Do you believe in Black Magic?

Beren said:
I think that Pratchett makes a lot of sense with 'Headology' - That the more power you believe something has the more likely it is to have an effect.
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This is one of the key points that is likely to be missed by most. A wiccan spell, for example, is basically a form of prayer, using your faith (and the diety involved) to affect change in your enviroment. I have seen the effects of such things, to the point where the odds of coincidence become very large, but that doesn't mean I can offer an explaination for how or why it works. I have my own beliefs about it, but that's not really offering any explaination.

I have also had experience of various eastern ideas and training in manipulating the enviroment or your body with your will, which was why I asked the question I did earlier.

I do also believe there is stuff out there that we don't know everything about. I really doubt black magic has anything much to do with it though.
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Black magic is really just a term for forcing negativity on the enviroment, at the very least it's not good to harbour those kind of feelings towards other people and desire to act on them, irrespective of whether you believe in any of the above or not.
 
[FnG]magnolia;11085982 said:
I love how we're debating whether one piece of fiction (genie) is or is not the same as another piece of fiction (djinn). Like it matters, lol!
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Like you have never compared two characters from film or literature before....

There seems to be a real sense of self congratulatory smugness whenever a topic like this comes up. "Hey look at me, I'm not silly enough to believe in all that caveman rubbish, you must be a fool".

I don't believe in it either, but the whole topic of the Occult and the psychology behind it I do find fascinating and I still respect the subject and it's long history.
 
Yes. This thread will be full of people saying, "no it's rubbish!" because a lot of people on this forum lead boring, closed-minded lives and have no ability to think outside the box.

Now that I've alienated myself I'll leave :p
 
Beren said:
I think that Pratchett makes a lot of sense with 'Headology' - That the more power you believe something has the more likely it is to have an effect.
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'Headology' is satire on psychology and 'belief', not intended to be an actual belief system. The discworld novels are humourous!
 
Ulfhedjinn said:
Yeah but you don't go calling a djinn a genie and vice-versa since they're completely different.
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No they're not. Rather than being unclear about this, why don't you explain exactly what you think it is, as I believe they are one and the same.

Beren said:
That the more power you believe something has the more likely it is to have an effect.
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Makes a lot of sense to me.

shaffaaf27 said:
jinn, are made from smokeless fire.
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What worries me is that you probably believe this to be true.
 
strudey said:
'Headology' is satire on psychology and 'belief', not intended to be an actual belief system. The discworld novels are humourous!
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The best satires are based on truth. There are whole areas of philosophy devoted to such ideas, and indeed it is considered to be the driving force behind the placebo effect (something that science, as yet, cannot explain).
 
Dolph said:
The best satires are based on truth. There are whole areas of philosophy devoted to such ideas, and indeed it is considered to be the driving force behind the placebo effect (something that science, as yet, cannot explain).
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I agree, I thought Beren might have meant that the more you believe something, the truer it is, but on re-reading I can see I was mistaken. Sorry.
 
markyp23 said:
What you really mean is that this thread will go the same way as it always those, with those who always state that they know everything about the scientific method (ie you) stating that people don't know anything about science and therefore cannot state it is impossible.

It doesn't need to have anything to do with science, it just does not happen.
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How is you stating it does not happen more valid that someone stating it does?

You express your opinion as if it is fact, and yet your belief that it is not possible is no different from someone stating, catergorically, that it is.

You can make whatever statement of belief you wish, but that doesn't mean it's more valid than anyone elses.

If you're not basing it on a scientific stance, what is the basis for your decision making?
 
Dolph said:
Do I believe there may be things that the scientific method cannot investigate and therefore denies. Definitely.

Do we have any real understanding of everything that may be possible? No, we don't.

Does anyone have the sort of abilities this thread is about? Who can say, it's not really worth worrying about either way.
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