---Introduce yourself---

Howdy,

I found Skeptiko a couple of years ago after reading Dr. Eben Alexander's book, Proof of Heaven, and then stumbling upon the Skeptiko interview of Dr. Alexander. I've since listened to all the episodes and look forward to each new one checking my phone often! The interviews generated a fantastic mind expanding reading list as I have read many of the interviewees publications.

I grew up in militant Christianity and got seriously into Young Earth Creationism at age 18. At age 19, I found EvCforum.net and debated with all the passion and idealism of youth in favor of creationism. After about 4 months and a few thousand posts my faith in young earth creationism as well as everything else I thought I believed, was completely shattered. I fell into a deep depression because the only alternative to the faith I had known was lonely meaningless materialism which to me was nihilism. I explored briefly Eastern religions. I read Bernadette Roberts' book, the Experience of No Self and experimented with contemplative prayer or meditation. At times I fell deep into it and experienced many of the things she wrote about as the identification of self fell away. This felt wonderful but scared me. In particular a phrase in her book put the fear of God in me: "When there is no personal self, there can be no personal God." I ran back into the comforting arms of my familiar religion and dug in deeper than ever before albeit with a disdain for creationism. I went to "spirit-filled' "full-gospel" churches, attempted to work up faith for miraculous healings, etc. and so forth. Health problems that persisted despite my attempts at having faith for healing left me frustrated, depressed, and yearning for a deeper understanding of reality. I always wanted to get back to meditation. In some ways the transformative experience that followed the reading of Bernadette Roberts' book never completely left me. A more open-minded perspective on things had been brewing for a few years before I finally felt it was time to leave the church about a year and a half ago.

I am a licensed professional engineer. I've signed the petition on AE911Truth.org and I'm a prepper and libertarian!

That's all folks!
 
Hi, I just discovered Alex Tsakiris from the Binall of America interview. I feel that I would enjoy this forum because I have a similar point of view, in that I'm open to any idea, no matter how far out, but I'm not a "believer" in any of them.

I also place the accepted dogma of the world around us upon that same non-belief spectrum as "paranormal" ideas.

I've had a good amount of strange/paranormal experiences in my life such as UFO and "ghost" experiences, and more recently, experiences with ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon. So I'm well aware that there exists something MUCH larger out there, but what exactly that something is, I refrain from drawing a conclusion.

Though I really do enjoy speculation, just to keep the wheels turning.
 
Welcome, the-man-called-Cold, - Indrid Cold. ;)

"The Man Called Cold: The Woodrow Derenberger Interview"


The odd events began on November 2, 1966, around 7:30pm when Woodrow Derenberger, a salesman for a sewing machine company was returning to his home in Mineral Wells, West Virginia along Highway I-77. When out of nowhere near Parkersburg, West Virginia another vehicle flew up and passed him. Woodrow described the vehicle as the strangest thing he'd ever seen and that it was "flying" six inches off the ground. The vehicle came around him, turns sideways across both lanes of the road in front of him, gradually made him slow down to a stop onto the side of the road.
After that, a door opens, and a grinning man steps out of the vehicle. A few seconds later the vehicle climbs 40 feet into the air above the highway. Derenberger says that the dark suited man walked to the right side of his truck, spoke to him telepathically, and asked him to roll down his window and was saying that he meant Derenberger no harm.

The strange man said; "My name is Cold.... Indrid Cold."


 
Hello folks,

I found myself here because I'm researching paranormal phenomenae online. I'm a relative "noob" to the subject matter, but personal experiences have spurred me to take an interest. Despite these experiences, I want to remain tentatively neutral towards the subject matter while I examine it. I consider myself a 'skeptic' in the original sense of the term; one opposed to dogmatism, who seeks only to reflect or look carefully. I look forward to having chats with some of you and I hope you can help direct me to the best available data. :)
 
Hello all,
Looking forward to checking in here for some fun conversations. I have been listening to podcasts for a little over a year now, and I wish I had been aware of them much sooner. It is a wonderful way to feed the mind, and I have been lead to so many great podcasts along the way. Skeptiko is completely new to me, but the shows I have listened to so far have been fantastic. Another one of my favorite podcasts has a forum that I made an attempt at joining but it seems to have died out, I look forward to a more active one here.

My interests run a wide spectrum, so I am up for talking about anything. I do have a particular affinity towards ancient Egypt, I find everything to do with it fascinating.
My favorite "thinker" (or whatever definition you'd like) is Terence McKenna.
My favorite hobby is frisbee golf.
Live music, be it concert or festival, create the most joy in my life.

I don't want to be overly extensive in relating what my interests are, seems like a rabbit hole that no one would want to fall down. I felt an instant attraction to the Skeptiko podcast, and was drawn to explore this forum after a few shows; so I have a feeling that I will fit in well with most everyone that was similarly drawn in. :)

Be well
 
Hello all,
Looking forward to checking in here for some fun conversations.

