Have you seen headlines that look like the following?
Nibiru BLACKOUT: Fears Planet X could knock out power worldwide
Nibiru PROOF: Footage sparks claims Planet X spotted over UK
Governments 'ALREADY preparing for Planet X apocalypse'
Could the end of the world come TODAY? Mysterious planet Nibiru 'set to wipe out all life with apocalyptic earthquakes'
Nibiru Apocalypse Upon Us Again—Here's How Yellowstone, Nuclear War and Asteroids Could Actually End the World
NASA scientist David Morrison has taken the time to debunk Nibiru... repeatedly (archive):
"I assumed that Nibiru was the sort of Internet rumor that would quickly pass," Morrison wrote in 2008, after his "Ask an Astrobiologist" website had become inundated with predictions that Nibiru was going to cross paths with Earth in 2012. "I now receive at least one question per day, ranging from anguished ('I can't sleep; I am really scared; I don't want to die') to the abusive ('Why are you lying; you are putting my family at risk; if NASA denies it then it must be true.')" he wrote.
Morrison laid out a detailed explanation, which he would repeat in years to come: There is no evidence that Nibiru exists; if it did exist, it would have screwed up the outer planets' orbits long ago; and people have predicted its arrival before and been wrong.
But to no avail:
"I got a note from a 12-year-old girl. She said she and her classmates were scared," he said in a 2011 video. "The simplest thing to say is there is no evidence whatsoever for the existence of Nibiru."
[...] Nibiru theories have by now become so abundant that if you spend long enough on YouTube or PlanetXNews.com you can find an apocalypse scheduled for just about any given day of the week.
And that's why Morrison was on the SETI podcast this week, distracted from his science once again to talk about a world that never stops failing to end. "I got a phone call the other day," Morrison said. "The world was supposed to end Saturday. The man asked, 'Should I ought to work on Saturday, or stay home with my family?' "
He didn't say how he answered. At this point, does it even matter?
Even politicians have taken notice. Just give up?
(Score: 5, Funny) by Virindi on Monday November 20 2017, @10:01AM (16 children)
"No evidence whatsoever"
"detailed explanation"
"if it did exist, blah blah blah"
Wow. These arguments are EXACTLY what a shill trying to hide a massive conspiracy would say! This confirms that it is real with almost absolute certainty!
I suggest everyone pick up 10 rifles, 100,000 rounds of ammo, and 2 pallets of MREs before next weekend. I'm not sharing my MREs with doubters, those fools will die in agony!
(Score: 3, Funny) by BsAtHome on Monday November 20 2017, @11:11AM
...eventually.
Just give it a 100 years. Most, if not all, who live today are gone by then. Lets talk again about this by that time, shall we?
(Yes, dead people, i.e. ghosts, will chatter a lot. They also cause the earth to become more flat, make it rain on Sundays, and emit large amounts of harmful greenhouse gases while decomposing (these emissions are paramount for making America great again); better call sir Killalot to make sure they are dead and do no longer roam the Z-world, which makes it all less great again.)
(Score: 3, Funny) by r1348 on Monday November 20 2017, @12:13PM (4 children)
And then what, are you going to shoot down a planet with a rifle?
(Score: 4, Funny) by Virindi on Monday November 20 2017, @12:43PM
Don't be silly. TEN rifles.
Jeez, it's like people don't understand the mechanics of doomsday! We will all survive, the only real threat will be the fact that all human infrastructure is permanently destroyed. There will be permanently no government and no services, so for the rest of our lives we will have to shoot each other for scraps left over from the dead civilization. The only semblance of order will be that internet prognosticators who are armed to the teeth will rule.
(Score: 2) by The Archon V2.0 on Monday November 20 2017, @03:10PM
> And then what, are you going to shoot down a planet with a rifle?
Of course not, but that assumes it's a planet. But that's no planet... it's a ferryboat!
Proof: https://youtu.be/JBAY_dIVd-A?t=212 [youtu.be]
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday November 20 2017, @03:34PM (1 child)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @05:42PM
Right at the center of the solar system.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday November 20 2017, @12:13PM (1 child)
Huh! Now, one can only wish they'd apply the same thinking when hearing the AGW deniers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @01:04PM
Wait, you want people to apply the same thinking when they hear global warming deniers, as they do when they hear a Nibiru denier?
