I’ve got a friend who I work in a studio with and she has some very interesting ‘ideas’ and beliefs. She believes in unicorns amongst other things, and that we are descendent of aliens and that ‘portals’ are opening at the moment (something to do with teh recent eclipse of the moon and other stuff). She calls herself a metaphysicist and says she doesnt’ liek being called spiritual (although she is of the glastonbury school of thinking - ie new age stuff basically). She can be very agressive in her beliefs and is sometimes quite preachy to me about what she believes in and says ‘at some point you have to stop needing proof’ (ie, faith), and so on and so forth, and thinks my ‘cynicism’ is bad and closes me off. I say well if isee a unicorn then i will believe that they exist - she says that i won’t see one because i’m shutting myself off to that (too fucking simplistic and convenient huh!!). I’m going to have to politely tell her that although i appreciate her wanting to ‘save’ me (which i see it as similar to the xtian desire to save someone), i would like it if she stopped and that she’s go tot realise she’s stuck in a dogma like any other belief system.
She also thinks that i am single because i don’t like myself enough (something like that, although i do like myself enough actually), and i said ot her, if that was the case, then there would be heaps more people out there who never succeeded in finding a partner because of the way they thought negatively about things and themselves. I mean how many people have zero insecurities!??? (she by the way has many). I pointed out that i was single becuase i live somewhere where i rarely meet new people, i work by myself (apart form recently when she’s joined me), and my hobbies tend to include other women rather than mixed groups. so its not rocket science as to why i’m single more than i’m with someone.
She also has some amazing conspiracy theories - my favourite recently was that there was a man who invented a car which ran on water instead of petrol and he was ‘killed’ by the oil companies as he’d put them out of business. I pointed out yesterday to her that recently (just two weeks ago) there has been a story in the enws about a french man who has made a car (many actually) which runs on compressed air. He’s still alive and she even asked me this… if he was still alive!!!
Anyway, you get the picture.
Which got me to thinking - what about stigmata? Why does it happen? I am fascinated that things like this happen (and i’m sure there are other religous marks which occur through other beleif systems that we don’t hear so much about).
I wonder what causes these things to physically manifest. If my friend above is right - then there shouldn’t really be such a thing as stigmata as it goes against her belief system of thinking. It also goes against my sense of the world - is it possible that someone could make it happen through WANTING it to be true so much?
Also, how does one deal sensitively with a friend (who i have no desire in losing) to let them know that their loony ideas are not always wanted and that i rather like being a questioner/skeptic/cynic thank you very much and it fits fine with my way of life thanks.
Regarding your friend, just ask her to curb her beliefs when she is around you. If she considers you in the same light, she should grant your request.
About stigmatas, I have no idea about the truth behind them. It would seem they would get more attention if indeed they are real. If I was to experience that type manifestation and tried to tell of it, I doubt I would get much credibility concerning it. I suppose those events that are witnessed by people will have to act on it or not. With all the wonders that surround us, they are taken for granted or ignored all together.
I think I missed something - how does stigmata go against your friend’s beliefs?
I’m naturally skeptical, but I try to keep an open mind. Someone with beliefs like your friend’s shouldn’t necessarily be a problem for a personal friendship - it’s only her aggression that’s a problem. It’s always difficult to deal with aggression.
nothing to do with my friends beliefs - i just put both subjects in one email…
No, i have no problem being her friend, and its not agression as such, more the desire to save me etc.
And shotgun - a very very good point. Yes, there is no reason that my empirical senses are more valid. I guess I go by if i can see it, smell it and touch it and or hear it - the chances are its there (if i’m not dreaming and am awake/concious), but there are those who say dream state is real too. Who am I to say otherwise.
I don’t see any real problem with believing in unicorns - untill i’m told that the reason i don’t see them is becuase i’m not open to them.
Preconditions to me (for anything be it religion or other belief systems), automatically put up the red flag for me and ring alarm bells.
I think if this is possible, then we are not tapping into things that we s hould.
