This Has Blown My Paradigm

[nailit]

Ive always been sceptical of the paranormal. In the past I have been the token sceptic member of a paranormal research group, (At one time in my youth I subscribed to skeptic magazine).
Ive read virtually all of James Randis publications at one time or another, along with many other debunkers.

However, this afternoon, I was spending some time with a female friend of mine when she casually mentioned about a 'reading' that she had had from a 'psychic' and that this reading was recorded on a CD. Up for a bit of fun I asked her to find it and play it, (so that I could pick holes in it...)

After years of visiting mediums etc myself and finding nothing of significance, I was blown away by this. Not, at any point, was any information requested, (nor given) names and dates were given,
and information was relayed that the 'reader' could not have known beforehand.
(including names of first boyfriend that has since died, Fathers mental illness, number..and sex..of children, participants current relationship with family, including the fact that she had only one sister and a step father)
To get the full story one would have to listen to the CD, but its blown my mind (and I'm a complete sceptic) Might have to book myself in and see for myself! ;-)

[nailit]

LOL Togo ^
The idea that this psychic is a P.I. is frankly laughable.
Ive just typed my friends name into google (along with Stoke on Trent) and its come back with 2800 results. And quickly scanning the pages, not one refers to my friend. She is on no social media...she isnt even conected to the internet and she didnt give the psychic her address. And unless this psychic has access to my friends medical records then its hard to explain how she described my friends 3 month stay in hospital with liver failure that she nearly died from. This was all described without a single question been asked...not even pausing to ask if it was right or not.
Im well aware of how psychics work by fishing for information and 'cold' reading, ive read peoples tarot myself in the past and convinced them that psychic, but after seeing scores of psychics myself this is the first time that ive been stumped for an explanation.

[murraymints]

I have had similar reading in a totally different part of the country from a stranger without any preamble....

Also have had many inexplicable paranormal experiences...

Dinnae mock TTT ..or I'll come back and haunt you ! ;0)

[jim360]

Just to be clear, was this a sound-only CD or full video of the session? Who knows what subtle cues could have been there to pick up on, either way? Maybe none, maybe it was real -- but there needs to be a lot of scrutiny applied, I think, before you get to that point.

We have all experienced the weird, wonderful, and apparently inexplicable. It's part of the human experience, really.

[nailit]

Must admit Jim, I did think about the non verbal 'clues' (it was a sound only cd) but its still hard to explain how she could say, for instance, that her first boyfriend was named Paul and he was heartbroken when she left him to marry someone else and that he died some years ago. Or that she spent 3 months in hospital with liver failure. And as I said, she fished for no information and asked no questions.
My friends visiting this afternoon and ive asked her to bring the cd again so I can go over it again. I'm baffled.

[jim360]

No doubt I'd be just as baffled, nailit :)

[nailit]

After years of looking into this stuff, and been a complete sceptic, Id never thought that I would ever again pay one of these people for a reading, but I think that I might just have to find £30 from somewhere just to satisfy my curiosity.

[ToraToraTora]

the Randi foundation offered $1million to anyone who could demonstrate any sort of "paranormal" ability under test conditions. No one picked it up. Now do you think that if any of the charlatans had any ability beyond con trickery they'd have picked up the million rather than earn a few quid conning the gullible? I don't pretend to able to explain how they do this any more than I can explain how Copperfield cut himself in half but rest assured it's trickery, research, conjuring etc.

Even the dowsers were offered the million, they failed too. All part of the wonderful world of total Bowl0cks.

[ToraToraTora]

naomi: "TTT, another who thinks he knows all the answers." - no but I know what the answers aren't

[Mamyalynne]

Nailit, it's always good to have your long held thoughts rocked and challenged a bit - keeps the mind enquiring and alive.

There's far more in this world and beyond than most of us know, enjoy finding out some more.

[ToraToraTora]

when you watch a stage magiciasn you probably don't know how most of the tricks are done but you don't believe it's "magic" do you? You know it's a trick. Same here, they dress it up for effect and are very skilled in various areas but it's a trick.

[Peter Pedant]

I have just had a paranormal experience too

I am in a thread where people have a fixed belief in the face of all the evidence to the contrary

how is that paranormal -
well it certainly aint normal ....

[Mamyalynne]

A fixed position becomes uncomfortable after a time, you need to stretch and shake off the cramp.

To pinch a well worn quote...

" A closed mind is a wonderful thing to lose".

[murraymints]

To the believer no proof is necessary..to the non believer no proof is enough...

[Khandro]

Mind like parachute, only work when open.

Charlie Chan

[ToraToraTora]

if any of this mumbo jumbo works then why has no one picked up the $1m ? Why is Ladbrokes still in Business?

[Mamyalynne]

The Randi challenge went unclaimed because Charlatans knew they would fail.

People with genuine gifts are often quiet ,unassuming and seek no gain or favour.

[Mamyalynne]

It's still an interesting read though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Million_Dollar_Paranormal_Challenge

[ToraToraTora]

mamy: "People with genuine gifts are often quiet ,unassuming and seek no gain or favour. " - perlease! that's part of the act, why would they charge the gullible a say £30 for a reading when they could pick up the $1million? or win the lottery? etc and not have to bother with all the effort? whatever way you look at it, it's cobras!