I'm pretty sure that's the whole problem. This NASA guy says "there is no evidence". Global warming deniers say "there is no evidence". Planet X proponents have "evidence" that deniers don't believe, and refuse to listen to deniers' arguments. Global warming proponents have "evidence" that deniers don't believe and refuse to listen to deniers' arguments.
Yeah, I guess you could apply the same thinking. But where would that put you on the rational - insane scale?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @03:14PM (1 child)
you forgot to add the sponsorship note: paid for by the american gun industry
(Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Monday November 20 2017, @07:21PM
Please remember this holiday season that firearms make excellent gifts for the entire family. Family packs available at participating retailers. Check out the new Starter Guns sized just right for the little ones. Please use firearms responsibly when drinking. The NRA offers discounts to those who can show proof of mental impairment or illness.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @03:26PM
Wow. These arguments are EXACTLY what a shill trying to hide a massive conspiracy would say! This confirms that it is real with almost absolute certainty!
I suggest everyone pick up 10 rifles, 100,000 rounds of ammo, and 2 pallets of MREs before next weekend. I'm not sharing my MREs with doubters, those fools will die in agony!
Exactly. We're going to experience a huge cataclysm, and only the well prepared will survive. But don't just get any MREs; you should buy them from my online MRE shop.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @05:09PM (1 child)
It's all Obama's fault!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @07:22PM
Congratulations! You win the Internet today.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by meustrus on Monday November 20 2017, @06:31PM (2 children)
Actually, if a shill were trying to hide a massive conspiracy, they would:
1. Attack the credibility of the source: "Nibiru is fake news, CNN is fake news, the media are part of a conspiracy of lies"
2. Redirect to false equivalents: "What about 2012? The world didn't end from that doomsday"
3. Appeal to authority: "Who are you going to believe? The people pushing this story who hate America, or me and mine who are fighting to make America great again?"
It's pretty clear when you're listening to a huckster, because whenever facts and evidence are mentioned they immediately redirect the conversation to these tactics. If you heard that there is "no evidence whatsoever", it's virtually guaranteed that it would be in support of a redirection tactic and not as a prelude to explaining what facts and evidence you would expect to see if it were true.
Examples:
"We always see this coming out of the media: fake news with no evidence whatsoever."
"Just like in 2012, there's no evidence whatsoever. This is just the same fake story over again."
"Are you going to believe those cranks with no evidence whatsoever, or are you going to believe those of us that love America?"
If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
(Score: 3, Touché) by Gaaark on Monday November 20 2017, @11:57PM (1 child)
4. Hillary says it's all a cyber attack from Russia.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by meustrus on Tuesday November 21 2017, @02:43PM
That would fall under 1. Attack the credibility of the source: "This whole Nibiru thing was invented by the Russians to destroy our way of life, and whoever is spreading these lies is just a tool of our greatest enemy."
Although I think it's telling that Hillary herself kept pretty quiet with that accusation until after the election was settled. Which is probably why the Russia story didn't work in Hillary's favor the way the email story worked in Trump's favor. All of these misdirection tactics require some amount of authority behind them to actually work.
If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @10:19AM (4 children)
... the gods must be angry!
This shit is as old as ages.... but can now be done massively thanks to the internet.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by LoRdTAW on Monday November 20 2017, @02:17PM (3 children)
The unwashed masses should have been left in front of the TV and leave the internet alone. But no. Now they're trying to turn the internet into fucking TV to get the idiots loose on the internet back under control.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday November 20 2017, @02:36PM (2 children)
The Internet is just a bunch of networked computers. Show me the plan that completely shuts down sites like SoylentNews, web forums, IRC, etc. (no, SESTA does not count). Otherwise the Internet is not being turned into TV, it's just TV alongside the other stuff. Since the most popular sites are already sites like YouTube and Facebook, both of which serve streaming and live video (and even cable TV channels in the case of YouTube [theverge.com]), it becomes clear that the TV containment zone is already active. The result: you can still go to smaller sites, it's just that the unwashed masses tend not to (which is a positive solution to the Eternal September problem).
Oh, the CESSPOOL Act makes you liable for user posts? Operate your servers in another country. The enforcement regime goes international including states that don't currently care? Go to the dark web, and then I will accept that the Internet has been comprehensively transformed into TV/corporate land.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @03:57PM (1 child)
How much longer will I frequent Soylentnews once it isn't prioritized content from my ISP and I have wait 10+ seconds each time it's pages load? Hint: I won't bother.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday November 20 2017, @04:11PM
Yeah, send me a letter when that Net Neutrality doomsday scenario happens (hint: it won't).
