40 years ago today, over 900 credulous people died. Most of them committed suicide by drinking poisoned grape-flavored Flavor-Aid. Some were murdered in cold blood because they refused the poisoned grape-flavored Flavor-Aid. A few escaped. One can read about is here:

The JonesTownMassacre

On a side-note, it is the time of year I start receiving those stupid postcards stating "¡Believe!" ¡Those postcards are a personal pet-peeve! Being credulous is stupid and dangerous. I would rather doubt, which is smarter and safer. Doubting Jim Jones would have saved those victims. This is one of the central tenets of skepticism:

"Do not accept claims without sufficient evidence, but when sufficient evidence exists, accept the claim."

Those following the above heuristic are skeptics. Those accepting claims without evidence are believers. Those refusing to accept claims, despite sufficient evidence, are deniers.

Right up there with postcards saying "¡Believe!" is the pet-peeve of calling the poisoned grape-flavored "Flavor-Aid" "Kool-Aid".

One problem is that Jones was, like a lot of these con-artists, populists, etc. very charismatic. His involvement with the Civil Rights Movement won him a lot of support from some people for one thing. Even skeptics of the time would be charmed by him when they actually met him in person.

It goes back to something I've said before: we can ALL be fooled. It's why con-artists continue to thrive even when we think we've cottoned on to their tricks.

It can be very hard to remain skeptical when it comes to stuff you want to believe or fits your worldview.

The best advice is the classic "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is".

6666655

At least, I shall not fall for religion.

Now that is something guaranteed to lead to arguments. And I say this as someone who is an atheist.

6666950

When ponies argue that invisible skydaddies exist, I simply require evidence. They have none, so I win:

"Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur."

"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence"
——
Hitchens's Razor

Let's not try to bring New Atheism into this.

6667062

I did not. I merely point out that I shall not join a religion without supporting evidence. That does not necessarily mean that I shall not fall for a con, but I shall not fall for a religious con.

You brought up Christopher Hitchens, one of the forefathers of the movement.

6667155

¿So? He just happens to be right. Even the profascist Rush Limbaugh is right when he says "Words mean things.". Truth is where one finds it.

Edited out. Don't feel like having this argument right now.

I will say this: if you want to be taken seriously, don't bring up people like Rush Limbaugh. Him saying "words mean things" reeks of hypocrisy given, well, his entire career.

6667948

I meant him as an ironic example like a clock being right twice daily. He is a regressive hate-machine.

You can pick better examples than broken clocks.