Pictured above: the actual moon.
In the course of surfing the net, or in emails I receive, I am often told the following:
The Apollo moon landings were a hoax.
Bigfoot is real.
Creationism is valid science.
The Holocaust didn't happen.
9-11 was an inside job.
In fact, spend just a little time online and you'll find entire digital societies blindly devoted to these positions. I say “blindly” because at the end of the day, not a single scrap of real evidence is ever offered to indicate the existence of a freethinking mind in their midst.
Never before in history has information been so easily accessible; we live like sorcerers who can snap their fingers and download data from the air. And perhaps that’s part of the problem: Things are too easy, and we can just as readily click on a professionally peer-reviewed site as we can the website of the Flat Earth Society. And since the media seems unwilling to give up their Circus Maximus of “liberals-and-conservatives” any time soon, no side of the political spectrum has a monopoly on being, well, idiotic.
Last year, a fellow from
But if you're going to make claims that the towers weren't hit by the planes in question, or that there was controlled demolition, or that it was all a cover to steal gold from beneath the WTC site, or that reptilian aliens have mixed their blood with English royals in time to watch reruns of V: The Series, you better be prepared to provide documentation that stands up to scrutiny.
As a point of contrast, I asked my friendly emailer to respond to the many counter-points that now exist. My correspondent flatly refused to oblige. Then I ask him if he would address a few other points of interest behind the making of the Loose Change video...
Twenty seconds later, I get this reply (mispellings and all): “You are blind, or wosre you are a zionist shill go to hell.”
I told him I'd need to see some evidence for Hell. He didn't respond.
On the other side of politics and far and away my favorite example of American Unthinkers are the Creationist crowd. Creationists clutch their beliefs like a lost Amazon tribe’s devotion to spears. There’s almost something noble in their lack of cognition.
Evolution is taught in schools because, like it or not, it suffers from the condition of being supported by factual data. It doesn’t require belief. Belief is something that is done in absence of facts.
For example, I don’t believe that there are fish in the sea. Rather, I have seen the evidence for fish in the sea and accept that evidence. I have read books and seen documentaries and yes, I have actually fished and caught fish. It’s not an issue of belief.
I don’t believe that mankind landed on the moon. I have seen the evidence for it and accept that evidence. The so-called "proofs" from the anti-landing crowd dissolve at the first light of serious scrutiny; their position is rooted in misinformation, sensationalism, and ignorance. By the same token, I don’t believe in a Hollow Earth, chupacabras, or the flying spaghetti monster, because the evidence for all three is less than compelling.
Creationists are just like the 9-11 conspiracy buffs --
though here is a more accurate rendition of them:
All they have is raw belief, couched in the glitzy wrapping paper of ignorance and dishonesty. It’s precisely the same mindset used in the
“I had a dream that my neighbor turned into a black cat.”
“Do you have any proof?”
“Dude, that IS the proof. Spectral evidence, remember?”
“Oh right, sorry. Hang her.”
The problem with Unthinkers is that they believe things blindly, and so they think that everyone else does. Rational thinking requires a rational process. It’s not about being narrow-minded – in fact, it’s about being open to possibilities… while applying the test of evidence and method to those possibilities.
Does Bigfoot exist? Maybe… but I’ll need more evidence than blurry photos of Chewbacca to convince me.
Americans face very serious issues today – questions on terrorism, war, economics, the environment. And things are about to get a whole lot more complicated: the horizon is filling with debates over cloning, genetic engineering, and ever-more-invasive spyware technologies.
If we can’t address today’s problems with a clear-thinking honesty, how do we face the problems of tomorrow?
- Should we 'kill' people over gay marriage?
- Warning: Pakistan slips closer to brutal theocracy
- Gov. Schwarzenegger's attempt at video game censorship struck down in California
- 150 years of Darwin
- Is there a future for Multiculturalism?
- What about war in the Obama Era?
- The Vatican, Muslims and tomorrow
- Three uncertain futures for the GOP
Comments
Brian, this is brilliant. It's really ridiculous how some people just can't see past their own thoughts and superstitions.
Tony (and a few others,)
Alas, you're an example of what I'm talking about. I did not say for people to be quiet. I specifically stated we must be open to possibilities -- but evidence, documentation, and peer review is required for those positions. If you don't think mankind landed on the moon, what is your evidence and does it stand up to scrutiny. Thus far, the conspiracy crowd has not provided anything that stands the rigorous analysis of science. They point to shadows, ink-bleeding, and disingenuous arguments about stars and wind. They perfectly exemplify a cultish mindset.