My interests run a wide spectrum, so I am up for talking about anything. I do have a particular affinity towards ancient Egypt, I find everything to do with it fascinating

Hi IGWT, and welcome
What do you think about Jean Pierre Houdin's theory on the internal ramps for building the Cheops pyramid?



In 2007 Jean-Pierre Houdin, a French architect, revealed his revolutionary new theory as to how the Great Pyramid in Egypt was built. Dassault Systemes, a team of computer engineers, spent 2 years testing his 'internal ramp' theory with scientific 3D simulations.
 
Hi IGWT, and welcome
What do you think about Jean Pierre Houdin's theory on the internal ramps for building the Cheops pyramid?




Just heading off to sleep, but I saw your reply and wanted to say hi. I look forward to watching those videos, and I will get back to you late tonight after I do. Thanks!

I have read a couple books by Robert Bauval that really highlight the astrological significance the pyramids may hold. Egypt is so full of wonder.
John Anthony West put together a great series of videos titled: Magical Egypt. I'm a big of his and those with similar views on Egypt.

I'll be back later
Take care
 
Hi IGWT, and welcome
What do you think about Jean Pierre Houdin's theory on the internal ramps for building the Cheops pyramid?

Thanks again for pointing me towards those videos. I find Jean Pierre Houdin's theory to be the most plausible one I have ever heard. I liked the faint diagonals that can be seen, and the scans that show not only missing mass, but in a spiral pattern. I think he has a wonderful theory in regards to the grand gallery as well, but I know I have seen some ideas about there being alignment significance. It really does look like an ingenious counter weight system though, and I would not be surprised if it served both purposes.
I will certainly be looking up more information about this now, and seeing what kind of reactions people have put out there about it. The detractors I have found on a quick first search all seemed to be naysayers without much of case against Jean Pierre Houdin. In fact, the first quick search I did was refreshing, finding detractors is usually a sign that you are on the right path. :)

The second video was interesting, but I was thrown off when it claimed a body was found in the kings chamber. I know there has never been any evidence of the pyramid being a burial tomb. However, the idea proposed near the end of the video that there is room for the two needed chambers, and that they are still undiscovered, I found extremely intriguing.

There is also the mystery of what is at the end of the small shafts in the queens chamber, they don't extend all the way through the structure. A rover was sent up one and came to a door. The second attempt made it through the door to a further small horizontal shaft ending at another door that could not be pushed through.
Now that I have the interior tunnel theory of Houdin's in my mind I wonder where it would line up with the end of the queens shafts.
I'm looking forward to sifting through the chaos of the internet and seeing where it leads me on this.

Cheers
 
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Hello. I'm Phoenix and I'm new here. I re-discovered Skeptico's podcasts recently, and I find them of great interest in my own journey.

I am a reporter for a weekly paper in a small town in the Midwest and a long time blogger on various subjects. My particular interest is in the survival of consciousness after death, and this is something I have been interested in since I was a toddler and tried to access past life memories via meditation. I am also very interested in the nature of reality.

That being said, I identify as an atheist. Which means that I don't do religion or God, not that I believe we are all biological robots. That's just stupid. I accept that consciousness is not created by the brain and continues after the body is dead. In a new body. And that many people have memories surface that cause them problems.

I am also a skeptic, which, to me, means I don't automatically accept things based on faith, belief or someone's word that they are true. I am not someone who refuses to accept something because it conflicts with what I've already learned, as long as the data is there.
 
Hello. I'm Phoenix and I'm new here. I re-discovered Skeptico's podcasts recently, and I find them of great interest in my own journey.

I am a reporter for a weekly paper in a small town in the Midwest and a long time blogger on various subjects. My particular interest is in the survival of consciousness after death, and this is something I have been interested in since I was a toddler and tried to access past life memories via meditation. I am also very interested in the nature of reality.

That being said, I identify as an atheist. Which means that I don't do religion or God, not that I believe we are all biological robots. That's just stupid. I accept that consciousness is not created by the brain and continues after the body is dead. In a new body. And that many people have memories surface that cause them problems.

I am also a skeptic, which, to me, means I don't automatically accept things based on faith, belief or someone's word that they are true. I am not someone who refuses to accept something because it conflicts with what I've already learned, as long as the data is there.

Welcome!
 
Hello,
my name is Jean-Marc, I am from France and I am a telecom engeneer.
I just discover skeptico, my interest is specialy on nde...
I have protestant roots but my interest is in bouddhism...
sorry english isn't my native tongue
I invite you to visit my site, there's some texts in english:
jean-marc.viallet.pagesperso-orange.fr/
 
Hello,
my name is Jean-Marc, I am from France and I am a telecom engeneer.
I just discover skeptico, my interest is specialy on nde...
I have protestant roots but my interest is in bouddhism...
sorry english isn't my native tongue
I invite you to visit my site, there's some texts in english:
jean-marc.viallet.pagesperso-orange.fr/

Cool. Welcome. Don't worry about your English. I'm sure it is just fine.
 
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Hello,

My name is Frédéric and I live in France (French is my native language). I was technician for Internet and mobile phones for an Internet Provider.
Due to a health problem, I have lost my job and had to requalify myself with a new training : Geobiologist.
A friend told me a bout your forum so, after exploring it .. I decided to register and become a member.

