trentmkelly/rationalwiki huggingface dataset:
Serpent seed doctrine

{{sources needed}}{{biblenav}}
The '''serpent seed doctrine''' is the belief that [[Eve]] literally had [[sexual intercourse]] with the [[snake|serpent]] in the [[Garden of Eden]], leading to offspring.  

How can [[bestiality|sexual intercourse between a human and a snake]] take place, you ask? Ah, well, it happened before [[The Fall]], so [[YHWH|God]] hadn't gotten mad at the serpent yet… so the serpent wasn't "crawling in the dust" yet… so the serpent was pretty much human-shaped, like you or I. So Eve bangs the serpent and produces [[Cain]] &mdash; the spawn of [[Satan]] (although nowhere in the [[Old Testament]] does it say that the serpent was Satan). [[Abel]], on the other hand (and Seth later), would have been a child of [[Adam]] (and thus a grandchild of God, we suppose). Similar to the "[[Curse of Ham]]" doctrine, some believers also hold that the "serpent-seed" were non-white people.

Serpent seed believers differ on the story from that point on. Did Cain's offspring get wiped out in the [[Great Flood]]? Were they the Kenites, a tribe living in the greater [[Canaan]] metropolitan area during the [[Exodus]]? Did they interbreed with their more godly neighbors so everyone alive today has a little piece of [[original sin]] in them? Or are only some of us <small>*cough*[[Democrat]]s*cough*</small> Satan-spawn, and others <small>(say, [[Southern Baptist]]s)</small> pure sons of Adam?

[[Antisemitism|Anti-semites]] sometimes use verses like {{bible|Matthew|12|34}} and {{bible|John|8|44}} to claim that the descendants of the serpent/Satan are the [[Jew]]s. 

==Prominent serpent seed believers==
* [[William Branham]]
* [[Peter J. Peters]]
* Some [[Christian Identity]] believers
* Some [[Kabbalah|Kabbalist]] [[Jewish]] [[rabbi]]s
* Some small [[Calvinist]] [[Baptist]] sects (Primitive Baptists and Old Regular Baptists, mainly)

{{biblebox}}
{{crebox}}

[[Category:Christian mythology]]
[[Category:Old Testament]]
{{stub|bible}}

Categories: Christian mythology, Old Testament
Sexual revolution

{{Sources needed}}
{{sex}}
The term '''"sexual revolution"''' is used to describe an alleged loosening in Western [[sex]]ual mores in the 1960s and 1970s following the development of accessible and reliable contraception — specifically, "the Pill." While it's not clear if people were really boinking more than they had been previous to the sexual revolution (recent statistics show that the rate of premarital sex in the general population has been fairly constant at 90-95% of the American population over the last century, for example), by the early 1980s, with the fear-mongering of herpes and threat of [[AIDS| HIV/AIDS]], the party was, if not pretty much over, at least operating under a new set of rules. 

The Sexual Revolution of the 1960s was fueled by the second wave of feminism and its achievements: in 1965, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] legalized [[contraception]] in ''[[Griswold v. Connecticut]]''; eight years later, in 1973, [[abortion]] became legal through ''[[Roe v. Wade]]''. This was far from a coincidence: at the core of second-wave feminism was the idea that women deserved just as much sexual freedom as men. Younger women were disgusted with the traditional idea that women should be expected to be mothers loyal to their husband, and fought hard for equal sexual rights.

{{stub|sexuality}}

[[Category:Revolution]]

Categories: Revolution
Shamanism

{{religion}}
{{cquote|Boom shakalaka, here comes the spirit man!|20px|20px|George "Filthy Frank" Miller|[[https://web.archive.org/web/20120531180009/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJzq-QNV690&gl=US&hl=en]]}}

'''Shamanism''' is an umbrella term, most commonly used to denote [[religion | religious practices]] in which a person (i.e., a shaman) acts as an intermediary between the physical and [[supernatural]] realm. The word "shaman" itself originated with the Evenks of [[Siberia]], although there is some dispute as to whether it got to the English language from Russians who reported on Evenks or from the Evenk-related Manchu language. Due to this fact, some [[anthropologist]]s argue that the idea of shamanism is artificially constructed and its application outside of the Siberian context is misleading.<ref>
Alice Beck Kehoe. (2000) [http://books.google.com/books/about/Shamans_and_Religion.html?id=i_MnAAAAYAAJ ''Shamans and Religion: An Anthropological Exploration in Critical Thinking''.] London: Waveland Press.
</ref> Nevertheless, anthropologists have attempted to define some of the characteristics of shamanism. These common features may include:

