December 12, 2003 |
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Soul for Sale, Confused Cleric, Studied Ignorance, Sylvia's Huge Phone Bill, What's the Question?, Ouija Workings, Unscholastic Scholastic Again, Feel-Good Pharmacist, Fire-Fighter's Invitation, Rapture Notices, Nostradamus Anniversary, Korean "Healer" Again, The Science of Kirti Betai, Ancaster High Rules!, Amazing in Tokyo, Larry Turns Around, Atheist vs. Agnostic, No Body in UK, and Finland/Sweden Visit...
Reader Dave Finn has been involved in a very interesting experiment in which he has tried to sell his soul on eBay! He shares with us here some of the correspondence that has ensued. It's bizarre, amusing, and rather frightening to discover how an organization handles such a strange situation. We have here theological arguments, matters of integrity, and frustration. David had argued with an eBay representative, Jade, about the actual existence of the human soul. He writes:
I have sent a few things this week regarding my attempt to sell my "soul" on eBay and their rather amusing response. Below I am copying the text of my latest and what I expect to be the final correspondence with eBay regarding this matter. I hope I'm not becoming a nuisance to you, although I admit I've enjoyed annoying them a bit. What was originally intended by me as a joke my asking price for my "soul" was $0.25 seems to have been taken a bit more seriously than I would have expected. Here is the response I received from eBay after I attempted to post the item: Dave, quicker than an auctioneers gavel, answered:
Jade: Thank you for your response. While I do not agree with your reasoning, I do respect that as a private company you have the right to set your own policies and I have no intention of violating your rules by relisting the item. And he followed up with:
I apologize if my listing violates your policy, however I have reviewed your policy on remains and found no reference to souls. Your policy makes reference only to human body parts. As the body is a physical structure, and as the "soul" is in common definition an intangible metaphysical structure distinct from the body, I do not see where my listing has violated your policy, unless of course you can demonstrate where in the human body the soul is located, at which point the James Randi Educational Foundation has $1,000,000 set aside as a reward for you. We'll see... I'll bet that if Dave could raise enough interest with a properly interested lawyer, he'd make some news with this. Far sillier matters have occupied the courts and resulted in huge settlements that boggle the imagination. It has all the necessary ingredients: the immortal soul, religious arguments, civil discrimination issues, and fair trade implications. Can you say, "Ashcroft"?
Reader Mike Wood tells us:
I've been a regular reader of your site for a few years now, and reading your weekly commentaries has been a source of much inspiration and amusement. I had an incident some time ago that I just had the idea to relate to you, as it seems relevant given the prevalence of New-Age type spirituality.... Mike, when 2012 comes around, and the prophecy is not fulfilled, the nut-cases out there will begin the repair work, re-interpreting the original data and patching it all up. It doesn't make any impression whatsoever on the believers when a prophet goofs; an excellent book that covers this subject is "When Prophecy Fails," by Leon Festinger, 1964. Remember what I've said before: no matter how well you're educated, that doesn't mean you're smart.
Oops! Last week I wrote that Geller had been mentioned by a UK comedian, and got the name and venue wrong. It should have been Graham Norton (not Morton), who works for Channel 4 (not the BBC). My apologies to Mr. Norton.
Reader Scott Romanowski contributes this thought:
In your 5 December 2003 "Commentary" you printed comments from Jawaid Bazyar about genetic programming. I've used that tool to find solution to some problems. I think it's a very interesting tool because once you have a solution, you often can't tell exactly why that particular set of values works. The parts interact in such a rich matter that you can't easily see all the effects a small change would have. It's similar to a real organism that way. Not quite, Scott. This isn't just one person though I make the most noise and get recognized. The JREF is a mass of folks who support our work in one way or the other. They're employees, interns, members, contributors, funders, media people, service providers, and good friends who reach out and touch us in so many ways. This practiced/willful ignorance is often encountered in this field, and just as frequently in the "hard" sciences. I know of an academic in Canada a biologist who once told me that though he taught evolution in his classes, he was easily able to go home and revert to his belief in Creationism. Incredible, is it not? Scott signs his messages with: "Gamer, amateur astronomer, amateur conjurer. I am a Bright. www.the-brights.net/," and you can meet him at TAM2 in January! Interesting person...!