Maybe there is a Loch Ness Monster. Maybe 9-11 was an inside job. But until a rational, evidence-supported position is offered that survives the challenge of scrutiny and independent review, both positions are akin to fairy tales.
Cecil,
If you take the trouble to read the article, you will find links to address your points.
you are doing the same thing again- linking the quest for truth about 9/11 with something that most people would agree is ridiculous- this time, the loch ness monster. It's pretty obvious you're not interested in the truth but only in ridiculing those that are, shame on you!
Looks like it doesnt take much to bring out the loonies. The article is right on. Then you look at the comments and see everyone frothing at the mouth. Trent is asking for evidence to be presented behind ANY claim. Thats a good perspective, but some people love their tin-foil hats too much!!
What about the JFK assassination? Do you believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman?
If not, why? Do you have any facts to back up that assertion?
As for 9/11, shame on you for tossing in Bigfoot with the 9/11 investigations.
Why not include Santa Claus?
If you believe the 9/11 'Omission Commission,' then you probably do believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
After all, the Easter Bunny leaves brightly colored eggs on Easter morning, so it must exist, right?
Thanks for the propaganda, it will be used against you as 9/11 is exposed.
Truthers don't want a new investigation, they want a new conclusion and one that fits what they've already decided. What morons.
One of your links goes to the now discredited Popular Mechanics article on 9/11.
Why not read this one?
The article gives no hint of the put options on the targeted airlines, warnings received by government and corporate officials, complicit behavior by top officials, obstruction of justice by a much larger group, or obvious frauds in the official story. Instead it attacks a mere 16 claims of its choosing, which it asserts are the "most prevalent" among "conspiracy theorists." The claims are grouped into topics which cover some of the subjects central to the analysis of 9-11 Research....
911research.wtc7.net/essays/pm/
Here's another link to a good site run by career firefighters, who know a thing or two about building fires.
firefightersfor911truth.org/
I myself am a retired firefighter and could believe that one of those 3 buildings fell neatly into their own footprint, but all 3, on the same day, within hours of each other?
You're not selling me that load.
Greg,
You're misrepresenting my stance. I would love to see investigations into all kinds of claims. But until there is some substantial evidence that survives the rigor of scientific analysis, you are peddling hypotheses at best, and fables at worst.
If evidence comes out, great!!! It's the same with saying that at present, there is scant data for life on Mars. If in September a probe proves otherwise, that would be wonderful. Until then, the position for Martian life is dubious.
The very emotional and predictable nature of most of the responses here shows how rabidly invested some people are in a belief system. I have investigated these matters with enthusiasm, and have no preference what the outcome turns out to be. The 9-11 truth movement, moon-hoax movement, and others are presently fringe ideologies. Keep campaigning and investigating, and perhaps that will change. Perhaps not. What certainly won't is the propensity on some parts for rabid belief.
o brain you deleated my comment ,,well here it is again- what i spend a year in iraq and im not entitled to free speech?THANKYOU brian- hay i spent a year in Iraq,,and as of today there is not one shred of evidence linking Iraq and the events of September 11th . As far as my old unit im now losing friends in Afghanistan meanwhile before the invasion, Afghanistan offered to hand over Tim Osman with proof of his wrong doing but yet you ridicule people trying to bring are troops home,,why don't you show some respect to all that have died and do YOUR homework before you open your mouth. The events on 9-11 make sheeeple like you think all Arabs are gonna attack us,, Brian if you think 19 Arabs and a guy in a cave outsmarted the most suffocated air defense system ever devised and made NORAD stand down then please go down and sign a contract and go defend us from them nasty Arabs .The military industrial complex will accept you even if your 42 years old, that goes for the rest of you tuff gu
Specialist,
"there is not one shred of evidence linking Iraq and the events of September 11th."
Who here is saying otherwise? Certainly not me. There is no connection between Iraq and 9-11 that has been demonstrated, I agree.
"you ridicule people trying to bring are troops home"
Where did I do this? Your responses make no sense, and are clearly not in reference to this or any of my articles.
Don't put words in other people's mouth, keep comments relevant, and keep them free of ad hominem attacks or they get deleted.
Who's putting words in who's mouth here Brian Trent. I see no shred of evidence justifying your closed mind, but then no evidence needed to close a mind, just the ability to ignore a lot of evidence.
The only hypotheses being peddled are the ones being written by people who believe the discredited 9/11 Commission and if you believe that 19 Arabs pulled off 9/11 by themselves, then you believe the Commission.
Some of its own members stated that they had been lied to, that evidence was witheld and witnesses were not allowed to testify.
Some witnesses that did had 'handler's' in place, sitting close by to intimidate the wtiness testifying.
Max Cleland, was kicked off the Commission for asking too many uncomfortable questions.
