Do you believe in "signs?"

[WelshOne]

Sometimes things happen which seem strange or coincidental. Does anyone else sometimes have the thought that they could be signs from God (or someone/something else)?

That sounds completely nuts now that I've written it down, lol. But yeah, things like when you want to play the Lottery and a certain number keeps popping up during the day. Also, now and then I think about something important, and then that exact thing comes on TV just after I think about it. I know these things are all just coincidence, but it does make me wonder sometimes...

 

[shybhoy]

yeh i think that too and i believe it....is it really co-insidence ? i mean it happens too often to me personally to be that ! you see human beings have lost touch with certain gifts they once relied on to survive and i think gut instinct is one of them for example i mean how many times have you had that feeling and not followed it only to realise you should have !!

 

[klytus]

No, I don't. It's an illusion to see anything - a side effect of the brain's capacity to match even the most incomplete patterns -, unless there is an actual pattern, which indicates an absence of randomness. But then it's never supernatural.

When Richard Feynman's first wife - if I recall the story correctly - died, the old tabletop watch he once gave to her as a present stopped working in the instant her death was recorded officially. He, as a theoretical physicist, couldn't believe in any supernatural explanation. It turned out that the watch, which had to be wound up, ran out of energy before her death. The nurse just wrote down the time the already inactive device displayed.

It is most unlikely that supernatural forces, or beings influencing our existence are real. Sufficiently unlikely for me to be bold enough to claim that all esoteric explanations are nonsensical. Believing in anything supernatural is a sign of diminished judgment and wishful thinking - intended to sugarcoat reality.

Strawberries, cherries, and an angel's kiss in spring...

 

[Island_chic]

Sometimes things happen which seem strange or coincidental. Does anyone else sometimes have the thought that they could be signs from God (or someone/something else)?

That sounds completely nuts now that I've written it down, lol. But yeah, things like when you want to play the Lottery and a certain number keeps popping up during the day. Also, now and then I think about something important, and then that exact thing comes on TV just after I think about it. I know these things are all just coincidence, but it does make me wonder sometimes...

Yes I do because I've had things happen to me like you explained.

 

[WelshOne]

No, I don't. It's an illusion to see anything, unless there is an actual pattern, which indicates an absence of randomness. But then it's never supernatural.

When Richard Feynman's first wife - if I recall the story correctly - died, the old watch he once gave to her as a present stopped working in the instant her death was recorded officially. He, as a theoretical physicist, couldn't believe in any supernatural explanation. It turned out that the watch, which had to be wound up, ran out of energy before her death. The nurse just wrote down the time the device displayed.

It is most unlikely that supernatural forces, or beings influencing our existence are real. Sufficiently unlikely for me to be bold enough to claim that all esoteric explanations are nonsensical. Believing in anything supernatural is a sign of diminished judgment and wishful thinking - intended to sugarcoat reality.

You seem to sure. You also appear to have an interest in physics, so I will raise the point of parallel Universes. We know nothing about them, other than the increasing belief that they must exist. If something as extreme as that is possible, surely something like a Creator is not impossible. We could merely be the playthings of a super-intelligent race I don't believe that, by the way, but my point is we know nothing about it.

I'm with shybhoy and Island chic It defintely makes me wonder...

 

[Remus]

I get deja vu alot, few times a week, also get vibes about things, often with spooky results, strange as I'm sceptical about anything paranormal or spiritual :/

mind you they say people who think they are psychic and stuff have schizophrenia

 

[AlleyCat]

I have had moments like that. Sometimes I'll have a song in my head and turn on the radio and that song is playing. My grandmother use to have dreams and, more often than not, they would end up happening. One of my cats went missing once, I had pretty much given up hope of ever finding her. We did have a tag on her collar with our phone number. About two weeks later, we got a call. She was sitting on the steps of a church one Sunday morning. I know all of those things are more than likely coincidental, but it's nice to think that maybe there is something bigger than just us. I get that deja vu feeling a lot as well.

 

[klytus]

You also appear to have an interest in physics, so I will raise the point of parallel Universes. We know nothing about them, other than the increasing belief that they must exist. If something as extreme as that is possible, surely something like a Creator is not impossible.

Don't raise that point. I don't know enough about "parallel universes" to tell you that your understanding is most certainly deficient. However, it is clear that the possibility of something seemingly extreme, or complex, to exist does not imply that something else can exist.

It definitely makes me wonder...

Yes, wonder about the ability of the human brain to fabricate information in order to be able to match a broken pattern. Ever asked yourself the question why two eyes amidst myriad blades of grass are sufficient for an antelope to betake itself to flight?

 

[WelshOne]

Deja vu is weird! When it happens to me I sometimes wonder if I've dreamed the event before. Really strange feeling.

My Mum often comments about my gran's dreams too, apparently they often come true as well!

