Is there any intrinsic power in quartz crystals and, if so, what is it?

No. There is no “power” in quartz crystals other than their power to make gullible people spend lots of money on them!

I think the only power they hold is the ability to amplify a certain energy. You believe in energy, right?

Has energy been given the double blind, replicated Goodhousekeeping Seal in the AMA Journal? If not, it can’t exist. You think I’m gullible or somethin? HA.

XD

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=hears-to-your-health

Well, that’s useful.

Superman seems to like them, so there must be something in it.

Seriously?

When I was a Grateful Dead-following, Phish-listening, New Age wannabe I thought that they must have power, since I’d been told they did from “good sources” (like my hippie roommate who told me he’d felt the power, not to mention local spiritual gurus aka older hippies).

My roommate once sat me down and handed me some different crystals and told me to figure out what spirit/energy each one was all about. So I sat there and closed my eyes and tried to meditate and really feel outside myself, really try to feel the power of the crystal. After trying and not figuring it out, I took a break, smoked a joint, and tried again. Still nothing. I began to feel as though this was somehow my deficiency, not being able to tap into the energy, like I must have some mental or spiritual block.

Eventually I told my roommate I thought one crystal had the power of “boredom” and the other “frustration.” He looked at me disapprovingly, told me what the energies were, then said “It’s not how much energy you encompass, it’s how much energy encompasses you.”

I pondered that and tried to delude myself into thinking I knew what he meant. Eventually it was this experience and many like it that caused me to be more honest with myself, more skeptical about how and why people believe things.

So now I work in biotech, and hate religion and Fox News. Crystals can teach you lessons eventually.

They make decent arrowheads.

They can power watches, but not much else. Doctors and researchers are constantly searching for new ways to heal the sick. The treatments that actually work become medicine, and the ones that don’t are sold by con-artists and the self-deluded.

@cockswain “So now I work in biotech, and hate religion and Fox News. Crystals can teach you lessons eventually.”
You hate religion? Why is that? All of them? And you hate Fox News. Why is that? Dont you like hearing the weather reports and national news? Crystals can teach you lessons . When can they do that and are you kidding?

I hate religion because it has caused tremendous division and death over the centuries. Overall it has done more harm than good, despite the existence of many peaceful practitioners. I loathe the idea of people taking things on faith, just because they have been told it by a lot of other people. It is unhealthy by creating illusions about the universe that are at best just guesses.

Reality is interesting enough without making up stories about gods, souls, and afterlives. I’m not interested in arguing with you about my views on religion though. I have little chance of changing your mind and you won’t be able to change mine without tangible proof.

Fox News spins the news heavily to the right, distorting it, causing people to unknowingly be misled about politics and gov’t.

Crystals indirectly taught me to be honest with myself and skeptical, which was the point of the story I told.

“I hate religion because it has caused tremendous division and death over the centuries. Overall it has done more harm than good, despite the existence of many peaceful practitioners.”
I agree that people have twisted it’s message and turned religion into a reason to kill. It doesn’t make me hate the religion, though. Just the misguided people who have made people hate religion like you do. Sad.
” It is unhealthy by creating illusions about the universe that are at best just guesses.” I hate to think all those scientists and astronomers are making fools out of themselves by making a profession out of guesses. Sad. But honestly, we need scientists. Glad you’re here!
“Reality is interesting enough without making up stories about gods, souls, and afterlives.” Well, there IS an afterlife, no question in my mind thanks to special experiences. It makes reality much more interesting than it would be without them. Not everyone seeks them out. And of those who do, they often come up empty handed. Unfair. I guess I won’t be hearing you lecture on angels anytime soon?
“Fox News spins the news heavily to the right, distorting it, causing people to unknowingly be misled about politics and gov’t.” I’m sure you’re right about this. But it doesn’t make me HATE FOX News. I think too much hatred is bad for the Spirit. And for our health.
“Crystals indirectly taught me to be honest with myself and skeptical, which was the point of the story I told.” I won’t ask how this happened but I am intrigued. They haven’t taught me a darn thing. But I have a nice collection from Arkansas. LOL
Wishing you more Like and less Hate this Valentine’s Day.

Quartz crystals also produce sparks if you strike two of them together at the right angle.

I agree that people have twisted it’s message and turned religion into a reason to kill. It doesn’t make me hate the religion, though. Just the misguided people who have made people hate religion like you do. Sad.

Since the religion is just created by people, it is impossible for me to separate the people from the ideology. In other words, religion isn’t some universal fact of physics, it’s just some stuff people made up so they aren’t perverting the religion with foul deeds. The religion is already corrupted by attempting to explain the universe in a fictitious way.

I hate to think all those scientists and astronomers are making fools out of themselves by making a profession out of guesses.

A hypothesis is an educated guess, and discarded if unproven or in light of different facts. Religion doesn’t change in that way.

Well, there IS an afterlife, no question in my mind thanks to special experiences.

I haven’t had those experiences, but would guess you could interpret yours in many ways.

I’m sure you’re right about this. But it doesn’t make me HATE FOX News. I think too much hatred is bad for the Spirit. And for our health.

I use the word hate liberally, to indicate varying degrees of dislike, but I do hate Fox News strongly. And I don’t believe in a spirit and am not worried about my health since I work out all the time and am happy in general. I’m very comfortable with my hatred levels.

I won’t ask how this happened but I am intrigued.

Again, I’m thinking you missed the point of the story I told above.

Wishing you more Like and less Hate this Valentine’s Day.

I appreciate that, but my wife and I both hate Valentine’s Day as a consumerist bullshit thing. Love need not have a special bullshit day filled with bullshit cards, flowers, and dinners. We can do that any day (except cards, which are totally lame).

@incendiary_dan Magic sparks?

ok; 10/4 !!