I have a personal view of the Universe where atoms have an "aware operating" that we can interpret like a processor...
Where everything is ruled by the Electromagnetic forces in a specific way of working and where probabilism system is "obsolete".
Of course, I don't have the pretention to be a true scientist... It's more a "view of the mind" theory (philosophy) but, it have the advantage to explain many things in our world (dowsing, magnetism, soul, awareness, etc. )
I'm happy to read you and share our point of view.
 
Hello,

My name is Frédéric and I live in France (French is my native language). I was technician for Internet and mobile phones for an Internet Provider.
Due to a health problem, I have lost my job and had to requalify myself with a new training : Geobiologist.
A friend told me a bout your forum so, after exploring it .. I decided to register and become a member.

I have a personal view of the Universe where atoms have an "aware operating" that we can interpret like a processor...
Where everything is ruled by the Electromagnetic forces in a specific way of working and where probabilism system is "obsolete".
Of course, I don't have the pretention to be a true scientist... It's more a "view of the mind" theory (philosophy) but, it have the advantage to explain many things in our world (dowsing, magnetism, soul, awareness, etc. )
I'm happy to read you and share our point of view.


Have you ever employed Cymatics into your view? As the forced that would direct the Electromagnetic forces?
 
Thank you Johnny for your reply...
I think this part of the forum is not the one dedidaced to philosophy about all these stuffs ..
But the way I see the "expansion" of the Universe is different from what science said .. That mean that, if the Cymatics you're speaking (and I've just done a fast search about it) is based on an expansion of the Universe through the 3 dimensions (X,Y,Z) + Time ... It will probably not fit my theory :p
If there is a better place in the skeptiko forums where we can share our point of view ans discuss about it, please tell me because I didn't found it.
Regards,
 
Hello all

I found myself here searching the internet for information of people who can have consciousness, with little to no brain tissue, I don't believe the mind is an emergent of the the material brain, It seems pretty obvious, that the mental images in my mind,
Thank you Johnny for your reply...
I think this part of the forum is not the one dedidaced to philosophy about all these stuffs ..
But the way I see the "expansion" of the Universe is different from what science said .. That mean that, if the Cymatics you're speaking (and I've just done a fast search about it) is based on an expansion of the Universe through the 3 dimensions (X,Y,Z) + Time ... It will probably not fit my theory :p
If there is a better place in the skeptiko forums where we can share our point of view ans discuss about it, please tell me because I didn't found it.
Regards,


I'm not sure either, I am quite new here also,

I just leave you with this idea, and if you want to discuss further maybe we could inbox. Cymatics is sound vibration that when passed through media can cause complex geometrical shapes. I think it could be the frequency of vibration that causes all the matter to be ordered into the way it is. Like the universes pulse.
 
Hello all

I found myself here searching the internet for information of people who can have consciousness, with little to no brain tissue, I don't believe the mind is an emergent of the the material brain, It seems pretty obvious, that the mental images in my mind,



I'm not sure either, I am quite new here also,

I just leave you with this idea, and if you want to discuss further maybe we could inbox. Cymatics is sound vibration that when passed through media can cause complex geometrical shapes. I think it could be the frequency of vibration that causes all the matter to be ordered into the way it is. Like the universes pulse.
cosmique.jpg
 
Thanks to Alex and friends for his excellent podcasts. I've listened to 5 so far, and the discussions are very stimulating.

I live in Australia, and have long been fascinated by the philosophies of consciousness. I have a masters degree in computing, although I now prefer working with people, not machines.

I believe the technology and networks we use to communicate with are helping us to learn so much faster about the true nature of the Self. For example, I have been pasting a lot of interesting articles into my text-to-speech software, mere science fiction just a few decades ago.

I am also an amateur musician and upload my tracks to Soundcloud.

Lately I have been reading a lot of books regarding NDE's. I would rate myself as convinced of the reality of life between lives, although this is more of a realization than the result of logical analysis. Paradoxically, I also regard myself as a skeptic. I just love to remind myself that there is so much more 'out there' than we usually experience, and books have always served as a portal to that happy state of mind.

I feel much sympathy for hard-headed materialists, and I would like to help them to see a greater reality, with no condescension intended.

I have come close to death 3 times and have personally experienced some wonderful things. As a result, I do feel like an outsider sometimes, for most people haven't been lucky enough to bump up against the limits of their fleshly existence.

I believe there is a divine plan, and we are all quickening towards a collective transcendent state, in the far future. Sometimes, I am overwhelmed by the bad news of the terrible things men do out there in the world. However, I am still usually optimistic that we have progressed spiritually over the long ages of our evolution as a species.

I have a great regard for the Buddhist and Taoist spiritual traditions, although I was born an Orthodox Christian. I regard Jesus Christ as one of the most recent avataric incarnations, though, his life and message have been obscured over the centuries.

Finally, I believe every one of us is a divine soul, on a spiraling path back to Godhead.

Cheers,
Nick
 
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