Top Ten Supers/Spreaders of Woo

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Renée on November 19, 2008 at 11:54am

I think Ben Stein should've been number 1.

Permalink Reply by The Nerd on November 19, 2008 at 12:08pm

He's definitely spread more than his fair share of bad science.

Permalink Reply by The Nerd on January 2, 2009 at 7:23pm

Hail Oprah, Queen of the Supers!

Permalink Reply by Reality Activist on January 5, 2009 at 7:38am

I'm probably just ignorant here, but could someone explain why Bill Maher is on this list. Sometimes there is a fine line between alternative medicine and real medicine. Does he base his claims on evidence or on belief?
While everyone around me is catching the common cold, I discovered a preventive measure that Medical Science doesn't accept and haven't had a cold in a very long time. When I falter in using this method though, I am as likely as anyone else to catch a cold. I live with two teenagers who are constantly bringing home colds from public school and frequently find myself among a wide diverse crowd of people similar to the exposure that my kids have.
Oh. My kids haven't learned the discipline to acquire my method yet, so they suffer each year.
Anyway, this is just one example of alternative medicine that actually works. Could it be that Bill Maher knows something that Medical Science doesn't. By the way, I've worked in the health care field for over twenty years, side by side with medical doctors. I have a strong respect for Medical Science, but I also know the influence of marketing on their knowledge in a christian based culture.

Permalink Reply by Reality Activist on January 5, 2009 at 8:28am

Whoa, Neely! I am running into it again. I did a quick search on Bill Maher and Alternative Medicine. I found a lot of opinions and spins on what he has stated in the past. Oddly though, none of his quoted statements seem to me over the top. The interpretations of his statements seemed over the top, though.
OK. Today's Pharmaceutical companies operate in a Christian based Free Enterprise System. No doubt that many drugs are great for treating illnesses, but on the other hand, many drugs are dangerous and should not be on the market. They are on the market because of the influence of pharmaceutical companies in western culture. Marketing techniques in our Free Enterprise system doesn't have a very good record. They use psychological ploys not much better then the traveling salesman (sham artist) who sold bottles of miracle spirits a century or more ago.
Being in the health profession, I have gone to seminars on Holistic Medicine hosted by the Health Care Industry. My take is that there is a lot of confusion created by prejudice, misinformation, disinformation by various marketing entities, including bonifide pharmaceutical companies.
I find it interesting that someone needs to smear Bill Maher's name at an Atheist site. His movie told it like it is. Of course, not believing in a god doesn't mean that one doesn't belief in some other irrational belief. Also, just because someone says they don't belief in a god doesn't mean that they don't. After that aggressive and inappropriate display by the Humanists in Olympus, Washington, I wish that I could somehow change the misperception of many that atheists, in general, are rational. I find as much irrational behavior among atheists as I do among theists.

Permalink Reply by Dale on July 12, 2010 at 12:02am

I am kind of surprised to see Bill Maher on the list. Then I did a little bit of research and... damn. He really is that ignorant.