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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - Podcast 227 - 11/25/2009
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The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, LLC - dedicated to promoting critical thinking, reason, and the public understanding of science through online and other media. The first episode of the SGU podcast went online on May 4th, 2005. It soon became a popular science/skeptical podcast, and remains one of the most popular science podcasts on iTunes.
SGU Podcasting Awards: SGU on XM: You can listen to the SGU on America's Talk XM 166 every Saturday night from 8-9pm Eastern.
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Podcast
227
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November 25, 2009
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News Items: LHC Online, Coma and Facilitated Communication, ClimateGate, CrocoDuck
Your Questions and E-mails: Speaking in Tongues
Science or Fiction
Who's That Noisy
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Segment: News Items
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Segment: Questions and E-mails
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Question # 1 - Speaking in Tongues
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Dear sceptics (with a K),
thanks for the great show. I'm working my way through the old episodes and I'm learning plenty on the way. Good times. Thanks. You are all literally amazing.
So, my question today is about people speaking languages that they have never (knowingly) encountered before.
I used to be a church-going Christian and I came across people 'speaking in tongues' quite frequently. I believed it for a while, but when I was taught how to do it (just start talking and God will give you the words, honest) I became sceptical (with a K). I was then told that, "Even if nobody else understands what you are saying, God does." This was at odds with my understanding of 'tongues' through reading the bible, and I dismissed it as complete bollocks, quickly followed by the rest of my Christian beliefs.
I've recently been in touch with a guy who is utterly convinced (at leas he seems to be) that he had a past life as a Vietnamese man, and the evidence for this was in his regression therapy. He claims that he spoke fluent Vietnamese during the therapy, and that this was recorded and the recordings were verified as genuine by an 'expert'. He has the tapes but hasn't listened to them in years because they are too traumatic. Apparently.
I have no reason to suspect the guy is lying, but he is definitely misguided, right? I mean, this is complete fiction. It must be. If it is true...
I'd be very grateful if you could discuss this topic at some point, or at least reply with some kind of explanation.
Many thanks
Dave Roberts
Seoul
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Segment: Science or Fiction [ Click Here to Show the Answers ]
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Segment: Who's That Noisy
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Who's That Noisy
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Answer to last week - excerpt from the movie 9
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Segment: Quote of the Week
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