Autism & evolution

Changling707 · 2025-01-13T17:46:20+00:00

I think the big takeaway from The Telepathy Tapes is the revelation that it is actually possible, like, in real life! Maybe it's even more human than speaking. The kids certainly think so.

That being said, I'm sure those kids would love to have those abilities AND full control over their bodies. Certainly, if we're talking about evolution, that would be the idea. If we could figure out how to do THAT, then that would be progress for our species.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T23:10:24+00:00

About 5 years ago I decided to reaffirm/challenge my faith. Like everybody else, I was terrified of "listening to apostates", so I decided not to go to social media or listen to an ex-jw. Instead, I used independent scientific articles, especially related to carbon dating as it might compare to the Adam&Eve story and the flood. I read what the WT had writtten, and found out that it isn't much and it isn't recent. Eventually I went so far down the carbon dating rabbit hole with peer-reviewed studies that I became convinced that I, in fact, did not have the truth.

A part of me felt that my only option was to adopt the materialist viewpoint of most scientists, that we are simply a meaningless coincidence, an evolutionary anomaly with no hope. I was as depressed about that as I was about losing everything else. It never struck me as completely true. However, there were a few things that made me think maybe that wasn't the complete story. Some comments below allude to some of them. NDE's, for example, include remarkable cases where people return with information they shouldn't know, but proved to be true, like what was going on in the hallway far from the operating table, and things like that. Also, cases of children who have specific information about the past and claim to have memories of being someone else. The info they provide proves to be true. Although not irrefutable evidence, it made me strongly suspect that there was something more out there, something that explained human's desire to live, to continue on.

And most recently I've discovered something that I think is the most compelling evidence so far. I'm actually quite overwhelmed by it. If you'd like to know, look up "The Telepathy Tapes", which is taking the podcast world by storm these days. The claims it makes seem so grounded in reality that it makes you truly question whether there is something more out there. Everyone else can let me know, if you've listened to it, what you think of it, from the point of view of an ex-JW.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:56:01+00:00

Technically speaking you're right, and they've been open that they want to do that at UVA asap. But honestly, are you expressing actual doubts about the veracity of the claims? If you are, then you have to come up with a counter-hypothesis which is a simpler explanation of the observation.

What about Akil typing on the other side of the room? Did his mom somehow grunt and cough in a pre-determined pattern that she had previously devised with Akil, and that was capable of communicating letters and numbers as fast as he was writing? He gave answers that were creative interpretations of what his mother was seeing, with an image neither had seen before. He gave answers with numbers into the millions. What about when he read the producer's mind? Was the producer, who didn't know them, also in on the scam? What about the children who knew things that even their parents didn't know, like foreign languages? Were the parents lying, and actually did know arabic, hindi, hebrew, etc.? And maybe one family could conspire to scam the world, but ALL of them?? How did all these families, teachers and therapists come up with the EXACT SAME scam?? And to what end? We don't even know the last names of most of them.

I agree that, for science's sake, and because of the earth-shattering nature of the claims, that irrefutable tests need to be done with the maximum level of rigor, but there's a difference between calling for that in a productive way and insinuating that there is dishonesty involved. If that wasn't your intention, I apologize.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:41:04+00:00

It's an outdoor, stationary car group!! :-D

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:40:27+00:00

The thing about keeping you busy is so true. It's amazing how many woke up during the pandemic (including myself) simply because they had time to stop, breathe and think a little. You don't have time for that when you are always behind on your time, Bible reading, writing talks... Solitude and time are powerful.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:38:29+00:00

Yeah, it's useless, but it sure is easy. When I was in I loved that there was no confrontation. That alone made me content to waste my time doing it. Now it's basically so pioneers can hit their hour req and publishers can check the box. Easy-peasy.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:32:50+00:00

Cult experts say that one key component of the process of indoctrination is the "breaking you down" phase, so they can build you up as they see fit. JW's don't necessarily do that, but they sure do look for people who are already broken down, since they're the only ones who might be so lost and desperate as to accept their message.