The 9/11 head, Philip Zelikow, was a good friend of Condi Rice and deleted some, if not a lot of the released report.
And please read up about Sibel Edmonds, a brave lady who was fired from her FBI translation job because she brought up inconvenient truths about 9/11.
How many times do we have to murder 'Hypatia' before we start seeing past the lies and obfuscations put forth by our own government?
There's a heck of lot more to 9/11 than we'
Can you explain the molten pools of steel at the sites of all 3 of the towers that came down at free fall speed into their own footprints (through the path of maximum resistance if they were'nt demolished)?
hey davol, is trent putting words in someone's mouth? I don't think so. Looks to me like he dared to criticize the need for some people to believe in conspiracies and then everything that followed just proved his point. He even said he'd like to see further invstigations and thats not good enough. You people are pathetic.
There is some very "peer-reviewed" evidence by physists and experts who have bothered to examine the dust left all over Manhatton on 9/11 that documents unexploded nano-thermite. How much peer review do you need before 9/11 Truth becomes worthy to be differentiated from Big Foot BS? Since you just want to throw insults at people let me just say your mother dresses you funny.
I wouldn't know about any of these "controversial" events. I do know from personal experimentation that cell phones don't work on commercial jetliners in flight. The towers don't seem to point up (why would they?) and a jetliner in flight moves so fast a phone has to jump from tower to tower too fast to make a connection. So I don't believe the various "cell phone call from doomed passengers and flight crew" stories, and these stories have been told many times by supposedly trustworthy people (including the 9/11 Commission) in full, unbelievable detail. I'm not going to defend the rest of the tinfoil hatters out there, but bunk story of the cell phone calls from the doomed passengers does open the door to doubt.
Cell phones working on planes? yep, they do!
http:
//answers.google.com/
answers/threadview?id=173057
Brian,
I think you will get better results, and may even get to the truth; if you would pose your questions in a non intimidating manner. maybe even hold back on posting here. It really comes off in a way, not much different than what THEY do.
It would make others feel more open, and would thus share their insights. People often focus on one thing too much; while more important events are happening right in front of their eyes and don't see it.
No one wants to feel DUMPED. So we lash out at the people who confront our comfortable living; because we are scared, shock, and in denial. There is allot of emotions playing out here. So realize, that each of us are at a different level of awareness, and shock. Be kind. Look at this problem like this. If I thought of the possibility; then surely the crooks have thought 0f this as well. Furthermore, look who benefits from the situation, and what was going on at the time also makes a big difference. Then put it in a larger context. HISTORY
Dr. Niels Harrit discussing the discovery of nano-thermite in the WTC dust:
www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=uVbF1ndquZI
Architect and Engineer Richard Gage discussing the discovery as well:
www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=oO2yT0uBQbM
Why was thermite found in the dust and why has their been nearly no mention in the mainstream media?
There are legitimate questions being asked regarding 911 and myself and other truthers I know really just want to see a new, independent investigation conducted.
No proof? You have maths, physics and chemistry that support the Controlled Demolition theory. Maths: easy to calcualte: freefall collapse of World Trade Center 7. Plus the thousands of coincidences which reduce the probability of the official story to zero. Physics: Netwon's LAWS of motion violated by the three collapses in New York and Chemistry: peer-reviewed scientific paper of the exotic explosives found in the dust (Harrit et al).
How does the official story explain these events? (They don't) or the very small body parts flung hundreds of yards from the towers? Call me a kook for believing the science if you want but aren't you just being an idiot to believe a politician that you yourself call a thug without any due process, no science, no forensic evidence, no air crash investigation and an agenda fixed before he took office?
Wow. This is a nice Propaganda piece. The Apollo Moon Landings were very much real. Science is accurate on it. Check out the BAUT forum for details on the 'things the hoaxers hinge on'. Big Foot? Who knows and who cares?
Creationism is obviously not valid science. As I'm sure scientists will agree. A big however goes to those who are noticing the holes in the Evolution theory and, even as creationists, they help to bring about a newer more robust concept of Evolution.
There have been revisions of Holocaust numbers from 6 million to 4.5 to 1.5 and the red cross posted 275,000. Now given the Jerusalem Post reported in 1919 that 6 million were also killed in WW1, we can at least see the political use of the numbers of dead. As an interesting note, no Almanacs record the deaths of the 12 million Jews that apparently were murdered. That's called questioning.
9/11 was a False Flag operation. The Thermate, the tons of Melted steel alone contract NIST.
Nice attempt to not think cr
The thermite claims are also bogus.
http:
//
www.debunking911.com/
thermite.htm
BIG FOOT IS REAL!!!!!!!
