Weekly Poll: Do You Believe Any Paranormal or Supernatural Claims?
Just because a person is an atheist doesn't mean that they don't believe in things like astrology, reincarnation, ghosts, psychics, and similar things. There are a lot of things supernatural and paranormal that a person could, in principle, believe without also believing in any gods even though such beliefs do tend to appear in combination with some sort of theism. Do you believe in any of these things and, if so, have you ever had any trouble being an atheist at the same time?
As already noted, most of these beliefs tend to occur in the same contest as some sort of theism, so atheists who believe them probably aren't very common — at least not in the west. Add to this the fact that atheists in the west tend to have adopted some sort of naturalistic, scientific worldview in addition to their atheism and belief in anything supernatural or paranormal should be very uncommon. Nevertheless, it's been my experience that they aren't nearly so uncommon as one might assume.
For atheists who are naturalists and scientific in their outlook, it might seem very strange for anyone to reject belief in gods but have no trouble believing astrology or psychics. Some even go so far as to deny that such people are atheists at all, substituting their own naturalistic philosophy and worldview for the broad definition of atheism. This is very reminiscent of how some Christians argue that anyone who doesn't adopt their interpretation of the Bible and their theology can't be "real" Christians.
Clearly, being an atheist doesn't make one necessarily good at reasoning, so merely by making such claim it's demonstrated that being an atheist shouldn't be confused with having a perfectly consistent worldview lacking any and all irrational or ill-founded beliefs. If a person can believe that all "real" atheists are necessarily naturalists, then an atheist can believe in alien abductions or tarot cards. The commonality here isn't simply that they are irrational beliefs, but rather than those believing are blind to the irrationality.
No one (or almost no one) deliberately and consciously accepts some opinion they recognize as irrational; instead, they find ways to rationalize away the flaws in their reasoning and imagine that their beliefs are perfectly consistent, reasoned, and founded on evidence. Being an atheist doesn't make a person immune to this, no matter how often we criticize such behavior in the context of religious theism, so we should expect to find it at least occasionally among atheists.
Comments
The poll only allows a single answer. It should allow any or all of the answers to be checked (unless the last one is checked, in which case that alone is acceptable).
You’re right, David, thanks for catching that.
I use to believe in some form of survival of consciousness after death based on some of the accounts of NDEs, but that has gone out the window as more research from neuroscience has put forth convincing evidence of how the brain produces such phenomena. As for the rest of the list, I have never believed in any of the others.
I do not necessarily *believe in* aliens or reincarnation (or whatever), but my stance is more accurately described as being open to the possibility of those things.
I believe wholeheartedly that alien life exists elsewhere in the universe…I’m a good deal more skeptical about visitations, abductions and the like.
Clairevoyance.. telepathy… hmmm I cant get on board there but would accept that there is alot left to learn about the capability of the human mind….
the rest.. no thanks
I think as an atheist, the fact that I believe in no gods, does not preclude having an open mind. There are just too many things we, and science, for that matter do not know. That doesn’t mean I’m gullible or naive, I just consider myself an open minded skeptic.
Incidentally, open minded doesn’t mean my brains have fallen out of my skull!
I often have people ask me what the point of the Brights movement is. After all, we should be trying to reclaim “atheist” as a good word, not bothering to replace it with a different one. I agree that we should be proud of the word “atheist”, but there’s more to it than that.
This poll is a perfect example of how atheists and brights differ. A person can select any of the above, and still be an atheist. A bright has only one possible answer: “none of the above”. Atheists reject all deities, and brights take it one step further and reject the entire supernatural.
I am a Bright. Logic says that if one cannot accept a supernatural being with the power of a god because there is no reliable evidence for thinking there exists such, then for the minor other (what can they even be called, superothernaturals?) what reliable evidence is there? If none, then why even entertain the idea, unless there is some irrational romantic notion of these and like small children there is an inordinate desire to cling to fictional explanations. The juvenile reversion to irrational beliefs always surprises me for such things as ghosts, reincarnations, astrologies, and such other immaturities. The question is always given, “well how do you know there aren’t such things?” Same answer given as to why there is no justification for belief in a god. There is no reliable evidence. Proof of such existences is on those who claim their existence. Not on those who say that they don’t.
Well, as a skeptic, I don’t believe (or even support) any of the things on the list. They are wholly counter to logic and rational thought.
Tat said, I understand that humans are complex animals that seem to have a need for things that are greater than they can comprehend. Feel free to believe what you will, but follow some basic rules:
- Don’t attempt to use your beliefs to dictate rules, regulations, or even morality on anyone else.
- Don’t sell your beliefs as the One True Belief.
- Please DO engage in rational thought and examine the root of those beliefs.
As for labels like atheist, bright, freethinker, etc. That seems to be another deep seated human need.
Many things are possible, however unlikely. I don’t believe in any of the things Austin listed exist, but who’s to say what’s possible? I just don’t buy it. For example, can people read minds? I say no. Still, if someone had the right kind of evidence, I’d be willing to consider it.
I believe that psychosis is the source of much religious experience. (Psychosis may prove to be valuable in the maturing process.) The other stuff is doubtful to me. Testimony is not enough, since there are so many con artists.
2% Believe in angels AND be an atheist. NO WAY.
tomedgar@halenet.com.au
Was cut off. For the rest I ask how could you be anything but gullible, certainly not a “Skeptic” except for the last.
tomedgar@halenet.com.au
There is much that still is unknown about our world. There was a time when human flight, landing on the moon, space shuttles, etc. were considered impossible.