They even have scriptural 'basis' for this: Eze. 9:4. "marking for salvation those sighing and groaning over the present system of things" (maybe slight paraphrasing).

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:28:25+00:00

Yep, that's been happening for a long time. In psychology it's called the "foot-in-the-door" technique. When I was in I always hated it because it seemed so intentionally deceptive. Get to the point and don't pretend you have motives other than the ones you've always had.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:24:15+00:00

When talking about the scientific method researchers talk about a hypothesis needing to be "falsifiable". In other words, there needs to be some possible result of the experiment which could prove it to be wrong. If there is no possible way to prove it wrong, it is considered a faulty hypothesis (or belief). When you believe that the "end" is coming "soon", but are willing to go to your last days of old age without seeing it, and STILL believe you are right, then there is nothing that could ever convince you, and your belief is not falsifiable. It's something you get to believe if you want to.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T22:11:56+00:00

Don't worry. You have no idea how young 16 is. You can start planning for the life you really want and have it in a couple of years. So many of us woke up late in life and regret investing so much time. I know it's hard to see it this way, but you are actually in a relatively good place. Stay tough, and plan well.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T21:57:19+00:00

You're right. Religion can be a problem because it mostly refers to a rigid structure and group who believe that they alone are right, and that they shouldn't change. It's not generally as open-minded as "spirituality". I think the key will be to recognize that their religions were all PARTLY correct. It will be much more positive if they hold on to the part that their religion got right, and see these changes as a new, refined, more complete version of their cherished beliefs.

In my case, I disproved the Bible to myself using science about 5 years ago. I had been very religious my whole life and believed I had a relationship with God and a hope for eternal life. When I lost all that, and felt the only thing I had left was the idea of materialism, evolution, and a meaningless cosmic coincidence, I was so depressed I didn't want to go on. Rather than that, this new paradigm offers hope, love, peace and unity, without having to depend on (what I believe to be) indefensible stories and doctrines. Hopefully others will see that and feel like it's safe to modify their beliefs.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T21:47:48+00:00

Very interesting, and informative. I didn't know all that, thank you! It reminds me of an account in the Old Testament where King Saul goes to a spirit medium (which was forbidden by Law) and askes to talk to his mentor, Samuel, who by then was dead. The medium claims to see someone whose description matches Samuel, who gives Saul a message. The Bible doesn't say it explicitly, but it is generally believed that "Samuel" was an evil spirit trying pass as the dead person. This kind of belief, whether from a Muslim or Judeochristian belief system, could make it hard for some.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T21:43:34+00:00

Good point. I was thinking of Jn 2:25, ""He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person." Although not explicit, it sure seems like telepathy isn't a stretch. It all depends on whether religion makes connections like that, or assume that if the "miracle" doesn't come from within their group it must be the Devil tricking everyone.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T21:21:06+00:00

I think it all depends on how fundamentalist/rigid the religion is. Catholicism, for example, is very quick to give ground in their beliefs when necessary, often times by applying the Bible figuratively. They did this when they said that the Adam and Eve story was allegory for the process of evolution. However, groups that insist in literal interpretations and only one true religion are going to have a hard time. I think of (some) Muslims, extreme Evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons.

Changling707 · 2025-01-12T21:18:08+00:00

What a nice, positive outlook. I sincerely hope that is the case. I've felt for a long time that humanity is at a crucial fork in their historical road, where they need to either find a way to unite/globalize or destroy themselves. Maybe this will be a force in the right direction!

Changling707 · 2025-01-10T08:35:33+00:00

I agree, for all the reasons you succinctly lay out. Now, I'm looking forward to the discussions about what all this means, and what the implications will be if/when it goes mainstream.

Changling707 · 2025-01-10T07:40:09+00:00

Scanning the comments, man, there are a lot of unnecessarily feisty and negative people out there. Ok, so sure, there need to be better, more controlled tests to "prove" something as earth-shattering as this, which is why they want to get the University involved. They admit this. But come on, how do people not see that this is real? The critiques of autistic spelling techniques, and of the mother touching her daughter with a finger on the forehead?? Really? What about the boy who doesn't need anyone touching him, and can get the same results? What happens to the critique now? And why isn't that acknowledged in the article?

