Wednesday, December 16, 2009

SkepticWiki

This wiki encyclopedia of skepticism covers a diverse array of subjects, including aliens, ufos, psychic phenomena, relics, alternative medicine, illusions, frauds, and pseudo-science. As with other wikis, all the articles are the work of volunteers, who may either create new articles or edit existing articles. However, unlike in some wikis, to help protect the site against spam and vandalism, a person must register before he or she can contribute.

I came across a good example of the skeptic point of view while perusing the Religion and Philosophy section. In an article about the historical Jesus, several theories about the "real" Jesus are discussed. These include the ideas that he was a sage, an advocate for social change, and an apocalyptic prophet. Inherent in all of these theories is a denial that he was divine. Another article in the same section even questions his historical existence.

Another interesting section is the Relics and Artifacts category. This includes articles about the Spear of Destiny, the Shroud of Turin, the True Cross of Jesus, the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, and the Pillars of Enoch. The True Cross is the actual cross on which Jesus died. Some people believe that its wood has miraculous healing powers, and pieces of it were taken to many churches in Europe. The Spear of Destiny is a name for the lance that was thrust into the side of Jesus while he was on the cross. According to one story, Louis IX of France claimed to have the point of this lance at one time, but it has apparently disappeared. Several other stories about the fate of the original lance are also discussed.

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SkepticWiki

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