Quote:
Originally Posted by choppedandglued
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The point really is that the things you were talking about, the supernatural stuff, has had its chance to be proven by now. It hasn't, what's the excuse?
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The Validity of the Supernatural is not the topic I am discussing, but you are welcome to it!
I come from a culture that does not bother with proofs or truths, certainties or reality, we all live in a constant flux of truth and tangibility.
And yet I know what you mean though that is not what I am discussing.
What happens today is not what will happen tomorrow, there are no certainties.
It is very hard to think what lies in front of you is real, if at all, only because tomorrow it will not exist.
I always liked the concept the natives from Australia give to reality, The Dreamtime.
Latinamerica is like that.
I can understand "Magic" and "Witchcraft" is as real as <insert whatever you think its imaginary> , so I honestly just like to talk about it like ... Art?
Personally I love Randi and debunking people that believe these things are real, for Venezuelans these rituals are cultural and obviously it is dangerous territory when Real Medicine is left to the side for "magic", but again, that is not what I want to show here.
Love showing it to others, even if they do not believe in it, because I find it absolutely delightful how people react, outsiders and insiders.
Personally I only believe in the fact people believe what they see is real, which leaves me apart and detached from it.
I am not talking about people doing magical rituals with stones or trees, but about the act of self-mortification so evident in our local rites, the music, the smoke, the types of drugs, the dancing.
There is something amazing in the ritual act some of these performers, under strong hallucinogenics, do to their bodies and the energy you can feel when everybody begins to let loose under the influence of the Stage Theatrics of the whole ritual.
Imagine a Psychological Experiment on a Mass Scale. A Cultural Performing Arts, a visual debauchery of the senses.
There is nothing there but what you want to pour on it, and it is also a longing.
Visually it is amazing, the sound is sublime, tribal.
Here you can see what I mean > Venezuelan Drums
https://youtu.be/Q3ZVgldwHOU
And more Venezuelan Drums! Love it! >
https://youtu.be/hbtQmhnSxl4
Again, Art, local Venezuela Art and Music, which can not be separated from its "magical" aspect. It is something hard to explain to others, so all I can do is show it around
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in Venezuela the line between reality and fantasy is so blurred people live in an altered reality state, which is fascinating to me as a psychologist.
Points of validity or reason, though being important overall, are not the focus on the deep sociological aspects that surround these rituals, it is like trying to point at Mickey Mouse and insulting it , like the famous "Enemy Mine" scene
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It is like growing up knowing Santa is not real, yet enjoying Xmas for the chance to be with loved ones or as an excuse to be charitative or hang out with friends and have dinner, even if the whole mythology behind it is as fake as a 3 Dollar bill and elves do not exist and no white fat guy travels from the North Pole to bring gifts to good children.
I mean, everyone knows it is not real, hope the analogy conveys what I mean.
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And love showing it around ... the more blood, the better, its fantastic! For me when people begin to pour hot candle wax all over their bodies and spasm is like the climax of the whole show.
If just one person discovers about it from this thread, my work is done, which is again, just to show some interesting local aspects of my country to others.
Reality is another topic, delusions a different reality altogether.
Here let me finish with something the Amazing Randi once said:
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So open you rmind to it, just not too much, and see it as performing arts.
We do not have geishas or
danish tongue singers or
russian squat dancers, we have guys cutting themselves open praying to local nature spirits while under the influence of strong drugs.
And for me that is ... Sublime.
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Big hug to you my friend! Remain Skeptical! Everybody is always selling something, even if hidden with the truth.
Yay!