Derren Brown: Faith Killer? (ritual, mystic, beliefs, experience, atheist)

Mister_T · #1 07-19-2007, 07:07 PM

Derren Brown is a psychological illusionist (a.k.a. a really good hypnotist). In this video he converts people to believe in God through his tricks of the mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sq-YUdq1OI

He has also used his unique form of hypnotism to convince people that he was mediating with their dead relatives and even brought them to tears....only later to reveal that it was a trick and that they were in fact, not talking to any spirits from the beyond (which I think is quite underhanded and despicable thing to do to a person).

More on Derren Brown can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_brown

My question to the religious and non-religious is: Does this prove that faith in things such as God and the supernatural are just illusions created by our own minds?

Pariah · #2 07-19-2007, 08:02 PM

No, because it still does not provide hard evidence beyond subjective experience.

Could God use human biology to create faith? Possibly.
Could angels, spiritual guides, ghosts, mystical experience (perhaps less so... depending on what it is and how you interpret it) be illusions created by our own minds? Possibly.

Is there some sort of guide as to what he is doing to these people and what they experienced to openly express existence of the Christian God?

EDIT: I read the explanation accompanying Part 2, but I still don't understand what he did to the first girl. Did he induce a mystical experience? Thoroughly enjoyed it, but I now want to research this type of psychological phenomenon and the anatomical processes behind it.

Nanda · #3 07-19-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister_T

My question to the religious and non-religious is: Does this prove that faith in things such as God and the supernatural are just illusions created by our own minds?

Well, I think so, but I'm already an atheist, so...yeah. I doubt this will change the minds of any theists.

Derren Brown is loads of fun for us skeptics, though.

Mr Spinkles · #4 07-19-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister T

My question to the religious and non-religious is: Does this prove that faith in things such as God and the supernatural are just illusions created by our own minds?

No. But it does provide one piece of evidence among many that faith in things such as God and the supernatural can be explained by illusions created by our own minds.

Vassal · #5 07-19-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister_T

Derren Brown is a psychological illusionist (a.k.a. a really good hypnotist). In this video he converts people to believe in God through his tricks of the mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sq-YUdq1OI

He has also used his unique form of hypnotism to convince people that he was mediating with their dead relatives and even brought them to tears....only later to reveal that it was a trick and that they were in fact, not talking to any spirits from the beyond (which I think is quite underhanded and despicable thing to do to a person).

More on Derren Brown can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_brown

My question to the religious and non-religious is: Does this prove that faith in things such as God and the supernatural are just illusions created by our own minds?

Feelings are extremely subjective, so why in the world would people base their beliefs on their feelings? If faith was based upon feelings, then women would be changing religions every month. All this video proves is that atheists are terrible actors.

Nanda · #6 07-19-2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vassal

If faith was based upon feelings, then women would be changing religions every month. All this video proves is that atheists are terrible actors.

Whoa nellie! A sexist comment and a dig at atheists in the same post!

Mister_T · #7 07-19-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Spinkles

No. But it does provide one piece of evidence among many that faith in things such as God and the supernatural can be explained by illusions created by our own minds.

Do you think that is always the case with people who believe in God?

Mister_T · #8 07-19-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vassal

Feelings are extremely subjective, so why in the world would people base their beliefs on their feelings? If faith was based upon feelings, then women would be changing religions every month. All this video proves is that atheists are terrible actors.

If a person's faith is not determined by their feelings, then what is it based on?

How do you label your conviction that leads you to believe in God?

Super Universe · #9 07-19-2007, 11:09 PM

You misrepresented the video.

He did not convert people, he talked to the first girl, lightly touched her, then suddenly she said that she kind of knew what her grandmother was talking about as far as faith goes. Then most of the people got up and left.

If you believe he really changed her mind with a touch then I have some wetlands I'd like to sell you.

Usually athiests demand proof, this is less proof of something than most religious people provide.

I don't get why athiests are here in RF anyway? Do you think you're going to somehow cause me to forget the incredible awakening experience I had?

Do you think you're going to learn how to make it happen for you?

It's not up to you, or I. If you're not supposed to awaken, you won't.