Reader Christine Engleman comments:
I just had to respond to the letter from Ms. Whiney Leigh Harris about "good" psychics. As I was reading her description, I found myself thinking that this sounds like what a therapist, a counselor, a mentor or even a good friend would do in the situation of young woman in an abusive relationship. Hey, wait a minute, I've done that, I'm a psychic! I have even been right a time or two, which is at least as well as Sylvia does. And another thing, Ms. Harris went on at length about how a "good" psychic would never want the Foundation prize because they do this as a favor to humankind and would never debase themselves with dealing with money. Perhaps then she can explain why Sylvia charges $700 for an hour's reading on the phone?! Surely her phone bills are not that high? Christine, judging from reports from dissatisfied clients of Sylvia Browne, they don't get much for their money. Instead, they receive masses of information that supposedly deals with their past lives, their far future, and other trivial matters that don't concern them a bit. Lucky numbers, frivolous and obscure connections that might or might not take place, and meaningless streams of names are dished out by Sylvia. And, I think you've got that figure wrong: I seem to recall that it's $700 for half an hour of her claptrap... Which reminds me; just where is Sylvia? She doesn't stay in touch!
I often get communications from people who run on endlessly with comments, ideas, and criticisms of various kinds and I can't quite tell what sort of a response they like to have. It's much easier when a simple question is posed, but I must say that I dread the heading on any posting that begins with "a short question." Yes, the question may be short, but that doesn't mean the answer will also be short. Sometimes I simply respond with, "What's your question?" and the following is a response to that question, if you follow all this...
I don't recall asking a question here, but were there any question I'd ask you, same as anyone else who claims they want to know something, yet can't seem to find it, it would be along the lines of the following: If there WERE something to be found of a supernatural sort, any sort, then upon finding for oneself such existed would obviously mean that if one otherwise known before thing as impossible to exist, did exist, then it stands to reason it could also be said that other impossible things could as well. True?? Sure......why not?? I agree. It's too bad that this person male or female hasn't mastered the art of expressing a thought in words. Communication is one of the things that differentiates human beings from other animals; we're much better at it than they are, and we should have great respect for our ability to express ideas and thoughts to one another with such accuracy and depth. I've read the above four paragraphs a few times now, and I still can't figure out the meaning if any is there. Yes, it's too bad, because this writer might have actually had something important and interesting to communicate to me...
Reader Garrie Lim is puzzled:
I remember my friends playing the ouija board in school once, they were caught by a teacher eventually. Instead of bringing them to the principal, he prayed for them (I was from a Methodist school). I do not believe in ghosts, or the supernatural. In fact, I was once a Christian until I discovered your site along with other Skepticism sites. What puzzles me is how these boards work. I've even seen my cousins play it using a pencil instead of a coin. If the boards work, it means that spirits exists, don't they? And if they exist, it would mean some form of religion exists, wouldn't it? There would have to be some kind of God. I hate the feeling of not knowing what to believe.... any ideas? How I got any ideas? Is the Pope in the woods? Hah! Very briefly, Garrie, the Ouija board is powered by what we call the "idiomotor reaction," in which the person with their hands on the "planchette" or the pencil, coin, or glass is unconsciously pushing it about in order to spell out the message that's expected. Look it up. In fact my "Encyclopedia" has an entry on this subject. Buy several copies.