*a supposed ability to interact with [[spirit]]s or other supernatural entities
*the use of [[drugs|altered states of consciousness]] in the performance of rituals
*powers of [[faith healing|healing]] or [[divination]]

Depending on how one defines it, shamanism has likely existed since the Paleolithic period. Cave paintings and other markings provide evidence that shamans may have used certain locations to enter altered states of consciousness and to perform rituals. As hunter-gatherer societies became more complex during the Upper Paleolithic, this may have enabled the formation of roles for part-time religious specialists such as shamans.<ref>J. David Lewis-Williams. (2002) ''{{wpl|The Mind in the Cave|The Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art.}}'' London: Thames and Hudson.</ref>

As of 2023, shamanism is the fastest-growing religion in Britain<ref>{{Cite news |title= Shamanism is Britain’s fastest-growing religion |work= The Economist |url= https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/02/09/shamanism-is-britains-fastest-growing-religion |access-date= 2023-02-12 |issn= 0013-0613}}</ref> - growing fast from a small base.

==See also==
*[[Animism]]
*[[Neoshamanism]] and [[plastic shaman]]s, for the [[New Age]] appropriation

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040704200301/http://www.cabrillo.edu/%7Ecrsmith/shaman.html Shamanism]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{stub|religion}}

[[Category:Anthropology]]
[[Category:Folklore]]
[[category:Woo]]
[[Category:Paradigms of religion]]

Categories: Anthropology, Folklore, Woo, Paradigms of religion
Shirdi Sai Baba

{{hatnote|Not to be confused with [[Sathya Sai Baba]]}}
[[File:Shirdi Sai Baba portrait.jpg|right|thumb|180px|The guru's passport photo or something.]]
'''Shirdi Sai Baba''' (birthplace and date unknown, died 1918) was a beggar and [[Islam|Muslim]]/[[Hinduism|Hindu]] mystic who lived in a [[mosque]] in the village of {{wpl|Shirdi}} in what is now the state of {{wpl|Maharashtra||,}} [[India]]. He remains popular among some [[Muslims]] and [[Hindus]].

His devotees consider him to be many things including a great saint, faqir, sadhguru (true guru) or even an incarnation of the Hindu god {{wpl|Dattatreya||.}} He stressed total devotion to the guru (i.e. himself) and could be violent and abusive at times. His devotees interpreted this behaviour as benevolent acts intended to transform them spiritually.<ref>Bowen, David (1988) ''The Sathya Sai Baba Community in Bradford: Its origins and development, religious beliefs and practices.'' Leeds: University Press. pagina 135<br />"That Shirdi Sai Baba was eccentric is well-attested, for it seems that he was sometimes of uncouth and violent behaviour." </ref> 

Shirdi Sai Baba did not speak much and gave no sermons. He stressed the importance of the guru, repeating the name of God, and surrendering to him. Many [[miracle]]s have been attributed to him by those who want to believe in such things. The first miracle attributed to him during his life was changing water into lamp oil to keep the lamps in the mosque burning.  He did not deny having performed a miracle. 

==Other gurus== 
Another Indian Hindu guru [[Sathya Sai Baba]] has jumped on the [[bandwagon]] and claimed to be a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, but apart from a similar focus on miracles, there is not much similarity between the two.

==External links==
*[http://www.yoursaibaba.com/ Ask me anything!]
*[http://nitwitnastik.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/shirdi-sai-baba-and-a-few-dubious-miracles/ Blog post about dubious miracles attributed to Shirdi Sai Baba]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cult leaders]]
[[Category:Hinduism]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Hindus]]
[[Category:Muslims]]
[[Category:Indians]]
[[Category:Religious leaders]]

Categories: Cult leaders, Hinduism, Islam, Saints, Hindus, Muslims, Indians, Religious leaders
Shoe