Don't raise that point. I don't know enough about "parallel universes" to tell you that your understanding is most certainly deficient.

Of course you don't know enough about them, no one does! For now it is merely a possible solution to several problems in physics. Much the same as Dark Energy. But anyway I'm not meaning to make this a debate or discussion on physics lol I don't agree with you point following the above quote, though.

And as for the Antelope, I'm not sure I understand your question because my answer would be fairly simple - experience through evolution.

 

[Anomaly]

I often reflect upon the chances that my life has went through and come away amazed. It doesn't necessarily point to a supernatural conclusion.

 

[klytus]

Just because something beyond your comprehension can exist, or is conjectured to exist, within an unproven model of a portion of reality, it does not follow that anything else beyond your understanding can exist. Certainly, both may exist, independently of each other. But then the existence of the former wasn't necessary in the argumentation.

And as for the Antelope, I'm not sure I understand your question because my answer would be fairly simple - experience through evolution.

Individual experiences don't manifest themselves in the genetic make-up of a species. And, no, the answer is not simple. It is because of the ability of complex brains, like that of an antelope, or a human, to fabricate information in order to artificially complete an incomplete pattern. This is essential for survival and must be independent of the actual danger.

 

[WelshOne]

Just because something beyond your comprehension can exist, or is conjectured to exist, within an unproven model of a portion of reality, it does not follow that anything else beyond your understanding can exist. Certainly, both may exist, independently of each other. But then the existence of the former wasn't necessary in the argumentation.

All I see here is contradiction...

Individual experiences don't manifest themselves in the genetic make-up of a species. And, no, the answer is not simple. It is because of the ability of complex brains, like that of an antelope, or a human, to fabricate information in order to artificially complete an incomplete pattern. This is essential for survival.

I hold my hands up to that mistake. Instinct through evolution would have made more sense. My excuse is that it's late ::

Anyway...

 

[klytus]

All I see here is contradiction...

I love to learn. Tell me where the contradictions are.

 

[WelshOne]

I love to learn. Tell me where the contradictions are.

Just because something beyond your comprehension can exist, or is conjectured to exist, within an unproven model of a portion of reality, it does not follow that anything else beyond your understanding can exist. Certainly, both may exist-

The first sentence alone is a contradiction. Then the second sentence renders the first redundant.

Seriously though, we're getting pedantic haha

 

[klytus]

How is that a contradiction, please? If parallel universes can exist, it does not follow from this that, say, a supernatural being can exist - simply because parallel universes sound weird or extreme enough. And don't cut my sentences to make them fit. I said, certainly both may exist, independently of each other. But if you say that a god-like being can exist because of the conjectured existence of parallel universes, or really anything else 'persons of authority' (like physicists) utter, it's just plain wrong.

The point is, neither has been proven to exist. And you don't need such justifications for believing in esoteric things. It is a personal choice whether to believe - I choose not to.

 

[lost n alone]

How do you distance yourself from what seems to be deja vu. More often than not i experience much the same as you guys have messaged..take this one example my end..this morning weeping depression alloness playing with my head on waking from fitfull sleep ..god.. another unknown day in downtown real hurt..Switching radio beside bed hoping to negate misery, a song on aloness just that very moment started to play..more weeping the song touched my heart..it matters not so much the song/artist... Random? yeah/maybe. Headspace/neurosis on waking with depression yep. Conclusion ..is it just the way things are with my life. Dunno. Mindfull today was a very very small fish..a quick one before i sign off..a word not often if ever used much, say in a book i am reading or likely a current newspaper i am reading..trying to distract if in headspace switch on tv..eek often not always such is the case that word is used "sign" deja vu. Given to neurosis must be it. help

 

[WelshOne]

How is that a contradiction, please? If parallel universes can exist, it does not follow from this that, say, a supernatural being can exist - simply because parallel universes sound weird or extreme enough. And don't cut my sentences to make them fit. I said, certainly both may exist, independently of each other. But if you say that a god-like being can exist because of the conjectured existence of parallel universes, or really anything else 'persons of authority' (like physicists) utter, it's just plain wrong.

The point is, neither has been proven to exist. And you don't need such justifications for believing in esoteric things. It is a personal choice whether to believe - I choose not to.

I'm not even going to bother with this back and forth any more. Enjoy your high horse - it sounds cold up there.

lost n alone, I don't fully understand, but I don't think its neurotic to wonder about these things. So long as one doesn't bring harm to others based on anything that might be thought of as a sign, or anything like that. Wondering is one thing, acting on them is another I think... though acting on something trivial (like lottery numbers) is fine, in my opinnion.

 

[klytus]

Enjoy your high horse - it sounds cold up there.

I do. The view is incredible.

 

[Satine]

Nah, these things are just coincidence. How often do you think of something and nothing corresponds in the media you're looking for etc.?

 

[this_portrait]

Sometimes. It doesn't happen often, though.