Please ask yourself what motivated this very insulting and stereotyping article about those who would like answers to questions they have about the 9/11 attack. Would the matter deserve this kind of attention if it were entirely baseless? We see here an attempt at classic death by association. Apparently the author would like his readers to think that 9/11 skeptics have anything in common with holocaust deniers. Do you know how insulting that is to me as a person with Jewish heritage and a very rational person who finds that the official account of the attack is full of very legitimate holes. Is that kind of insult really necessary? Might it be more responsible to encourage people to make up their own minds by looking at the facts? Basically the author here offers no real response to any information relying entirely upon innuendo to discolor the efforts of many educated and patriotic Americans. I'm really disgusted.
Hey Very, the author says you should go ahead with your investigation. What's your problem?
you want proof? ae911truth.org architects and engineers for 9/11 truth. Unexploded nano-thermite and iron-rich microspheres throughout the dust samples point to the use of high-tech explosives/incendiaries. Plenty of good evidence out there - Popular Mechanics - Herst Publishing propaganda / yellow journalism - nepotistic as well.
I SAID BIGFOOT IS REAL!!!!
Kid, your rebuttal site (much like many sites I see 'dunking things') tends to be about emotion and assumption. You show mocking footage and stuff to make people 'feel' you're right.
I know this watching enough dry boring science to know what is not accurate.
What people want is clear and open answers to their questions, not to be belittled for even thinking them. If you feel that I should be belittled for questioning, perhaps you should re-evaluate Socrates perhaps maybe read up some Sherlock Holmes to get an idea of what it means. Patriots question. Fascists "accept authority without question".
Nano thermate, nuff said:
w
ww.yout
ube.com/watch?v=-f4z4UYc1CI
No, your all kooks and tin foil hat conspiracy theorists for knowing a controlled demolition when you see one.
Hey Neil, are you saying that the posters here are not acting emotional and assuming things? LOL! If your group's position is not based on emotion, then why all the screaming and insults? Honestly it is like when atheists point out the problems with religion and the fundies go crazy.
Secrets don't stay secret, someone always talks. I don't see how a conspiracy of this magnitude could be pulled off without someone having a guilty conscience or admitting to it.
Isn't it possible that there's a middle ground? Maybe Bush knew an attack was going to happen and let it? That would work just as well. I mean, why get your own hands dirty and take the biggest risk in history when you could just sit back, let it happen, and then do what you want?
That seems more correct than thousands of people participating in a huge conspiracy that by virtue of its size could never be kept silent.
Oh I don't know. It took forever to find out more than one person shot Kennedy. Oh wait, not conventional wisdom yet?
Comments deleted per policy violation.
Brian, your sources are stale, and your PM article was pretty poor four years ago when it was new. It got response in Dr. David Ray Griffin's book "Debunking 9/11 Debunking" and in Jim Hoffman's essay "PM Attacks Its '9/11 LIES' Straw Man" at 911research.wtc7.net/essays/pm/
You have not considered the evidence supporting the controlled demolition hypothesis, including first-responders' reports of explosions, rescue workers' reports of unexplained molten iron in the rubble, and Dr. Steven Jones's discovery in the dust of tiny hardened droplets of formerly molten iron and of chips he believes to be a highly engineered thermitic incendiary nanomaterial. None of this is conclusive proof, but it's all worthy of continued investigation.
Over 700 architects and engineers agree that the official investigations are inadequate and don't even try to explain how asymmetrical damage produced symmetrical collapses essentially in free fall. Take your own a advice and think clearly and hones
"None of this is conclusive proof, but it's all worthy of continued investigation."
At last, we can agree on something! Go ahead and investigate! That is the very point. I sincerely wish you well and eagerly look forward to what you uncover.
But the emotional outbursts here are very suspect. It has the same character as the fanatical neoconservatives and religious extremists I encounter here. Relax, make your argument cogently, try to see from someone else's perspective, read the actual words of the article, and be rational. If you are unable to do that, you have bigger problems than making a case for global conspiracy.
Thanks.
Gary,
And you, in the same spirit of discourse, should consider the other side as well. That is the nature of true and honest debate.
We have become trained to lash out, to act on impulse. Consider that you may be wrong. The objective for all of us is to use our capacity for rational investigation. I don't care what you believe. It matters what we can show.
I have considered many sides to the above-mentioned issues. And I remain open to all new data. The citations in this thread about thermite and cell phones and assassinations sounds very juicy... but doesn't persuade. I continue investigating. So should you... from a position of honesty and not trying to make the conclusion fit your beliefs.
