Tag Archives: psychology of religion

People Love Miracle Stories. Why Not Play Along?

Posted on October 15, 2018 by

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So why not live with the magic? Be a kid again and believe in the fantastical. Life is more fun with a little smoke and mirrors.” ― L.H. Cosway, Six of Hearts The Conclusion of a 7-Part Series – Why … Continue reading →

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Seven Kinds of Magical Thinking That Even Skeptics Can’t Escape

Posted on October 11, 2018 by

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Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.—Walt Disney Part 5 of a 7-Part Series – Why People Believe in Miracles and Other Kinds of Magic (Part 4 here) Magic takes us outside of reality, … Continue reading →

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The Human Mind is Wired for Magical Thinking

Posted on October 9, 2018 by

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 “Nothing is so alien to the human mind as the idea of randomness.” —John Cohen Part 4 of a 7-Part Series – Why People Believe in Miracles and Other Kinds of Magic (Read Part 3 here.) Are you human? Then … Continue reading →

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Bible Stories Fit Common Patterns of Magic and Wizardry

Posted on October 7, 2018 by

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Part 3 of a 7-Part Series – Why People Believe in Miracles and Other Kinds of Magic One person’s religion is another person’s magic and vice versa. — Unknown (Read Part 2 here.) The Bible is full of magic. In … Continue reading →

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From Your Mouth to God’s Ear—How We Jump from Wishing to Believing

Posted on October 4, 2018 by

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Part 2 of a 7-Part Series – Why People Believe in Miracles and Other Kinds of Magic Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. –Arthur C. Clarke (Read Part 1 here.) Human beings have told stories about miracles and … Continue reading →

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Miracles are Magic by Another Name

Posted on October 2, 2018 by

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Part 1 of a 7-Part Series — Why People Believe in Miracles and Other Kinds of Magic If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a … Continue reading →

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What the unborn and the undead have in common

Posted on June 6, 2018 by

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Religious opposition to abortion is based on a kind of magical thinking much like that in zombie stories. One freakish thing about zombies is that they look like people even though they aren’t. What does it mean to be a … Continue reading →

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