The first five Unspoken Ground Rules that the "alt-med" believers impose on any debate

[beam me up scottie]

1. The experts you quote are corrupt, short-sighted, narrow-minded reactionaries. The experts they quote are altruistic,
visionary, open-minded progressives.

2. In "alt-med", everyone is a victim - of corrupt doctors, polluting corporations, government conspiracies, etc. Their
disorders are never caused by their own lifestyle choices (e.g. overeating, too little exercise, drinking too much, etc.),
genetics or random chance. And their symptoms are most definitely NOT psychosomatic or imaginary. To even imply
otherwise is a serious breach of etiquette.

3. Suffering from a disorder, or having a family member (e.g. parent, spouse, etc.) that suffers from a disorder makes
you an unimpeachable expert on that disorder. Any lack of formal education, training or expertise is more than
compensated by intimate knowledge as a sufferer or "co-sufferer".

4. Scientific method is merely a ploy to keep the truth of "alt-med" hidden so that corrupt doctors and "Big Pharma"
(pharmaceutical corporations) can continue to profit from human misery. This is no different from the oil companies and
auto manufacturers that have hidden the secret of cars that run on water or get 2000 miles to the gallon of gasoline.

5. Peer-reviewed scientific journals are part of a massive conspiracy to suppress "alt-med". Forcing "alt-med"
practitioners to show their data is categorically unfair - they are much too busy saving lives to be bothered with proving
what they already know is true.

Read the rest at http://www.geocities.com/healthbase/altmed_debate_laidler.html">The Quack Files

[TZ]

1. I would add

That they believe western medicine doesn't treat the causes just the symptoms (:wtf: - germ theory anyone?)
And that alt med was accepted in the past for thousands of years so that makes it more valid than they young and "unproven" western med....

[beam me up scottie]

2. That's like homeopaths claiming they invented vaccinations.

As the good doctor said:

"As with the lottery, this should be done for entertainment only - you have about the same chance of changing a "true
believer's" mind as you have of winning the lottery. That said, it CAN be fun, if you have the right attitude and know the
rules."

[trotsky]

3. Man is that disturbingly accurate.

#3 is particularly aggravating. You can't overturn the emotional veto, and if you try, well you're an insensitive jerk.

[beam me up scottie]

4. It's like he lives here.

I like #6:

"No matter how outrageous their claim is, it is true unless you can prove it false."

[trotsky]

5. #10 & #11 are particularly noteworthy in light of recent threads.

No kidding it's like he's here. Fucking template for their posts.

[varkam]

6. #3 is tough to overcome, but it can be done.

I think some people, but not all, use it as a cynical method to try to shut down discussion.

[varkam]

7. Double-dog dare you to post this in the health forum

:evilgrin:

[beam me up scottie]

8. I actually considered it.

If I ever leave it will be my swan song. :D

[varkam]

9. I'm totally kidding. That would get you in deep doo-doo.

:spank:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

12. What would you know you haven't even had a microbiology class?

That really was pathetic. Kind of funny that she didn't know that a virus wasn't a microorganism.

David

[varkam]

14. She's a howler, for sure.

Though, honestly, since law school has just started up I'm too busy to pay her much mind.

[beam me up scottie]

17. Very arrogant.

Someone in that far over their head has no business telling you what medical texts you need to read.

[LeftishBrit]

19. Oh and apparently..

it's all very well for non-Americans, because if the evil vaccines poison us, we can get to see a doctor about it for free!

I think I'll need to see a doctor for my headaches if I spend too much time in that forum!

And there are one or two people who are absolutely obsessed that others are trying to 'speak for' or 'stifle' them.

Seriously, has anyone any idea why the crusades are *so* emotionally intense- when there is not the same level of intensity about, for example, the lack of universal healthcare in the USA, or about pollution and its health effects everywhere?

[dropkickpa]

21. Tell me bout it!

I purposely posted a new and very disturbing report on medical debt in the US, and, dontchaknow, the opne screaming and wailing about the *outrageous* cost of certain vaccines and it's impact cost wise on american families had not one word to say?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

11. It really deserves to be posted there.

[beam me up scottie]

13. oh, I'd be banned for sure.

I wouldn't do that to the poor mods, even if it would be absolutely freakin' hilarious.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

15. Maybe I'll post a link to it in health.

We would hate to lose you linda.

David

[beam me up scottie]

16. Ah, you don't want to be a trouble maker like me.

And I'm very glad that you're here.

[semillama]

10. I like #10

"<10> The fact that doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies make money is proof that they are all evil, corrupt
and will do anything for a buck (US dollar). When "alt-med" practitioners make money, they are just getting what they
deserve for "helping" so many people"

[PVnRT]

18. Added to StumbleUpon

In fact, I encourage all of my skeptical associates here to start flooding StumbleUpon with stuff like this. Make sure to add a "woo" tag to it, like I did here.

[salvorhardin]

20. StumbleUpon is incredibly powerful

For any given post of mine at Neural Gourmet that I add to StumbleUpon there's an almost immediate flood of traffic and the traffic continues to trickle in months later.