{{Fork}}
[[File:Future.gif|thumb|right]]
*[[Walid Shoebat]] — an [[Islamophobe]]
*[[Theodore Shoebat]] — son of Walid, an extremist [[homophobic]], [[misogynist]], islamophobe
*[[Shoe0nHead]] — an [[antifeminist]] [[vlogger]]
*[[Shoehorning]] — using evidence or events to support an idea if the data do not support its conclusion
*[[Spring Heeled Jack]] — an [[urban legend]] regarding a villain who used spring-loaded boot heels to leap great distances
*[[Vermin Supreme]] — the boot-headed [[perennial candidate]]
Shooters and Fishers Party

{{gunnav|1}}
The '''Shooters and Fishers Party''' is an [[Australia]]n political party focused on the promotion of shooting and other [[gun]]-related activities. The group is particularly infamous for its "Shooting in Schools" policy and harbors a deep loathing for anyone who dares to contradict them.

==Policies and political stance==
The enlightened policies of the party include, but are not limited to:
*Shooting as a school sport
*Opposition to action on [[climate change]], because "it doesn't exist" (yes, really)
*Relaxation of [[gun control]]
*Abolition of Marine and National Parks
*Legalisation of private game reserves
*Legalisation of all forms of [[Fun:hunting|hunting]] in any area<ref>They really want to play ''{{wpl|The Most Dangerous Game}}''</ref>
*A Moratorium on ''all'' immigration into Australia<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/ofarrell-over-a-barrel-as-the-shooters-take-aim-20110412-1dcpm.html The Sydney Morning Herald: O'Farrell over a barrel as the Shooters take aim] 13 April 2011</ref>
*Opposition to what it calls "extreme Green policies" and the "left-leaning social reconstructive agenda" of the [[Australian Greens|Greens]].

==See also==
*[[National Rifle Association]] ([[United States]])
*[[Privatization of wildlife]]

==External links==
*[https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/ The party website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Template:Down Under}}

[[Category:Australian political parties]]
[[Category:Gun control]]

Categories: Australian political parties, Gun control
Shyster

{{Scam}}A '''shyster''' is an individual who tends to be flexible with his choice of words and sensitive to the sensibilities of his audience when he discusses fiscally pertinent topics. 

Translation: a shyster is accustomed to excrete torrents of [[bullshit]] over the heads of [[sucker]]s, who then reward the shyster by handing over enormous wads of cash for 'safe' keeping.

The term is likely derived from the [[Germany|German]] ''Scheißer'' (literally 'shitter', but figuratively meaning shithead in German), with the word first appearing in print in 1843 in New York City.<ref name=www>[[http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-shy1.htm Shyster] ''World Wide Words''.</ref> The Oxford English Dictionary confirms this German etymology, others have disagreed. Some have claimed that it derived from the [[antisemitic]] character Shylock in [[Shakespeare]]'s {{wpl|The Merchant of Venice|''The Merchant of Venice''|,}} but this seems unlikely because the term appeared more than two centuries after the play's first performance in 1605, and because Shylock was a moneylender, whereas the term shyster originally pertained only to crooked lawyers.<ref name=www/>
==Examples==
A large number of ministers of [[religion]] fall into this category, particularly [[cult]] leaders and [[televangelist]]s. This category also includes such [[creationist]]s as are not completely insane, but are merely shilling for [[pseudoscience]].

[[Extremist]] [[politicians]], such as those in the [[far-right]] wing of today's [[Republican Party]] ([[Trumpism]]), or the [[CPUSA]] (especially {{wpl|Secret Speech|pre-1956}}), as well as politicians who pander to extremists, are often shysters; for example, [[Ronald Reagan]] announced his sympathy with [[creationism]] to win over the [[fundamentalist]] voters, and promptly got elected, later being rewarded with canonization before being forgotten by Trumpists.

The term is also sometimes applied to certain trial lawyers, particularly of the ambulance-chasing variety.

==See also==
* [[Denialism]]
* [[:Category:Pseudoscience promoters|Mostly shysters]]
* [[Sucker]]
* [[Charlatan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Deceit]]
[[Category:Shysters| ]]

Categories: Deceit, Shysters
Silva method

{{sources needed}}
[[File:Jose Silva.jpg|thumb|left|José Silva (August 11, 1914 – February 7, 1999) ]]
{{pseudosciencenav}}
The '''Silva method''', also known as '''Silva Mind Control''', is a [[hypnosis]]-based [[self help]] program developed by a repairman named José Silva. It [[woo|claims]], among other things, to increase your [[IQ]] and help you talk with [[God]] by staring into space several times a day.

