Skeptics' Attitude

[Plumes.Gris]

If you consult the dictionary, the word "skepticism" actually means " Doubt or disbelief of religious tenets." but it also means "questioning attitude or state of mind"
When it comes to my reactions toward skeptics and being a skeptic, I tend to follow more a Buddhist philosophy. In order to find truth, we must put our knowledge through logical reasoning.
I find that the true nature of a skeptic is not to defend what he originally believes, but to find truth through questionning and if doing so brings you to disbelieving in religious or spiritual thought or if it brings you closer...should you really deny it?
For some people, there is an overwhelming amount of proof for an underlying spirituality to reality but for some, there is also not enough. In that respect, it's important to practice tolerance for people who don't share the same beliefs as you do.

[CFTraveler]

I think the problem with most people that think of themselves as skeptics are not really skeptical at all, it's just that they either cling to that label or like to hide their prejudices behind the name 'skeptic'. A true skeptic is a person who doesn't believe something because someone else says it happened- a skeptic is someone who doesn't make judgements about something or someone until they have verified to their satisfaction the veracity of an event or the character of whoever or whatever.
I would like to think that I am a skeptic, or rather a 'real' skeptic, in that I won't go off plunging into a belief system that doesn't benefit me. I like to ask questions, and often will change my mind about something when the evidence points to something else.
Unfortunately, the loudest, and more flamboyant 'skeptics' are not really- Those are the people that already know what it's about, that have already decided what reality is, and will ignore evidence, even change it, will make fun of whomever doesn't agree, and generally feel superior to others because of their beliefs or lack thereof. The funny thing about this is that that is the quality of most religious fanatics.

[Plumes.Gris]

Unfortunately, the loudest, and more flamboyant 'skeptics' are not really- Those are the people that already know what it's about, that have already decided what reality is, and will ignore evidence, even change it, will make fun of whomever doesn't agree, and generally feel superior to others because of their beliefs or lack thereof. The funny thing about this is that that is the quality of most religious fanatics.

Haha, very well said

[Tom]

skeptics are not interested to know the truth or try to understand.

They just want to prove you wrong.

Evven if you literally blast off a car by just pointing at it with a finger, with great ease,
skeptics will still find thousand of silly excuse to say you are playing tricks.

Discuss

There is nothing to discuss. You created a biased poll and then lectured on what you believe.

Of the 3 choices, I would have to say that "they are interested in the truth" would have to be the most likely to be correct. Everyone is interested in the truth. The problem lies in that everyone's truth is a bit different. We don't all believe the same thing, down to the very smallest detail, even those of us who believe ESP, PK, psychic phenomena, etc. are valid experiences. Those who disbelieve, even if they are stating it rudely, are just holding fast to what their belief is at that moment in time.

From my experience, belief is a moving target. I don't know anyone who believes exactly the same thing from year to year, and throughout their whole lives. Does that make them wrong or right? They are right according to their view of things at that time. We are all right. We all live under the delusion that what we know is how it is. My feeling is that we haven't gotten it quite right...none of us. That's why it's a good thing to keep an open mind, changing your beliefs as circumstances and your awareness changes, always moving productively toward whatever it is that will bring us together as One.

Enjoy your beliefs. Revel in them. Test them or don't. Feel strongly about them or don't. Just at least try to hurt as few people as possible when in the throes of defending them. You may just end up on the side of the person you hurt, sharing their beliefs. Then, you've got a whole other problem to deal with. I speak from experience.

[oath]

Some of the most (naturally) psychicallly gifted people ive come into contact with were skeptics, and many times in open denial of their abilities and things happening to them.

[journyman161]

It is but human nature to think that their own point of view is right, and wish to prove all other beliefs or reasons wrong...

This applies to everyone whether or not they call themselves skeptic. The first part of this is fine, but the second part lies astray from any path to advancement. Wanting to prove others wrong is an action & as such can bring harm & cause a negative effect on others, whereas wanting to be right is a desire or attitude within oneself & as such is simply part of the need to advance.

It's a bit like the functional definitions for Judges that describe the difference between Bias & Prejudice - Bias is, 'If I can find for a particular side I will' where Prejudice is 'I will find for a particular side no matter what'. Wanting to be right IS a natural desire & actually has nothing wrong with it, but taking the next step into wanting to show others as wrong is simply negative no matter how you view it.

Most skeptics I have met or seen interviewed are scared of finding their safe world isn't as they wish to view it & that is why they defend their particular reality so vehemently. Those with minds open to change don't seem to define themselves as skeptics although they may be skeptical over some issues.

[equinox]

Most skeptics I have met or seen interviewed are scared of finding their safe world isn't as they wish to view it & that is why they defend their particular reality so vehemently. Those with minds open to change don't seem to define themselves as skeptics although they may be skeptical over some issues.

The sceptics I met are very careful and afraid of making mistakes.
They are afraid of deception, scam and stupidity.
They try to submit anything new to their tests...
Tests involve comparing what they see with the frameworks provided to them by the trusted people.
If it fails, they disgard it. Often they discard it if the responses are not properly formulated.
Their tests are not fail-safe but that is how it is.
I knew a guy, a sceptic who could not trust NEW.
He did not dare to give it a try.
I thought that might have helped him. He did not and died.
I wonder if he trusted the method, he would have lived.

[violetsky]

Are we being skeptical about skeptics????

Hmmm....does that make us skeptics?

So who is the pot and who is the kettle or do we take turns.....yes taking turns is only fair. We all live in glass houses...every last one of us. My house also has chandeliers so it will be extra interesting when stones are thrown at it. <smirk>

Hey intellectual snobs only bother us if we do not realize they are no better (or worse) they just have their own story that they are lost in....But HEY there is a wide variety of snobs. Spiritual snobs are slightly different than intellectual snobs sure after all they have a different story, but there are lots of similarities wouldn't you agree? I have been both an intellectual snob and a spiritual snob at some point in my life...live and learn. Hey that is the great thing about life...we can live and learn. Every last one of us.

We are all one and until we figure it out we will constantly be fighting ourselves...no one else. Just ourselves. When we catch on we can let go of defending ourselves and start understanding instead of fighting ourselves....understanding all that is ourself and inadvertantly everyone else.

Yet there is great discomfort in trying to understand isn't there. No one likes to look too closely at themselves. Much easier when it is someone else to look at (one of those 'them' people)... yes - yes - much easier. This is why nothing changes I guess? Or does it change? Or do we just trade one story or belief system for yet another? Maybe it is easier getting lost in yet another story or belief system than really looking at oneself? If we did truly look at ourselves, there would be no more drama!! Ah! There would be way more laughter as people laughed at their own personal insanities! Personal insanity just being another name for believing you are limited by any story or script you have chosen to incarnate into. And no more, 'But they......' What a strange world that would be.

And if you take this personally as appose to laughing at your own insanity???? Then you likely have a very interesting story that I would be very interested in hearing but the really important thing is that you hear it and wisely feel and understand (as apposed to surface knowing) that it never has to limit or solidify your view (a.k.a. judgement/opinion) of any story or anybody or anything.

Hugs and Lots of Love to All,
violetsky

[JonManuel23]

Doesn't the very act of say...classifying skeptics into ridiculous stereotypes and talking about how they lack open-mindedness and should be more like us on this forum defeat everything we stand for?

Why was this thread started in the first place?

Why do we care about skeptics and trying to "convert" them, shouldn't we be more focused on sayyyyyy.... energy work? You know... seeing as this is energy work section of the forum....

Well don't mind me, I just thought i'd throw it out there.