Can Anything Be More Ridiculous?

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Aposteriori unum's picture
Can Anything Be More Ridiculous?

For those of you who have seen a good number of my posts I suspect that you would probably conclude this, but; I don't believe in anything magical, spirits, superstitions, gods (that's a given), demons, astrology or whatever other woo beliefs are out there. In fact, the only difference between myself and one who takes the entire philosophical naturalism position is that I don't make this explicit assertion: "there is nothing outside of the natural world " although I don't believe that there is.

I promote science education, critical thinking and scepticism on a daily basis so I tend to seek out silliness where I can find it that I may be well-informed about the crazy things that people actually believe. By doing this I continue to improve my skills at combating bad ideas and untrue beliefs.

The funny thing is: that everytime I think I found the most ridiculous belief that exists, some time later I find something even more ridiculous.

There are people who don't believe airplanes exist, for instance ,they think they are sky demons. And the flat earth people, and the synthetic moon people, the spirit science, etc... And each time it seems to get more and more into the realm of science fiction and fantasy. Almost like there is some sort of twisted gullibility contest circling the globe.

I sort of just want to get to the bottom. If only for laughs...

What are the most preposterous, ludicrous and wacky beliefs that you guys have ever heard of apart from the mainstream religious horseshittery? I'd be curious to know just how far the rabbit hole goes.

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Tin-Man's picture
My wife was reading from a

My wife was reading from a different debate forum one day and told me a guy had just posted, "If god does not exist, then how does the water get inside a coconut?"

XyberEX's picture
You know the saddest part is

You know the saddest part is that somewhere, out on the web, there's a forum of theists thinking the same thing about us Atheists.

The airplanes being "sky demons" is a new one for me. Wish I had something that insane to share.

algebe's picture
How about giant invisible

How about giant invisible dragons called Taniwha? They are an indigenous species in New Zealand. Their favorite habitats are the sites of new roads, factories, power stations, etc. Before the project can go ahead, the developers have to hire a Taniwha consultant from the local Maori community to persuade the dragon to relocate.

Aposteriori unum's picture
I'll have to look that up for

I'll have to look that up for sure. That's a new one.

Tin-Man's picture
@Algebe Re: Taniwha "...to

@Algebe Re: Taniwha "...to persuade the {invisible} dragon to relocate."

*POP-POP*....*fizzle-fizzle-fizzle*.... *big cloud of smoke*.... FUCK! Two fuses at once. Cut it out already, guys!

Silvestre's picture
In the Philippines, people

In the Philippines, people encourage you to say "Tabi-tabi po" (stand aside please) whenever someone takes a piss in the bushes. This should ward off any unsuspecting duwendes (elves), and ensure that you do not get cursed.

mickron88's picture
"Tabi-tabi po"

"Tabi-tabi po"

i actually don't do that, well when i was a kid i used to..but..neh...
as we all grew we all know that fairy tale stuffs are now real, superstitions from old people are irrelevant from what we are now..

i became skeptic when i was in my teen age period. and now i'm an atheist..
i know you're a filipino...right?

Tin-Man's picture
@Island Re: Tabi-tabi po

@Island Re: Tabi-tabi po

Hmmm... You would think the elves would eventually learn to keep umbrellas handy.

Silvestre's picture
maybe the elves believe that

maybe the elves believe that an elf god will keep them dry from piss.

Another myth is that when is rains while the sun is out, mythical creatures called "Tikbalang" (humanoid horse creatures usually depicted as living in large trees and smoking a huge blunt, i kid you not) are surely getting married. And these creatures, from pagan origin, mix seamlessly with Christianity. Welcome to my nightmare.

Aposteriori unum's picture
Do they actually believe it

Do they actually believe it though?

Old man shouts at clouds's picture
@ Aposteriori Unum

@ Aposteriori Unum

Fuck them, do the elves believe in this magical rain?

Aposteriori unum's picture
There are other things I have

There are other things I have heard about as well... So fuck-nuts that I don't actually know what it is they believe. I could not follow what they were saying. Totally incoherent.

One of the videos I saw began about chakras, moved into quantum mechanics (in an absurdly abstract and ignorant way) then to geometry, then into wavelength of different dimensions and music and... It was mind-numbing, next level, acid-trippy psycho babble... When I get home I'll link a video.

https://youtu.be/jPkX0iOVX18

Nyarlathotep's picture
Yeah people love to meld

Yeah people love to meld those subjects together.

TheBlindWatchmaker's picture
Watch any video on youtube by

Watch any video on youtube by 'spirit science', it is depressingly amusing.

Cognostic's picture
REALLY STUPID THINGS SOME

REALLY STUPID THINGS SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE:

*The twin towers were brought down by planes flying into them - All 3 of the buildings that collapsed into their own basements and pulverized themselves into dust in the process.

* Ancient aliens built ancient cities because it was impossible for men to do it. Never mind the actual evidence,

* Jesus (anything said after this is demonstrably false.)

* God (Same problem Jesus has.)

* Hole in the earth, ant people, reptilians, etc...

* Hollow moon theory.

* America began with 13 original colonies.

* America was founded as a Christian nation.

* The God thing created the world.

* There is something called "Nothing."

8 We are special

Nyarlathotep's picture
Cognostic - The twin towers

Cognostic - The twin towers were brought down by planes flying into them - All 3 of the buildings that collapsed into their own basements and pulverized themselves into dust in the process.

Are you endorsing a 9/11 conspiracy theory, or did I misread that?

algebe's picture
Every year on February 4,

Every year on February 4, everybody in Japan hurls roasted soybeans around their houses and in the street while yelling "Demons out. Good luck in."

This practice is very effective. I've been in many Japanese houses and never saw a single demon.

Aposteriori unum's picture
So that's how you do it...

So that's how you do it... Good to know.

Dave Matson's picture
Toss a stick and you are

Toss a stick and you are bound to hit something!

On naturalism, I've never seen the need to declare, a priori, that nothing exists outside of the natural world. We need only demand that extraordinary claims be backed by extraordinary evidence, a golden rule that Carl Sagan popularized. The practical result is the same--all the weird stuff gets ruled out for lack of evidence. But, our conclusion, in the finest tradition of the sciences, is not written in stone.

A supernatural series of events, such as a swimming pool that instantly freezes solid after the last person leaves but instantly turns into warm water when someone enters, might logically be discovered but could not be a part of science. If we abandon our only tool kit, that of natural law, how could we ever work out an explanation for such a thing? At best it would be an isolated fact, an island wholly detached from the scientific enterprise.

Proper scientific technique can be wasted on silly subjects, but it would still count as science. Subjects that cannot pass the test of falsifiability, however, such as a scientific study of God's purported existence, would still be outside of legitimate science. Legitimate science must be testable, above all, and allowing for the possibility of God does not in any way change that. So, even if we didn't rule out the supernatural, a priori, we would still do science as usual. The only difference I see is that we would not be dogmatic about things we can't really know. Why rule out the Easter Bunny, a priori, when it's enough to just say that without serious evidence it has no credibility.

Cognostic's picture
The banana man was pretty

The banana man was pretty ridiculous. He actually believes that plantation bananas that were created by human genetic engineering were created perfectly by god with little tabs on the easy to open top that perfectly fits the hand and the mouth. Now that is pretty frigging credulous.

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