Kid Icarus: Thanks for the link. But it doesn't help with the "do cell phones work on jetliners" question. All your site did was reprint the rules forbidding such use, and references to the very 9/11 anecdotes I was talking about doubting. I fly a lot, many of my friends fly a lot, we all carry cell phones, and many of us have forgotten to shut them off. I'm sure we aren't alone in this on planes. I've never heard anyone make or receive a cell phone call at altitude. When left on, my cell phone always shows no signal when I discover it's on and turn it off. When I don't discover until arrival that I left it on, it's usually out of battery, which means it was searching the whole flight for a signal it never could find. Cell phones don't work at altitude in my experience, and at least the link you gave me (thanks for that, though) doesn't contradict my experience.
I know their were gas chambers and 6 million jews murdered....just look at all the hollywood movies showing us it happened.screw the red cross and physical evidence hollywood gives us all the evidence we need
Re; Ynda - "Maths: easy to calcualte: freefall collapse of World Trade Center 7. Plus the thousands of coincidences which reduce the probability of the official story to zero."
And those are the most telling evidence of an inside job. The math doesn't lie, and it can't be twisted to say anything else. Those thousands of coincidences include blatant contradictions to the official story which by each by itself is a demonstration that we are being lied to, and together as a whole thoroughly debunk the official story.
there is no such thing as aipac!... WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE JEWISH JOURNALISTS TOLD US ITS AN ANTISEMITIC CONSPIRACY THEORY. why would so many jewish journalist say "THERE IS NO ISRAEL LOBBY"they would never lie to americans
'THEY HATE OUR FREEDOM' we know thats why we were attacked not because of our support for israel.....WHY WOULD JEWISH MEDIA LIE?
Re; Molly - "Secrets don't stay secret, someone always talks. I don't see how a conspiracy of this magnitude could be pulled off without someone having a guilty conscience or admitting to it."
That's an emotional argument, logically falacious, and based apparently on ignorance of history particularly that of the history of organised crime (if the Mafia could never keep secrets, there wouldn't be any Mafia), the history of espionage (if nobody could keep secrets, then every spy operation in history must've been blown - but instead we have spies that maintain their cover often for decades). The truth about the Lusitania carrying war material was kept hidden from the public for decades, that was a secret that was well kept. The NSA began in 1947, yet with an enormous budget and huge staff, there wasn't a whisper about the agency's existence for FORTY YEARS.
Historical fact; secrets can be hidden not just for decades, they can be hidden for centuries.
THE JEWISH MEDIA LIES BECAUSE IT KNOWS WE BUY IT SINKER SINKER STINKER STINKER
Unfortunately I had a real talk with a russian scientist while visiting Beijing. I was a naive believer until he explained me scientific reasons for this not have happened. Using common sense is something that nature give us to judge facts from fiction. from using cellphones in airplanes while flying (something imposible to do at the time) to cross cosmic radiation without being harmed like an egg inside a working microwave oven. Please dont believe all we are dumb. Some people do read and practice science
Lt Col Steve O'Brien of the Minnesotta Air National Guard was present at the termination of flight 77 in a C-130 "electronic warfare" aircraft, having shadowed the commercial jetliner for several miles through restricted aistpace in Washington.
Just a few minutes later he was present for the termination of flight 93.
Just a "coincidence," of course.
Jimmy Walters, who appeared at St Marks church at a 9/11 Truth event and showed a film focusing on the sexual habits, homosexuality, bestiality and sexual perversions (in detail) of members of the Bush administration. Many of those in attendance left, appalled at the content being presented at a Les Jamieson promoted 9/11 event.
Les Jamieson
National Coordinator
NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative / NYCCAN
Isaac Newton and his stupid theare of gravtiy... Pffft
Our elected folks in our guvmint prooftit he was just another tinfoil hat wearing stupid dumy!
If you bleve that a law of consarnation of energy was violeted by the clapse of them bildins, then call the cops, go git a lawyer!
"And I remain open to all new data."BT
A total collapse of those three buildings requires additional energy aside from the potential energy in their mass + gravity.
A total collapse of those 3 buildings at 90% the speed of gravity requires that there be almost no resistance below the portion which is collapsing. It requires the entire building to lose at least 99% of its mass within ten seconds for the top portion to reach the ground.
Even if the entire 80 stories under the collapsing portion were actually made of bamboo a total collapse to ground level as occurred at the wtc would not occur due to the shear build up of material below the collapsing portion. The momentum of the mass with gravity as its only driver is transferred and absorbed by the resisting object which in the case of wtc 1,2 is at least greater than 20 times the mass of the collapsing portion.
No amount of politicizing science can change physical laws.
Please try to prove otherwise, or find someone w
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