Humans knew nothing of bacteria, quantum physics, television or the web and computers, things we take for granted today. Cell phones were Star Trek props, and most of what we enjoy or know about today would have been considered impossible.
Wizardry and magic and witchcraft, would have been the attempt at trying to explain today’s common technology, if any explanation at all. The scientific community is currently working on a way to create a kind of “invisibility”. This was in a legitimate news segment.
That is why one does not have to be gullible to realize science is discovering new things all the time. Who knows where it may lead us?
At the moment I don’t believe in bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. If science proves otherwise…
Until then, I remain open minded and await the next scientific breakthrough.
I understand the thought of angels, demons, ghosts, etc, as metaphors (though very entertaining ones) to explain the Human Condition.
As far as aliens: It’s a vast universe, so there’s a high probability that there are other beings -hopefully more intelligent and less aggressive- than us humans somewhere. But the very vastness of space makes the idea of “visitors” coming to our planet problematic.
It’s fun wishful thinking, but as unlikely as the human race ever achieving peace justice and equality.
ETs aren’t getting the research they warrant.
Well, I DO believe in angels–they don’t give me much choice. I’m an atheist and a practicing witch. I know that something is leaving gigantic footprints all over the Pacific Northwest. I’ve seen a 1940’s or 50’s photograph of the figure of a little girl standing calmly in the middle of a blazing inferno (it’s logical to assume she’s a spirit or she wouldn’t be so calm), not to mention photos of unidentified objects in the sky. I’m sure that there are no god beings. I try not to jump to conclusions about the rest.
Really Vanita? That’s your logical assumption, that’s she’s a “spirit”? And not scared stiff or in shock or simply a doctored photo to fool the gullible?
For anything that exists there is some kind of evidence. We may not have the evidence yet but some day we probably will.
Supernatural beings or phenomena should leave some kind of unmistakeable traces but somehow never do. The only reasonable conclusion we can come to is they don’t exist.
We are not searching for the Higgs boson which requires special equipment and high level knowledge. Simple tests can confirm the existence of anything supernatural. So far there is no reliable evidence to support the existence of anything outside the physical world.
Remember this poll is informal and online —not scientific. Anyone, atheist or believer, can answer the questions. I’m sure it measures some general trends, but the % of error is probably pretty high.
An theist since I was 12, I believe in nothing on the list, but as some others pointed out, in the vast universe, it is possible that life exists elsewhere. I’ve never been convinced by any accounts of alien visitations or abductions.
I have non-atheist friends who swear they have had encounters with ghosts, see auras, that astrology is a sure indication of personality, believe in miracles & laying on of hands, and that crystals and pyramids affect their lives. Some have jumped from one religion or new-age belief to another numerous times. I think they are searching for something outside themselves that they need to find within themselves.
CORRECTION:
My previious comment should read
“An ATHEIST since I was 12….”
The lack of one little letter turned me into a theist.
Oops!
As an octogenarian and a person who has travelled over vast areas in this world as a seaman. Later worked in the outback in isolated places. Lived for the past 28 years in the mountains of inland Queensland. I can honestly say I have been in places where, if they existed, visions and ghosts or outer space
visitors should have materialised. Never did.
Oh yes there was one occasion about the 48th., Parallel when we saw apparitions of four full rigged sailing ships on the horizon, alternately, inverted one on top of the other, this was followed by the same vision only this time it was aircraft carriers.
I can envisage old time seamen being terrified but we all knew it was a mirage the first the Pamir, some hundreds of miles away and the second probably my own ship a Merchnat Navy Aircraft Carrier
Once again I was cut off.
On another occasion we had a ghost walking at midnight in yellow oilskins and this in the tropics during the summer. The boatswain clobbered him to find it was a deranged engineer.
I make the observation, others who have consistently maintained their sightings of
unusual things are true, are as delusional as the poor old engineer.
When I was a wee laddie I saw Angels at the foot of my bed every night. My poor superstitious, Spiritualist mother had so imbued (indoctrinated) me with the fables.
Never saw another when I started to think for myself. poor old Mom. Been dead for twenty years now. Never a visit since then have I had, so much for being a “Spiritualist.”
Haven’t had one from my atheistic father either.
tomedgar@halenet.com.au
My children’s toolbox of intuition includes the fact that a small box warbles in your pocket and you are instantly conversing and sharing pictures with people on the other side of the planet- places that a common child from 200 years ago would have doubted even existed.
Who is to say what tool boxes of intuition string theory, multi-dimmensional space and mapping out human consciencous will bring to the people in our near future? Will the notion that the complex electromagnetic fields generated by a mammalian nervous system, in the right circumstances, survives death in some semblence of order be as routine for them as instantaneous communications are for us?
Will my great great grandchildren, when faced with an ethical dillema, trigger a device that enables them to inter-dimmensionally consult long since passed on me? Will they be amazed that people used to think of it as magic?
I believe that atheism is a natural outgrowth of naturalism and humanism. I don’t see how anyone could subscribe to beliefs in things like angels or astrology. I suppose alien abductions is a possiblity, but, again, where’s the evidence? No, I don’t believe in any of these things.
Funny how GeckoRoamin can so easily demean my evidence when he/she/it has probably not even seen the photo in question. But then fundie theists do this to me all the time. I’m not surprised that Atheist fundies would use the same tactic. Love the newsletter anyway, Austin!!