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by ledow on Monday November 20 2017, @10:27AM (21 children)
I have to say, I've taken to just ignoring people who come out with this kind of stuff.
Yeah, I'm sure you think that mermaids exist / the moon landings never happened / etc. but to be honest... so what? Literally what are you going to do with that information? Are you going to become a mermaid hunter? Are you going to go on live TV and expose NASA on zero convincing evidence whatsoever? What? I can't work out what YOU'RE supposed to do with that information, let alone what you expect me (who dissents from your opinion) to do about it.
And the arguments are usually circular, cliche, and uninteresting for the most part. I'm open to discussing all kinds of things to all kinds of people, especially if they can provide even a single statement/query/fact/hypothetical question that actually makes me think. Honestly, if you can do that, I'm happy to sit round a fire with you talking into the wee small hours about it.
But when it's just parroting of other things, based on nothing more than "I believe", or there is no way to sensibly discuss it, I can't fathom what it is people want me to do. If I were to leap up, shouting "OF COURSE, YOU'RE SO RIGHT, I'M GOING TO..." what? What's the end of that statement? Are you really going to find many worthwhile friends who instantaneously and completely change their belief because you just stated an opinion? Do you want a sycophantic friend who obviously doesn't care, research or hold an opinion contrary to your own? That would just annoy the hell out of me.
Try this: If this was true, you'd never know. Among the conspiracy noise, you'll likely end up ignoring the signal of truth. And if they didn't want you to know, you'd probably not find out. Even basic classified stuff you can't find out. So what makes you think you'd ever know in a real event, that you'd tell it from some random person making up junk, or that you'll be able to do anything about it.
Since I stopped arguing with people who don't have "an argument" but just like to "argue", my life has become much more enjoyable.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Monday November 20 2017, @11:15AM (9 children)
I know a person who said they were hugged by Jesus.
I asked them how they knew it was Jesus and not, say, the devil.
They said "they just knew".
Can't argue with those facts, huh!?!
People slay me, lol.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 5, Touché) by Kromagv0 on Monday November 20 2017, @03:00PM (6 children)
Well the guy said his name was Jesus, he had a big black mustache, was wearing a sombrero, and was also telling me stories of his childhood in Guadalajara so I had no reason to doubt him. By the way Jesus makes some awesome tacos.
T-Shirts and bumper stickers [zazzle.com] to offend someone
(Score: 1) by anubi on Monday November 20 2017, @11:24PM (3 children)
Imagine being named Jesus, and showing up at church.
I can only imagine what that guy is going through.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Tuesday November 21 2017, @05:33AM (2 children)
That name is actually not that uncommon. According to this site, [scpr.org] in 2012 it was among the 100 most popular baby names for boys in California (rank 42, with 1109 boys of that name born that year).
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday November 21 2017, @05:51AM (1 child)
I am in Southern California. I know two guys ( of Mexican ancestry ) named "Jesus".
Kinda unusual it comes up this way, but Jesus sat in the next table to me at Del Taco yesterday. No, not that Jesus. One of the other ones.
But I can truthfully say I had lunch with Jesus.
I guess if I was a prosperity televangelist, I could monetize my experience.
I only imagine what these guys go through. Especially growing up. As far as I am concerned, I would permanently retire that name.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 21 2017, @08:16AM
No, if he sat at the next table to you, you can't. Now if he had been sitting at the same table as you, you could.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday November 21 2017, @12:00AM (1 child)
But does it tickle when he licks you?
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by Kromagv0 on Tuesday November 21 2017, @06:12PM
Only when it is my ass hole
T-Shirts and bumper stickers [zazzle.com] to offend someone
(Score: 1, Troll) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @05:36PM
I know a person who said they were hugged by Jesus.
This implies that you're still in contact with this fruitcake. I'm hoping for your sake that this is a relative that you can't help but run into at family reunions or something.
(Score: 2) by turgid on Monday November 20 2017, @09:23PM
I sit next to Jesus but he has never hugged me. He likes strong coffee and jazz music.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @11:20AM
Best enjoy life while you can, Nibiru will not be taking prisoners.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by bzipitidoo on Monday November 20 2017, @01:57PM
This isn't really about Nibiru, Creationism, Global Warming, mermaids and sailing off the Edge of the Flat World, superstition and the spirit world, the Monster Under The Bed, or any other idiocy per se. The people who eat up this conspiracy crap are doubting rationality, science, and education. I've had much better results arguing that point.
