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Some people "know" that there are no spirits. They "know" that when the body dies consciousness dies, because consciousness is created by the body. They "know" there are no gods, no devils, nothing except what they can see, hear and touch.
How do they "know" all this? They learned it from someone they trust. Maybe famous authors or some of their teachers. Someone they trust and believe.
They "know" with complete certainty, because the human experts they learned it from are seen as infallible.
James Randi is a fanatic. It would be a mistake to put all your faith in his opinion.
I had actually tried to find out why no one won his prize, when there are scientists who are absolutely sure their research shows paranormal abilities can be real. Some people have said Randi would never test anyone he thought might be real, and that he was deceptive in all kinds of ways, determined to prove psychic abilities are impossible.
Randi is not a fanatic, only the people who failed or were afraid to be tested complained about him. In fact he went out of his way to bring in well known mediums to be tested but none of them would. He had a standing offer with Sylvia Browne who at the time was often on TV touting her special powers. She would say yes but never show up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Good4Nothin
So I would be skeptical. Randi had a tremendous impact, and some of the big parapsychology labs closed, maybe because of how he influenced public opinion.
No not because of public opinion but because he proved these labs to be frauds.
You are talking about Project Alpha. Randi got two illusionists who he knew to demonstrate their "powers" to a well known parapsychology lab. They did the most ridiculous stuff expecting the people in the lab to catch on but they never did. For 4 years they had the so called experts convinced they were real and were touted as proof that all this stuff was real. Then they revealed the truth and how easy it was to fool because these labs were not looking for the truth they were looking to prove that all this was real which is not the way you conduct science. Many closed because they were being funded by wealthy individuals who wanted to find out the truth in all this. When it was obvious these labs had no idea what they were doing they pulled the funds.
He supposedly discredited Uri Geller completely on national TV. But you can read lots of stories about Geller that insist he had real powers.
No he completely destroyed Geller on the Tonight Show. Someone posted the video above. Geller used magnets and preprepared items to make it look like he was bending metal and moving objects with his mind. When his props were swapped out with the similar unprepared items just before they wen't on the air he refused to do his tricks on TV. And Johnny Carson who was a good friend of James Randi asked Randi to set this up because Carson genuienly wanted to know if Geller was real or not. If Geller could move the swapped items he was. But Geller was not even willing to try. Hence he is a fraud.
Only gullible people have kept his career going. Geller is an illusionist who lies and says he has special powers. He is a joke to other illusionists like Penn Jellette and Criss Angel who deplore Geller and who can do the same things but don't lie and say they have special powers.
Last edited by Oklazona Bound; 08-21-2018 at 06:07 AM..
It's a skill. Anyone can learn how to do cold reading to surreptitiously extract information from the mark and make it appear that they are communicating with the dead, absent family members, etc. It's like practicing until you're really good at picking pockets.
When I was 18, poor and hungry, one of the things I tried to make a little side money doing, was reading fortunes at a flea market. I'd already been making and selling crafts, so I figured what the heck, why just sit there selling my stuff if I can milk a little extra cash out of it.
It was a rural flea market in Kentucky.
"I am sensing that you're having issues with a vehicle."
"There is someone close to you, who is hiding something important from you."
"I sense that you have been trying to give someone advice, but they have not been listening. I'm sorry to say that they aren't going to start any time soon. You'll be right in the end, but try to be nice about it...they needed to learn this one the hard way."
"Watch out for deer on the way home."
lol...there were people there who went around telling their friends I was the real thing for sure...it was ridiculous.
When I was 18, poor and hungry, one of the things I tried to make a little side money doing, was reading fortunes at a flea market. I'd already been making and selling crafts, so I figured what the heck, why just sit there selling my stuff if I can milk a little extra cash out of it.
It was a rural flea market in Kentucky.
"I am sensing that you're having issues with a vehicle."
"There is someone close to you, who is hiding something important from you."
"I sense that you have been trying to give someone advice, but they have not been listening. I'm sorry to say that they aren't going to start any time soon. You'll be right in the end, but try to be nice about it...they needed to learn this one the hard way."
"Watch out for deer on the way home."
lol...there were people there who went around telling their friends I was the real thing for sure...it was ridiculous.
The power of suggestion is very strong in some people...and at the other end of the spectrum are the "show me" type skeptics. Who loses their money and who makes it?
The power of suggestion is very strong in some people...and at the other end of the spectrum are the "show me" type skeptics. Who loses their money and who makes it?
What I don't like is when these people take advantage of those who lost a loved one and for the right price will "communicate" with them. You have to have no conscience to make that your career.
The power of suggestion is very strong in some people...and at the other end of the spectrum are the "show me" type skeptics. Who loses their money and who makes it?
There are a lot of general questions that sound pointed but could apply to anyone, especially with a lot of reaching on the part of the person who wants to believe. “You shouldn’t necessarily believe what he tells you. He’s not even misleading you on purpose, he just doesn’t understand...it is someone whose advice you’re taking...it could even be someone who’s passed on but his words stick with you?”
There are also some assumptions, like an eager young girl not wearing a ring...”I’m seeing a wedding coming up? Or the desire for one?” “No, I’m actually becoming a nun soon.” “Oh, aha, ‘wedded to Christ,’ the spirits often speak in symbolism we can understand.” “Oh my God, this medium was RIGHT on the money! She KNEW I was going to become a nun!” Yeah, because you just told her.
Not that a nun would be seeing a psychic, LOL, it’s just the first thing that came to mind.
It's a skill. Anyone can learn how to do cold reading to surreptitiously extract information from the mark and make it appear that they are communicating with the dead, absent family members, etc. It's like practicing until you're really good at picking pockets.
No one can fool me with cold reading, and they have tried. It's so obvious. Yes, a lot of people can be fooled if they are desperate for communication with a spirit.
But I really doubt a medium can get a good reputation based only on cold reading and ordinary intuition. Sometimes mediums give very specific information that could not have been guessed, and wasn't on facebook or available anywhere.
What I don't like is when these people take advantage of those who lost a loved one and for the right price will "communicate" with them. You have to have no conscience to make that your career.
That's right. They have no ethical principles whatsoever; they lie for a living. They do not care for the well-being of their clients, despite the trappings of religious symbolism some of them use.
It's not okay because it's entertaining, or because it comforts people.
There are a lot of general questions that sound pointed but could apply to anyone, especially with a lot of reaching on the part of the person who wants to believe. “You shouldn’t necessarily believe what he tells you. He’s not even misleading you on purpose, he just doesn’t understand...it is someone whose advice you’re taking...it could even be someone who’s passed on but his words stick with you?”
There are also some assumptions, like an eager young girl not wearing a ring...”I’m seeing a wedding coming up? Or the desire for one?” “No, I’m actually becoming a nun soon.” “Oh, aha, ‘wedded to Christ,’ the spirits often speak in symbolism we can understand.” “Oh my God, this medium was RIGHT on the money! She KNEW I was going to become a nun!” Yeah, because you just told her.
Not that a nun would be seeing a psychic, LOL, it’s just the first thing that came to mind.
Yes, I have seen examples like that. A woman who had recently lost her son went to a medium, and I heard the recording. The medium actually asked the mother how the son had died. Asked directly. Even though, supposedly, the son's spirit was right there. She didn't ask the spirit. And the mother told her.
But all these stupid examples say nothing about whether there are spirits or not.
Those of you who are so sure you know -- it's only because you have been indoctrinated into the philosophy of materialism, in which spirits are not possible.
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