==Method and madness==
The heart of the Silva method relies on a fundamental misunderstanding of the [[brain]]. Silva came across some work pointing out the differential functions of the [[Hemispheric dominance|left and right hemisphere of the brain]] and came to the conclusion that the right brain is "[[mystic]]al" and all-powerful and that everyone is stuck in the left hemisphere. This is patent nonsense and goes against every bit of evidence in [[neuroscience]]. Silva, however, ran with it and claims his method unlocks the power of the right hemisphere, allowing people to manifest anything they could possibly want. 

Some parts of the method should not be taught to children, or only taught with proper care for their use. In particular, "glove anaesthesia" can get kids in trouble if they just "will the pain away" without attending to the underlying issues.

[[Category:Woo-related stubs]]
[[Category:New Age]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Woo]]


{{stub|pseudoscience}}

Categories: Woo-related stubs, New Age, Pseudoscience, Psychology, Woo
Simon Jenkins

{{media}}
Sir '''Simon Jenkins''' {{lived|1943}} is a prominent [[UK]] journalist (he was knighted in 2004 for services to journalism) and author, mostly on social issues and architecture. He was chairman of the National Trust from 2008 to 2014<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/greenpolitics/planning/11435622/Green-Belt-is-near-meaningless-says-Sir-Simon-Jenkins.html Green Belt is 'near meaningless', says Sir Simon Jenkins], The Telegraph, 2015</ref>. He used to edit ''The Times'' and before that was political editor of ''[[The Economist]]''. He writes columns for the ''[[Guardian]]'' and the ''[[Huffington Post]]''. Politically he is conservative with a small c, and often comes across as a grumpy old man railing against modernity.

He is a depressing reminder of how [[anti-science]] sentiment is not restricted to the [[religious right]]. He is of the opinion that scientists and mathematicians<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/06/maths.alevels Maths? I breakfasted on quadratic
al
 equations, but it was a waste of time] (''Guardian'', 2008-06-06)</ref> are useless, egoistical money-grubbers who demand an undue amount of attention in the popular [[media]] and state curricula, and that science is simply a giant scam for cash.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/24/rees-makes-religion-out-of-science Martin Rees makes a religion out of science so his bishops can gather their tithe] (''Guardian'', 2010-06-04)</ref> When an Italian court sentenced a couple of seismologists in 2012 for failing to predict an earthquake, he didn't miss the occasion to rant again in the same vein.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/25/italy-earthquake-laquila-banknote-predict Wave a banknote at a pundit and he'll predict anything], ''The Guardian'', 25 October 2012</ref>

==External links==
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/simonjenkins Guardian columns]
* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/simon-jenkins Huffington Post columns]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Simon}}
{{stub|media}}
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Journalists, Living people
Sinead Quinn

#REDIRECT [[Great Reopening#Sinead Quinn]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quinn, Sinead}}

[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:Business]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:COVID-19 denialists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pseudolaw]]
[[Category:Tax protesters]]

Categories: British people, Business, Conspiracy theorists, COVID-19 denialists, Living people, Pseudolaw, Tax protesters
Six Easy Pieces

{{Sources needed}}{{books}}{{title-italics}}
'''''Six Easy Pieces''''' ({{Isbn|9780465025275}}), first published in 1994, is an abridged version of ''The Feynman Lectures on Physics'', compiled by famed [[physics|physicist]] [[Richard P. Feynman]].

==Purpose==
The ''Lectures'' were designed with the purpose of recruiting and ultimately retaining the next generation of physics students-to-become-physicists at the California Institute of Technology during the sixties.  Feynman, who had spent most of his career lecturing to graduate students and fellow physicists, envisioned teaching first and second year students (many who were not majoring in physics but for whom four semesters of physics was a belaboring prerequisite) in the "Feynman style" which emphasized layperson's terms, appropriate analogies, and a light-hearted, often comical vocal delivery.  Thankfully, for those of us who were in grade school (or diapers, or nonexistent) by the time he died, Feynman intended from the start of the project that the ''Lectures'' be recorded for posterity.

