Latest news with #beliefs
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
MAUREEN CALLAHAN: Time to expose the evil death cult infecting Hollywood and the left... from abortion celebration to dead Texas kids, liberals can no longer hide it
Just when you think that ultra-woke progressives can't go any lower, we have new horrors: Celebrating abortion and cheering the deaths of little girls at summer camp, swept away by floodwaters on the Fourth of July. And here's the thing — so many of them know how ugly their beliefs are. They just don't care.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
People Are Revealing The Weirdest And Silliest Things They Believed As Kids, And I Can't Stop Giggling
Kids have very active imaginations. They see the world in a totally different way! Of course, this can lead to some pretty funny mix-ups, misunderstandings, and lots of make-believe. Reddit user Night_sky2025 recently asked, "What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child?" Here are some of the wild, hilarious, and wholesome responses: 1."When I was pretty young, I learned the word 'fired' in reference to guns. I didn't know that it also referred to being terminated from a job. So it was with confused horror that I observed my mom casually inform my dad that her coworker, Jody, had apparently been shot to death at work for her subpar job performance. And it was unnerving how casually my dad reacted to it, with little more than a, 'Oh man, that's too bad.' For quite a while, I became quite invested in my mom's work performance." —Cessnateur 2."My dad was a pilot, so he was gone a lot when I was a kid. My mom often took us to Chuck E. Cheese when my dad was on a trip. I eventually noticed we only went there when Dad was gone, so I asked him why he never wanted to go with us. He told me he was the guy in the mouse costume and was always there; he just wasn't allowed to interact with us. For many years, I genuinely believed this. We laugh about it now." —Humble-Grumble 3."As a kid, I believed you were supposed to pray to God when you wanted good things to happen and pray to Satan when you wanted bad things to happen. Like, two separate customer service departments." —Bitter_Minute_6811 4."Endora from Bewitched was real and could see me through the TV, so I had to clap and act super grateful for Bewitched or she would curse me." —IntrudingAlligator 5."Someone told me Canadians eat toast upside-down because that places the toast toppings in direct contact with taste buds. Young me believed Canadians were very clever for coming up with this toast-eating method and would occasionally give it a go myself. I met a Canadian as a fully grown adult and asked him if my 'fact' was true. Understandably, he was politely mystified. " —hummingbirdpie 6."I believed that brown cows were the ones that made chocolate milk, and the black/white cows made the regular milk. Pink cows made strawberry milk, and farmers had to hide them in their barn because they were afraid someone would steal the pink cows because everyone loved strawberry milk." —Jacked-Cookies 7."That we had two stomachs: one for liquids and one for solids. When people would say, 'It went down the wrong pipe,' I assumed it was liquids vs. solids, not solids vs. gas." —SagittariusDonkey 8."I was told to leave my cuts and scrapes alone because when I went to sleep, little, tiny people would crawl into my bed and build the scabs themselves using their tools, and I'd be rude if I messed with their work by picking at it. I used to want to catch these little tiny people. To be fair, I never saw a scab develop. I'd just wake up, and it would be there, for it seemed legit. Thanks, Mom." —kowaiikaisu 9."That the new president of the US had beaten up the previous president to get the job. I spent so much of my young life hating Ronald Reagan, not for his policies, because I was unaware of them, but because I thought he had beaten up Jimmy Carter, and Jimmy Carter seemed like a nice man." —UllsStratocaster 10."So many things. One of my favorites is that my grandpa told me the neighbors behind them were building a shed for an elephant. It was big enough for one, and my grandpa worked with the circus, so it was totally plausible. It's still referred to as the 'elephant shed.'" —Wolffairy12 11."My parents told me that TV was black and white before because the world was actually black and white. Then, a colorful meteorite struck the Earth and gave color to the world. In my defense, I was very little." —speedhirmu "I convinced my little brother that old photos were from the 'black and white days.'" —iatentdead_ 12."That there could be cameras in our house filming a TV show like other families (The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, etc.)." —Crowd-Avoider747 13."You know, in infomercials, when they say, 'But you gotta call right now to get this deal!'? I used to think they kept track of what time their commercials aired, and started a few-minute timer after they aired, and if you called after the timer ran out, you wouldn't get the deal." —YodasChick-O-Stick 14."I thought shooting stars were make-believe like unicorns and leprechauns. I was well into my 20s before I figured it out. Still never seen one though." —PossiblyN0t 15."I remember my dad telling me that part of his job was firing people. I imagined him taking them up on a hill at night, building a campfire around them, and lighting them up. I didn't understand why anyone would allow this to happen to them, even if they were bad at their job." —an_edgy_lemon 16."My parents were raised Catholic and didn't want to force it on me, so I never went to church or read the Bible or anything. Didn't want to. It seemed boring. All of my religious influence came from outside sources that I felt pretty separated from, so I kind of didn't know Jesus was a religious figure. All I knew was what I saw on TV and read brief references. Seeing different versions of Jesus was especially confusing because if he were a real guy, we wouldn't be able to redesign him, right? So for a really long time, maybe until I was 11 or 12, I fully believed Jesus was a type of character. Like a wizard or the Good King sorta deal. He was just 'That Brand of Guy.' If you will, an improv prompt, or some kind of role that needs to be