PUBLIC SERVICE ARTICLE
Distinguishing the Scientific Natural World From The Clerics’ “Religious Supernatural World”
If it exists, it can be tested. If it can be tested, it exists
Joseph W. Ferrara, EdD
www.soundmentalhealth.com
INTRODUCTION
For our health, safety and welfare, scientist and science are empirically demonstrating, validating, and cross-validating the existence of our natural universe and its inanimate and animate parts. The scientific method refers to a public body of techniques for investigating phenomena or subjects, acquiring new, verifiable knowledge and correcting and integrating previous knowledge into a cross-validated theory which formulates a body of tested facts into an explanatory law of the natural world.
Consequently, science’s null-hypothesis states any claim is untrue or false unless testable and replicable, operational evidence at the .01 level of confidence, prediction or greater is demonstrated in support of any claim – no exception. However, from self-reported hypnotic trance states, imaginary idiosyncratic “epiphanies” or “ecstasies”, clerics vociferously claim they themselves have “supernatural” powers and declare the existence of a “supernatural world”, with “exceptional” creatures having “extraordinary” powers, while demanding “faith” in their threatening / intimidating claims, slandering pronouncements and extorting schemes.
So, what is the source of information and knowledge for both the scientists’ natural world and the clerics’ imaginary “supernatural world”? Both science and religion must disprove the null-hypothesis – no exception. While subjugating our personhood, threatening claims, myths, and fables do not disprove the null-hypothesis. “Psychics”, just like clerics, also adamantly declare the existence of a “supernatural” world and themselves as having “supernatural” powers. A Mystic, Connecticut resident and “psychic” was found guilty in criminal district court on Friday, October 11, 2013, and jailed of grand larceny and scheming to defraud her clients out of “more than $100,000 by pledging to solve problems she traced to previous lives”.
From moment to moment, life requires we make distinctions between the natural world and the clerics’ imaginary supernatural world. Just as our sensory channels or state of awareness distinguishes the color green from red on the traffic light, the sound of a loud voice from the quiet in a library, the smell of a rose from sewage, the touch of cold from hot, the taste of sweet from bitter, pleasure from pain, facts from fear, our sense of self from others, and persons from objects, we need to distinguish the scientific, natural world from the clerics’ imaginary “religious supernatural world”, as the self-evident crosswalk table method of observation below demonstrates.
SUMMARY
Deliberate adherence to the above mandatory protocol of the scientific method makes any person or discipline a scientist or science. From multiple extraneous subject variables, a scientist’s protocol is to isolate and operationally define a subject, question or observation and gather established statistically relevant, related studies and knowledge. A scientist then meticulously forms a specific explanatory hypothesis, drafted into a testable independent variable. The formulated hypothesis is statistically tested by performing a defined operational experiment and collecting relevant data in a collated and reproducible manner. The scientist objectively analyzes the tested statistical data and interprets the data in terms of the independent variable, dependent variable and existing evidentiary, baseline theory, drawing relevant correlations and conclusions as to accept or reject the null-hypothesis which in turn is a starting point for new testable hypotheses or evidentiary theories. The procedure and results are published to enable full public, peer scrutiny and policing. Replication and verification are required so there is full public disclosure. Retesting, replicating, and cross-validation must occur, which can be performed by the scientific community or public. Any and all evidentiary theory is based on a collection of testable and retestable statistical facts. Scientists depend on the scientific method, i.e., testable, verifiable, statistical findings through replicability to establish trustworthy validity.
In contrast, clerics’ imaginary “supernatural”, ancient monoamine method of observation is as follows. From secret, introspective, personal or social sensory overload(s) or deprivation(s), isolation(s), hysteria, and / or drugs, a cleric and / or “god-person” experiences monoamine hypnotic trance states, hallucinations or idiosyncratic, exclusive “epiphanies”, states of “ecstasy”, or day and / or nighttime dreams or “visions”, characterized by visual, auditory, and kinesthetic hallucinations, containing imagined “messages”, i.e., intimidating edicts and / or threatening mandates, from some imagined tormenting “deity”. The cleric and / or “god-person” then idiosyncratically claims some imagined “deity” instructed or commanded public revelation of invented accusatory edicts and / or mandates – “obey or else”, i.e., claim alleged “damnation” and “doom” for non-compliance, slandering people as “evil” and wisdomless, and anathematizing dissident followers and competitors as enemy. There is public demonstration of their threatening, untestable idiosyncratic “testimony” and accusatory delusions to incite crowd or mob clinical shock (post-traumatic stress disorder–PTSD) and hysteria, attracting “conversions” and inciting peer rivalry of acceptance or rejection of their claims. Invented claims of imaginary “supernatural” magic or “miracles” are manufactured from hearsay, i.e., untestable “oral traditions” then attached to the aggrandizing claimant and his or her followers. Over time, the myths are tailorized, historicized and aggrandized with invented visual and auditory aids. A process of perpetual doctrinal, visual and auditory refinement, revision, and tailorization keeps the fables in line with clerics’ personal, selfserving, “evangelizing”, accusatory doctrine or dogma and marketing agendas. If it exists it can be tested. If it can be tested it exists.
