Skepticism /= debunking

[Arouet]

[derrida]

DING DING DING DING!!
You are right on the money !!!

skepticism =/ debunking

[Craig Browning]

People find it odd that I call myself a "skeptic" and the fact that I encourage my students within the whole Psychic/New Age mix of granola to live life with a healthy sense of skepticism; my "obligation" being to teach them to see things outside the rose tinted lens effect.

On one level my views do host a "De-bunker" sense about it, in that I want those that "believe" to not be gullible and thus, susceptible to the antics of con-artists and charismatic speakers. In other words, I need my "students" to recognize that the world of the Psychic/Mystic is full of BULL SHIT and if one is truly walking a path in which wisdom is paramount, you will go out of your way to not get sucked into the hype and fertilizer. A "Wise One" has learned to see beyond the illusions as well as the delusions; something few in the New Age sector really qualify at due to their eagerness to be "more" vs. being "real".

I can't find much in the teachings of the great spiritual masters that do not encourage this very same way of looking at life and most particularly, miracles and the claims thereof, as they are tied to this or that individual; be it Simon Magus or David Korech. What I have found in common, when it comes to these wisdom traditions, is encouragement to question the miraculous; Lord Buddha point blank asking his students to ponder "who the miracle benefits?" His teachings being rather direct in the fact that most miracle mongers present such things for the same of self-aggrandizement, not for the sake or benefit of others.

Obviously, I think many of today's "De-bunkers" take things a bit too far and for the wrong reasons. On the other hand, I believe every person that is guided by honest wisdom and integrity, knows where and how to balance the message; allowing the faith-filled their due while likewise opening the door for those still confounded by the idea of things miraculous that they might discover for themselves the fact that an alternative understanding exists and more importantly, these are views (wisdom) that have been known and taught by the mystic masters for thousands of years... provided one is willing to see and hear what they taught... let he with ears with which to hear, hear; those with eyes with which to see, see and know these things...

[jakesteele]

[Arouet]