filled in for a story. I still think that, but I thought everyone else thought that, too." —Stunning_Celery_6556 17."I used to believe the 'Gray Pumpkin' would come the night of Halloween to take some of the candy my brother and I collected in exchange for toys. As it turns out, this was just a fun little lie my mom told us so that I, a kid with a severe nut allergy, wouldn't feel as bad about not being able to eat like 75% of the candy I collected. Also, it was supposed to be the 'Great Pumpkin' (from Charlie Brown), but I misheard, so I always imagined a large, gray pumpkin with arms and legs sneaking into our house." —MrKahoobadoo 18."I remember thinking our eyeballs hang by hooks. I don't remember anyone telling me that; I think I just came to that conclusion myself because I couldn't understand how else they are there." —BreathOfTheWild9 19."My sister made up a pop star named Rosie. Though I had never seen her or heard her music outside of my sister singing 'Rosie songs,' I was her biggest fan and would love to ask my sister all about her. I was shocked when my sister came clean after we were almost full-blown adults, haha." —Quirky-End-7470 20."That you only had a certain amount of 'voice' allotted for your lifetime, and that's why old people's voices were very soft and shaky, because they'd used up all their voice when they were young. For a while, I was DETERMINED to have a booming voice when I was old, so I barely spoke to 'save' my voice for later." —wreathyearth 21."Have you ever gone on a highway and seen a sign that says 'speed limit enforced by aircraft'? I thought that they would just shoot you from the sky for speeding. It's not like a plane can give a ticket." —Xelopheris 22."That the opposite side of my knees were called 'leg pits.'" —ExpertOrdinary7074 23."If you play Candy Crush in the car while it is pumped with gas, the car will explode." —Huge_Friendship_6435 24."If you turn a light on in a car at night, you could get a ticket." —Low-Wrangler9740 25."That when you eat, the food would start to fill your entire body up, beginning at your feet. I thought people could cram food into themselves like you shove cotton into a stuffed animal." —Stunning_Love504 26."The left side of my body was sad because I was right-handed. So if I were eating, I'd always have the last bite on the left side of my mouth to cheer it up, etc." —Ladymomos "That 'made from scratch' meant whatever scraps were lying around." —Status_Machine4519 What's the wildest or silliest thing you believed as a kid? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form.
Forbes
18-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
1 Belief System That Can Derail Relationships, By A Psychologist
New research shows that conspiracy beliefs can profoundly impact close relationships. Here's how to ... More keep your beliefs from getting in the way of meaningful connections. Most people like to believe they see things as they truly are. Yet, the pull of alternative explanations — those that invite them to question or doubt the obvious — can be hard to resist. Conspiracy theories tap into this curiosity, suggesting shadowy forces and concealed agendas behind daily events. These beliefs hint at a hidden reality where influential players manipulate the truth for personal gain. From tales of elites orchestrating world events to secretly staged historical milestones, conspiracy theories offer a mysterious, seductive lens on the world, inviting people to question and resist mainstream narratives. The appeal lies in their promise of hidden truths, granting believers a sense of exclusivity in a world that often feels beyond control. However, while these beliefs can unite like-minded individuals, they can also breed distrust and distance in personal relationships. A 2024 study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology reveals how conspiracy beliefs influence interpersonal dynamics, uncovering a complex relationship between belief alignment and relationship satisfaction. Here are two ways in which your conspiracy beliefs can affect close relationships, according to the study. Shared beliefs lay the groundwork for trust and understanding in relationships. However, researchers of the 2024 study found that when one partner or friend subscribes to conspiracy theories and the other does not, relationship satisfaction often declines, creating a satisfaction gap. This gap is especially noticeable in close relationships, such as those with family and close friends, where shared understanding is critical to maintaining connection. This decrease in satisfaction aligns with the theory of 'shared reality,' which suggests that relationships thrive when people feel validated by those close to them. When belief in a conspiracy theory is met with skepticism, the believer may feel misunderstood, leading to emotional distance. Relationships in which only one person holds conspiracy beliefs tend to experience strain, as the lack of shared reality makes closeness and support more challenging. The 2024 study also highlights the concept of 'attitudinal distancing,' a subtle drift in emotional closeness that occurs in relationships with differing conspiracy beliefs. Conspiracy theories often encourage an 'us vs. them' mindset, which amplifies the sense of ideological separation. The more divergent the beliefs, the greater the feeling of detachment, reducing the trust that relationships rely on. This distancing weakens attitudinal closeness, or the alignment of values and viewpoints that encourage connection. For conspiracy believers, relationships with skeptics may feel frustrating or unsupportive. In contrast, non-believers may feel estranged from conspiracy-inclined friends. This divergence can erode the fundamental elements of relationships, like empathy and understanding, creating a sense of disconnection from those once considered close. In hypothetical scenarios, participants were asked to imagine how they'd feel if a friend or partner endorsed conspiracy beliefs. Those less inclined toward such beliefs anticipated a drop in satisfaction, highlighting that alignment — or lack thereof — can significantly shape relationship expectations. Even the possibility of divergent beliefs can introduce tension into otherwise stable connections. Interestingly, while