Your thoughts on ''mediums?''

[oldbadger]

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.

I took interest in, and visited many spiritualist meetings about 25 years ago. My wife had died some months before and I just found myself wanting to 'go and see'.

Some religions teach that mediums are evil, but I happen to think that maybe there are some people who have this special ''gift.''

Sure, the Old-Covenant did carry the death penalty (Ex. 22:17) and Jews were forbidden to use seers, mediums, witches etc. (Lev. 19:26. Lev. 19:31) but apparently, according to the Christian New Covenant it's OK.... because 1 JOHN 4:1 shows some acceptance for mediums and Christians are directed not to neglect any spiritual gifts which they might have (1 TIMOTHY 4:14; cp. 2 TIMOTHY 1:6)

What do you think? Do you ''believe'' in mediums?

Oh, I believe in mediums alright....... oh yes. When a young man in Guildford England a spiritualist became extremely agitated with 'tumbling' messages for me, picked out of a huge Hall's audience. Many of her predictions for my future and many warnings from my family past became true. And in late 91' a Spiritualist passed many messages to me from my late wife which 'clicked' within me.

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

No need to!
Why not attend your nearest Christian Spiritualist Church or Chapel?
These spiritualists practice for the vocation and love of it. Thus, they're not frightened to pass on what they receive, rather than worry about how their messages might affect their income.

But their Chapels do deserve a generous contribution if you can afford this.

I became very close to one of the Spiritualists, and she was a healer as well. I believe in some people's ability to spiritually heal because Harry Edwards (Leatherhead, England) managed to stop my wife's convulsions completelely for about two years. When they recommenced I discovered that Mr Edwards had died (old age) and therefore my wife was not healed again.

 

[Native]

According to our personal sensitivity and listening skills, we all are and can be medium´s with all kinds of personal and collective informations. IMO all religions derives from personal mediums who have sensed the cosmic powers of creation.

The most difficulties being a medium is to set aside all ego-filters which can distort the genuine information.

 

[oldbadger]

Carlita, let me know if you do this, I'm tempted to as I've been missing my grandmother lately, but...not sure if it's something I should do. Suppose it is all just an emotional head trip that the person takes you on, you know?

I think it would be really good for you to go along there....

As I have altready said, the Christian New-Covenant does offer you some reassurance about being able to go...
1 JOHN 4:1
1 TIMOTHY 4:14
2 TIMOTHY 1:6

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

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?

On the proponents or the positions?

With the exception of Christian Fundamentalism ...

On the positions -- absolutely not. I defer to the overwhelming consensus of science.
On the proponents -- absolutely. They are, for the most part, ignorant fools.​

 

[Twilight Hue]

Answering OP: BS.

Mix in cold reading techniques. Practice and Boom!

A genuine "medium" is born. Ready to cross palms with silver.

 

[ChristineM]

Not mediums but in the same vain.

A friend of mine is an actor, a very spiritual guy, he was asked to do a spot on one of the ghost hunt style programs. He was over the moon, elated for sure.

The day came, he left home at 1am to drive the 350 miles to the Scottish castle where the investigation was to take place. He was handed an script and asked to read it.

He returned to his car to drive home in tears, the ghosts were scripted.

 

[George-ananda]

On the proponents or the positions?

With the exception of Christian Fundamentalism ...

On the positions -- absolutely not. I defer to the overwhelming consensus of science.
On the proponents -- absolutely. They are, for the most part, ignorant fools.​

OK, so you get the point. In some cases on some issues, we individually feel competent to form an opinion as I did on the earlier issue.

 

[George-ananda]

Mix in cold reading techniques. Practice and Boom!

A genuine "medium" is born. Ready to cross palms with silver.

To me, this as the total explanation cannot explain the results produced by the most gifted psychics under triple-blind controlled conditions. Serious cold reading magician types admit that they could not perform in the controlled experiments discussed in the link I presented earlier. Also in brain scan studies, gifted psychics look different. They show enhanced activity in the area of the brain believed to be associated with intuition and actually like to know as little as possible about the person they are reading so that their analytical mind doesn't interfere.

 

[Twilight Hue]

To me, this as the total explanation cannot explain the results produced by the most gifted psychics under triple-blind controlled conditions. Serious cold reading magician types admit that they could not perform in the controlled experiments discussed in the link I presented earlier. Also in brain scan studies, gifted psychics look different. They show enhanced activity in the area of the brain believed to be associated with intuition and actually like to know as little as possible about the person they are reading so that their analytical mind doesn't interfere.

Impressive credentials.