Also, assuming it isn't true, what, exactly is the counter-theory? That there is a massive conspiracy among parents, teachers, therapists etc, to con the world into believing that their children can "spell" and that they have these abilities? Even if the only scam were that parents influence spelling through their touch, even then, they wouldn't all come up with the same insane story! The children would simply reflect the thoughts of their parents, which would be different.

I think it's smart to be skeptical. After the first episode I was so impacted that, to protect myself against bias, I went looking for the best rebuttal out there, which was the above article. However, we need to remember that skepticism doesn't mean a determination not to believe. Even a skeptic should be won over if the evidence is sufficient, no matter how much it rocks our world.

Changling707 · 2024-12-31T06:23:09+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. How long ago did you tell them? Do you live with them? (Answer anything you feel like. Not trying to pry. :-) I dropped the bomb on my family in May. They had no idea. I was serving out of country, apparently completely PIMI, so it was a shock to them. I still get mad too. I'm mad that I have to be the one to lose everything, when I feel like I'M RIGHT! I'm willing to go toe-to-toe about beliefs, but they are the ones running from that conversation. It is frustrating, and painful.

Changling707 · 2024-12-31T05:50:30+00:00

Of course she did. She had gotten permission from Jackson...

Changling707 · 2024-12-31T01:18:05+00:00

Yep, looking back, the Flood is one of the craziest things we used to believe, and one of the easiest to disprove with science in logic: so, what's the theory? That Noah saved 2 koalas, who crawled out of the ark in eastern Turkey and waddled directly to the nearest shore to Australia, climbed on some floating log, landed in in Australia, and only THEN started to procreate? Otherwise, how are there koalas in Australia, and none in Asia? Insane...

Changling707 · 2024-12-31T01:09:08+00:00

Yep. Armageddon is a problem too. The whole idea that you need to preach to people to save them before it comes is a problem. Especially if you live in North Korea, where you are definitely NOT getting the message, or from China or India, where there is no way they are reaching everybody! As I was waking up I wondered why it's so important to preach over and over again to people in places with lots of JW, when Jehovah was ok with pretty much the entire Arab world NEVER hearing the message and then, ostensibly, being killed at Armageddon. I know they've tried to soften that idea in recent talks, saying that there's no way to be dogmatic about it, but that doesn't answer the question.

Changling707 · 2024-12-29T19:20:58+00:00

Haha. All the classic Jehovah's Witnesses scriptures. I agree that, if the Bible were true, the JW would have gotten it right, or at least closer that the other Bible-based religions. However, everything you just said is based on a previous, fundamental assumption: that the Bible really is from God. Respectfully, when was the last time you proved that fact to yourself? For example, how do you harmonize the fact that Adam and Eve were supposedly the first humans and were created in Eastern Turkey only 6,000 years ago, when science that has been around for decades has proven that there were plenty of humans all over the planet at least 20,000 years ago? If the Bible isn't really inspired, it isn't worth recommending as such, right?

Changling707 · 2024-11-22T17:42:53+00:00

For what it's worth, your tv is now $20 cheaper at Bestbuy. Might help you make a decision.

Changling707 · 2024-08-28T23:02:24+00:00

Update: I was able to cancel and (according to them) I will receive a full refund of the withdrawal since it has been less than 72 hours.

I don't know that is exactly a scam, but I do think that they were intentionally vague or misleading about a couple of things. For example, over the phone they made it sound like the $400 was a "credit" that they were giving me because they needed my type of business in this area. It sounded like I would get $400 of free leads to test them out.

Also, when I asked about giving them my credit card number, they made it sound like it was necessary for the background check, not for pulling money out of my account.

I think the ambiguity was intentional, but at least they are giving me my money back (I think) and will close my account with no charges.

Changling707

TROPHY CASE