What would it take to convince you?

[Lord T Hawkeye]

I kept meaning to do this one but always forgot.  ><

You don't have to move mountains to convince me you have powers.  I can be convinced for much less than that - James Randi

Now, I get called closed minded for my unwillingness to accept mysticism, collectivism and whatever bogosity-ism people try to sell me with no evidence to back it up as I'm sure everyone here does.  So, let's be good sports and paint a nice big target on ourselves and dare them to take the shot.

In all the things you speak out against, what evidence would you accept in favor of it and change your mind?

Religion?
Well, obviously if you showed me God in the flesh, I'd have to believe but that's not all I'd accept.

If you showed me prophecies that actually came true, I'd be intrigued (prophecy of course cannot be vague, ambiguous or self fulfilling)

If you could demonstrate real, genuine miracles, I'd definetly consider religion worth looking into again.  No, ho hum miracles you could explain away with coincidences, I wanna see amputees growing back limbs folks!  If God can split the sea, that should not be difficult for him.

Collectivism?
This includes government healthcare, welfare and all those other programs.

Show me one replicatable case where collectivism succeeded where freedom failed.  Heck, show me one case where collectivism reaped the results it intended even.

Astrology?
Same as religion, give me REAL predictions with a definite "right or wrong" line to draw in the sand.  Predict that I'll get a paint can dropped on me tomorrow and I'll be a believer...once I'm out of the hospital.

The War on Drugs?
Don't show me the busts here and there, show me the crime problem actually going down.  Show me that your system is getting users off the dope and becoming productive members of society.  Show me real, tangible results.  You've had 30 years.  You gotta have SOMETHING to show for it by now.

Psychics?
A psychic winning the lottery on the first try.

Homeopathy?
James Randi dropping dead from a sleeping pill overdose.

[Travis Retriever]

First let me start about with this video explaining the whole closed/open minded paradigm:  [yt]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T69TOuqaqXI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T69TOuqaqXI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/yt]

Mmm...Well, I haven't really thought them through, so obviously, this aren't going to be perfect but:

Theism:  The deities in question must show themselves and their power to me, as well as at least two other witnesses to verify I'm not losing my mind.  Also, we must be able to record this, or, even better, bring said being to others to show where the deity will introduce him/her self and demonstrate the powers.
OR:  The prayers to the deities of this religion MUST be answered in a predictable fashion.
E.G.  None of the "well, I guess god was busy; that's why he didn't answer my prayers, or let Jimmy die."  Nope, it HAS to be:  Statically significant and controlled.

Religion:  Depends on the being.  For example, if we're talking about one as despicable as Yahweh, I would, techically be a "theist" then, but not a Christian because I'd refuse to worship that Mafia boss of a deity.

Collectivism:  Pretty much what you said.  I would believe it, but I still wouldn't approve of it and would still choose individualism.  I was born a lover of private property & self ownership; I will die one (basically like the theism vs religion deal).

Astrology:  Actually, Shane already laid this one out in this bogosity episode on the subject.

The War on Drugs:  Same as you.  Also show that it superior to Freedom.

Psychics:  I don't know how I'd go about this one.
So I'll consider this one like Mother series (EarthBound) style Physic power.  Show in Controlled conditions that you can move things with your mind, shoot fire from your hands, fire psychic waves (PSI Rockin'; PK Love; PK Starstorm  Yes, I'm a geek for this series.) and the ability to read minds under controlled conditions.

Homeopathy:  Under Controlled conditions the potency of specific substances (complete with reasons why those ones and not others) increase as they are deluded in predictable fashions.

[IceSage]

Homeopathy?
James Randi dropping dead from a sleeping pill overdose.

Actually, the guy I was arguing with on YouTube in his comments section, in which I made a post about on this forum.. Actually argues that all the "sleeping pills" (IE. Pills with nothing in them) he had been taking, was the cause of his current cancer.

The guy stopped responding to me by the way when I asked him, "Who was the child who died from homeopathic medicine by mimicking James Randi? Could you link an article or Google search terms?"