CONCLUSION
As evident, Axis 1-10 of the above public scientific method of observation demonstrate the required protocol of the universal source of information and knowledge. The use of the scientific method and its result is trustworthy, statistical data that can be reproduced by anyone in the public domain. As also evident, Axis 1- 10 of clerics’ imaginary “supernatural” monoamine method of observation demonstrate the idiosyncratic, non-universal source from which clerics’ dogma and their subsequent threatening, horrifying, accusatory “religions” originate. Both science and religion must disprove the null-hypothesis – no exception. Axis VII and axis IX of clerics’ imaginary “supernatural” monoamine method of observation demonstrate there is no testable, cross validating retestable evidence for any “supernatural” world. The crosswalk table also demonstrates that clerics’ non-universal source and method of knowledge and information is imaginary, empirically untestable, and unreplicable.
The axis of clerics’ imaginary “supernatural” monoamine method of observation indicate clerics’ non-universal, idiosyncratic, unpublic procedures are not designed to arrive at empirical truth, and they project a false sense of integrity and credibility to the less educated. As is also evident, clerics’ dogma is not testable, cross-validating or retestable to establish a trustworthy statistical confidence level and does not have public policing. Subsequently, the less educated believe clerics’ invented claims because of accusatory threats, doubt, horrifying fear, shame, and guilt, i.e., clinical shock, not tested evidence. Any and all religion is fear, slander and extortion driven, thus a threat to our health, safety and welfare.
Operationally, clerics do not require public cross-validating testable, empirical, scientific, statistical evidence for their claims. Instead, clerics depend on historicizing their myths by pair-associating them with persons, situations, time and geography in the social world in an attempt to make their myths, fables, and legendary personifications appear as credible history. However, as scientific method demonstrates, historicizing a myth, fable or legendary personification does not make them valid or trustworthy nor does it disprove the null-hypothesis.
Empirical reason, scientific method, and the null-hypothesis require that we publicly question, test, cross-validate, and retest claims. The axis of the scientific method indicate that any wise, rational, sane, loving “deity” would want us to objectively question, test, and cross-validate by retesting every claim, and determine the truth using scientific method, our intelligence, common sense, practical judgment, and empirical reasoning, not “faith”. Clerics demand that we accept, believe, and have “faith” in invented, untestable, threatening claims of the non-universal source of information and knowledge, i.e., clerics’ imaginary “supernatural” method of observation, or “oral traditions” that are based on monoamine states of hysteria or “ecstasy”, idiosyncratic “epiphanies”, hallucinations and invented myths and fables, not relevant tested evidence.
As is evident, clerics invented “orthodoxy”, glamourize “faith” as a means to control, slander people as “evil” and wisdomless, and anathematize their members with the threat of alleged “damnation” and “doom” for believing anything else, since clerics’ accusatory claims lack testable, evidence-based content. Unable to refute the scientific method, clerics deny testable, publicly policed, empirical, independently verified science by projecting deceit onto scientists, science, and anyone who opposes them. They indoctrinate “have faith when it’s beyond reason to do so”, demonstrating that clerics must accept the null hypothesis, i.e. can’t prove or test and retest their non-universal monoamine imaginary “supernatural” claims.
Based on the foregoing crosswalk evidence, why wouldn’t any rational, “omnipotent” loving, preventative, “protective deity” have the wisdom to communicate, preserve “life-saving” information and “inspired” knowledge timelessly, i.e., from the very beginning of human civilization, and audibilized to all without gender, ethnicity or race, geography or nationality preference, exclusivity in an understandable, direct universal language and in a non-tribal, non-elitist, non-hierarchal, non-politicized and non-orthodox/militarized manner? Clerics’ imaginary “supernatural” monoamine method of observation clearly demonstrates that all religions are the invented product of the hysterical imaginations of self-appointed clerics. As is also evident, clerics are self-titled, self-serving human beings that invent threatening, horrifying accusatory superstitions or “religions” of imaginary “supernatural” characters and worlds, i.e., untestable, idiosyncratic, corporate dogma. As the crosswalk table clearly shows, a rational life requires questioning, testing, and cross-validating by retesting which protects us, i.e., there is no “doom” or gloom nor punishment in anyone’s future.
As the cross-walk table demonstrates, we are certain that clerics’ claims of “what if we’re right?” or “one must have faith” are meaningless because the null-hypothesis states any claim is false, untrue unless testable, replicable evidence proves otherwise – no exception. Clerics use our mystifying imagination to make any myth, lie or belief appear and feel real, authentic. If it exists, it can be tested. If it can be tested, it exists. Thus, clerics’ claims do not significantly differ from what is expected under the null-hypothesis. Consequently, there isn’t any verifiable, empirical evidence to demonstrate the existence of a “supernatural” world. Any “supernatural” world is a horrifying, terrorizing marketable accusatory religious fiction and indefensible, irrational, unethical, and criminal from both a scientific and criminal district court ruling position. In view of the foregoing, how and other than occupational title, are clerics any different than psychics?
Now, the axis of the scientific method is the true set of “commandments”, i.e., “Decalogue” which gives a valid “prophecy” or prediction at the .01 confidence level or greater and makes one a true scientist.
KINDLY NOTE: The delusional and hallucinatory originators or founders, i.e., clerics of religions did not and do not distinguish between the stress of
1. the delusional/hallucinatory and the actual,
2. the mental/emotional and the material,
3. the absence and presence and
4. the ways enigmatic and pragmatic
levels of existence kaleidoscopically fuse together, causing the grandiose delusion they alone, above all others, have been contacted by some almighty deity commanding them to convert the world by dividing it into orthodoxy and secular.