*** I wrote this several years ago. ***
One problem with believing that some people have "special powers" is that there are fakes and phoney's who will make claims in order to get publicity and money.
Take for instance the famous "spoon bender" Uri Geller. He has been, since at least the 1970s, bending spoons, making stopped mechanical watches start up again, and doing other things to amaze people. He has gathered quite a bit of magazine, book and television attention, and is a world famous person.
But......
According to James Randi, everything Uri has done can be done, and done better, by some professional magicians, and these magicians can regularly perform the feats, not in a hit or miss "maybe it will bend" manner as Geller does.
And....
When Uri appeared on the Johnny Carson show, he COULD NOT do anything! Johnny Carson had taken the precaution before the show to not allow Uri or any of Uri's associates access to any of the items to be used. So during the show, Uri did nothing other than perform a non-performance! It was somewhat embarrassing for Uri to say the least!
Things like this lead people to become skeptical about claims of unusual powers.
Now I am not saying that anyone who claims something new or unusual or who has a personal experience is a phoney or fake! Just that the people who are fakes make it difficult for the people who are honest to be believed.
