DiscussMormonism.com

Dr. Shades,

I think Everybody Wang Chung makes some fair points. Wouldn't a new member soon realize that nobody's priesthood is actually doing anything?

You think any sane person will simply walk away when the gimmick is trivially falsified. I think what you're missing is that the average, high functioning person isn't going to watch a YouTube video and ever believe that a martial arts instructor is knocking his entire class to the ground with his mind. A person who believes that such things happen in reality, who believes enough to travel to the Dojo and register for classes in the first place, is like a sheep who goes out and buys an electric razor and brings it to the sheep sheerer.

Now add peer pressure, the charismatic instructor, and the principle of a sunk cost, and you've got about five days before even Rick Ross will be able to isolate the person and break their programming.

Gadianton:

I see exactly what you're saying. Sure, people can be duped, as we all know.

Even so, please take a second look at the video clip that Everybody Wang Chung included in his opening post. All those students are falling down (except for one dude doing the turkey shuffle). How on earth are they all falling down? No touch knockouts don't work, so clearly nothing is stopping them from impacting with the Sensei and/or landing their punches on him. The only explanation is that they are voluntarily and purposefully falling over.

A Mormon giving a priesthood blessing thinks his blessing will be effective. But the students in that clip can't possibly think the guy's technique is working, 'cause they will run into him if they're being as sincere as the Mormon blessing-giver.

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:10 am

All those students are falling down (except for one dude doing the turkey shuffle)

Turkey-shuffle dude is the best part. I wonder what was going through his head? "I ain't feelin' it -- I think I saw vending machines over this way ..."

Bret Ripley wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:12 pm

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:10 am

All those students are falling down (except for one dude doing the turkey shuffle)

Turkey-shuffle dude is the best part. I wonder what was going through his head? "I ain't feelin' it -- I think I saw vending machines over this way ..."

He's thinking that it's not working for him because he was m*sturb*ting last night, and has lost the "spirit" of the dojo.

But because of the culture of honour, and perfection, and guilt that suffuses the dojo, he has to decide if he'll fake it till he makes it (Touch Knockout Technique is found in the falling down of it), and eventually concludes that he cannot bear the idea of being thought unworthy.

Of course, this all happens in less than 2 seconds.

He's well on his way to becoming a sensei.

malkie wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:24 pm

Bret Ripley wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:12 pm

Turkey-shuffle dude ...

He's well on his way to becoming a sensei.

He may be on to something: as far as I can determine, no dojo currently teaches how to defend against the turkey shuffle.

Dr. Shades wrote:The only explanation is that they are voluntarily and purposefully falling over.

I totally agree. Have you ever heard of "Slain in the spirit?" "speaking in tongues?"

Has anyone claimed to feel a burning in the bosom when reading and praying?

I watched a documentary on a UFO community a while back -- a group in Washington who believes a particular mountain next to their commune is a portal. They have all kinds of fraudulent footage they've created, mainly using a (supposedly) easy trick that involves moving a star around. Remember my Breatharian post from a few months ago? Chuck full of folks sneaking in food when claiming not to eat and at the same time really believing. Cults have a way of lying outright while still deeply believing in the thing they're fabricating.

In DCP jargon: "training wheels".

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:08 am

Dr. Shades wrote:The only explanation is that they are voluntarily and purposefully falling over.

I totally agree. Have you ever heard of "Slain in the spirit?" "speaking in tongues?"

Has anyone claimed to feel a burning in the bosom when reading and praying?

I watched a documentary on a UFO community a while back -- a group in Washington who believes a particular mountain next to their commune is a portal. They have all kinds of fraudulent footage they've created, mainly using a (supposedly) easy trick that involves moving a star around. Remember my Breatharian post from a few months ago? Chuck full of folks sneaking in food when claiming not to eat and at the same time really believing. Cults have a way of lying outright while still deeply believing in the thing they're fabricating.

In DCP jargon: "training wheels".

Oooo! Which mountain? I might want to do me some portal hunting this summer.

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:08 am

Dr. Shades wrote:The only explanation is that they are voluntarily and purposefully falling over.

I totally agree. Have you ever heard of "Slain in the spirit?"

That is something I have witnessed firsthand on several occasions. I won't argue that it isn't voluntary, but I am persuaded that some folks sincerely believe it was an authentic spiritual experience. I don't think it is necessary that the students in the video are necessarily aware they are faking it (though they may be). The mind is weird, and often the easiest person to fool is oneself.

Dr. Shades, check this one out:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-x8Bhrjw ... ture=share

Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:15 am

Dr. Shades, check this one out:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-x8Bhrjw ... ture=share

Now in that one they're all clearly faking it. You can see some of them smile a little, anticipating the show they're about to put on for the innocent "toucher."

Gadianton wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:08 am

Dr. Shades wrote:The only explanation is that they are voluntarily and purposefully falling over.

I totally agree. Have you ever heard of "Slain in the spirit?" "speaking in tongues?"

Eureka. . . NOW it makes much more sense. Thank you. To the point, I always thought that those experiences were "had" due to peer pressure: None of them wanted the embarrassment of being the only one NOT rolling around on the floor.

Thanks to your insight, I'm going to conclude that all of those students who were laid out by the "chi master" simply didn't dare be the one to actually punch the highly-respected sensei and thus draw the ire of all the others.

So, an entirely fabricated group dynamic. Which raises the question (and brings us back to the focus of this thread): Were the three and eight witnesses also acting out the students' roles in this "no touch knockout technique?"