I dont know how familiar you are all with Derren Brown, hes a psychological illusionist who uses a mixture of sleight of hand, hypnosis, suggestion, psychology and showmanship to produce some amazing effects.
Anyhow, he did a show where he went to America (where presumably he is less well known) and pretended to have different abilities. Essentially acting as a charlatain.
He went to major figureheads of various belief systems and demonstrated his 'powers' (which were tricks of various sorts) and tried to pass himself off as authentic.
If at any point these people asked him - are you for real? Then he would own up and say it was just a trick.
Theres a full description of this programme here: http://www.robfisher.net/blog/archive/2005/01/08/what-is-it-about-derren-brown/
Anyway of particular relevance is when he claims to have had a near death experience which has given him the ability to convert agnostics to Christianity. To be fair the church leader was unwilling to accept him as authentic without further investigation... however this poses a serious question which he himself makes - ill quote it here:
What is worrying is that occasionally there are Christians who at the end of a debate turn to 'faith' as their basis for belief. THey have faith - thats what allows them to believe and talk to God and thats their final argument. They have faith so they dont question God.
However, based on the above faith must surely be seen as ridiculous. Faith is so vunerable to corruption and abuse that it surely cannot be sanctioned by any sane mind.
Belief based on investigation is one thing.. but belief based on faith is pure folly.
Anyhow, he did a show where he went to America (where presumably he is less well known) and pretended to have different abilities. Essentially acting as a charlatain.
He went to major figureheads of various belief systems and demonstrated his 'powers' (which were tricks of various sorts) and tried to pass himself off as authentic.
If at any point these people asked him - are you for real? Then he would own up and say it was just a trick.
Theres a full description of this programme here: http://www.robfisher.net/blog/archive/2005/01/08/what-is-it-about-derren-brown/
Anyway of particular relevance is when he claims to have had a near death experience which has given him the ability to convert agnostics to Christianity. To be fair the church leader was unwilling to accept him as authentic without further investigation... however this poses a serious question which he himself makes - ill quote it here:
Next up, Brown goes after the Christians. He doesnt hold back.
I used to be a full on, happy clappy Christian until my mid 20s, and then I started to realise that my belief was just as prone to circular logic and self fulfillment as all the new-age nonsense which bugged me. And then reading the New Testament as a historical document finally rid me of any religeous belief.. But the real point he is making is this:
But if I can convert people through non-spiritual methods, how many people are out their doing the same thing in their own way?
What is worrying is that occasionally there are Christians who at the end of a debate turn to 'faith' as their basis for belief. THey have faith - thats what allows them to believe and talk to God and thats their final argument. They have faith so they dont question God.
However, based on the above faith must surely be seen as ridiculous. Faith is so vunerable to corruption and abuse that it surely cannot be sanctioned by any sane mind.
Belief based on investigation is one thing.. but belief based on faith is pure folly.