Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ukma!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ccicpg!keith@uunet.uu.net (Keith McIntyre) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Non-believers and atheists survey responses Message-ID: Date: 27 Mar 91 04:43:53 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 44 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Jenni Sheehey writes: > > Oh, dear. Oh, oh, dear. I am asking God to help me word my reply to > this in a loving way. If I don't always manage to let Him help me do > so, please bear with me... > You did a fine job, your prayers were answered. Instead I ask for your forgiveness, because I fired off a posting and didn't clarify what I was trying to say. > > Now, on to the reply. I am familiar with the study done by Hans Eysenck > (sp? no references with me) a British psychologist in England in the > 70's in which he found no significant difference between the treatment > and non-treatment groups. Your recollection is close enough for me. Your description of the study is also close enough for me. In fact I am thankful that you substantiate my memory on this subject. I have been unable to give people specifics about this study. > >Why then do non-believers base their beliefs on a field of "science" that > >is "fuzzy" at best and bogus at the extreme? > > I find this offensive, and it doesn't appear to me to be meant in a > kind way. Please correct me if I'm wrong. > I apologize for this statement. What I was reacting to was the naive way people were holding up a particular discipline as the definitive answer and counter to Christian beliefs. I stated myself in an extreme manner and paid the price - I offended you. My brother-in-law is a Ph.D. psychologist who specializes in autistic children. He has a very good success rate in his treatment of those children. I don't think he would profess to know what the underlying casues are. I hope you see the other posting I have sent that attempts to clarify what I was saying. By the way, have you ever read the book written by an M.D. who did not believe in demon possession until he ran across a case of it? I am vague on the title, but it was something like "The Nature of Evil." It is written by M. Scott Peck. Thanks for being angry but not lashing out, -Keith McIntyre