Originally Posted By: Revlgking
Good points, Ellis.
BTW, Ellis, there is good evidence that qualities like faith, hope and love can be measured. Hypnotists use it all the time. Using the power of suggestion, in conjunction with the imagination, they use it to measure people's ability to have faith and trust. They use it to pick people out of a large audience, who are willing to accept, by faith, their suggestions.

BTW 2, Hypnotism--the ability to focus the mind on one idea--is a subject with which I happen to be very familiar. It has a lot to do with ones ability to have belief, faith, hope and love.

Beginning with my daughter--In 1964 she had a life-threatening lung condition--over the years I have found it a very useful pneumatological (spiritual) tool. It can be used to help people deal with psychosomatic and pneumasomatic (self-inflicted) health problems. To a limited extent, it also works somatically. Jesus used this spiritual power, and taught his disciples to do likewise. Check out Matt. 11:28,29.

The Nazis used a team of highly qualified hypnotists. [/color]


Revlgking;

Any time I see weasle words, I have to ask for some qualitying data. "there is good evidence" are classic, textbook weasle words. Where does one find this "good evidence" that faith, hope and love can be measured? What is the metric used in this measurement? Can you point me to any studies in which these qualities are measured?

Hypnotism as the "ability" to focus the mind on one idea? If hypnotism is an ability, what is the need for a hypnotist? It has "a lot" to do with one's "ability" have belief, hope and love? A lot? Is this a unit of the metric used to measure these qualities? How many "pinches" are there in a "lot"? How many "lots" are there in a "whole bunch"? How may whole bunches in a sh**-load?

Jesus used this "spiritual power"? Okay... human ability or spiritual power weilded by a diety? If a diety is omnipotent, why the hell would he need hypnotism if He could heal blindness or leprosy by touching someone on the head?

"The Nazis used a team of highly qualified hypnotists..." I don't know where you got this information but I don't doubt they did. Why wouldn't they? They used "highly qualified" teams into every kind of "magic" they could find, from deviners of chicken guts to astrologers and crystal readers.

I'm a little confused by this post. I usually find more substance in your posts. A bit of woo perhaps, here and there, but usually containing some interestingly grounded stuff. This one looks to be pretty much pure woo.

I could be wrong about this but... I doubt it. :>)


When you talk to me like I'm five, I want to write on you with a crayon. -- Joanna Hoffman