Tópico: A magia mágica do pensamento mágico

[Dr. Manhattan]

Algumas pessoas acusam os céticos de serem incapazes de apreciar o assombro e a magia do sobrenatural. Eu respondo: FELIZMENTE! O fato é que ao abrir sua mente para a possibilidade do sobrenatural, de um putativo aspecto do Universo acessível através de uma crença subjetiva, o indivíduo corre o risco de cair em um declive escorregadio bastante real, como mostra o triste exemplo abaixo:

Kristy Bamu and his two sisters were visiting their older sister, Magalie Bamu, and her partner, Eric Bikubi, over Christmas in London. Initially, it was apparently a jolly time…and then Eric got it into his head that his three visitors were witches.

    The court was told that over a period of days the pair, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, attempted to exorcise evil spirits they believed were in three of the children – Kristy, his sister Kelly, 20, and their 11-year-old sister, who cannot be named. Bikubi refused "to let them eat, drink or sleep for days, while the punishments became increasingly violent, with [the attackers] using the many implements found in the flat as weapons of torture", Altman said.

    During their ordeal the siblings were forced to pray and chant throughout several nights and, in a "staggering act of depravity and cruelty", the defendants recruited sibling against sibling as "vehicles for their violence", said Altman.

    Kristy became the focus of Bikubi’s attention, the court heard. He allegedly struck the boy with a hammer in the face, knocking out his teeth; on another occasion he shoved a metal bar into the teenager’s mouth, the court heard.

    When Kelly attempted to hit her brother using something light, she was ordered to use a heavier implement. In a desperate attempt to prevent any further suffering, Kristy and his two sisters eventually admitted to being sorcerers, said Altman. "As Kristy’s injuries became ever more severe he even pleaded to be allowed to die," he added.

They gave him his wish and drowned him in the bathtub.

A couple of people believe there is magic in the world and that their delusions are real, and a 15 year old boy ends up tortured to death.

The couple are denying that they committed murder; Eric Bikubi claims “diminished responsibility”, apparently because he’s an evil idiot who believes in spirits.

fonte: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/01/05/im-sure-they-are-a-very-spiritual-couple/#comments

[Sergiomgbr]

Isso parece uma admoestação de cunho sobrenatural. Afinal, ou uma pessoa tem dicernimento, ou não tem!

[Dr. Manhattan]

Isso parece uma admoestação de cunho sobrenatural. Afinal, ou uma pessoa tem dicernimento, ou não tem!

E a frase acima parece vazia de sentido. Ou ela tem ou não tem!

[Gaúcho]

Parece a narração de um evento da idade média. Quanto tempo será que eles não visitavam a irmã? Quase certeza que ela pirou depois de conhecer o namorado maluco. É triste como algumas pessoas são tão facilmente manipuladas/sugestionáveis.