A nice tip
Mystical experience
Charles M. Blow in today’s Times: ‘The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a report on Wednesday that is bound to stir conversation about the increasingly complicated cacophony of spirituality in America — a mash-up of traditional faiths, fantasy and mythology.
Entitled “Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths,” the report points out that many Americans are now choosing to “blend Christianity with Eastern or New Age beliefs” and that “sizable minorities of all major U.S. religious groups” said that they have had supernatural experiences, like encountering ghosts.
For the first time in 47 years of polling, the number of Americans who said that they have had a religious or mystical experience, which the question defined as a “moment of sudden religious insight or awakening,” was greater than those who said that they had not.
(Question: Does the first time I saw Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video count?)’
(…)
'Since 1996, the percentage of Americans who said that they have been in the presence of a ghost has doubled from 9 percent to 18 percent, and the percentage who said that they were in touch with someone who was dead has increased by nearly two thirds, rising from 18 percent to 29 percent.’
If this trend continues we are going to look at death as a holiday.
“Enjoy purgatory, I call you as soon as possible.”
And think of the commercial opportunities: strip clubs where dead people are slowly undressing in exchange for a glass of champagne and a nice tip.
A bit as in the first lines of this poem by David Wagoner:
“The Night of the Sad Women
They are undressing slowly by closed doors
Unable to find themselves, fading in mirrors.”
spirits & ghosts
It goes to show again that the USA is the most religious country on this planet.It's not Iran or Irak, or India, it's the USA!
Which was an observation made in the 1970's by Frits Staal, a great linguist / philosopher we can be proud of....
Best sentence in this article I think is:
"Surprisingly, in some cases, those who identified themselves as Christian were more likely to believe these things than those who were unaffiliated. (It should be noted that unaffiliated is not the same as nonbeliever. Many are spiritual people who simply haven’t found the right church, synagogue, mosque, coven, Ouija board club, or whatever.)"
- ... the right coven, Ouija board club, or whatever.
Are you listening Paul S. ?
These are really wonderful times: all those dumbos and nitwits running around to try and find their own paranormal take on life and this crazy world.
And finding it ! Yes..., alchemy, Jung, fractals being 'mysteries of science', 'Eastern spirituality', etc etc.
Wasn't it Nietzsche who remarked that some people thought of themselves as 'deep thinkers' while they didn't even scratch the surface?
'Paranormal flexibility', indeed.
I had already included this article into a special file called
'(God)rackets_Popular Delusions & The Madness of Crowds'
It's a good thing it is mentioned here on this blog.
Arnon, every time you mention sex workers you sound torn, it's nice.
Mystical experience
How come more people have mystical experiences? Is it because they are aware of the fact that strange things may happen and notice them when they happen? Is it because they slowly start accepting the explanation “it’s mystic” as satisfactory? Or is it because they are afraid to not fit in if they haven’t had experienced any mystic?http://tiny.cc/Ye3yj
(By the way, I have seen some of those phenomena: a bunch of leprechauns, a devil, a UFO and an occasionally White Lady)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODoNR2u9-eQ
Juliane
Jesus Juliane!Do you think this worth your while?
bert
Oh, but of course! It's The Mighty Boosh. Not only are they hilarious but they're also very useful for practising my listening comprehension.And to add insult to injury: I've had cold banana fritter for breakfast this morning because I was too full for it last night.
This being said, what would you think appropriate for me?
Juliane
As far as 'listening comprehension' is concerned: why not watch BBC1 & BBC2 - 'QI' for instance, with Stephen Fry.(With or without subtitles)
Cold banana fritter for breakfast: great!
But you won't forget your wholegrain brown bread, will you?
And what's 'appropriate' for you, I wouldn't dare to say.
bert
When I went to London in 2007 to do an internship it wasn't exactly Stephen Fry I came across. My colleagues for the most part spoke colloquial English with a thick London accent and I was quite at a loss with my school RP.RP
@ JulianeAt a loss with your RP?!
What was the problem? If you sounded like some Oxford professor, as I might sound to these Cockney Londoners, or real Mancunians, or Liverpudlians, or whatever, - because that's what I was taught - who cares?
Ever talked to a real Scot? Or an Irishman/woman?
Seen any British films?
When in London go to some bar/pub and talk to the locals.
Great for your listening comprehension...
And never mind your (own) RP.
bert
The problem was not the RP I spoke (I seem to have quite a heavy German accent, by the way) but the RP as the only form of English I understood at that time.Yes I talked to a Scotsman. But since he was a professor of mine here in Germany it doesn't really count.
Do you really think I am the kind of girl that goes into pubs and bars on her own?
Juliane
How would I know?Why wouldn't you go into bars and pubs on your own?
If men can, why not women?
Just try it, and never mind your German accent...
I for one would find that accent endearing...
Hesper
Even Juliane's gastritis is endearing.Grunberg
Then she must be quite some woman !An endearing gastritis?
To an internist, I presume...
bert / Arnon
@ bertBeing 25 I'm barely out of my nappies. I can't go into bars.
Do you have a Dutch accent?
@ Arnon
You haven't seen me white as a sheet, shivering and transpiring at the same time on the floor of a bathroom being shaken by convulsions. I'm not sure if that's endearing.
Juliane
You can't go into bars, aged 25 ?!!Poor Juliane, get a grip or some hold of yourself!
And by the way, I don't have a Dutch accent, I speak,
(or spoke) English fluently.
These days my 'fluency', or conversatrional skills, leave(s) much to be desired, I'm sure.
You lying on the bathroom floor, in whatever state, must be endearing...
bert
Would you consider faking a Dutch accent for my sake?What a sight. Someone lying on the floor suffering and someone else leaning against the door frame going "Awww....".
