Psychic readings

Sam_Fallow

If one was to become a psychic, wouldn't it be easier to start off communicating with the living using telepathy instead of attempting to make contact with the 'other side.' Surely it would be easier to contact a willing participant who was willing and knew what was expected, rather than having to sift through the billions of dead souls just to find the late Aunty Margaret?

In the same way that if I believed I could fly, I would try taking off from the ground first to check it out, instead of jumping off a building.

Finally, anyone who claims to have some sort of psychic ability because their sister rang just when they were thinking of them, shouldn't think of this as anything other than coincidence. If nobody ever rang up whenever they were being thought about, that would be weird.

Coincidences do happen.

Jagraf

There is such a phenomenal amount of ambition for people to tell other people not to believe in something because they themselves don't. Why is that? If someone is happy believing something, why do others think they are so wrong? A belief is a belief.

We know so little about the brain (fact) that surely it's best to keep an open mind.

ViolaLass

Jagraf wrote: »

There is such a phenomenal amount of ambition for people to tell other people not to believe in something because they themselves don't. Why is that? If someone is happy believing something, why do others think they are so wrong? A belief is a belief.

We know so little about the brain (fact) that surely it's best to keep an open mind.

Because it can and has led to people being conned.

It would be nice to be able to trust everything you are ever told and everyone you ever meet. There's a good reason why we don't teach our children to do that.

Person_one

Jagraf wrote: »

There is such a phenomenal amount of ambition for people to tell other people not to believe in something because they themselves don't. Why is that? If someone is happy believing something, why do others think they are so wrong? A belief is a belief.

Because there are fraudsters preying on the vulnerable and the bereaved to get them to part with their hard earned money for a performance! As if that wasn't enough they also like to get them hooked if possible so they keep coming back and become a regular earner for the fraudster.

Sally Morgan charges £3 a pop for her 'psychic text' service, £1.50 a minute for her phone line. That's not benign belief, that's mercenary exploitation.

G3.

The terminally stupid will always find ways of giving their money away. Be it lottery tickets, Sally the Psychic, or Radley handbags.

Who are we to police what other people spend their money on, or make decisions on their behalf.

Person_one

G3. wrote: »

The terminally stupid will always find ways of giving their money away. Be it lottery tickets, Sally the Psychic, or Radley handbags.

Who are we to police what other people spend their money on, or make decisions on their behalf.

There are laws against obtaining money by deception. These laws should be applied to so called psychics and mediums who can't verifiably prove their claims, which would be all of them.

takman

Jagraf wrote: »

But everyone believes things without evidence surely? You believe the foundations to your house are built properly, you believe that security checks are done before a flight, you believe the dentist really is a dentist. In some things you have faith. But there are frauds too. Do I believe there are genuine psychics - probably. Do I believe there are fraudsters definitely. Do I think what I believe is better than what others believe - no.

The difference with all those situation is that there is evidence that house foundations can be built properly, that security checks are possible and that real dentists do exist!.
If you asked a security officer at the airport how the security checks are done he would be able to explain in detail of how it works, plus prove that it works. If you ask a psychic how they receive messages from the dead then you would be lucky to get any kind of logical explication.

Jagraf

The irony of folk debating that things are made up, on a forum where people make stuff up all the time :rotfl::rotfl:

G3.

Person_one wrote: »

There are laws against obtaining money by deception. These laws should be applied to so called psychics and mediums who can't verifiably prove their claims, which would be all of them.

Spiritualism is a religion and religious belief is protected by law. The UN human rights council adopted a resolution condemning "defamation of religion" as a human rights violation. Take it up with them if you so wish.

Jagraf

G3. wrote: »

The terminally stupid will always find ways of giving their money away. Be it lottery tickets, Sally the Psychic, or Radley handbags.

Who are we to police what other people spend their money on, or make decisions on their behalf.

Actually I quite agree. I don't know whether I would use terminally stupid but you do emphasise my point about people who say one thing is a waste of money yet it's ok to spend it on equalky questionable things.