How do we know that anything is real? Maybe the moon landings were faked. God could have created the world 5 years ago, or even 5 minutes ago complete with people who think they remember stuff that happened a day ago. Maybe one neighbor down the street wants to murder the entire neighborhood, and maybe it would be safest to strike first and wipe out all the neighbors before the murderous one gets you. Maybe your ancestors are angry that you didn't sacrifice enough food, goats, whatever, and will afflict you with horrible diseases unless you cut a goat's throat today and pour the blood into ... whatever. This is the darkness of ignorance. Be afraid, be very, very afraid. If you can get them to see that refusing to apply reason will have a person cringing in fear at imaginary problems, and that there are infinitely many imaginary things to fear as well as infinitely many acts that might appease angry gods, or ward against evil spirits, you'll start to put some real cracks and doubts in their minds about whatever stupid thing is bugging them now.
Occam's Razor. Sure, there are real conspiracies. And there's propaganda. Anyone could be lying about anything. How does one sort out this mess and figure out what to really fear, who's lying and who isn't? Rationality and the scientific method has had immense success in clearing the fog and driving away ignorance.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @03:56PM (5 children)
But when it's just parroting of other things, based on nothing more than "I believe", or there is no way to sensibly discuss it, I can't fathom what it is people want me to do.
They're trying to push their belief system on you, and spread their beliefs around so that everyone believes it. This stuff does work: how do you think all the major religions got to where they are? Those things come directly from people parroting things, based on absolutely nothing more than "I believe", with no way to sensibly discuss it, and look what happened: *everyone* (almost) believed it, and it became very dangerous to not believe it. Disbelievers in the Medieval times could be burned at the stake. Wars were fought over it (the Crusades, Mohammed's campaigns) even.
Don't underestimate humans' ability to believe something with no evidence, and for this to change the world.
I have to say, I've taken to just ignoring people who come out with this kind of stuff.
... Since I stopped arguing with people who don't have "an argument" but just like to "argue", my life has become much more enjoyable.
The problem today with this stuff is: what do you do when your friends and family members all buy into this shit? Are you going to cut off contact with your parents or siblings or longtime friends? What happens if this becomes commonly believed in your community? Are you going to be an outcast? Will you have to pack up and move somewhere else? There's a lot of places in the US today where you're not going to get along well (meaning you might have trouble keeping a job even) if you don't buy into the locals' religion and other beliefs (including political views).
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ledow on Monday November 20 2017, @05:16PM (4 children)
If the alternative is working / living with people intolerant of a different religion?
Yup. I'm outta there. Rather a cabin in the woods than faking association or dealing with people judging me for it.
Wonderfully, though, I live in a country where judging anything on that basis, especially employment etc., isn't legal or acceptable.
(Hint: I'm actually an athiest and yet I've worked in strict Catholic schools)
When the choice is "Live your life via our lies" or "anything else", I'll take "anything else".
And over 50% of the country I live in identify as athiest or agnostic. Religion is a minority nowadays.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @05:33PM (3 children)
You're lucky to live in a country that's like that, for now. How long ago was it that your country wasn't like that, and was under basically a theocracy (as much of Europe was, in various ways, until the 20th century), or under fascism (as much of Europe was until the mid-1940s)? Times change, and not always for the better.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Monday November 20 2017, @05:44PM (2 children)
226 years ago? The Bill of Rights was adopted December 15, 1791. Not sure about under the Article of Confederation.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @06:18PM (1 child)
ledow doesn't live in the US, or else he's confused about the laws here. It's entirely legal for religious schools to discriminate based on religion here. Also, he says that over 50% of his country identifies as agnostic or atheist; the US does not fit that description. It might be 25-30% here at best. I'm guessing he lives in Europe somewhere.
Anyway, the US was, in a way, a theocracy until recent times, and still is, sorta. States used to have official churches into the 1800s (remember, that whole "Bill of Rights" thing didn't actually apply universally until the 20th century; before that, it only applied to the Federal government in its dealings with the States), and the US adopted the "under God" line in the Pledge of Allegiance in the 1950s, and it's *still there*, and kids are still required to recite this in state-run public schools. And good luck getting elected to Federal public office if you're not religious. Even Trump had to lie about it to get elected.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 21 2017, @01:10AM
Actually, if I recall correctly, this is only true in some certain situations. For example, if the school has a chaplain, then the school can insist on a religious requirement. The janitor, on the other hand, no. Of course, IANAL, so I could be wrong about this. If someone knows better than I then feel free to chime in.
