# Body Signals and the Fall of Radical Islam **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 9, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015 "2015-10-09T11:36:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/61 "2015-10-09T16:00:38Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > How can I tell if it’s God or just a sunburn or bad personal hygiene? If my cat really scratches behind her ear does that mean God is declaring her a Lawgiver? Your call. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/62 "2015-10-09T16:02:07Z")
“Ahmed! Go now and blow up the school, my right arm itches like the fuck!” “Yes, Amir… _For Allah!_…” “Oh shit. It’s just my eczema flaring up again. Oh well, never like Ahmed much anyway.” ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/63 "2015-10-09T16:03:01Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > What about stroke victims where the stroke on the right side of their brain paralyzes the left side of the body? God’s sending Kirk Douglas mixed signals! I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/64 "2015-10-09T16:04:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Have you considered that the more parsimonious answer is that you are simply wrong? Of course. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/65 "2015-10-09T16:04:53Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > Not being female, I won’t speculate. > > Ever hear of phantom limb pain? Doesn’t it bother you that only God is allowed to touch your no-nos without your consent? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/66 "2015-10-09T16:06:37Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > Of course. Then you understand that your thesis here is a huge wad of inconsistent, unreliable nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/67 "2015-10-09T16:13:49Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > Not being female, I won’t speculate. > > Ever hear of phantom limb pain? Hmmm… Maybe God gave women phantom balls. ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/68 "2015-10-09T16:13:56Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Then you understand that your thesis here is a huge wad of inconsistent, unreliable nonsense? It makes sense to me, anyway. Take it or leave it. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/69 "2015-10-09T16:26:39Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > It makes sense to me, anyway. Take it or leave it. Really? That’s your only requirement? Horoscopes make sense to astrologers. Dharma makes sense to Buddhists and Hindus. Take it or leave it? ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/70 "2015-10-09T16:33:16Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Really? That’s your only requirement? > > Horoscopes make sense to astrologers. > > Dharma makes sense to Buddhists and Hindus. > > Take it or leave it? What do you want me to do, force you to believe me? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/71 "2015-10-09T16:41:33Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > I’ve been noticing the signals for decades and correlating my thoughts with them. Plus, I believe God has influenced my thoughts to draw the right conclusions (personal revelation). Or more likely you are just receiving random indications to which you have attached meaning. Read up on [superstitious pigeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner#Superstition_in_the_pigeonshttp://). I am quite sure that if it were possible to interview the pigeons they would claim that their turning around counter clockwise three times led to food, with exactly the same degree of certainly that you attach to the belief that burning left ear means gods judgement is coming. I’d also throw in some [confirmation bias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias), while I’m at it. such that if your right hand itches you will interpret any action you just took in the most favorable light, while if its your left hand than you will only see the negative consequences of that same action, thus “proving” your hypothesis correct. In any case I hope you can understand why we have no more confidence in your system than we would in the horoscopes written by a third grader for their class news paper. ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/72 "2015-10-09T16:51:15Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Or more likely you are just receiving random indications to which you have attached meaning. Read up on [superstitious pigeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner#Superstition_in_the_pigeonshttp://). > > I am quite sure that if it were possible to interview the pigeons they would claim that their turning around counter clockwise three times led to food, with exactly the same degree of certainly that you attach to the belief that burning left ear means gods judgement is coming. > > I’d also throw in some [confirmation bias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias), while I’m at it. such that if your right hand itches you will interpret any action you just took in the most favorable light, while if its your left hand than you will only see the negative consequences of that same action, thus “proving” your hypothesis correct. > > In any case I hope you can understand why we have no more confidence in your system than we would in the horoscopes written by a third grader for their class news paper. Like I said, take it or leave it as you wish. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/73 "2015-10-09T16:51:38Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > What do you want me to do, force you to believe me? Whatever you were planning to do to convince Islam, try it on me. ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/74 "2015-10-09T16:59:05Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Whatever you were planning to do to convince Islam, try it on me. I’ve already done it (see post #1 of this thread). Don’t underestimate the power of suggestion. What is rejected now might make sense later. The seed has been planted. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/75 "2015-10-09T17:03:45Z")
the seed has been planted ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/76 "2015-10-09T17:04:28Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > I’ve already done it (see post #1 of this thread). Don’t underestimate the power of suggestion. What is rejected now might make sense later. The seed has been planted. Gee, thanks for restoring peace in the Middle East, Ye of Twitchy Body and Planter of Seeds. ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/77 "2015-10-09T17:10:56Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Gee, thanks for restoring peace in the Middle East, Ye of Twitchy Body and Planter of Seeds. You’re welcome. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/78 "2015-10-09T17:21:11Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > I’ve already done it (see post #1 of this thread). Don’t underestimate the power of suggestion. What is rejected now might make sense later. **The seed has been planted**. We then sowed the field with salt, paved it, and built a parking structure on the site. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/79 "2015-10-09T19:21:35Z")
So, it’s been a few. How’s the whole Movement going? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015/80 "2015-10-09T19:35:56Z")
> [@Snark\_Hunter](#): > > I’ve already done it (see post #1 of this thread). Don’t underestimate the power of suggestion. What is rejected now might make sense later. The seed has been planted. This is something you’ve made up, like many of the wholly incompatible religious movements in the world. It’d be nice if you realized that God would choose a more effective means of communication if it were sane and benevolent than the one you’ve proposed. There. The seed has been planted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-signals-and-the-fall-of-radical-islam/734015.md?page=5)