Reader and frequent correspondent Steve Bauer of Portland, Oregon, referring to the item about the children's fortune-telling book offered by Scholastic Books that appeared here recently, informs us:
I am in possession of one copy of TOP SECRET published by Scholastic. The cover reads: "The History Channel Presents HISTORY UNDERCOVER. TOP SECRET: Includes Eight Pages of the Most Mysterious Photos Ever Seen." The author's name is Cameron Barnes. But they're selling lots of copies, Steve. Isn't that always the bottom line here? No number of complaints will color their principles for them; only dropping profits mean anything, even in such a sensitive, powerful, and critical business as publishing.
Reader Barry Kendall despairs:
I had a sad experience in a drug store a few weeks ago when I got a subscription filled. I saw a stack of glossy multi-colored booklets on the pharmacy counter. When I leafed through one, I noticed it was plugging alternative medicine: homeopathy, herbalism, iridology, acupuncture, etc. I asked the druggist if this stuff really worked or was just snake oil. It was the druggist herself I spoke to, not a clerk. She replied that she was in favor of anything which made people feel good. After Germany's ignominious defeat in World War I, Hitler made Germans feel good for ten years, anyway. Visions of white powder being snorted have started up in my head...
Reader Jim Moore gets a shot at Harris:
I have a comment about the Whitney Leigh Harris commentary, but let me just first that I commiserate with you on being a bit cracky for some people's tastes. I get that myself from some people who read my critiques of the "aquatic ape" theory some people don't like my style, while others find it humorous and refreshing. I'm not really sure that you (or I) would reach more people with a change in style. Karla McLaren's right, that new age beliefs (or pseudo/fringe science beliefs in the case of my opponents) have a different culture and that this often requires a certain learning process from those adherents before they can "get" what they're seeing, hearing, or reading from a science/reality perspective. Jim, now that you've opened that door, I can't resist telling readers that we're officially well over the 300-registration mark, and we're feverishly getting lots of extra exciting things together for TAM2. I've heard from Professor Richard Wiseman, the prominent UK investigator who is Britain's first Professor in the Public Understanding of Psychology, and he's planning to attend. In 2000, Dr. Wiseman was awarded The CSICOP Public Education In Science Award, and in 2002 he received the Joseph Lister Award from the BAAS [British Association for the Advancement of Science]. Since we already have a full roster of speakers, Richard won't be able to lecture for us this year, but I've warned him that I'm going to ask him to do so, next year. TAM2 is shaping up fast, so get your registration in now!
Tim Nightingale observes:
. . . I would like to take issue with the implicit denial of the idea that, "[science] is a tool of corrupt corporations who place profits above people." There is no question in my mind that "science" has been abused by those in power (whether governments or corporations) for hundreds of years. To be taken seriously, scientific research must be shown to be independent, rigorous and properly executed. As your personal experience shows (with Benveniste and homeopathy) it is possible to be a very well-respected and successful scientist and still do bad science. Hence the importance of peer review, and of openness, and of accepting and embracing legitimate dissent. It is never enough to look only at the results and conclusions of an experiment or study. Any answer is virtually worthless if you don't know what the question was, who was asking it, and how they arrived at the answer. And I think this is really at the heart of skepticism we don't just accept things at their face value we question them, and we try to do so without too many preconceptions. That is why we are "bright." On the same subject, E. Bert Wallace of Campbell University writes:
I know you're very busy, but I thought I'd respond to your call for comments on the short article by Steven E. Cerier (Swift, 28 November 2003). Bert, I suggest that the school's Statement of Purpose on "no conflict" works until the matter of standards for evidence is introduced. At that point, the difference between "blind faith" and "evidence-based faith" would make the road rougher.... On this same item, there's more. Reader Erin Butler of Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada, also has a view on Cerier's comments:
One line from Steven E. Cerier's contribution that I will certainly contest: "...I have stopped arguing with the devotees of the metaphysical and alternative medicine because I know they will never change their minds..." Randi comments: I've seldom had the pleasant experience of an actual conversion. When it has happened, it's been of young people, and is very rewarding. But that's such a very small percentage of those I reach... One such case follows, as reader Lissa Hayes tells us of some changes we've made in her life...
