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Philosophy/religion

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Original poster

What do you think about psychics like John Edwards?

16 replies

Dottydot · 21/04/2008 09:20

OK, so I've been off sick for a week now and am watching way too much daytime TV...

Have seen this psychic on Living TV , I think called John Edwards, and I'm fascinated by the stuff he tells people.

Is it all a set up/good guess work/comms skills trickery, or can some people get in touch with spirits (and does that mean therefore that there is an afterlife?).

Just a tiny question for a Monday morning

Oh and I'm going back to work on Wednesday so only have 2 days to sort this out!

OP posts:

totalmisfit · 21/04/2008 09:37

i haven't seen the show but i have always wondered about this. I mean, if just one medium turned out to be genuine we'd have a pretty good idea about there being an afterlife, and given the amount of people currently claiming to be able to contact the dead, surely by the law of averages...?

sfxmum · 21/04/2008 09:42

I remember watching this in the early days after having dd, as a non believer it was at first mindless entertainment then seriously upsetting as it felt very much like taking advantage of people in pain.

and there is always the clever disclaimer, this show is for entertainment purposes only

LaVieEnRose · 21/04/2008 09:50

It's just a trick. He and others like him are con artists. Read Derren Brown's book, he exposes them and tells exactly how they do it. It only works if someone wants to believe and unfortunately if you have been bereaved you would do anything to believe that your loved one is still out there somewhere.

Fizzylemonade · 21/04/2008 10:13

I agree that Derren Brown points out that most people are scam artists.

I have watched John Edwards and have read his books, he once described someone's house and going down stairs as soon as you get in the front door and a green triangle on the wall as you get into the basement. After the show the film crew went home with the family and showed you the exact thing he had described.

There is a TV show called "Medium" in which a woman dreams stuff and helps the police in the US. This is based on an actual woman who does this. Her name is Alison Dubois and she exists.

There are lots of con artists out there who do cold reading, however I believe there are some very genuine people too who have a gift/curse.

startingoveragain · 21/04/2008 10:17

i do believe very much so as i am very sensitive

there are many on here like makingdo who are incredibly fab at what they do

i think to believe in life after death is liberating and eases a lot of grief

Greyriverside · 21/04/2008 10:38

Proof of an afterlife would be front page news around the world and anyone who could really 'make contact' would be sought after by every religion to make theirs the only one with the real answers. If it ever happens you will know straight away.

In the meantime it's no different than rolex watches for £9.99 out of a suitcase. Except for the preying on the weak and bereaved aspect which is distastful.

Flamesparrow · 21/04/2008 23:25

I tend not to trust anyone who makes good money from what they do w/r this kind of thing.

Unquietdad will be along with his $1 million challenge though

madamez · 21/04/2008 23:29

I am not sure there is anything really that wrong about cheering people up with a lot of vague old bollocks about a beyooootifurl place full of flowers and how the dead really do still care, but then I think there's a limit on how much you can protect people from their own gullibility. Aren't there reasonably well-meaning sort of trade associations for the woo-woo lot, who set standards and even suggest a scale of fees?

UnquietDad · 21/04/2008 23:31

It's not my $1 million challenge, it's James Randi's! And, as yet, nobody has won the money. Quelle sur-flipping-prise.

myermay · 22/04/2008 20:54

Message withdrawn

MistressMean · 22/04/2008 21:00

He's a twonk

He cold reads, scans vulnerable souls for clues, which they unwittingly give him.

That and he's f*ckin manic when he speaks.

LaVieEnRose · 22/04/2008 21:24

according to Derren Brown there is a network of psychics in the UK and they basically trade info about clients between each other. Even if you have never seen one before, they are usually recommended (as in myermay's case) and so will try and find out something from the person who is recommending. They also contact each other to see if you've been to see anyone else and then trade info about you would think they couldn't possibly know.

Don't know if that's true or not.

myermay · 22/04/2008 22:03

Message withdrawn

fransmom · 23/04/2008 19:23

there are a lot of people out there who are genuine and a lot, unfortunately who are charlatans. the reason it isn't front page news is, i believe, that a person's life would be made hell and would be ridiculed (as on mn) and worse. in medieval times, people who are mediums, healers and such would be burnt at the stake or dunked.

trouble18524 · 26/04/2008 08:43

I saw a 2 different mediums and the 1st one told me names etc that yes are connected to my family, but, that are also very common names (pot luck?). The 2nd one I saw was amazing as she was able to confirm to me that I did have a sighting. I gave no indications whatsoever and yet she was able to tell me I saw a little boy (complete body form, not just a face/hand/arm etc). BTW I went in a town that no-one knew who I was and had never been there, also there were no family connections there either so....

myermay · 27/04/2008 21:05

i seen an amazing medium twice, with a fantastic repuatation. She told me that my grandmother had made contact with me since she'd been dead, i said nothing back to her. She then went on to say it was a phone call i had during a very vivid dream! about a year after my gran died i had the most real dream i'd ever had, i actually heard my grans voice on a the telephone, which woke me up. How the hell would she of knwon this? I told my dp how real it was, and it was defentely her voice.

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