X-Message-Number: 19770
From: "mike99" <>
Subject: defending CSICOP
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 16:51:59 -0600

In Message #19745  wrote:

>The problem with CSICOP is that its leadership uncritically accepts any
>idea as long as it is fashionable and popular among the powerful. CSICOP
will
>expose "cults" (defined as any religion small enough not to have political
>power), but they don't take on the really big frauds. When was the last
time
>the Skeptical Inquirer ran an article on the workings of the Federal
Reserve?
>Or Social Security? Or US foreign "aid"? Or the FDA? Or publik skools? Or
>Drug Prohibition?

This characterization of CSICOP is uninformed and unfair. First, consider
what the acronym CSICOP stands for: Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Neither the Federal Reserve, nor
Social Security, nor the FDA, nor US foreign aid, nor the public schools
make any claims of the paranormal, so they fall outside CSICOP's stated
mission. Second, CSICOP has published several articles, and indeed held
conferences, on the relation between science and religion. Third, if you
really want to read skeptical articles about religion published by many of
the same people who belong to CSICOP, then read the journal FREE INQUIRY
published by the Council for Secular Humanism. Fourth, if you want little or
no government, you can go to the libertarians, but don't expect any such
political talk from the relatively non-political skeptics at CSICOP.
Finally, here are the relevant websites to check out:

CSICOP: http://www.csicop.org/
COUNCIL FRO SECULAR HUMANISM: http://www.secularhumanism.org/default.htm

Michael LaTorra




Member:
Extropy Institute: www.extropy.org
World Transhumanist Association: www.transhumanism.org
Alcor Life Extension Foundation: www.alcor.org
Society for Technical Communication: www.stc.org

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