(Score: 3, Informative) by turgid on Monday November 20 2017, @09:24PM (1 child)
Mermaids do exist. [theguardian.com]
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Tuesday November 21 2017, @12:07AM
All I can say is "Wow!"
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday November 21 2017, @06:55AM
I met an interesting old coot last week at DelTaco. A "street preacher". Definitely a Man of God. Scary though, as he did not seem to take much importance into setting things in order for his own survival. More of a faith type - "God runs the show - I just go where He leads" type. I would sure be fearful if he was in a position where he had any sort of earthly authority. When I tried to discuss things like any sort of preparation, he would come out with "God will Provide", and he does not need to concern himself with such.
Even such a concept as running out of water seemed to evade him. I can only imagine him as an engineer on a freight train, asking God to power the train, cause there is no fuel in the tank.
Even though I consider myself spiritual, religious people scare the hell out of me. What I see as preparation, they perceive as a "lack of faith". I claim if "faith" were that powerful, there would be no such thing as "accidents". Is the faithful mouse immune to the cat? If God is watching out for his flock that way, how in the world did that Texas shooter get off nailing 26 people in a Baptist church?
The most scary part of the religious experience to me is the same meme in "Obedience to Authority" by Stanley Milgram. Once one believes he is an agent of ( known as the "agentic" state ) some particular authority, one feels empowered by that authority to do damned near anything, if he perceives that to be the Command of the Authority. Once one feels "obedient to the Will of God", he internalizes authority to do nearly anything, feeling God himself has granted him the authority to do it, and anything anyone else does to stop him is evil. Such an "agentic" man can be instructed to do damned near anything. And will do it. Just as a Law Enforcement Officer will deliberately shoot to kill if he feels he has to. Both are agentic to the authority they report to.
Really scary stuff there when one realizes what a thin veneer of common sense we humans have, and how easily our higher thought processes can be hijacked by "leadership" memes. So few people seem to have the education ( and I do believe it is education - showing this to people - how it works - and the evil or good it can be put to ) to recognize it for what it is. Just me typing this out in this forum may spill the beans for some of you that don't yet know how this trick works. All I have done is pulled the cover back. Look for yourself and make up your own mind.
I did not recognize it until somebody else pointed it out to me, gave me a copy of Milgram's book, told me to read it, then later we had a few rather lengthy discussions about it. Yes, the guy who let me in on it was one of those leadership types. I do not have the kind of moxie to do it, but I do recognize it when I see it now.
I don't believe its intelligence. I believe its more like showing a magic trick - once the cat is out of the bag, people will recognize how the trick works and see it for what it is.
I know for a fact, just reading the replies in these forums, a lot of people here know exactly how this trick works. They got a huge head start on me having an understanding of this while I was being taught to be subordinate.
But the downside of having people shown this trick and how it works, well, they become almost impossible to "lead". Its hard to take advantage of them. And most "leaders" require people under their authority that do as they are told, without considering the ramifications to themselves or knowing they are being taken advantage of. Which is the meme required for a few to get ungodly rich at the expense of the many.
Sound like any "prosperity preachers" you have heard?
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Monday November 20 2017, @10:42AM (3 children)
so, thanks to the Internet, we have some insight into how religions got started:
1. someone says something
2. someone else hears something different
3. someone believes person 2, and tells others (go to 2)
only now, in the 21st Century CE, we have lots of people already convinced/deluded by one of about ten major 'faiths', so there isn't room for 'new' religions, just conspiracy theories.. I wonder how many of these people are also members of a recognized religion or consider themselves 'churchgoers', or were, at least, raised in 'religious' families... I'd if there isn't a large overlap.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Monday November 20 2017, @04:02PM (2 children)
only now, in the 21st Century CE, we have lots of people already convinced/deluded by one of about ten major 'faiths', so there isn't room for 'new' religions
Scientology is relatively new, and Mormonism is somewhat new too and is expanding.