conspiracy beliefs can create rifts between those with opposing views, they can also serve as a bonding agent among like-minded individuals. The study finds that relationships between two people who share similar conspiracy beliefs tend to experience greater satisfaction and closeness. In these cases, shared beliefs reinforce the perception of a shared reality, strengthening relational closeness. For conspiracy believers, finding someone who views the world similarly offers validation and support. This shared belief creates a unique safe space where ideas are accepted rather than questioned, which can be profoundly reassuring for believers. Within this dynamic, conspiracy beliefs can build trust and emotional closeness, highlighting how similar worldviews are pivotal in maintaining relational satisfaction. While differing beliefs can strain relationships, they don't necessarily have to end them. Here are a few strategies to help you keep these connections strong: Ultimately, relationships involve a delicate balance of understanding and acceptance, especially when beliefs diverge. Conspiracy theories may challenge that balance, testing trust, empathy and mutual respect. Yet, by choosing to prioritize connection over division, we can still nurture the connections that matter most. Curious if conspiracy theories have a hold over you? Take this science-backed test to find out: Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale
CTV News
13-05-2025
- CTV News
‘I feel like such an idiot': Two Ontario men lose more then $150,000 to psychics
Some people believe in the power of psychic. However, if a psychic makes unrealistic monetary demands and that should be a red flag that something is not right.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The secret science that shows astrology actually works – and how to use it to get rich today
ASTROLOGY can actually change your life, but not because the planets and stars have willed it. Speaking to The Sun, an astrologer and a psychologist have revealed exactly how the belief that celestial bodies have sway over the natural world can make people healthier and more successful. 4 Astrologer Steve Judd says just the belief that the planets and stars govern our lives can have a huge impact on our state of mind and can even give humans an "evolutionary advantage". For example, a horoscope that suggests your finances could see big changes might encourage us to focus on that pay rise we've been waiting for - making us richer. He explained: "If people are aware of planetary influences in their lives at any given time, they can consciously use them to improve themselves," astrologer Steve Judd explained. "If they are not aware of the influences, they will still work, but to a lesser degree." While the planets and stars might not really be dictating your life, they can have a powerful effect, say experts. Max Blumberg of the University of London, who specialises in research on paranormal beliefs and is a member of the British Psychological Society, said astrology can offer an evolutionary advantage in the face of tough odds. "If you believe that you have no chance, you're just going to roll over and die and be killed," he said. "Whereas if you believe that astrology, God, mystical things, are on your side - you're going to fight like hell and maybe that is what gives you the edge to win. "We are the descendants of people who had a sense of hope and that's how they survived. And astrology falls uniquely into that." Healthy habits Several studies have found that positive expectations strongly influence our experiences - and even our health. A greater sense of hope is often associated with better physical health, reduced risk of death, fewer chronic conditions and sleep problems, more life satisfaction, lower psychological distress and a sense of purpose in life. The best compatibility for star sign revealed as science explains your perfect horoscope love match You could call it a placebo, according to Blumberg, which is when a person's physical or mental health appears to improve after taking a "dummy" treatment. "So I'm feeling depressed and my stars tell me that the love of my life is around the corner - that's going to lift my depression," Blumberg explained. "Whether or not the love of my life is around the corner." He continued: "The belief that the love of my life is around the corner gives me hope, and my depression lifts for a bit." But Judd believes that the idea of giving hope was always the original purpose of astrology. The belief system is steeped in ancient tradition and has served humans as a tool for self-reflection for millennia. "People who are consciously aware of their astrological influences at any given time will gain significantly from using them, whilst those unaware will hardly notice them.", says Judd, who holds one of the world's few master's degrees in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology. Cutting through the noise With apps that deliver daily horoscopes to The Sun's very own Mystic Meg - an increasing number of people are turning to the stars to guide them. Judd believes this is because people are becoming progressively disillusioned with society, and are searching for "something more significant in their lives". In the increasingly complex world that we live in... you need models to explain what's going on. Max Blumberga chartered member of the British Psychological Society According to Blumberg, astrology helps people cut through some of the chaos they might be seeing on TV, the internet and the papers. "In the increasingly complex world that we live in... you need models to explain what's going on," he said. "And people who don't have scientific training, they'll grab onto any model that explains things - and the more complicated the model, the better it sounds." More and more people are expected to turn to astrology to make sense of their lives, and use it to guide them, Blumberg added, as global politics grow ever more fragile and local economies worsen. "When the world stops and everything goes nuts, you're going to need frameworks that explain what's going on," he said. "If astrology can say it's because Venus is in the ascendant, that sounds good. We'll get nuked tonight, but it's okay - Venus is in the ascendant."
