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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

doormat · 15/05/2012 23:27

seeker yes i did and yes he did help...i am sorry but he just did, it is widely known....sloane would not admit something like that...jp has become less credible over the years (and not just of derren brown) ....as i was trying to explain before...ppl who may have a gift, once money is involved it lessens quite dramatically, that is my belief....true psychics (very rare)want no money they do it freely....

seeker · 15/05/2012 23:32

Widely known by whom?

Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/05/2012 23:37

DH and I used to love Derek's eye-rolling-posession antics on Most Haunted, so we went to see him at a local venue for a laugh. It was cringeworthy, just as others have described. I would place a hefty wager on the fact that he is no more psychic than I am, and for him to come out with crap like this just before his next "tour" (of small, local venues) is nothing more than crass. And desperate.

I'd like to believe that some people (DA def not being among them!) have psychic abilities, but on the couple of occasions I've been dragged along with friends to fortune-tellers (or whatever they like to call themselves), it has been perfectly obvious that they were trying to get info from me/ my reactions to latch onto and use. Never convincing.

My mum, on the other hand, had an unnerving experience with a wee woman who did readings from her house. My aunt phoned her an hour before, begging her to go as a friend had dropped out, and they wanted to make up numbers. She went along reluctantly, and the woman singled her out immediately. She insisted on seeing mum first and the first thing she said to my mum, matter-of-factly was "I see you have a growth in your womb. Don't worry, it has no roots" My mum had just recovered from a mole pregnancy, and was being monitored for cancer, a fact that noone knew bar her and my dad- she hadn't even told her family. The woman then went on to describe me in detail, the apartment complex we had stayed in when we recently joined my dad working overseas, and my mum's workplace. She may well have been a charlatan, but she was a blummin good one if she was!

But I do think 99.9999% of them are as fake as politicians smiles. OK for entertainment, but ridiculous and thoughtless when they try to garner media attention so crassly. Not nice

MardyBra · 15/05/2012 23:38

"that is my belief".

There's the problem. With the best will in the world, it's your belief doormat. I get that you feel it strongly. But with the best will in the world, that's not going to be enough to convince some of us (apart from pumpkin who is clearly sold on all the woo).

I've remembered now why I avoid religion threads - they just go round and round.

doormat · 15/05/2012 23:39

seeker ...alot of ppl who are in the know on this subject...i must go to bed ...i am knackered...wishing you all a good nite x

MardyBra · 15/05/2012 23:43

The problem is doormat is that you are being very elusive. You are claiming superior knowledge with statements like "widely known" and "people who are in the know", but still not giving any concrete examples.

Anyway - I'm off to bed soon too. Sleep well.

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 16/05/2012 00:10

There ARE cases where the police have been heavily assisted by phychics and not only in the USA but here in the UK too....it can be real phenomenen...but there are probably about a billion fakes compared to the few that are really able.

MardyBra · 16/05/2012 00:21

Examples please TheHouse.

perplexedpirate · 16/05/2012 07:13

It was 'widely known' that the earth was flat until it was refuted.

hiveofbees · 16/05/2012 07:17

What is your point? The Romans didn't think the earth was flat, and that was a while ago.

If any psychic could prove any ability it would fundamentally change our knowledge of how the universe works. How modest of them to refrain from doing that and instead make themselves look dubious on cable tv shows.

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 16/05/2012 07:18

Mardy here is an article from the Guardian which discusses it...the thing is that the police won't usually admit to it...they can't say openly "Yes we use phychics" as they'd be opening their door to all kinds of cranks...but they do...the article mentions ONE case which the UK police have admitted to using a phychic to help solve a crime...

Other forces are usually vague about it....the millitary have (both in the UK and US) funded large research projects into so-called "Remote Viewing" as a form of defence...that's where people are trained to visit other locations using only their minds...it's a very interesting subject though I don't deny that the majority of people are not able in any way...

perplexedpirate · 16/05/2012 07:56

My point is that doormat was saying it was 'widely known' that psychic phenomenon were recorded...until they were proved wrong. So it's not proof, is it?

I didn't know that about the Romans. Every day's a school day.

doormat · 16/05/2012 08:13

erm perplexedpirate...have never said that at all...

doormat · 16/05/2012 08:15

pp i said it was widely known that a certain person helped on a murder investigation...

MardyBra · 16/05/2012 08:21

"A psychic in Texas told police 30 dismembered bodies were hidden on a farm. They investigated ? and found nothing."

Can I suggest you read the Guardian article carefully TheHouse. The quote above pretty much says it all. Because "there was the possibility of harm to children, they were duty-bound to investigate."

The article also says that police in the Maddy McCann case investigated psychic reports in case they were a message from a kidnapper not because they thought they might be true.

And the one report cited from 1965 could hardly be called conclusive. "The psychic's involvement is still unclear... All that we know, beyond Foreman's confession, is that no body was ever found and the case is still officially "unsolved". So just one inconclusive report from nearly 50 years ago then.

CalamityKate · 16/05/2012 08:40

at people thinking that the police listen to psychics in any real way (other than the "Oh, here comes another nutter but we have to listen to what he has to say just in case he's linked to the case or has information relating to it")

Also, it's amazing how many people struggle to understand the meaning of the word "evidence".

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 16/05/2012 08:44

Mardy but you picked the quote which is negtive...not the one which says that one UK police force admtted a phychic had played a major part in the solving of a crime

The Metropolitan Police admitted that in one case in 1965 a psychic had "played a major part"

hiveofbees · 16/05/2012 08:50

I see what you mean perplexed.

RetroMom · 16/05/2012 09:00

Does anyone remember that ghost hunting programme on Living with Derek and Helen Fielding? The camera crew set Derek big time as a test which he failed dismally. You can still find the clip on youtube. It was the episode where Derek was fed a fake name and ended up screaming "Mary Loves Dick! Mary Loves Dick!"

Bremusa · 16/05/2012 09:22

Agree with the others, he's a fake and a conman. What a horrible way to self-publicize.

I do find take on him funny though (You Tube link)

crowface · 16/05/2012 09:26

Horrid horrid man. Can't believe how low some people will stoop.

On Wikipedia there was reference to him being the sexiest man in spiritualism. Made me be a bit sick in my mouth. He certainly has a talent for self publicity.

perplexedpirate · 16/05/2012 09:40

Yes doormat. And then it was proved that they didn't.

So, and I've said this a few times now, it ain't evidence, is it?

seeker · 16/05/2012 09:45

"The Metropolitan Police admitted that in one case in 1965 a psychic had "played a major part"

But there is no further information. This was a gangland killing. The psychic was presumably someone who had connections to the gang and therefore had useful information for the police. There is no reason to believe that this sentence means anything else- particularly in the light of the rest of the article.

And yes, the US military did do extensive research into psi powers like remote viewing- and concluded that they didn't exist.

seeker · 16/05/2012 09:55

Doormat- please would you use nmes? I get confused otherwise!

By a "certain person" I presume you mean Joe Power and the Lyndsey Quy case?

What is widely known is thatbhe didn't start going on about his involvement until after her murderer was convicted, and the police have consistently denied that they approached him, or got any useful leads when he approached them.

seeker · 16/05/2012 09:55

Or even "names"?

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