Also, you don't have to invent an all-new religion, you can just co-opt an existing one. That's sorta what Mormonism did (piggybacked on Christianity, but added a bunch of stuff about God living on the planet Kolob, and promoting men taking dozens of teenage wives), and in a slower way, it's what many Christian preachers and sects are doing now, as seen with "Prosperity Gospel" which has largely taken over American Christianity (basically, if God loves you, he'll bless you with more money, therefore rich people are better people than poorer people as God obviously loves them more; you can make God love you more by sending as much money as possible to XYZ preacher so he can buy a new private jet).
I wonder how many of these people are also members of a recognized religion or consider themselves 'churchgoers', or were, at least, raised in 'religious' families... I'd if there isn't a large overlap.
In my limited experience, there's absolutely a huge overlap. People who are gullible and easily suckered into religion are also easily convinced of conspiracy theories. It's all the same: believing in outlandish stuff with no real evidence other than personal testimony from people who are obviously mentally unhinged.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @05:38PM (1 child)
Plus the whole thing where large portions of Islam are pretty obviously ripped off from early Christianity.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by PartTimeZombie on Monday November 20 2017, @10:59PM
Which stole the Jesus fable more or less wholesale from a whole bunch of Middle Eastern religious traditions (have a chat with a Zoroastrian, if you can find one).
The first Christians were actually just a group of Jews, until Paul of Tarsus spread the stories to some Gentiles. Maybe we should call it Paulism instead.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @10:43AM (3 children)
Those Nibiru theories are clearly wrong. After all, by now it should be common knowledge that the Earth will end on a Thursday, being destructed by a Vogon constructor fleet to make place for a hyperspace bypass. The plans are on display at Alpha Centauri; maybe someone should go there and have a look.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Monday November 20 2017, @11:16AM
I gots me towel.....I ready!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Monday November 20 2017, @11:57AM
Mostly harmless.
(Score: 2) by meustrus on Tuesday November 21 2017, @02:46PM
Clearly the people around here don't know what +1 Informative is for when something that deserves a +1 Funny or a +1 Touché gets a +1 Informative instead. Unless Hitchhiker's Guide is actually non-fiction from the future.
If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @04:16PM
My answer is what Abraham Davenport said on New England’s Dark Day [wikipedia.org]:
(Score: 5, Funny) by stretch611 on Monday November 20 2017, @04:27PM (3 children)
I have been studying Nibiru for years now. I have been creating reflector beam technology and I am on the verge of a major breakthrough that can save our planet.
When the planet gets close, the beam slows down the molecules in the air causing them to turn from a gas to a rubber like solid. When the planet comes close to our atmosphere, this slowed downed layer of air will solidify and bounce it off our atmosphere sending it back into space like a rubber band. The best news is that it will work repeatedly with any planet size asteroid to save us again and again.
I just need some more money to complete my research to save us from this disaster. Please donate now to my paypal or patreon account. The more you give, the sooner I can complete my work and save us.
I already have it working on smaller prototypes, I just need funding to get it working on planetary level. But, you can buy my personal reflector beams. They cost $10,000 and can be bought directly from my website. Even if we save the earth from this threat a few small pieces will break off and kill people when the small meteors hit earth. Don't let you or your loved ones suffer!!! Protect them now with an individual shield for each of your family. You don't want your loved ones to suffer, right? They even come with a money back guarantee!!! If your loved one is killed by an asteroid while wearing the device, I will give you double your money back! You can't lose. Who doesn't want to be saved. My profit goes back into research on the planetary reflector beam so you are protecting the Earth while saving yourselves.
I even have smaller reflector beams to help with small pets. These start at $2500 for your gerbils and hamsters, $5000 for cats, and $7500 for dogs. After all, who wants to live without fluffy? These too come with a double your money back guarantee and profits going into research.
Save the planet, save yourselves, save your pets... Buy my personal beam reflectors now and donate to my planetary research.
Please note: Do not believe so called scientists and politicians that call me a phony, fraud, or fake. They already have plans to use old nuclear bunkers to stay safe when PlanetX kills everyone else. They no longer want to share the world with anyone else so they are letting this happen. Don't let these elites take the world for themselves. Fight the power Donate now and save yourselves.
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 3, Funny) by takyon on Monday November 20 2017, @04:59PM
Bad news: Nibiru is also rubber and will bounce us into the Sun.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 20 2017, @09:26PM (1 child)
Have you been watching Fraochy Bay [wikipedia.org] "Space, the Vinyl Frontier?"
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Tuesday November 21 2017, @12:01PM
Never heard of it... (the series let alone the episode.)
The subject line came straight from Futurama though.
I may try to take a look at it though if I can find it.
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P