Psychic Sylvia Browne

[Georgia Lass]

I created this thread to continue the conversation by me and StewartP found on this thread:

 

Sir Elton: Ban Organized Religion

 

I would also welcome anyone who wants to chime in about how they feel about Psychic Sylvia Browne and her predictions.

 

Sylvia Browne

[StewartP]

I created this thread to continue the conversation by me and StewartP found on this thread:

 

Sir Elton: Ban Organized Religion

 

I would also welcome anyone who wants to chime in about how they feel about Psychic Sylvia Browne and her predictions.

 

Sylvia Browne

 

I think these vids speak for themselves

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBNp1Y7fiwA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFNKsmwgw8w

and here's a link that holds transcripts of her fiasco over the Virginia mining disaster.

http://www.stopsylviabrowne.com/drafts/sago.htm

[Georgia Lass]

I respect your opinion but I personally don't think she is a fraud. She may do something to change my mind in the future though so, if and when I'll try to see it for what it is.

 

Here ya go . . .

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBNp1Y7fiwA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFNKsmwgw8w

and here's a link that holds transcripts of her fiasco over the Virginia mining disaster.

http://www.stopsylviabrowne.com/drafts/sago.htm

 

Why Montel continually digs her out is beyond me. Unless he's as much of a douche as she is.

 

I have to say that is some very compelling evidence against her and her ability's but she has said herself many times that she is only 80% accurate when it comes to her predictions.

 

However, in that last link you provided it would seem that she was not only wrong about her prediction but that she lied about what she said, making it out to look like she was right all along. I can't ignore that. I'm going to find the original transcripts and bring it up with my study group to see what they think about it.

 

Thank you for the links StewartP, this has me completely spun about who or what to believe.

[Dave]

I have to say that is some very compelling evidence against her and her ability's but she has said herself many times that she is only 80% accurate when it comes to her predictions.

Then I am a better psychic than she is. My predictions are 100% accurate.

 

Wait.....

 

I feel a prediction coming on.....

 

 

Yes.

 

 

Here it is....

 

 

There will be an earthquake, tomorrow, in California.

 

For unimpeachable proof that my prediction came true; tomorrow evening go to this site and see for yourself.

Thank you for the links StewartP, this has me completely spun about who or what to believe.

Don't go on beliefs, go on knowledge. If these people are real then why hasn't one of them claimed their million dollar prize?

 

I just wanted to add that Dyer is a fraud too.

[LosingMyReligion]

I used to be a huge fan of her's. But now I see the method in her madness. I do believe that she probably comes from a line of "psychics." I've read about generations of psychics who are trained to be able to read people, along with bits and pieces of info to make a prediction...

 

I admit I had the hardest time deconverting because of her. She is very good at what she does...

 

I know some people need comfort, but she milks people out of hundreds and thousands of dollars per phone call for a reading.

[Antlerman]

It's all about entertainment. These people are skilled at picking up subtle clues and stating things in such a way as to mean what you want to hear. If you treat them as magicians who perform cleaver tricks that dazzle and amaze, then you understand them for what they are. Of course, part of the show is the mystique of the mysterious that adds an air of the "supernatural" to it.

 

Her "techniques" she tried to use on the show to explain her missed "prophecies" are part of the whole act. You notice the audience trying to believe her, but finding it hard? That's the down side of doing it on film. A live show is much easier. The whole "presence" of the mystic, the confident "prophecies", along with the audience's desire to believe makes the act work for them.

 

Slip-ups like that are usually easily swept under the rug in a live show if the magician/psychic is in good form, like not hearing a pianist miss the notes during the performance. However listening closely to the performance afterward, even if they were in good form, you can start to see the flaws in it. When they were in bad form, then it's pretty obvious, like in these recordings.

 

That's all this is. It's the Gypsies making money by putting on a convincing and entertaining show for the villagers as they pass through town. It’s an illusion show, but certainly no true miracle.

 

P.S. I think they do have disclaimers on those hotlines about "for entertainment purposes only." Yet believing it, is part of what makes it fun for people, I guess.

[smellincoffee]

I see her on Montel on occassion; I've always found her to be laughably fake.

