Signs, Signs, everywhere Signs

[papayahed]

Do you believe in signs or is it just coincidence? Did we talk about this before?


For example, you think about a friend and they call you.

[zoolane]

Do you believe in signs or is it just coincidence? Did we talk about this before?


For example, you think about a friend and they call you.

Firstly, I must took your thread to be about sign posts.:smilewinkgrin:
OK I get now, sometime I believe in coincidence and faith to point like I will reading my star sign which Gemini so obvious I am two personality. Which sometime play to advantage but do get bit distracted and be take to much on.

Reading the horoscope on daily event and for month and year. Yes I know bit sad. What is said special this year has to point had bear on my life and has come true.

[Panglossian]

http://inktarsia.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/sign-fr-god-n-susan1.jpg

[The Atheist]

Do you believe in signs or is it just coincidence? Did we talk about this before?


For example, you think about a friend and they call you.

Simple coincidence. Because I make and receive a huge number of telephone calls, this happens to me quite often - I'll be thinking, "Heck, I need to ring ........ and they phone me up within the next few minutes.

Perfectly ordinary.

[Panglossian]

Signs informing us what is to come are everywhere. Simply by observing aspects of nature we can predict the future. By observing and studying human nature we can likewise predict the future. How much of what is going to happen do we already know will happen? I'd say quite a lot. The problem lies in the technicalities of how and when exactly. The devil's in the detail. But generally speaking, we can predict the future. Nature and human nature informs us.

[The Atheist]

Signs informing us what is to come are everywhere. Simply by observing aspects of nature we can predict the future. By observing and studying human nature we can likewise predict the future. How much of what is going to happen do we already know will happen? I'd say quite a lot. The problem lies in the technicalities of how and when exactly. The devil's in the detail. But generally speaking, we can predict the future. Nature and human nature informs us.

Can you give examples, please, because you make a number of sweeping statements that seem to have no basis in reality - other than very basic things like roosters responding to a lightening sky, or birds flying home just before it rains.

[breathtest]

So many things happen to us in a day that aren't coincidental that we do not take note of. For example you may think about loads of people in one day who do not call you up, therefore if it so happens that you think of somebody and they call you up, it is coincidence. It is bound to happen some time. It is all to do with statistics and probability.

[Panglossian]

Can you give examples, please, because you make a number of sweeping statements that seem to have no basis in reality - other than very basic things like roosters responding to a lightening sky, or birds flying home just before it rains.

For a whimsical moment I was was trying to comprehend how much of the future we can already predict by observing and understanding the repetitions of nature and human nature. Nothing paranormal. I was stating the obvious - that by comprehending the workings of the past we can foresee the workings of the future (in a general sense). Every thing is its own signature, and in effect is a sign pointing to who/what it is and how it will probably be and what it will predictively do in the coming now. :rolleyes:

[The Atheist]

So many things happen to us in a day that aren't coincidental that we do not take note of. For example you may think about loads of people in one day who do not call you up, therefore if it so happens that you think of somebody and they call you up, it is coincidence. It is bound to happen some time. It is all to do with statistics and probability.

Excellent point - and one that people easily forget. We remember the hits, not the misses.

This is why psychics still make money.

:D


For a whimsical moment I was was trying to comprehend how much of the future we can already predict by observing and understanding the repetitions of nature and human nature.

I have no problem with that, but maybe you should look at your method of delivery, because your original post suggests something quite different.

[Shalot]

I read a book called "The Field" by Lynne McTaggart, and it talks about how minds are connected through the zero-point field. Well, actually, there is a lot in this book, but the signs that you're talking about, could be explained in that way. Spooky action at a distance - interaction of two objects or people at a distance with no known mediator of the interaction. The mediator would be the zero point field. Anyway, it was an interesting book - it kept my attention. There are explanations of fringe science explained for the benefit of someone like me who doesn't have much of a background in science. I guess this book would be found in the new age section of the book store not far from the astrology books so I guess there might be some who turn their nose up at it. But it is interesting to think about how our thoughts impact our day-to-day reality. The thoughts that each of us has internally lead to some action on our part - that's pretty obvious. But could our thoughts have some influence on someone else. If you send someone positive thoughts - does it matter?

[The Atheist]

But could our thoughts have some influence on someone else. If you send someone positive thoughts - does it matter?

No and no.

Because even some academics believe they can there have been many, many tests to try to prove that it happens.

All have failed.

(That's why the book is in the "new age" section - for believers only.)

[Panglossian]

Magpies are nature's sign-masters and tell us all we need to know about what is to come ...

1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl and
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 is a secret never to be told
8 is a wish and
9 is a kiss
10 is a bird you must not miss

:thumbs_up

[Shalot]

No and no.

Because even some academics believe they can there have been many, many tests to try to prove that it happens.

All have failed.

(That's why the book is in the "new age" section - for believers only.)


There was a chapter about a prayer experiment where all the subjects who were prayed for got worse so I guess that would be a failure. She also has another book called the intention experiment and the failed prayer study might have been mentioned in it instead of The Field. I never did finish The Intention Experiment and it's been a while since I've read The Field so I'm not sure which book that was in.

So there is no acceptable proof that thoughts alone can directly influence another person from afar right?

But, our thoughts do eventually end up affecting others in a way...

The types of thoughts that a person thinks influence the things that person does, and those thoughts have a direct influence on how that person interacts with the world. So, indirectly, our thoughts do impact other people.

If I am a pessimisstic person and I think the world is a terrible place and I tend to focus on the negative, then it will come out in my conversations and interactions with other people. And the people who are around me will be affected in various ways depending on how they think and perceive and judge. At work, I find myself reacting to another person's negativity sometimes and getting caught up in her b.s. and catching her bad mood like a cold. She's not *****ing about me or attacking me personally, but her *****ing irritates me for some reason.