Thank you very much for writing "The Faith Healers." It has been a real eye opener. I only regret not having read it any sooner. Lissa, I strongly believe that there's no "why" behind your situation, no answer to "figure out." Your determination to stick in there and handle the less-than-ideal hand that Fate has dealt you cards given you for no reason, but simply as a result of how the real world works shows me that you're a winner, in spite of the bad start you got. I'm happy that you wrote me, so that I can wave this letter in front of a few friends who simply revel in endlessly telling me how unlucky they are, and that they just don't know how they're going to "make it." You go, girl! Still more on that Cerier piece! Reader Serdar Yegulalp comments as follows:
I read with interest the letter from Steven E. Cerier (a fellow New Yorker) and felt compelled to comment. (I'm a longtime reader and enormously grateful for the work you've done to open minds. insert rest of fawning comment here, on with the letter.) Well, Cerier sure stirred up a lot on interest! And I'm really happy about it! Thank you all for your interesting comments.
"K.S." writes:
Just a little note of thanks for all you have done to debunk these self-proclaimed faith healers and psychic readers. I'm a firefighter with the Washington, DC Fire Department. One day we were sitting in the station and a commercial came on TV for one of these psychic readers. I had mentioned how these readings are bogus. To prove it I called the 800 number and when they asked me for my credit card number I said "you're the psychic, you tell me what my number is." They hung up on me and the guys at the station couldn't stop laughing. I told "K.S." that he's on for dinner, but to hold those chicken guts...
Reader Keith Stump of Indianapolis, Indiana, refers us to a service that offers to notify family and friends when a Christian gets raptured away into Heaven. What's that all about, you ask? Visit the site at http://www.raptureletters.com/ and you'll see the definition:
The rapture: When all the believers in Jesus Christ, who have been born again, are taken up to heaven. After the rapture, there will be a lot of speculation as to why millions of people have just disappeared. Unfortunately, after the rapture, only non believers will be left to come up with answers. You probably have family and friends that you have witnessed to and they just won't listen. After the rapture they probably will, but who will tell them? This service, we're told, will e-mail those unfortunates left behind, and explain everything to them. And, I strongly suspect, some heavy proselytizing just might be done, before the rapturing gets underway. Keith is worried, however:
It occurred to me that computer programs are not 100% reliable the rapture detection subroutine might be faulty. This leaves me very "concerned" that these rapture letters might not get sent out. I propose that we Atheists/Brights/other non-Christians offer these people our services. As persons who certainly won't get raptured away, we could enter into contracts to deliver messages to the families and friends of any raptured-away Christians. Keith, maybe just not capitalizing "heaven" in your posting might be enough to send you to The Other Place, and leave you stranded Down Here with us other sinners...
The famous Nostradamus, pseudo-scientist, sayer of bad sooth, and undisputed king of I-told-you-so will have been born 500 years ago on the 14th of December. The Nostradamus Society of America (NSA) and the Nostradamus Museum at Salon, Provence, in France, along with the leading "authorities" among his followers, whose enthusiasm is of course undiminished by the failure of the world to end in July of 1999, as he'd predicted, will be gathering in St. Rémy de Provence, where Nostradamus was born, as well as in nearby Salon, where he worked and died. Nostradamus, born at St. Rémy in 1503 to a Jewish family that had converted to Catholicism, studied medicine and astrology and worked as a physician. But his biggest claim to fame, of course, is his publication of the "Centuries," a collection of quatrains that believers have accepted as prophecies despite their dramatic failures to work out. The museum in Salon has about 25,000 visitors a year. It is based in the house where Nostradamus lived and died. I've been there, and I noted that some TV props and movie items have been incorporated into the artifacts displayed at the site, as if they were the genuine articles. Five centuries after his death, the weird and cunning guy from Salon is still bringin' 'em in at the carnival . . . .