I'm willing to bet this was a involving an accredited proactive university, with peer reviewed material released to the public as to the results and subsequent critiques that followed.

 

[George-ananda]

I'm willing to bet this was a involving an accredited proactive university, with peer reviewed material released to the public as to the results and subsequent critiques that followed.

I'm not clear what you are getting at with those comments.

But yes, this guy is well-credentialed and cautious. The usual skeptics again will champion the claim that this seemingly highly intelligent parapsychologist who makes experimental design part of his specialty, is incompetent or a fraud.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm not clear what you are getting at with those comments.

But yes, this guy is well-credentialed and cautious. The usual skeptics again will champion the claim that this seemingly highly intelligent parapsychologist who makes experimental design part of his specialty, is incompetent or a fraud.

I'm just wondering what his peers, equal in Intellegence and credentialing has to say about this. If any material has been submitted for peer review and published.

Otherwise your just discussing about an unsubstantiated and unproven hobby of his.

 

[BSM1]

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?

Like the @The Ragin Pagan I, too, am married to someone who is in contact with the "energies" of those who have passed. These energies usually come through to her if we meet someone new and there is still unresolved feelings between the person and the deceased. She can't control the meeting and it is usually very emotional for everyone and very cathartic. And no, @Skwim, she is no crackpot. Just last week the mother and brother of a lady we met recently came through. We did not know this lady's family or history. Most of the experience was generic until my wife brought up the brother's dog. This dog stayed by her brother's side until he died (cancer). There was no way my wife could have known this. BTW like The Ragin Pagan I have gotten use to this over the years. I am very protective of her because there are "dark energies" that some times try to get through. However, she is strong enough to resist them; plus she seems to have guardian energies watching out for her on the other side. It is comforting to know that we continue as beings of some type when we leave this place.

 

[George-ananda]

I'm just wondering what his peers, equal in Intellegence and credentialing has to say about this. If any material has been submitted for peer review and published.

Otherwise your just discussing about an unsubstantiated and unproven hobby of his.

I think you may be underestimating the professionalism of this work, the peer reviewing and its academic quality. The only criticism I have seen is from the same crowd that attacks every parapsycholigist.

There are two quite clearly different sides out there. It takes a little homework to have an informed position regarding the nature of the two sides.

 

[Mindmaster]

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?

Based on my experience, anyone can do this if they care to - it's not so much a gift as a developed talent. Most people think all of the thoughts in their head are their own, but I will gleefully point out that it is not the case AND if you paid more attention to that all of a sudden you'd start picking up on these spirits as well. Really, it's that simple... Does it seem complicated? Your mind is a like a giant antenna, in effect. You can fill the channel you're listening to with your own mundane concerns or you can switch to another. That's my simple explanation...

Religions are rarely right on anything, but the major reason they are against mediums/seership/necromancy and anything of that nature are that such practices give you actual knowledge of the subject rather than the dogma they preach. If you can talk to a demon you can figure out what sort of spirit they are, and obviously the churches opinions mean squat. If you can directly access any other aspect of the divine yourself, what do you need them for? (Hint: you can, and you don't.)

Anyway, I don't expect people to believe me on that I encourage people to have an open mind and do their own research on these subjects.

 

[Skwim]

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 door is always open a crack.

.

 

[Deidre]

The door is always open a crack.

.

I think that's the most beautiful and poignant thing you've posted on here.

 

[Stevicus]

I read about a 4'11" guy who was a medium who was wanted for fraud and several other charges. He was on the run from the cops, and the headline read "Small Medium at Large."

{rimshot}

 

[Skwim]

I think that's the most beautiful and poignant thing you've posted on here.

Why, thank you.

 

[LuisDantas]

Mediums come a dime a dozen here in Brazil, where Kardecist Spiritism is based on their supposed existence. Live in Brazil for a few years and odds are that someone will tell you that you need to develop your mediumship.

I am neither convinced nor sympathetic, to say the very least. It does not help that I have a fair awareness of the Spiritist doctrine (such a waste of my time on this Earth), having been raised by a couple of the afflicted. But I will agree that people attempt to seek closure for their losses by reaching out for those mediums.

Not something that I can in good faith encourage anyone to do, though. It brings very unhealthy situations practically from the get-go, and attracts manipulators of all breeds all the time.

 

[ChristineM]

I read about a 4'11" guy who was a medium who was wanted for fraud and several other charges. He was on the run from the cops, and the headline read "Small Medium at Large."

{rimshot}

The is a character named Meduim Dave in the Terry Pratchett book "Hogfather" it is explained his name is not derived because he's a medium but to prevent him being confused with big Dave.