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From: cjr@unirot.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.sci
Subject: Re: Contempt prior to Investigation
Message-ID: <388@unirot.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 16-Mar-86 21:28:21 EST
Article-I.D.: unirot.388
Posted: Sun Mar 16 21:28:21 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Mar-86 04:45:40 EST
References: <435@ccivax.UUCP> <13400007@uiucdcsp>
Organization: Public Access Un*x, The Soup Kitchen
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Xref: watmath net.philosophy:4534 net.sci:616

> There is one small point that seems to be ignored sometimes. That
> is, in order for something to be treated scientifically, it has to
> be subject to repeatable experiments.
> 
> But that doesn't mean that there are not things that cannot be
> treated scientifically. Suppose that certain things happen
> which just cannot be controlled well enough to be subject to
> repeatable experiments. I personally have experienced several
> totally non-standard events in my own life that do not fit
> into a conventional world view.
> 
> I don't know how to explain them. I don't expect you to believe
> me. But imagine you are in my shoes. Imagine you *KNOW* these
> things have happened (I don't expect you to believe that I
> *KNOW* as there are all kinds of ways people have tried to
> explain these things away when I mention them. Just try to
> imagine that you *KNOW* something that you cannot prove or
> explain to people who haven't had the experience. Also I would
> appreciate not being called an idiot.)

Right on, man. I know just what it's like to be in your shoes. People
have called me an ignoramus and worse. I have seen the face of God
and I have spoken to Him, and I have learned vital secrets of the
universe through these communions. I also know that the things I
have experienced are real, but I am mocked merely because I cannot prove
them to the satisfaction of dogmatic Western scientific minds. I have
also heard these people trying to explain these experiences away.
They say things like "it was an illusion" or "you believed what you
wanted to believe" or "you didn't analyze it objectively enough" or
"you must have been on drugs" (I get that one a lot!) What a load of
crap! It sure sounds to me like they're just throwing the covers over
experiences like ours because they don't want to hear them. I can't take
any of their explanations seriously. Can you?

I don't think your belief in your experiences being real is any sillier
than mine.

Peace,
	CJ

-- 
Peace,
	CJ			(Charles J. Riordan - unirot!cjr)