Sunday, December 29, 2013

using New Age Movement nonsequiturs against them

Rule Number One. Just because NAM uses something odd but real, when it is
real, does NOT PROVE THEIR POINT. example.

Astrologers often used to argue as a starting point, that the moon is proven to
affect tides, weather, even mood swings. (the stats on full moon behavior are
skewed by the fact, that what a researcher will usually call "full moon" is actual
full moon, while the typical reporter of increase of police calls, labor beginning,
and ER and psych ward admissions will call it full if it looks full, which is first
two days before, the day of, and two days after exact full moon. The real
stresser seems to be just before and just after. so ignore the debunking articles
because they rely on the astronomical rather than visual full moon. Of course I
am sure Physicist or someone will go off half cocked and post such a link.)

So they start with the moon as proof, and then go on to argue what is not proven,
and very unlikely, that the far more distant planets and constellations have effects
also. They don't prove they do have effects, and they don't prove that any effects
they have are the same ones they claim for them.

Astrology further is compromised by the big "judgement call" zone of interpretation
of the chart, which is where astronomical exact calculations of positions leave off
and the subjective begins.

And a questionnaire maybe close to 40 years ago now, found that the astrologers,
of all people, the very element that claims they are totally scientific and
mathematical, were claiming more than any other category of occultist, that they
had spirit help in what they did.

law of averages also says that there are bound to be people who fit astrological
descriptions to a T, which ignores all those who don't.

Now, you take that lesson, and you apply it elsewhere, and you can undermine all
kinds of New Age arguments that engage known things to prove their nonsense.
Maybe you don't know anyone who needs this help, maybe you are not called to get
out in the street and slug it out with them so to speak, online or in person. But if you
are, or feel tempted by them, or meet someone who is called to attack them, here is
a weapon to use.

Also, as St. Gregory Nazianzus aka Gregory the Theologian, in one of his Five
Theological Homilies says, if there is this fifth element (the ether or aether) some
believe in, Who moves that? Who created it? "the physical medium itself" as a
certain apostate but brilliant researcher in odd stuff calls it, is not some trinity that
supposedly The Holy Trinity is a mere metaphor of which, but this aether is just
another creature of The Creator YHWH. If it seems to have some specific tendencies,
that is not sentience but what YHWH designed into it, or a tweak He gave it to deal
with something. Not that He is limited to such means to get things done.

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