[riverbank]

I have from time to time since my deconversion browsed through books by psychics such as John Edward, Tony Stockwell etc. I think it would be quite good if some of it was real. I think some relatives of dead people have been perhaps helped or comforted by psychics. But to be honest I haven't really looked deep enough into it to give a valid opinion. But the opinion is pretty negative towards them here, and to be honest it wouldn't surprise me if you were right.

[RedPillAddict]

I don't see her as being much different than Benny Hinn.

She suckers people out of their money by giving them false hopes.

She even takes it a step further by telling people they can gain the "powers" she pretends to have and makes millions off of book sales....because people are just that gullible.

 

and again...... $700.00 a question?!

Give me a break!

[white_raven23]

I have from time to time since my deconversion browsed through books by psychics such as John Edward, Tony Stockwell etc. I think it would be quite good if some of it was real. I think some relatives of dead people have been perhaps helped or comforted by psychics.

 

Penn & Teller addressed this beautifully on their first season of Bullshit!

 

What Penn says about these performance artists really sums it up:

 

 

 

Memorable Quotes from

"Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" (2003)

 

Penn Jillette: [on the subject of talking to the dead] "One of the weird things Houdini discovered is that some of these mediums actually slip into believing their own bullshit. They forget their own misses, or as John Edward, THE BIGGEST DOUCHE IN THE UNIVERSE, does, rewrite them as hits that we're just not able to recognize. Cold reading can be done accidently. That doesn't mean the psychic is a better person. Lying to themselves does not make lying to others ok. It can make intellectually lazy scumbags more convincing and dangerous. But even if these fucks know they're just making shit up and pushing people's buttons, they tell themselves, "At least I'm comforting the bereaved." WHO THE FUCK ARE THEY TO DECIDE THAT LYING ABOUT THE UNIVERSE AND A DEAD LOVED ONE IS WHAT THE BEREAVED NEEDS? That's condescending BULLSHIT!"

 

 

Something else from that show that was really goood (wish I could find the exact quote) is where Penn talks about these psychics desecrating or tainting the surviving family's memories of a loved one when these people "speak" for the deceased just to turn a buck.

[Lycorth]

and again...... $700.00 a question?!

Give me a break!

 

Tell me about it - people like Browne are no better than preachers selling Jebus.

 

Psychics are a bunch of shameless assholes

[trashy]

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.....

 

True for ANY paranormal or supernatural claim, from Jesus to Cayce to the latest whomever celebrity astrologer or psychic.

[Piprus]

Sylvia Browne is just another in the long line of "fortune tellers" with their crystal balls, their tea leaves, their tarot cards, mysteries, and all other forms of "magic". Frauds, charlatans, parlor tricks. They've existed for centuries, and as long as there is human gullibility, they always will. Their skills are passed on from generation to generation. Their greatest enemy is the skeptic who doesn't hesitate to ask, "what's really going on here?"

[Georgia Lass]

I turned to my study group for answers about all this and I even provided them the links that StewartP gave me and I was less then impressed by their answers.

 

I'm feeling like an abused $2 whore right now.

 

My belief in Azna, Om and The Other Side are the only things that make my life worth living and if I lose them I lose everything! I'm not ready to give up on my beliefs just yet because I need them to survive... I know what your thinking and yes, I do want to know the truth but if that truth includes the death of my beliefs then I will truly be lost.

 

I know this is the "Lions Den" and I'm dealing with emotionless intellect but my whole life is pinned on my beliefs and if they collapse... so do I.

[RedPillAddict]

I see Sylvia changed her site...last time I saw it, she had predictions for the next 100 years...some of them were hilarious!

 

My favorite one was:

Aliens will return to earth in 2010 to show us how to use anti-gravitational equipment like they did with the Egyptians for the pyramids.

 

 

I turned to my study group for answers about all this and I even provided them the links that StewartP gave me and I was less then impressed by their answers.

 

I'm feeling like an abused $2 whore right now.

 

My belief in Azna, Om and The Other Side are the only things that make my life worth living and if I lose them I lose everything! I'm not ready to give up on my beliefs just yet because I need them to survive... I know what your thinking and yes, I do want to know the truth but if that truth includes the death of my beliefs then I will truly be lost.

 

I know this is the "Lions Den" and I'm dealing with emotionless intellect but my whole life is pinned on my beliefs and if they collapse... so do I.

 

My blog from MySpace:

"There is no meaning to life without God."

