Why are smart people fooled

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waterwitch
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by waterwitch »

We've been up against this kind of thing for a long time. :ph34r:

Here's a quote from a nineteenth century theologian, Thomas B. Thayer indicating how long this "sacred fraud" has been going on and the perps' rationale.

Any one at all familiar with the writings of the ancient Greeks or Romans, cannot fail to note how often it is admitted by them that the national religions were the inventions of the legislator and the priest, for the purpose of governing and restraining the common people. Hence, all the early lawgivers claim to have had communications with the gods, who aided them in the preparation of their codes. Zoroaster claimed to have received his laws from a divine source; Lycurgus obtained his from Apollo, Minos of Crete from Jupiter, Numa of Rome from Egeria, Zaleucus from Minerva, &c. The object of this sacred fraud was to impress the minds of the multitude with religious awe, and command a more ready obedience on their part. Hence Augustine says, in his "City of God," "This seems to have been done on no other account, but as it was the business of princes, out of their wisdom and civil prudence, to deceive the people in their religion; princes, under the name of religion, persuaded the people to believe those things true, which they themselves knew to be idle fables; by this means, for their own ease in government, tying them the more closely to civil society." B. iV 32.
fbenario
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by fbenario »

waterwitch wrote:We've been up against this kind of thing for a long time. :ph34r:

Here's a quote from a nineteenth century theologian, Thomas B. Thayer indicating how long this "sacred fraud" has been going on and the perps' rationale.

Any one at all familiar with the writings of the ancient Greeks or Romans, cannot fail to note how often it is admitted by them that the national religions were the inventions of the legislator and the priest, for the purpose of governing and restraining the common people. Hence, all the early lawgivers claim to have had communications with the gods, who aided them in the preparation of their codes. Zoroaster claimed to have received his laws from a divine source; Lycurgus obtained his from Apollo, Minos of Crete from Jupiter, Numa of Rome from Egeria, Zaleucus from Minerva, &c. The object of this sacred fraud was to impress the minds of the multitude with religious awe, and command a more ready obedience on their part. Hence Augustine says, in his "City of God," "This seems to have been done on no other account, but as it was the business of princes, out of their wisdom and civil prudence, to deceive the people in their religion; princes, under the name of religion, persuaded the people to believe those things true, which they themselves knew to be idle fables; by this means, for their own ease in government, tying them the more closely to civil society." B. iV 32.
EXCELLENT analysis! Top-notch.
pov603
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by pov603 »

As someone said in 2008 or thereabouts, the true test [at the time this was more relevant to Americans] will be not if or when they elect a Black Man as President but when they elect an avowed Atheist as President.
brianv
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by brianv »

pov603 wrote:As someone said in 2008 or thereabouts, the true test [at the time this was more relevant to Americans] will be not if or when they elect a Black Man as President but when they elect an avowed Atheist as President.
Athiests are worse than bible-bashers, Athiesm is a creed, a belief that must be preached just like any religion. An Agnostic on the other hand neither believes nor disbelieves and does not profess either way. He has no opinion on whether "god" exists or not!

Didn't somebody called "god" tell Bushwhacker and Bliar to invade Iraq?
pov603
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by pov603 »

When you put it like that the you could well call me an Agnostic then.
I just think that more people have a better understanding of what an Atheist is about.
You are correct in that a belief in Athiesm is just that, a belief, and possibly the sooner we get away from a belief-based system we would/will be all better off.
That's what I believe...
lux
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by lux »

pov603 wrote:As someone said in 2008 or thereabouts, the true test [at the time this was more relevant to Americans] will be not if or when they elect a Black Man as President but when they elect an avowed Atheist as President.
President of what?
pov603
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by pov603 »

President of the USA.
lux
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by lux »

Oh, him.
pov603
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by pov603 »

Someone has to be I suppose.
It was either him or a 70+ year old man who couldn't raise his hands above his head.
Such is the wealth and diversity of talent in the US these days.
Next it's going to be a straight up showdown between Barry and Buzz Lightyear in a suit, er, I mean Mitt Romney.
Don't worry Earthlings, your planet is safe in their hands!
HonestlyNow
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by HonestlyNow »