We've all been around people like that - they're painful to be around. They start talking and the atmosphere in the room changes. Sometimes, they don't even have to open their mouths. And sometimes, people can know this about another person before they've had a chance to verify it with the 5traditionally verifiable and accepted senses. I've experienced this - I feel sorry for those who haven't. It's kind of cool. It could just be a coincidence or we could be unaware of some of the specific mechanisms we use to gather information about the world around us. (On a side note, our 5 senses can fail us miserably - how often have we missed what was right in front of our faces?)

The thoughts I have do impact my physical presence and people who observe me can get an idea about the quality of my thoughts based on what they can see of me and hear from me in close proximity. And how different are observation and interaction? Can people observe other people and situations and be totally unaffected?

As far as the prayer study goes, or any situation in which someone is being prayed for, there are two thinking parties. There is the person who is praying and there is the sick person on the receiving end of the prayer, who may or may not know about the prayers and who may not want to get better or who knows that it is time to die, despite what he or she says to the person conducting the study (or to family and friends who pray for his or her recovery)

If you are thinking about a friend, and that friend calls you 5 minutes later, it could be a coincidence for that moment. The fact that your friend called you at all is a delayed effect of a thought you had. You had a thought or a series of thoughts that caused you to behave a certain way or say something and those actions and words resonated with this person who became your friend. And the quality of your thoughts remained stable and compatible with those of your friend, giving him/her reason to want to call you on a day that you were thinking about him/her. And why wouldn't you be thinking about him or her, since you are friends.

So, in short, think beautiful thoughts. :)

[G L Wilson]

"Red at night, shepherd's delight. Red in the morning, shepherd's warning." Too true.

[The Atheist]

So there is no acceptable proof that thoughts alone can directly influence another person from afar right?

Correct, although it's a popular belief.

I have one bloke who e mails me every month that he can influence others, but strangely, he never shows up for testing...


But, our thoughts do eventually end up affecting others in a way...

The types of thoughts that a person thinks influence the things that person does, and those thoughts have a direct influence on how that person interacts with the world. So, indirectly, our thoughts do impact other people.

Maybe I'm being pedantic, but that would be our actions. Borne of thought, sure, but it's the action that causes consequences.


If I am a pessimisstic person and I think the world is a terrible place and I tend to focus on the negative, then it will come out in my conversations and interactions with other people. And the people who are around me will be affected in various ways depending on how they think and perceive and judge. At work, I find myself reacting to another person's negativity sometimes and getting caught up in her b.s. and catching her bad mood like a cold. She's not *****ing about me or attacking me personally, but her *****ing irritates me for some reason.

We've all been around people like that - they're painful to be around. They start talking and the atmosphere in the room changes. Sometimes, they don't even have to open their mouths. And sometimes, people can know this about another person before they've had a chance to verify it with the 5traditionally verifiable and accepted senses. I've experienced this - I feel sorry for those who haven't. It's kind of cool. It could just be a coincidence or we could be unaware of some of the specific mechanisms we use to gather information about the world around us. (On a side note, our 5 senses can fail us miserably - how often have we missed what was right in front of our faces?)

I think what you're describing is generally referred to as "intuition".

However, studies have shown - and I can tell you from 25 years of interviewing people - that we can often be correct about someone's persona from looking at them. Again, we are making decisions based on sensory input and if you think otherwise, you're proabbly kidding yourself.

It usually takes me 5 seconds to decide what someone is like based on what I see; body language, clothing and facial expressions give a lot away, and I'm rarely wrong. I could spoof the hell out of most cold-readers.


If you are thinking about a friend, and that friend calls you 5 minutes later, it could be a coincidence for that moment. The fact that your friend called you at all is a delayed effect of a thought you had. You had a thought or a series of thoughts that caused you to behave a certain way or say something and those actions and words resonated with this person who became your friend. And the quality of your thoughts remained stable and compatible with those of your friend, giving him/her reason to want to call you on a day that you were thinking about him/her. And why wouldn't you be thinking about him or her, since you are friends.

So, in short, think beautiful thoughts. :)

If only it were that simple...


"Red at night, shepherd's delight. Red in the morning, shepherd's warning." Too true.

Except that's no more a "sign" than reading a barometer. If the barometer drops, you wouldn't call it a "sign" of approaching bad weather, more "evidence".

[Shalot]

Maybe I'm being pedantic, but that would be our actions. Borne of thought, sure, but it's the action that causes consequences.

And it's the thoughts that cause the action. Note my use of the word indirectly. :)

[The Atheist]

And it's the thoughts that cause the action. Note my use of the word indirectly. :)

Which would simply be an admission of goalpost-moving.

The statement was made that thoughts can cause consequences. If you want to change that to "actions caused by thoughts cause consequences", then you will obviously be correct.

A completely pointless statement.

[kasie]

Do you believe in signs or is it just coincidence? Did we talk about this before?


For example, you think about a friend and they call you.

My brother-in-law calls this The Thought Phone. He reckons it saves him pounds - if he thinks hard about a person for long enough, they end up phoning him, or so he says!

[Shalot]

Which would simply be an admission of goalpost-moving.

The statement was made that thoughts can cause consequences. If you want to change that to "actions caused by thoughts cause consequences", then you will obviously be correct.

A completely pointless statement.

Well, now that you mention it, thoughts can cause consequences. That is an accurate statement.

A completely pointless reply again.

[Vonny]

Do you believe in signs or is it just coincidence? Did we talk about this before?


For example, you think about a friend and they call you.


I don't give much thought to signs. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.

However, after my brother David told me, "You should just avoid forums; they will only mess with your head," I then came on here writing mindlessly, and suddenly, to my surprise, Davids started popping up around me.

I think it means it's okay for me to be here.