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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Mediumship

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  #51  
Old 02-12-2012, 03:50 PM
matt1973
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henri77
Noted

You'll observe 95% of the posters here disagree with your take.

Why not start a thread for skeptics ... I've no doubt you'll get lots of support there. (seriously)
I have no time for skeptics-cynics and cannot understand why they don't begin their own threads , as there must be many closet skeptics who'd love to blow off steam. Share your evidence for fakery and others may join in. (in YOUR thread)

This thread isn't intended as a debate however, and I'd rather not defend TV mediums I've never personally witnessed. It's pointless.
I've studied mediumship many yrs and never personally met-seen a cold reader.


Feel free to share any positive comments though, that's the point of the thread.

I'm not a skeptic. I am someone who is skeptical about John Edward.

I believe that there are genuine mediums, but that doesn't mean I have to accept the word of every person who claims to be a medium. Like it or not, there are many frauds and charlatans out there and a large number have been exposed as such.

Cold reading is a well known and well documented technique and I see evidence of it in John Edward's TV readings.

Tony Stockwell, on the other hand, is very specific and uncannily accurate and I see no evidence of cold reading in his readings.

Since this is a thread about TV mediums I am perfectly within my rights to offer an opinion on TV mediums - positive or negative.
  #52  
Old 03-12-2012, 04:54 AM
MMM
Posts: n/a
 
I too firmly put John Edwards in the fraud catagory right next to Sylvia Brown.
I know people whom I respect who like John Edwards.
At best, these are people with poorly developed mediumistic abilities who took the easy road of cold readings and vague evidence.

I would walk through the snow bare feet though for Tony Stockwell and have had the priviledge of seeing him demonstrate and teach.

Funny. Very appropriate I'm reading an article now on how Emma H. Britten when returning from a world tour lamented on the declining state of public mediums and her call to raise the standard (in 1880).

We can disagree, but let's not get disagreeable
  #53  
Old 03-12-2012, 05:54 AM
Henri77
Posts: n/a
 
Everyones perception is different, I suspect.

I'd love see an authentic debunking thread-debate with genuine evidence, as would many others I'm sure, but that's not my hope-reason for this thread. Nor that of the other posters, I gather.
.

I've had far too many positive threads derailed-torpedoed by fruitless debate-skepticism.
Honoring the topic intent seems only good manners-taste.
  #54  
Old 03-12-2012, 11:37 PM
matt1973
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henri77
Everyones perception is different, I suspect.

I'd love see an authentic debunking thread-debate with genuine evidence, as would many others I'm sure, but that's not my hope-reason for this thread. Nor that of the other posters, I gather.
.

I've had far too many positive threads derailed-torpedoed by fruitless debate-skepticism.
Honoring the topic intent seems only good manners-taste.

I am honouring the topic.

In your initial post on this thread you addressed skeptics directly and offered a video of John Edward as an example of what you believe to be a genuine medium giving a reading.

You can't invite a skeptic to watch a video which you have posted as proof of John Edward's ability and then expect the very people your post was aimed at not to comment on it.

That is the equivalent of a skeptic starting a debunking thread (as you suggest) and that same skeptic then refusing to take comments on it from those who have a differing opinion.

As I've said, I am not a skeptic, or "cynic" as you call it. I am a believer who doesn't necessarily believe that John Edward is a genuine medium and that he might use cold reading. I don't find him convincing enough to say for certain that every reading he gives is genuine and I say that in response to your original post.
  #55  
Old 03-12-2012, 11:43 PM
matt1973
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM
I too firmly put John Edwards in the fraud catagory right next to Sylvia Brown.
I know people whom I respect who like John Edwards.
At best, these are people with poorly developed mediumistic abilities who took the easy road of cold readings and vague evidence.

I would walk through the snow bare feet though for Tony Stockwell and have had the priviledge of seeing him demonstrate and teach.

Funny. Very appropriate I'm reading an article now on how Emma H. Britten when returning from a world tour lamented on the declining state of public mediums and her call to raise the standard (in 1880).

We can disagree, but let's not get disagreeable

Sylvia Browne most definitely falls into the fraud category, as does one of the other female mediums named on this thread.

I can't quite make my mind up about John Edward. There are clips of him giving what appears to be a good reading, but those clips are outweighed by the number in which he seems to be cold reading. I am not at all convinced that all his readings are genuine.

Tony Stockwell is the most convincing medium I am aware of. His readings differ greatly from those of John Edward and he is incredibly specific and accurate.
  #56  
Old 04-12-2012, 01:37 AM
Henri77
Posts: n/a
 
While I wasn't really inviting skeptics, I can see how this might be inferred by my initial wording. You're quite right on that. I really meant those who aren't totally sold on mediumship as such. I felt it's a good TV example. But we all see things differently.

My intent for most threads is not to sell anything or convince anyone, at all.
But generally to share stories with those who have experiences or knowledge of a topic we all find interesting. To inspire through positive sharing.

If someone thinks it's bunk, there are tons of other threads, but I've zero interest or time to debate with anyone who wants to challenge what we're discussing.
I've found this accomplishes nothing whatsoever and only wastes everyones time.


Debate is a time honored sport, but rarely really changes anyone's view and while entertaining it doesn't advance human understanding. Semantic sparring for the most part.

I'd like this thread to move forward if anyone wishes to contribute further. Sorry for the ruckus.
Though I expect we've mentioned most the well known mediums
  #57  
Old 04-12-2012, 01:58 AM
Pinkroses
Posts: n/a
 
I like John Edward. Good personality, seems down-to-earth and compassionate. I don't believe he's a fraud. I have learned recently just how difficult mediumship is. It's not an exact science. Mediums are bombarded with symbols, phrases, images, feelings, etc., and they have to try to interprete and make sense of it all. This certainly is not an easy task. I give credit to all the mediums out there who give it their best shot and try to help others even after being repeatedly scrutinized.
  #58  
Old 04-12-2012, 02:40 AM
Henri77
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinkroses
I like John Edward. Good personality, seems down-to-earth and compassionate. I don't believe he's a fraud. I have learned recently just how difficult mediumship is. It's not an exact science. Mediums are bombarded with symbols, phrases, images, feelings, etc., and they have to try to interprete and make sense of it all. This certainly is not an easy task. I give credit to all the mediums out there who give it their best shot and try to help others even after being repeatedly scrutinized.

Thanx, I'm certain it's a huge challenge to do this well on a TV studio set, surrounded by gear & technicians, on a tight schedule. With an excited audience wanting attention-readings.

Also many of these mediums only take 30-90 seconds per subject, in group settings.
And asking verification questions only makes sense to save time , and make contact under such conditions.
When I did private or public readings at our spiritualist church I rarely ever asked questions, but wasn't on a tight schedule or viewed by millions wanting "hits".


Didn't start this thread to "rate" medium-psychics, but that's inevitable when we share our perspectives.

I appreciate that Edwards seems to genuinely want to educate the public , beyond the entertainment aspect they all share. To communicate it's a normal human gift-ability.

I'd love to see any of them doing private 20 min in-depth readings.
Maybe they're really not exceptional as professional mediums go.
Other than being young, attractive, personable, confident ..and able to reliably produce, under pressure.
I've really no idea.

Last edited by Henri77 : 04-12-2012 at 03:51 AM.
  #59  
Old 04-12-2012, 04:50 AM
arive nan
Posts: n/a
 
thread closed

Public Figures: We have found people naming and discussing public figures/famous people, members should know that derogatory discussions about anyone, public figures or not, will not be tolerated and from now on will be removed without notice, SF is not prepared to tolerate slanderous remarks made against anyone.
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