakar]

That would be because when hunting the supernatural you don't have the a time to wait to prove its existence. If you don't kill it then and there it will most likely hurt someone that is quite possibly completely innocent.

[Deacon Ash-Shaytan]

A standard response, and the one we skeptics have generally heard. It continually amazes me how so many of you people wonder why the world doesn't believe you when all you have for them are wild tales and appendectomy scars.

There are few people I know who regularly make an effort to gather proof of these "supernatural occurrences," but of those that do, the precautions they prescribe takes no more time than any other crime that police officers respond to.

[Lord Shakar]

It really doesn't matter to me if the world believes or not. I know what I fight, and my war is one that is fought from the Shadows.

[Chen Lung]

My Brotherhood and I fight the same entities as you fight; however, I would not go to the "man on the street" with my tales of the supernatural for I would be thought mad. I too know what I have fought (and continue to fight), but without evidence (repeatable and scrutinizing proof), our belief in our war is simply insanity.

I, the mad man, come to tell you of truth, but you already know me to be mad and so I will not be believed.

Think the Analogy of the Cave, if you will.

[Cessiel]

A man stands in the middle of a field and looks around him to see all there is to see and he thinks to himself, "This is all there is!"

A man stands on a hill and surveys the fields all around him and thinks to himself, "This is all there is!"

A man stands on a mountain and surveys the valleys all around him and thinks to himself, "This is all there is!"

A man sails around the world and thinks to himself, "This is all there is!"

A man looks to the heavens with his telescope and thinks to himself, "This is all there is!"

The heavens smile back and say, "There is more to it than that."

[Grace]

Then hell swallows the man.

[Holister]

Do you always have to be so dam pessi...pessime..dam depressin'. Sides, I believe in angels myself
and if that sound crazy, so be it. But each time I look into the eys of kids I am reminded that there in fact angels in this world.

Thank you very much.

[Grace]

If there's angels and a heaven, then theres demons and a hell as well.

Just saying.

[Holister]

Well we've all seen the demons. So what was that about angels Nemmy.

[Grace]

Yeah, well if they exist, where are they?

I can understand why the fiends of hell hide. They're more effective that way.

But Angels? They should be trumpeting the praises of god or alah or righteousness from the highest buildings.

Instead we're supposed to buy into their existence based on faith?

What a joke.

People beleive in what they can expereince. If these angels ain't out there to be experienced, there ain't going to be no beleif and no faith.

Why do we need this Lazlo Society to hunt down and route out evil in the world if there's a choir of angels that could do it?

Like I said up thread. I believe in ballistics.

[Holister]

To bad, ya' sound like a lonely guy.

[Grace]

Yeah well, in the circles I run in, friends and family become a means for other to get at you.

So it's better for everyone this way.

[skeptic]

If there's angels and a heaven, then theres demons and a hell as well.

Not necessarily so.

[Holister]

If there's angels and a heaven, then theres demons and a hell as well.

Not necessarily so.

Seriously Skeppy, just come up here on the 30th of this month and stick around. If I can not prove to you once and for all this shit exists, I will buy you a steak dinner and denounce the Lazlo Annex.