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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

MTRaven,

Actually CSICOP is very unsatisfyingly to the atheist because it has a policy of not going after your religious superstitions. I was a member during my high school years and into college and it was a useful tool for gaining information to debate meatheads who believed in UFOs, Astrology, Biorythms, and the like. I don't see how getting a magazine once every couple months counts as a 'cult'. I did go to one of the meetings and got to hear Richard Dawkins speak and actually met him out in the field by some dinosaur tracks.

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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

People who are attracted to the Skeptics Society and the like seem to be those who are trying hard to resist the pull of religious faith, and thus treat skepticism somewhat in the manner of an alternate belief system. That accounts for the very mild aura of cultishness that surrounds it, and the preaching to the choir -- like a religion, they are trying to reinforce their own faith, even if it's faith in reason.

That sounds more critical than I mean to be. In fact, if you you have religious tendencies then the effort to channel them into a more fact-based rational group has to be applauded. But the resulting atmosphere might put off those whose skepticism runs deeper.

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