She basically follows the whole book of ‘The Secret’ (and has written her own ebook which basically has copied the exact same ideas), which in a nutshell says, the law of attraction is the law of the universe - whatever you think of it will bring to you. So ifyou mope about and be depressed etc, then you’re just going to attract more of that to you etc. But if you imagine yourself with all these things that you want, then the universe will bring it to you. Now, I think its great to think positively and I think its definitely beneficial - but if you go tot he logical conclusion of ‘the secret’ then its basically saying anyone who has an illness (be it cancer or anything else), has basically thought themselves to that state. Which i think is VERY wrong…
She’s just into all that kind of stuff and someone called abraham hicks (some dude ‘channelling’ through an american woman who is a guru type). lots of twoddle - some good points on being positive but ALOT of hot air mostly me thinks…
I was going to suggest that it sounded like your friend had been reading from the “Secret” and maybe perhaps, (given her conspiracy theories) David Icke.
Post the link to her e-book, and I’ll do a critique of it for you!
I’ll see if i can locate it -b ut i think you have to buy it to read it, that is unless she’s taken my advice to actually give a taster before people buy!
and sure enough, she’s not got a taster on there - but when i read it (and i told her this), is aid it read just like the secret (she just said but she’s added things, which probably means the ‘meditations’ and stuff). I’ve nothing against meditation or any of this stuff -b ut to me, the law of attraction idea is dangerous as anyone who is ill or sick - could be led to believe that they are liek that because of negative thought. Which is also nonsense since lots of positive people become ill!
I’ve heard a lot about the “Secret” and have been itching to “critique” it for some time! (I would just hate to actually pay money for a copy!)
Anyway, I would start by asking how the “truth” of this “secret” revelation came to the first individuals, who didn’t know to think positively about this specific “truth.” Did it just randomly come to them without any specific concentration on their part? And if so, does that mean that we do NOT have to concentrate on, (and think positively about) the things we want in order to get?
What if I concentrate really hard on the FALSHOOD of the “Secret” would it then become false?
Maybe I’m just talking stupid, and failing to critique the actual position. Due to my ignorance of the system as a whole, this is probably the case, but I do think that given what has been said so far, my above questions would pose some difficulties.
Who knows? Perhaps I’ll concentrate really hard on obtaining my own copy of the “Secret” somehow…
yeah, i was talking to the friend of mien yesterday who is now getting quite agressive when i challenge this belief of hers. I think its fine and good to get into the habit of thinking positively - but when you say that someone who has cancer has thought themselves into that state, its hard to swallow. Plus, does she really think that if all the starving people around the world in poverty started dreaming of having million dollar mansions etc that they would suddenly change their lives? I Don’t think so. Its such bollocks. I mean fine… think positively, but don’t tell me that if my friends dad got cancer (which he has), that he’s thoguht himself into that illness. GRRR!!!
Grizzle, I’ll tell you what to do. Every time ur friend makes unwanted metaphysical advances on you, make unwanted sexual advances on her. Start to preach about how good it would be if you both did x+x+x, then she will learn more about restraint of ideas, as opposed to non-restraint. Meanwhile I think that a lesbo type of test should be done. Try to tell her why it would be good if she only tried it a few times and opened up her mind to it. If it ever can happen, but if she didn’t like it, tell her she’s just not believing in it and being too closed-minded.
Although much as i like my friend, I really don’t want to take the risk of her being open to my sexual advances!!
What is ironic is that I was the one who lent her my (only half way read) book of The Secret. I got half way t hrough and t hought what shite, but thought she’d like the idea. She then goes and writes a book of her own which says pretty much the same things with some added razzle dazzle (meditations or whatever), and hey presto. So really she should be thanking me for introducing ehr to the concept. However - I guess i should be kicking myself right about now as i’ve made a monster. She’s sooo quick to take on some new thing - its worrying. Poor thing must need comfort so badly.
I pointed out to her that her view that one should just think more positively and then things would be fine is exactly the same as a christian saying if you pray more/go to church more often then god will answer your prayers. Its the same deal. She sai dit wasn’t. I don’t see how she can’t see that its the same!
