by Tashawaa 17 Replies latest jw friends
Montel asked Sylivia before the last presidential election who would win. She answered without hesitation...Gore. She had a 50/50 shot and blew it.
Probably all a fraud but I wonder if I would employ one if one of my children went missing and the police couldn't find them. I'd probably give it a shot.
I meant I might be tempted to contact *a* psychic for help. Not Sylvia or John Edwards. Just wanted to clarify.
Tash-
I thought this article was rather enlightning.
http://www.skeptic.com/newsworthy13.html
And here is another, very entertaining article.
http://www.randi.org/jr/03-09-2001.html
-P(J)
I watched Edwards on "Crossing Over" twice.
I came to my own conclusions, and later read something that summarized them perfectly: Edwards is not even very good at what he does. Even with editing hours of studio time down to one show, you can still clearly see him using cold-reading techniques, fishing for information, asking questions and then pretending that "hits" were not questions but rather were simply hits.
I respect his ability to make a good living in the entertainment industry, but wonder how he can live with himself.
Is he an "open psychic" or a "closed psychic"? In other words, does he himself recognize that he is a con artist? Or has he actually deluded himself into believing that his parlour-trick of "cold reading" is a "paranormal gift"? That is the only question I have.
Whatever you do, don't waste your money on these cons. If you feel the need, go to a $5 palm reader at the fair. The entertainment factor will be the same (in fact, it will probably be better!) and you will get the same cheesy results. But it won't cost you too much.
You may find the following interesting: http://www.skeptics.ca/articles/coldread.html
chakka--Gore DID win!! lol
Seriously, I think if someone were a "real" psychic, they would act more like Christopher Walken in Stephen King's "The Dead Zone." They would not try to make money with it. It would probably scare the shit out of them. (I mean, THINK, really think about what really contacting the dead would be like.)
Like Whoopi in Ghost. She was a fake psychic, and when it became real she freaked and almost went crazy!! I don't trust people who get rich off this.
April
Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I posted, but I just couldn't resist this one. I too am a sceptic. Who wouldn't be after the borg. But I was very interested in John Edwards after a discussion I had with a member of a different religious sect about the borg's beliefs about life after death. I have always been so programmed to believe that we like in a sleep-like state until we are to be resurrected in the new world, that I have never allowed myself to consider an alternative to this belief let alone open my mind to the possiblilty that the spirit does transcend the physical body and is aware of our activities. Yet the Bible has given us examples of this on numerous occasions in both the Hebrew and Greek scriptures. If the 144,000 supposedly went to heaven as spirit creatures remembering the human form and emotions making them more empathetic to our earthly needs, and now that most of us here on the board agree that this is a symbolic number, why would it not be logical that those who are in God's favour when they die would become spirit beings and are aware of what is happening here on earth.
Back to John Edwards. Because of a widening of my belief system I started watching him regularly and objectively. For the last year I have taped the majority of his shows, rewatching them and scrutinizing everything he and those he talks too in his audience says. I researched every site I could find dealing with "cold reading" and fraudulent mediums. It is amazing how little negative press has been written about Mr. Edwards.
The next thought I had (again my programming coming into the fore), well if a lot of what he is saying isn't guessing and being an excellent cold reader, then he must be demonized. But I have to say I change my mind on that one when an audience member asked him if you could communicate with the dead by way of Ouiji Board. He hesitated a few moments and then said yes. He hesitated again and then said "I wouldn't recommend it though." He asked the questioner if he would let a stranger into his house without any qualms and the answer of course was no. He then asked why you would even consider letting a stranger that you knew nothing about into your house by way of a ouiji board. He said that it could be very dangerous and not something to even consider. Didn't sound very demonized to me. The majority of people that come through seem to be extremely loved and decent individuals. Some of the things that come through are too accurate to be coincidence.
Anyway, I decided that the only way I could substantiate my curiosity was to be in the audience of one of his shows. So when I saw that he was holding a series of seminars in November I called and reserved tickets. The seminar is in a couple of weeks and I am going with an open mind and lots of curiosity. I will let everyone know what happens.
Patricia,
I am so envious. I would love a reading by either John Edwards or Sylvia. I alot like yourself was a total sceptic on this subject because of JW conditioning. Now I am a total believer that appropriate non-demonic communication with the dead is possible. Also it is not condemned by the Bible. I will defend this statement later.
I certainly would know almost instantly if they are authentic.
I understand the problems John Edwards had at the beginning of his career dealing with skeptics and those intent on discrediting him. I watched some of his early shows and saw his struggling. I am convinced it was due to the non cooperation of skeptics he has since learned how to avoid.
I now believe contrary to JW teaching that man is a physically embodied spirit creature (soul). I believe the spirit cannot die and lives forever. It lives conected to God in heaven. Or disconnected and seperated from God in hell. Both heaven and hell are spiritual conditions. I believe now in recreation.
We as souls are actors on a stage playing many roles over which time we build a career. The career of the soul is judged in the last days by Christ who determines whether we remain conected or forever seperated from God. The soul as a spirit is not subject to physical death only spiritual death (seperation from God)
I have read many things by Sylvia Browne. I am now reminded to see what if anything John Edwards has written.
I am anxiously looking forward to your report.
Zechariah
Zechariah,
Just a further note. When I called for the tickets it was to an 800 number not connected to John Edwards. I had to say what tickets I was interested in purchasing as they had tickets for dozens of different events. When I bought them I used a corporate credit card with a numbered company as the name. The corporate address is in a different city than where I live. The tickets are being held for me at the auditorium so I didn't have to give any personal info whatsoever. When I gave the name for the ticket, I used my maiden name. I wanted to cover all my bases to make sure there was no way any info could be discovered about me ahead of time.
I agree totally with your description of the soul as a spirit.
I'll report back later.
Patricia
