Your thoughts on ''mediums?''

[arthra]

I watched a documentary recently about mediums, and it all seemed very convincing, that there are people out there who can 'channel' the dead, and bring some closure for those of us who have lost loved ones, and maybe are still searching for answers. Some religions teach that mediums are evil, but I happen to think that maybe there are some people who have this special ''gift.'' What do you think? Do you ''believe'' in mediums?

Have you ever hired one to help you communicate with a deceased loved one?

Deidra,

Thanks for your post... Years ago I attended a seance and sat through it for ohhh maybe an hour or so. The people who hosted were distant acquaintances of mine. They asked my some general questions while I visited them.. I was careful not to give them many specifics. The seance began in the evening... It was something of an ordeal. The Medium was screeching and carrying on and went from person to person.. She had nothing to say to me except that she thought I was a descended master.. After the session was over several of the members of the group approached me and said since I was a descended master that I could help them... I was sort of taken aback by their request and replied that there was one thing I would advise them to do and that was to be true to themselves! It was a frustrating experience and I had no desire to return to that group or seek the Medium's advice.

In my Faith we do not seek Mediums or endorse spiritualism.

 

[Skwim]

I definitely believe there are gifted mediums that have genuine abilities. Mediums that use their ability to help others can be a positive thing. In fact I will go so far as to say that gifted mediums have been shown to be correct at fantastic odds against chance when tested under tightly controlled laboratory conditions. Here is one link that discusses the testing aspect: The Scientific Investigation into Mediumship

There are those scientific skeptics that will claim all paranormal phenomena is bogus but I look at the evidence and judge things for myself.

Your link focuses primarily around Dr Gary Schwartz, a parapsychologist, author, and professor at the University of Arizona. While well schooled, he and his work has come in for criticism.

"Schwartz's methods have prompted criticism from skeptics such as University of Oregon professor Ray Hyman, who says Professor Schwartz's research deviates from the accepted norms of scientific methodology, and criticizes Schwartz for research errors such as inappropriate statistical tests and using subjects predisposed to believe in psychic abilities. Skeptic Robert Todd Carroll maintains that Schwartz's evaluation of mediums is subjective and a product of "wishful thinking." When retired stage magician and famous skeptic James Randi asked the University of Arizona to submit Schwartz's research data to an independent panel for evaluation as part of his One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, Schwartz declined because he thought that the panel, which he believed would be picked by Randi, would be biased. The University of Arizona's then-president Peter Likins, decided that Schwartz's statements were matters of "freedom of expression."
Schwartz has also been accused by psychic Laurie Campbell and Allison DuBois of exploiting their psychic abilities for his own publicity."
Source: Wikipedia

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[Tumah]

Yes. That perhaps was through TIME?????????????????????????????????????????

Maybe it was through disposable plastic plates. I know it doesn't say that in the verse either, but still.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

There are those scientific skeptics that will claim all paranormal phenomena is bogus but I look at the evidence and judge things for myself.

... and somehow feel qualified to do so -- or, what amounts to pretty much the same thing,think that one need not be qualified to make a determination.

 

[George-ananda]

Your link focuses primarily around Dr Gary Schwartz, a parapsychologist, author, and professor at the University of Arizona. While well schooled, he and his work has come in for criticism.

"Schwartz's methods have prompted criticism from skeptics such as University of Oregon professor Ray Hyman, who says Professor Schwartz's research deviates from the accepted norms of scientific methodology, and criticizes Schwartz for research errors such as inappropriate statistical tests and using subjects predisposed to believe in psychic abilities. Skeptic Robert Todd Carroll maintains that Schwartz's evaluation of mediums is subjective and a product of "wishful thinking." When retired stage magician and famous skeptic James Randi asked the University of Arizona to submit Schwartz's research data to an independent panel for evaluation as part of his One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, Schwartz declined because he thought that the panel, which he believed would be picked by Randi, would be biased. The University of Arizona's then-president Peter Likins, decided that Schwartz's statements were matters of "freedom of expression."
Schwartz has also been accused by psychic Laurie Campbell and Allison DuBois of exploiting their psychic abilities for his own publicity."
Source: Wikipedia

.​

This goes along with what I said in my final sentence: There are those scientific skeptics that will claim all paranormal phenomena is bogus but I look at the evidence and judge things for myself.

The names mentioned above are pretty much the same names that criticize every paranormal subject. In fact Wikipedia has been edited by a group called Guerilla Skeptics

 

[George-ananda]

... and somehow feel qualified to do so --

Yes, after decades of studying the aims and techniques of the prominent skeptics, I feel qualified to form a position. Have you formed an opinion on let's say YEC Proponents, Climate Change Deniers, Christian Fundamentalism, etc..? If so, do you feel qualified to have done so?

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

You are married to one? How interesting! Does she like having this gift? In the show I watched, it seemed like it was overwhelming for some mediums.

It can be somewhat confusing for her, at times, as her vision is a little bit poor. But living with it her whole life, she's gotten used to it. With her though, it doesn't really do anything. They don't speak to her, interact with her, etc; she just sees them.