''Six Easy Pieces'' compiles the simplest of the ''Lectures'', utilizing no mathematics, and requiring only a basic understanding of atomic chemistry, for the scientist and non-scientist alike to read, understand, and (ultimately) love.

==Content==
The book begins with some humorous anecdotes about Feynman from fellow physicists/CalTech lecturers, and an introduction from Feynman explaining the purpose of his lectures, as well as some rather funny bits about some of the problems he had putting them together.

The actual lectures themselves, each roughly thirty pages long, contain primer lectures on [[atom|atomic motion]], basic concepts of physics, physics in relation to other [[science]]s, [[conservation of energy]], the theory of gravitation, and basic [[quantum mechanics]].

==Style==
The "Feynman style" is hard to quantify without reading or hearing his lectures.  Among some of the elements seen in ''Six Easy Pieces'':
* Use of analogies or reference points to quantify large ratios; for example, an [[apple]] in relation to the size of the [[Earth]] roughly equivalences the relative size of the nucleus in a carbon atom compared to its electron shell.
* Use of commonly known substances and energies, such as [[water]] or [[radio]], to illustrate the physics behind different chemical and atomic processes.
* Use of diagrams, most of which he acknowledges as inaccurate due to scaling and the fact that such diagrams are not three-dimensional.
* ''Italicizing'' important new terms and topics, a cue for readers with highlighters.
* Acknowledgement, almost apologetically, of that which is still yet unknown in physics, but with hope that the reader will work to further innovation and discovery.

==Not to be confused with==
* ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065724/ Five Easy Pieces]'', a film starring Jack Nicholson and Karen Black (IMDb)
* ''{{wpl|A Million Little Pieces|A Million Little Pieces}}'', a book much beloved by [[Oprah Winfrey]] until it was discovered to be fictional

[[Category: Books]]
[[Category:Physics]]

Categories:  Books, Physics
Skeptical Libertarian

{{skepnav}}
The '''Skeptical Libertarian''' is a blog which seeks to debunk [[pseudoscience]] and [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]]. The blog's preferred targets are "[[No true Scotsman|libertarians]]" that promote [[woo]] and conspiracy theories.<ref> http://blog.skepticallibertarian.com/about/</ref>

==Make your own conspiracy theory!==
After attempts at mocking conspiracies fell through, the folks at the Skeptical Libertarian decided to make a guide of how to make your own conspiracy theory:<ref>http://blog.skepticallibertarian.com/2012/04/18/build-your-own-conspiracy-theory/</ref>

* Pick bad thing  X that happened (it doesn’t matter what or when).
* Postulate a conspiracy was behind it (it doesn’t matter who or why).  This is all you need to get going, but there are a few techniques you can use to fill in the blanks about what really happened during X.
* [[Cherry picking|Cherry pick]] factoids, take details out of context, mine quotes from public figures, elevate obscure minor incidents to center stage, juxtapose unrelated events, obsess over coincidence, point to suspicious lack of evidence that (if it existed) would support your theory, and always, always have pictures with big red arrows pointing to nothing in particular.
* The general rule is: stitch together everything that vaguely supports your theory or calls into question the mainstream explanation, and ignore or deny everything that does not fit.
* In later stages, once your campaign to uncover the truth is well-developed, create a really poorly-produced internet “documentary,” set it to scary music, and have your college roommate narrate it.
* Denounce skeptics and scientists who debunk your claims as tools of the conspiracy, and make it clear that anyone who doubts your theory is a Moreaun human-sheep hybrid creature afflicted with narcolepsy. Tell them they need to, “Wake UP, [[Sheeple|SHEEPLE]]!”
* Compile a list of  a tiny number of “[[Argument from authority|experts]]” that support some of your claims, and use it to lend a veneer of scientific credibility to your theory. Wherever possible, use misattributed, unsourced, and [[Quote mining|out-of-context quotes]] from experts who do not support your theory to imply they do.
* Create lists of “unanswered questions” that, regardless of how well-answered, will always remain “unanswered.”

==External links==
*[http://blog.skepticallibertarian.com/ Skeptical Libertarian]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Libertarians]]
[[Category:Websites]]

Categories: Libertarians, Websites