Re: Urban Legend?

Another heavily biased skeptic attempt to try and explain away a legitimate phenomenon by belittling the opposition and using one specific instance to explain all cases and circumstances.

I love the part about "mysterious cosmic forces". Has the author heard about gravity, electricity or electromagnetism yet?

I realise that in certain circumstances, a prepared organic body can act like a candle and self-sustain a small fire enough to reduce the body to ashes.

Let us look at the critical phase. According to their explanation, ignition occurs when either clothing or the flesh itself catch alight. If my clothing were to catch on fire from an external ignition source, you would certainly not find the room fine except for a small charred patch as in SHC. I would most likely set the room on fire with my struggles to extinguish the blaze and remove the clothes, and cause damage and disturbance in my struggles. If my hand, for instance, were to ignite, you can bet your bottom dollar that the fire would not last the several hours needed to consume my body. I would be in horrible pain and immediately try to put it out, not stay perfectly still and allow the blaze to cremate me.

As soon as skeptics can focus on the forest rather than the trees, and famously stop trying to bore holes in a piece of wood where it is the thinnest, then they may contribute something to the scientific knowledge of mankind rather than just a feeling of smugness and superiority over the "unwashed ignorant masses".