Take a peek at: http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=24363 For a laugh or two...
Reader Douglas H. McDonald makes an excellent observation:
I wanted to add this comment about the man supposedly healed by Lee Jae-Rock as referenced in your 5th December commentary. In the full news story to which you provide a link, the following statement is made. I'll add that we were not shown a photo of this man walking while holding up two crutches, only a shot of him being held up by two persons, and he himself holding up one crutch. Were there two crutches? In my experience, this sort of flawed, hyperbolized description of an event that is far less evidential in reality, is typical of the "healers." If a crippled person is at all mobile, the text describes the movement as "dancing," and the act of slowly rising from a wheelchair with great difficulty becomes "springing into action." Sad, cruel, commentaries in a vicious series of lies and fraud that make the basis for the "healing" racket.
That fellow Kirti Betai, who claims I refused to test him, obviously has science at his fingertips. I looked him up in our files, and found that we'd refused his application because he wanted to do a thing involving eating food poisoned with snake venom. Since ingesting this substance isn't necessarily dangerous, and yet might kill the man if he had a cut in his mouth, we declined the idea on ethical grounds. Now I find that he claims he's:
. . . successfully used Polarized Geometric Energy Conditioners in rectifying the geo-bio energy force fields of over 5000 premises effectively harmonizing the polarities (Rectifying the Vaastu/Feng Shui/Geomancy) without any demolition or change. Wow! What a leap forward in gibberish! Maybe we should just let him drink the poison...?
Reader Victoria Bingham of Ancaster, Ontario, Canada (just west of Hamilton) informs me that we're getting through to her:
I just thought that I'd let you know about the good work that is being done at Ancaster High School. I am a student in a biotechnology program and was doing research for an independent lab study I was required to complete. I stumbled across your site and was amazed at how well it fits into what we are talking about right now. Recently, we started a unit on pseudoscience and watched Mr. Randi's video on uncovering psychic fraud. For our own project, we were required to investigate an area of pseudoscience (e.g. dowsing, ESP, etc.) and design a lab (experiment) to test it. Our teachers are requiring us to look at the fraud behind these various pseudoscience areas and how they differ from real science. Both I and my classmates are thoroughly enjoying the chance to be our own "James Randi" and apply what we know about real science to pseudoscience. I just thought I'd let you know that students will not be fooled by false science any more...well, at least not in this Canadian school, anyway...
Reader Brent DeHut reports:
Today I visited Tokyo Disneyland, which must be at least the third-happiest place on Earth. While taking a short break from the thrilling, often nausea-inducing attractions, my friend and I stopped into a store called The Magic Shop. It sold a variety of parlor tricks in plastic packages, nothing of particular interest... until we stepped into the short hallway connection the Magic Shop to the Disney goods store next door. There, displayed proudly opposite a painting of Harry Houdini, was a lovely poster advertising none other than The Amazing Randi! A very stern looking version of My Skeptical Hero was shown levitating a woman in midair obviously that could only be explained through supernatural means. If I recall the signature correctly, it was done by an artist named Jayston. Hmmm. That was "Jayson" who did that poster. I still have a few available that I should offer for sale... As for my "bit of fame" in Japan, I'll have you know that I've done a few TV specials there, one of my books has been published in Japanese, and many years ago, I played a whole tour of night clubs in that country. Here's a better shot of that fine poster...
Larry Parker of Princeton, Texas, writes:
I read the excerpt that mentioned your Johnny Carson/Uri Geller appearance. I wanted to share a similar story with a slightly different conclusion. I read Uri Geller's book as a teenager and must admit, it seemed very believable and almost plausible. Having always been extremely interested in seeing "scientific" proof of extraordinary claims even in high school, I was ALMOST convinced and basically waiting for eventual popular acceptance of paranormal powers that seemed to be just a matter of time. Then I saw you on Carson. I'm a little shaken by being included in such a roster of intellectuals, and I hope there isn't hemlock in my future, but let's not get carried away here, Larry. I'm happy that you heeded my comments, but they're only the results of lots of experience and some basic common sense, not deep cerebration. I work much more from instinct, which in turn is based on observations I've made "under fire" and "in the field." Instinct is both hard-wired into us, and applied along the way, and I've got lots of it. It's been my great fortune to know heavy-hitters on the journey, and to learn from them. Thanks for your participation in this journey to understanding. Yes, praise Bob!
