[cylon]

I wonder if skeptics experience many synchronicities. In the past when stuff happened to me I just said wow that was an interesting coincidence, then completely blocked it out of my mind. It was easy, I would freak out and think "yeah but what about all the times what I think DOESN'T show up somewhere else". I do remember feeling uncomfortable and wanting the quick, rational answer so I could "go back to normal".

This worked for me for a long time. Eventually I started thinking "wait, maybe there is something to this" but quickly imagined all the intelligent science people laughing at me and calling me dumb. "What would Carl Sagan think"

And I had spent all this time investing in skepticism, in order reject fundamentalism. I thought I had a new model (humanism, naturalism,) that explained the universe to me and now THAT was about to go under scrutiny (miserablism).

It wasn't fun or easy. I felt like I was betraying myself and all the insights I had gained from my science/skeptic studies. So John should know, people take this seriously. Not all just jump right in. Giving yourself permission to think outside the box is too risky for some people. Think of this thread alone... it takes about three seconds to go from "do my thoughts create reality?" to "Don't jump off a building or drink poison! Be careful!" Like as soon as people start to question their reality-model, the first thing they will do is the worst and most dangerous thing they could do. That's how scared people are of change.

It's the same when a christian or highly religious person deconverts to atheism. What do their friends and family say?"God is the source of all morality. Now you're probably going to walk around murdering and plundering because you don't care what God thinks anymore."

Come to think of it, this LOA is for weird people reminds me of when I was going to bookstores and buying books on atheism, how scared I would be walking up to the counter, hoping no one would see the big word "ATHEIST" on the titles. LOA is like that for me. Sure it may be popular right now (the secret) but when you get down to it, most people think it's crap. It's not something you walk around and start talking about to everyone.


Anyway most of my life was spent miserable. The best feelings I've had are childhood, and post LOA. So it's working for me.