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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Derek Acorah is either mad or bad?

221 replies

thatisall · 15/05/2012 10:54

I've just seen that Derek Acorah is claiming to have been advised by the spirit world that Madeline McCann is no longer alive.

I have an open mind when it comes to psychics but I have heard in the past that Acorah has been discredited on numerous occasions.

To me, this is just a cruel thing to do. I have my own opinions about the tragedy of the disappearance of Madeline and I have often wondered whether her parents would prefer to know if she had sadly passed away, closure? Who knows what it is like to be in their position? But some bloke, claiming that 'Sam' told him she's dead is not closure, it's just cruel IMO.

If this had come from a well respected psychic, I think I might give it more credence (as I said Im open-minded), but it comes from a man who is widely considered a charleton.

Is he a bad man, who is using the grief of parents to make a few quid from the papers or is he crazy enough to think that this really was helpful?

OP posts:
MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 15/05/2012 18:50

Agree about the vagueness, if anyone is deluded enough to believe these 'mediums' are for real, why don't they say exactly what happened and where to find the poor girl's body?

catsareevil · 15/05/2012 18:51

Of course he is a fake. And hardly the first person to try and get in the papers by using Madeleine Mccann.
I have no idea if he actually believes this stuff or not, but I dont know how anyone, even if they believed, can think that they would be adding to what is known about the situation with something so vague.

seeker · 15/05/2012 18:54

"mardybra i have to disagree.....there are many out there unlike derek or sally et al that do have the gift..these ppl are very rare and very talented...and we shouldnt tar them all with the same brush...

the police do often use mediums and psychics in their investigations..this is a known fact ..."

Name me one and also, point me to a single case of a psychic or medium being any help to the police.

Original poster
thatisall · 15/05/2012 18:57

painted i have my own issues with the nature of her disappearance and my opinions are similar to yours. Im sure the loss of their daughter is quite punishment enough though.

Incidentally there is another thread on here atm questioning whether it is 'ok' to leave a baby in a hotel room. wtaf

OP posts:
doormat · 15/05/2012 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hackmum · 15/05/2012 19:04

It's also very entertaining to watch Derren Brown replicate psychics' tricks. In fact, he's a lot better than most of them.

It always cracks me up when they say things like "I've got a John coming through and he's looking for someone whose name begins with M...Is it a Mary? Maureen? Margaret?" I mean, you'd think John would be able to remember the whole frigging name if she was that important to him, wouldn't you?

I also wonder why audience members don't say things like "Tell me what it's like in the afterlife, John."

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:05

it was later refuted..but i know he worked on that case and gave the police info

EclecticShock · 15/05/2012 19:05

Both :)

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:08

a link you may find interesting seeker ...news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8369369.stm

MardyBra · 15/05/2012 19:13

doormat it is a total and utter con. Just because one person comes up with a random statement which happens to be true, it proves they some psychics are genuine then? Hmm I would be looking for a higher level of proof than that. I wonder how many people he tried that statement out with before he struck gold?

If psychics were really genuine, then wouldn't all police forces use them as a matter of course for all murders. Hmm

seeker · 15/05/2012 19:15

Doormat- Joe Power has been proved to be a fake by Derren Brown. I'm so sorry if that's upsetting for you. I don't know the other name you mention.

JayelleBee · 15/05/2012 19:20

I went to see DA with a neighbour who had tickets. He was truly, truly crap. I've been to evenings with so called psychics and they are harmless fun and sometimes a good laugh. Derek Acorah was as fake as my Christmas tree. His reeling off of the most common names to old ladies in the audience made me want to stand up and tell him to fuck off. One old dear he spoke to stood up and threw up all over his feet, with nerves, now that was funny.

I once had an appointment with a local and very popular (she took appointments once a year) spiritual lady. She charged £10 and all the money went to the local cat and dog home. She gave me a little bit of advice and told me about something that would happen the following week. The event happened, exactly as she desribed it and because she changed the course of my actions, she prevented me being injured, or worse, in a car crash. She also told me, with the correct spelling, the (unusual) name of my brother.

The Madeleine thing is low.

seeker · 15/05/2012 19:20

And the article you link to only says that some mediums have been interviewed by the police-of course they have. If anyone comes forward claiming to have evidence the police has to take it seriously. And that there are some police officers who are believers- of course they are, the police are people too.

I'm really sorry- but there has never been any example of a psychic ability or phenomenon which could bnot be explained by rational means.

seeker · 15/05/2012 19:21

jayelleBe- the key word in your account is "local". Don't you think a local woman could know, or easily find out your brother's name?

JayelleBee · 15/05/2012 19:25

seeker, genuinely not. She wouldn't have had my full name and it was 24 years ago before t'internet. I'm not saying it was impossible but I do think it was unlikely. This woman was a little old lady herself, with a houseful of dogs and cats. She wasn't making money for herself either. People, back then, flocked to her.

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:27

mardy as i said i have to disagree, yes i would agree that most , even go to say 99.9% of them are fakes,,,but there is a very small minority that do come out with information that no-one could possible know about it...as for the police forces they most probably do, but as the official stance goes..cannot confirm nor deny...

i used to be a chairman of a paranormal investigative team who's job it was to debunk psychic goings on and refute and explain away evidence....99.999999% of the time it can be easily done, that small percentage is unexplainable...believe me i could give you a long list of names to avoid before ppl unwittingly go and spend their hard earned money to hear from a deceased loved one....it actually knocks me sick....i have also known other psychics that accept no money and can tell things, without knowing and not random statements and been totally correct....my advice to anyone out there who wants to go and see a psychic is to check out other ppls readings....how successful were they...what percentage of accuracy...could they have been given your information via facebook, friends etc and if it is free...i firmly believe that once a psychic starts getting greedy for money they lose the gift they may or may not have had......

i too have also read harry houdinis life and found it fascinating....

JayelleBee · 15/05/2012 19:27

oh, and I am not a believer in these things, I'm just recounting what happened with me.

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:31

seeker why would i be so upset...plz dont patronize me....as i did say in last post i firmly believe that once a psychic starts being greedy what gift they had or didnt have they lose...

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:34

jayelle her name was gwen was it

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:34

sorry pressed post was her name gwen.....

seeker · 15/05/2012 19:38

I didn't intend to patronise. I genuinely didn't want to upset you by drawing your attention to the fact that there has never been a psychic or a psychic phenomenon that couldn't be rationally explained. You mentioned Joe Power as an example of a genuine medium, and I know some people believe very sincerely in his gift. I thought it might be upsettingbto be told he was a fraud.

seeker · 15/05/2012 19:43

If you're so knowledgeable , doormat, why did you mention Joe Power?

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:46

seeker you asked for a single case which i did give lindsey quy was the victim...joe power was involved..i know this for a fact.....just because he has since been refuted by derren brown does not mean he gave the police valuable info ..as i said i believe once money becomes involved and greediness if they did have a gift...they have lost it....

you would not believe the crap i have been told...and as another poster said someone always wants to give flowers etc ...gets very boring after awhile..but there are a very small percentage that i could cite examples of that could not of possibly known

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 15/05/2012 19:47

DH & I have a secret code word known only us which we will use if we have a chance to communicate from the afterlife Grin - figure it will give the survivor some sport going rounf the mediums...

doormat · 15/05/2012 19:48

mrsguy lol just like harry houdini...that million is still waiting Grin