Ed Graham scolds me... I think....
I want to thank you for your abrasiveness and intolerance. In your on-line newsletter, the excerpt from "Bridging the Chasm between Two Cultures," by Karla McLaren reminded me that I owed you a thank you. For many years, I worked as a talk show host on-air in Baltimore and Washington, DC. Producers seemed to want to book "paranormal" guests. I tried to be nice and logically dispute their credibility. I was met with condescending pity. Asking for the most elementary evidence always brought laughter. It seemed that I just didn't understand. If I pressed, the management told me that I alienated the audience. I did have several really interesting interviews with the Amazing Kreskin over the years. Ed, it's called "money"....
A reader signed just "John" asks...
I was born and raised in middle-class, suburban America. As a typical liberal protestant family of Presbyterians, my religious upbringing amounted largely to singing in the church choir and chasing the girls in my youth group. John, there is no "absolute" in atheism, the way I understand it: an atheist is a person who finds no evidence to support the existence of a deity. I never say, nor have ever said, that there is no deity; I have only said that I have no evidence to establish that there is a deity. I, too, deny any "absolutes." As for books, anything by Richard Dawkins will do...
Sid Rodrigues, my excellent friend in the UK, tells me that Crime Scene Office Sean Davies managed to spot an hilarious mistake on the Northamptonshire Police Force web-site, at http://www.northants.police.uk/dna/02.htm He asks, "Maybe you can spot it?" Well, I missed it. Now you try.
Reader Iain Roberts of Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK, re last week's web page, tells us:
[re] . . . Richard Bartholemew, mentioned a report on the BBC about police looking for a missing man in Manchester after a tip-off from a psychic. Although I'm not 100% sure it was the same case, I believe that I saw the "after" story in my local newspaper, the Stockport Times. Good points, Iain. Just think of how much the US government spends every hour on useless investigations of equally silly matters. A little sympathy, please?
My visit to Finland and Sweden was very successful and very satisfying to me, personally. I'm still very puzzled by the management of Finnair, who transported me from the USA to Finland on a ticket that was marked, "economy," but cost "business class," and offered all the opportunities and conveniences of Business Class...! The Finnair people in Helsinki, standing before a huge sign declaring, "Business Class," told me firmly that their airline did not have a Business Class, but did admit that the seat I was assigned in the very first row had better amenities than those in the rear of the plane. Yes, I believe that fully reclining seats, a personal DVD player with a full album of movies, and a few other privileges I enjoyed, were not available to every passenger. And I noted that the Finnair people rolled up that 'Business Class' sign at the desk, right after I called attention to it. What's the mystery here? But then, Finnair is into a lot of New Age nonsense such as aromatherapy and "brain buttons" in their in-flight magazine, so maybe this is some mysterious vibrational notion they're trying to sell me. I lectured at the beautiful science center Heureka, just outside Helsinki, to a jam-packed auditorium full of people who are not accustomed to showing up on time: some were there a full hour before the scheduled time for the lecture! I also spoke for the magic club there, imparting some of the finer points of the art of deception. At the end of the week, I hopped over to Stockholm and spoke at a Royal Institute of Technology auditorium to another full house. In between all this I did many television appearances and newspaper interviews, so we really got the word out on a very busy though far too short visit to this part of the world. I have to express my thanks to all those in both countries who facilitated my visit, and perhaps next time I'm invited there, it will be in slightly warmer weather? Thanks, all.
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