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[technoir]

Okay Phenomena has earned my viewership. I love a good magic act. I am a sucker for them. I love watching them closely and trying to figure out the trick and I am especially pleased when I have no idea how they do their trick. What I don't have tolerance for is supposed psychics who use the skills of a professional magician and use ti to convince people they are endowed with supernatural powers. These sort of charlatans gain my ire every time. There has never been a supposed psychic who could withstand a real scientific investigation of their claims. I wish it was otherwise. I wish there were special powers and real magic. i want there to be. We all do, but there aren't.

So i am watching Phenomena tonight cause well the show I normally watch is not on. They have this supposed medium doing his bit. He is very good at his schtick. Does the whole channeling thing, with the shakes. he reveals what is in the sealed box. I am pretty sure i have seen magicians do the same trick without the artifice of possession involved. Still he has a good look and seems very forthright.

he stands before the judges. Uri Geller gives him high marks. This is not surprising as Geller has claimed since the 70's he had special powers as well. Chis Angel on the other hand begins laughing. Angels hero it seems is Hoodini. Hoodini was one of the most vehement skeptics of the 20th century. Chris Angel apparently shares my distaste for the would be psychics of the world.

So Chris's turn to give his opinion turned into a new challenge. He pulled two envelopes out of his pocket and offered a million dollars of his own money if the guy on stage or Uri Geller could guess the contents of the envelopes. The would be Medium lost it. He charges Chris Angel cursing up a storm. They cut to commercial. This could have been staged as well but I hope not. It makes me happy to think someone will call these guys if they step out and claim things that just are not true.

The next act did a mentalist bit but he never claimed to be a real psychic. When Chris Angel made a point of it in the review the guy responded "nope I am no psychic." See i dont mind my sences being tricked when everyone involved acknowledges it is a trick. The would be spiritualists of the world are annoying at least and downright dangerous at worst. They take advantage of folks apt to believe in spirits and talking to the dead and often take them for money.

so i will be watching the show when i can.

Comments

[technoir.livejournal.com]

there is a mile of difference between faith healing and prayer. I believe there is nothing wrong, dishonest or innapropriate in having your pastor(or fill in you religious leader here) sit and pray for your soul or aid from god(goddess....what have ya). yes that helps your moral and gives you hope. A faith healer will walk in the same room and pray loudly to god or speak in toungs or what have you then tell you god will fix you. Those are the ones i want to hit. first they give false hope. They hav ehad no influence on the outcome. They are just playing on your belief and desperation. i dont see it as constructive to give someone a lie to hold as their shield. give them the strength to face the tough fight. Dont feed them the lie and tell them they wont have to fight it.