# Great Debaters my ass. Master Baters is more like it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 29, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850 "2003-11-29T04:13:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/41 "2003-11-29T18:10:34Z")
What exactly is the harm in someone believing in angels, psychic powers, or other “unexplainable” phenomenon? ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/42 "2003-11-29T22:07:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryle Dup \* > \*\*This line is sig-worthy. \*\* By all means. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/43 "2003-11-29T22:14:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Eli: > > Of course there is no such thing as psychics, angels, etc, but the GD forum gives us a chance to debunk that crap and dispel the ignorance about it.\*\* What are you talking about? I _have_ phsychic powers. C’mon now, we all know I’m telepathetic. See that beer you have in front of you, how the bubbles rise? I just did that. Tripler Behold my psychic powers. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/44 "2003-11-29T23:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*Many folks here don’t debate, anyway. > They scream at each other. \*\* No, we don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/45 "2003-11-29T23:30:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \* > \*\*What exactly is the harm in someone believing in angels, psychic powers, or other “unexplainable” phenomenon? \*\* While I have no problem with those who want to talk about angels and psychic powers, I do think they’re tabloid-kinda subjects and not indicative of great knowledge or incisive intelligence. Of course, I also think that of most religions that profess such things as well. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/46 "2003-11-29T23:59:28Z")
A thermos seldom bounces. What? Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/47 "2003-11-30T01:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \* > \*\*What exactly is the harm in someone believing in angels, psychic powers, or other “unexplainable” phenomenon? \*\* The problem is evident in your question. You’re assuming that angels and psychic powers are, in fact, phenomena that require an explanation. Since there’s absolutely no reliable evidence that angels or psychic powers exist at all, there’s no need to look for an explanation. It’s like expecting someone to offer an explanation of why anvils fall from the sky every day at high noon. They don’t, so why look for a reason? ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/48 "2003-11-30T01:46:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by eli\_the\_fanatic \* > You can’t have a great debate about angels, psychic powers, or any other dumb nonexistent phenom. It’s the kind of crap indulged in by uneducated rubes who buy tabloids and watch 12 hours of network television a day. He’s still funny but not ha ha funny. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/49 "2003-11-30T02:08:23Z")
So GD should be an “I am athiest and you are not, you fairy-believer!” board? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/50 "2003-11-30T02:45:32Z")
From the **Great Books of the Western World Series** : Volume 19: _Treatise on the Angels_ The GBWW Series is the basis for the curriculum of the second oldest college in the United States and certainly one of the most academically respected. The subject can’t be a total waste of time. Meanwhile, I don’t think that psychic ability has been fully explored in the light of M Theory since that is a shiney bright new thing. It is terribly ironic that people can dismiss psychic ability as being unworthy of debate, but still be open to the concept of eleven dimensions, infinite possibilities of parallel universes, tears in the cosmos and the illusion of time. I choose to keep an open mind. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/51 "2003-11-30T02:55:24Z")
IMHO, the debates involving these subjects (angels, demons, Loch Ness monster and God) should concentrate not on “do these things exist?” but “WHY do people continue to believe in such tripe?” On THESE type of questions serious debate can be enjoyed. People like **lekatt** and his ilk often sincerely believe in these fairy tales. Many of them aren’t playing games, and some of them are actually intelligent. What makes people hope against hope that there are Gods and Angels even when they should know better? Why? Why? \*\*\* Favorite Wiggums quote: \*\*\* On one of the Halloween specials Ralph is splattered with blood-- he might have an axe through his head too–I don’t recall-- and he says: “I look like cable TV!” ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/52 "2003-11-30T08:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I Love Me, Vol. I \* > \*\*IMHO, the debates involving these subjects (angels, demons, Loch Ness monster and God) should concentrate not on “do these things exist?” but “WHY do people continue to believe in such tripe?” > > \ > > People like **lekatt** and his ilk often sincerely believe in these fairy tales. \*\* I betcha if you built a time machine, and went back to 17th century England and told people that in 400 years we’d be flying jet airplanes all over the big round world, they’d react exactly the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/53 "2003-11-30T15:18:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I Love Me, Vol. I \* > **IMHO, the debates involving these subjects (angels, demons, Loch Ness monster and God) should concentrate not on “do these things exist?” but “WHY do people continue to believe in such tripe?” On THESE type of questions serious debate can be enjoyed.** Yeah, you don’t have an agenda, do you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850.md?page=2)