 

[Deidre]

I've talked to mediums and after everything they claim, I call bull****. As a necromancer, I like to think I know quite a bit about how the dead work and how one can go about communicating with them, and a lot of what they about how the dead manifest and interact with the world is just, well, not how they manifest and interact with the world. I have no doubt that there are some people who are just particularly talented at communicating with the dead, just like with any other skill, but the "medium" thing is probably either some mild form of schizophrenia or something similar, a scam, wishful thinking, or some combination of the three.

Side note: The medium's I've talked to have claimed that necromancy is either evil, fake, or scary. Why might this be? Necromancy (as I explained to them) accomplices exactly the same thing as what they hope to do; talk to the dead. Any ideas on this? Genuinely curious here.

I'd like to learn more about necromancy, I don't know much about it. I wonder if the mediums you've talked with who have said that to you, view necromancers as competition to them? I don't know the right word to explain what I'm thinking right now, but that could be. Sort of like how Christian churches all think they know God more than the next church. lol

How did you get into this? I'm curious to learn from you. I have a friend also who is interested in contacting a medium because her bf died recently, and the subject has made me curious. I do believe that if I were to share my interest with other Christians, they'd steer me away saying it's ''evil.'' But, can't a person just explore something without it being judged, you know?

 

[Skwim]

This goes along with what I said in my final sentence: There are those scientific skeptics that will claim all paranormal phenomena is bogus but I look at the evidence and judge things for myself.

Of course, just as there are paranormal buffs that will swear to the veracity of paranormal events. In the piece I quoted the criticism had to do with methodology and Schwartz's refusal to present his research data to an independent panel for evaluation. Plus allegations of exploitation by Schwartz.

The names mentioned above are pretty much the same names that criticize every paranormal subject.

Yup. But so what?

In fact Wikipedia has been edited by a group called Guerilla Skeptics

Think they're unbiased? I wouldn't bet a wooden nickle on it.

.

 

[Deidre]

Deidra,

Thanks for your post... Years ago I attended a seance and sat through it for ohhh maybe an hour or so. The people who hosted were distant acquaintances of mine. They asked my some general questions while I visited them.. I was careful not to give them many specifics. The seance began in the evening... It was something of an ordeal. The Medium was screeching and carrying on and went from person to person.. She had nothing to say to me except that she thought I was a descended master.. After the session was over several of the members of the group approached me and said since I was a descended master that I could help them... I was sort of taken aback by their request and replied that there was one thing I would advise them to do and that was to be true to themselves! It was a frustrating experience and I had no desire to return to that group or seek the Medium's advice.

In my Faith we do not seek Mediums or endorse spiritualism.

Thank you for sharing this. Suppose...and this question is to everyone as well lol ...suppose the medium told you something that really only you and the deceased knew, or that only maybe one other person knew? And the medium didn't know this beforehand of course, but told you about it? Would you be convinced? See, for me, it would take the medium telling me an incredible secret that only I and say my grandmother who passed away over two years ago, knew together. It would be cool and scary at the same time, to hear such ''evidence.''

 

[Deidre]

It can be somewhat confusing for her, at times, as her vision is a little bit poor. But living with it her whole life, she's gotten used to it. With her though, it doesn't really do anything. They don't speak to her, interact with her, etc; she just sees them.

I see. Has she ever seen someone who you knew/loved, who passed?

 

[Deidre]

Of course, just as there are paranormal buffs that will swear to the veracity of paranormal events. In the piece I quoted the criticism had to do with methodology and Schwartz's refusal to present his research data to an independent panel for evaluation. Plus allegations of exploitation by Schwartz.


Yup. But so what?


Think they're unbiased? I wouldn't bet a wooden nickle on it.

.

It's interesting to me that you are a skeptic with all of this lol Like, Idk...I'm a skeptic on some things, but suppose there could be truth to this? Do you ever leave the possibility open that there could be truth to some of this? The paranormal has no objective evidence to prove it, but some of the stories that people tell seem to have merit, no?

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

I see. Has she ever seen someone who you knew/loved, who passed?

Nope. A lot of veterans (we worked on a military base for a time) and random spirits wandering around while out driving. Also the aforementioned animal around our apartment.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think it's very possible to have contact with the dead. It's happened to me. I do think that these "mediums" who do cold readings are just frauds, though.

 

[Deidre]

I think it's very possible to have contact with the dead. It's happened to me. I do think that these "mediums" who do cold readings are just frauds, though.

Yea, I tend to agree. I'd be interested in hearing your story, if you care to share here. If not, I understand, but it's so interesting to me to hear stories of people who found their mediums to be trustworthy.

 

[George-ananda]

Of course, just as there are paranormal buffs that will swear to the veracity of paranormal events. In the piece I quoted the criticism had to do with methodology and Schwartz's refusal to present his research data to an independent panel for evaluation.

Of course, but are the criticisms really valid? (Enemies always need an angle of attack, so what.)

 

[Glaurung]

Even on the off chance a medium was authentic, I'd never trust anything they were told. If fact I'd be even more weary of them as any spirit would answer such a call does so only to manipulate.

 

[Skwim]

Of course, but are the criticisms really valid?

Are the claims valid?

.

 

[George-ananda]

Are the claims valid?

.

I believe so after lengthy consideration. These types of experiments are not like particle physics experiments. Any lay person can understand how these experiments were done.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Answering OP: BS.