(November 8, 2008 at 1:08 pm)EvidenceVsFaith Wrote: Pardon my ignorance, I'm curious, what's the SAB? The Sabbath?

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible

(November 8, 2008 at 1:57 pm)Daystar Wrote:

(November 8, 2008 at 1:08 pm)EvidenceVsFaith Wrote: Pardon my ignorance, I'm curious, what's the SAB? The Sabbath?

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible

Ah, I love the SAB (at least what's correct about it) I never knew that SAB was used as an abbreviation of it though. I didn't know it was well known enough.

Daystar Wrote:Is there substantial evidence for the existence of witches and warlocks? Yes. That they can do things that you can't explain. Yes. Does that imply that Harry Potter isn't fiction? No.

I really can't understand how anyone can be this idiotic.

Is there substantial evidence for the existence of witches and warlocks? No. The type of witches / wizards in the Harry Potter books do not exist. There is no evidence (let alone substantial) to suggest that anyone can hold a stick, say "Avada Kedavra" and kill someone with a green blast of energy. Even if you extend your definition to cover people like magicians, it holds no merit. Magicians are by their own admission, tricksters who like to astound people. Just because they don't explain what they do doesn't mean there is no explanation. Even if you further extend the definition to include those who practice wicca, there is still no evidence that anything they do affects the natural order of things.

That they can do things that you can't explain? No. See above.

Does that imply that Harry Potter is fiction? Yes. It's fiction. It's in the fiction section of book stores. It is a work of fantasy. I know you probably wished for your letter from Hogwarts to come like the rest of humanity at the time, but it simply didn't. Harry Potter does not exist in the real world.

(November 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm)Tiberius Wrote:

Daystar Wrote:Is there substantial evidence for the existence of witches and warlocks? Yes. That they can do things that you can't explain. Yes. Does that imply that Harry Potter isn't fiction? No.

I really can't understand how anyone can be this idiotic.

Is there substantial evidence for the existence of witches and warlocks? No. The type of witches / wizards in the Harry Potter books do not exist. There is no evidence (let alone substantial) to suggest that anyone can hold a stick, say "Avada Kedavra" and kill someone with a green blast of energy. Even if you extend your definition to cover people like magicians, it holds no merit. Magicians are by their own admission, tricksters who like to astound people. Just because they don't explain what they do doesn't mean there is no explanation. Even if you further extend the definition to include those who practice wicca, there is still no evidence that anything they do affects the natural order of things.

That they can do things that you can't explain? No. See above.

Does that imply that Harry Potter is fiction? Yes. It's fiction. It's in the fiction section of book stores. It is a work of fantasy. I know you probably wished for your letter from Hogwarts to come like the rest of humanity at the time, but it simply didn't. Harry Potter does not exist in the real world.

This is what pisses me off about people like you. Go back and read it again and see if you can do it without reading anything into it.

(November 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm)Daystar Wrote: This is what pisses me off about people like you. Go back and read it again and see if you can do it without reading anything into it.

You said something stupid, you got smacked down for it ... what's the problem?

Kyu

(November 9, 2008 at 10:54 am)Kyuuketsuki Wrote:

(November 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm)Daystar Wrote: This is what pisses me off about people like you. Go back and read it again and see if you can do it without reading anything into it.

You said something stupid, you got smacked down for it ... what's the problem?

Kyu

Wrong again, Kyu. I said that there were witches and warlocks. There are. My cousin is a witch. I said that they, like magicians, can do things that you (any of you) can't explain. I said that that isn't an indication that Harry Potter is non-fiction.

Read it again, and see if you can shift your brainwashed monkey minds into "observation."

(November 9, 2008 at 2:32 pm)Daystar Wrote: Wrong again, Kyu. I said that there were witches and warlocks. There are. My cousin is a witch. I said that they, like magicians, can do things that you (any of you) can't explain. I said that that isn't an indication that Harry Potter is non-fiction.

And for the terminally dense around here I'l paraphrase what Adrian said ... there is no such thing as witches or warlocks SMACK!!!! Geddit yet?

Kyu

Yeah...uh... ok so my analogy with using Harry Potter kind of backfired there

Sounds to me that daystar - is saying - that he thinks Witches and Warlocks are magicians that don't do real spells? They only exist in that sense, not in the sense of being able to do real magic?
On the subject on what is classified as real magic: "I'm writing a book on magic," I explain, and I'm asked, "Real magic?" By real magic, people mean miracles, thaumaturgical acts, and supernatural powers. "No," I answer: "Conjuring tricks, not real magic." Real magic, in other words, refers to the magic that is not real, while the magic that is real, that can actually be done, is not real magic. - Lee Siegel - Net of Magic.
Lee Siegel is a professor of religion and he's also an expert magician.

(November 9, 2008 at 2:32 pm)Daystar Wrote:

(November 9, 2008 at 10:54 am)Kyuuketsuki Wrote:

(November 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm)Daystar Wrote: This is what pisses me off about people like you. Go back and read it again and see if you can do it without reading anything into it.

You said something stupid, you got smacked down for it ... what's the problem?

Kyu

Wrong again, Kyu. I said that there were witches and warlocks. There are. My cousin is a witch. I said that they, like magicians, can do things that you (any of you) can't explain. I said that that isn't an indication that Harry Potter is non-fiction.

Read it again, and see if you can shift your brainwashed monkey minds into "observation."

Well, you said there was evidence for witches & warlocks, and the "evidence" is that there are people that call themselves witches/warlocks. However, using those words and saying there is evidence for them *implies* you are talking about magic (ie: supernatural magic, not "sleight of hand" tricks).
The fact your cousin calls herself a witch doesn't mean she can cast spells and if there are inexplicable things caused by what she does her viewpoint says "magic", my viewpoint says "not sure what happened, but it will be explained one day".
My lack of belief in anything supernatural me interpret things in my own way, just as your belief in god(s) makes you interpert them in your way (and your sister's wican(?) beliefs makes her interpret what happens in her's).

As far as I am aware, irrefutable evidence has not been found for any "magic", including things like "faith" healing.