*
9/11 = Indian Rope Trick

Watch Daniel Dennett's description and explanation of the Indian Rope Trick starting at 9:00 minutes to approx. 15:00.
Compare to the 9/11 Event.


full link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48ol4sHasA8

(disclaimer: as yet, I've only watched this part if the video)
hoi.polloi
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by hoi.polloi »

I see what you mean. The "first plane" that nobody saw but the news reported over and over was like step 1 (claim you are about to crash an airplane completely into a building and have it disappear). The "second plane" was like step 2 (play your pre-created CGI of the trick being performed).

Interesting explanation. Fun speech.
lux
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by lux »

Actually, I think Santa's postulated theory involving hypnosis and drugs was the closest to the 9/11 modus operandi. :D
hoi.polloi
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by hoi.polloi »

America is drugged. And hypnotized. So yeah - very well could be.
pdgalles
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by pdgalles »

HonestlyNow wrote:Watch Daniel Dennett's description and explanation of the Indian Rope Trick starting at 9:00 minutes to approx. 15:00.
Compare to the 9/11 Event.
As a self-proclaimed atheist Dennett benefited greatly, in terms of book sales and public appearances, from the post-9/11 media focus on the dangers of religion, so I would keep that in mind.

DANIEL DENNETT AND 9/11

For those who prefer to read, the video above is also in book form:
Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles To A Science Of Consciousness.

Excerpt:

Image

Edit: This is quite an interesting find Honestlynow, as Dennett delivered these lectures 7th Nov. 2001.

This section is also relevant, I think.
simonshack
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Re: Why are smart people fooled

Unread post by simonshack »

pdgalles wrote: Edit: This is quite an interesting find Honestlynow, as Dennett delivered these lectures 7th Nov. 2001.
Well, here's a piece by Daniel Dennett concerning 9/11 (on Iwise.com - the "wisdom-on-demand" website...).
Basically, Daniel feels it was a fortunate thing that the Statue of Liberty wasn't targeted on 9/11 ... :lol:
ImageDaniel C Dennett
" Since September 11, 2001, I have often thought that perhaps it was fortunate for the world that the attackers targeted the World Trade Center instead of the Statue of Liberty, for if they had destroyed our sacred symbol of democracy I fear we as Americans would have been unable to keep ourselves from indulging in paroxysms of revenge of a sort the world has never seen before. If that had happened, it would have befouled the meaning of the Statue of Liberty beyond any hope of subsequent redemption -- if there were any people left to care. I have learned from my students that this upsetting thought of mine is subject to several unfortunate misconstruals, so let me expand on it to ward them off. The killing of thousands of innocents in the World Trade Center was a heinous crime, much more evil than the destruction of the Statue of Liberty would have been. And, yes, the World Trade Center was a much more appropriate symbol of al Qaeda's wrath than the Statue of Liberty would have been, but for that very reason it didn't mean as much, as a symbol, to us.(...)"

Dennett then goes on to express this little 'gem' of American, humanitarian concern...

"I do suspect that the fury with which Americans would have responded to the unspeakable defilement of our cherished national symbol, the purest image of our aspirations as a democracy, would have made a sane and measured response extraordinarily difficult."

Aww yes!... I bet the Afghan and Iraqi people are mighty thankful for the "sane and measured" response that fell from the skies after 9/11! :rolleyes: :puke:

http://www.iwise.com/kToAW
I also find particularly telling this passage from Dennett's book "Sweet Dreams":

Image

Basically, what Dennett is saying is:
"You just can't pull off a trick by airing 'ultrarealistic' computer renderings on TV. People wouldn't buy it."
So, for all his apparent eloquence and wisdom, I'd have to conclude that Dennett is either one of two things:

- A dupe ('innocently' unaware of the existence of TV fakery - and its power to manipulate human consciousness)
- Just another sinister wiseacre psychoprofessor/cum-9/11 gate-and-mind-keeper à la James Randi.
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