 

I beg to differ. Do you honestly believe that if the belief in God were to disappear, there would be nothing to live for? I do not believe in God and I have everything to live for. Life, itself, has meaning to me.

 

Throw out the stories about Gods, Demons, and Angels and we are left with the most important part of the stories: Humans. There is absolutely no proof of Gods, Angels, or Demons. I can see my fellow human beings every single day of my life. I see them communicating, working together, helping eachother, and loving one another. Life can't get any more real than that.

 

If you don't think that life is worth living just to see what happens on this planet for one single day, then I really pity you. You can go on believing in magical sky-worlds with streets of gold and endless happiness, but I don't see the need.

 

Also, what is the point of happiness if you don't have the occasional sadness to compare it to? If life was continually care-free and full of joy...at what point would you stop noticing? Eventually life would stop being full of joy and just be life. Sadness is a part of life. It is a very strong emotion. Why would you want to be somewhere that you would never again experience it? You need sadness to really enjoy happiness. It is the extreme switch in emotions that make it so exciting.

 

Imagine this for a second: When you die, death fulfills it's definition and your life comes to an end. There is no "after-life".

So what?! What is the problem with that? If you are dead, you won't care! You will be dead.

 

Live your life for your fellow humans, and for the other living things that you have the chance to experience while you are here. Stop obsessing over what will happen to you when you die. What good is it?

 

I assure you- not one single person on this planet knows what happens to us when we die. Not Christians. Not Muslims. Not Atheists. Nobody knows. People have theories, of course, but they are based on what has been told to them by people who have not experienced death. Nobody has died and come back to tell about what happens after death. Not one person. No matter what any Holy Book says.

 

Not one single person on this planet know for sure whether God exists or not. It is something that can neither be proven nor disproven. Yes, the universe could have been created by a single human-like being, but it also could have been created by an giant all-knowing brick...neither can be proven or disproven...That doesn't make either probable.

 

Is it impossible that the meaning of life, is life itself? Nothing more?

 

You are born, you experience life, and then you die. What more do you want? I know the belief that we will live forever is comforting for some...but it is not probable. Think for yourself. Give life your own meaning, and experience as much as you can.

[Lycorth]

I don't know if you'll collapse that easily, GL. After all, you were strong and honest enough to go to your study group and yet admit to being unimpressed with their answers. Instead of hiding behind what they said and using it as a security blanket, you're weathering the wind of enlightenment.

 

Personally, even if you ditch your entire religion or otherwise conclude that you can no longer believe in it, I think you'll survive fine - you don't sound like someone who is truly dependent on her religion for her mental health. The fact that you're here, on a board where religions and religious philosophies are challenged on a daily basis indicates that to me.

 

I know how you feel. I had a lot of questions about one of the religious paths I study, when I was very interested in beoming a practicing believer. I wanted advice and guidance from those who already believed, especially advice on how I could justify that particular faith in light of the selfsame questions I used to debunk Xianity.

 

The answers I got were less than stellar, also, but I plugged along for awhile before finally giving up It just ended up with me becoming more cranky and disgruntled, but such is the price many of us pay to acquire a little bit of wisdom.

 

I take more refuge today in the sure and solid questions and answers that I get through freethinking than by being stubborn and letting others influence my beliefs. I still have a religion - a religion of my own self and all that I deem important - and I'm free to add to or subtract from it as I see fit. I don't need any gods to justify me or make me feel important, and can honor gods as I see fit - without fear.

 

You'll be just fine, GL. Don't sell yourself too short too soon

[The Sage Nabooru]

My Lord, that anyone still relies on others for the meaning of their own lives!

 

You can ask us all you want about the meaning of our lives. We can preach to you about our gods and non-gods, our antis and pros, and our belief and disbelief, and the fact is nobody can decide what's right and true for you but you.

 

If what you have works for you, then so be it. Far be it from me or any other decent person to tear you down for the sole purpose of getting you to conform to their way of thinking. Because I've noticed through life that a great deal depends on our own point of view......

 

(Star Wars, now there's a fucking prophet!)

 

Besides, I believe Brown's a crock of shit, too, but I don't think that that means that all psychics are. I believe that if a psychic puts an ad for their services in the National Enquirer or promises you that they can guarantee that they can make your lover come back, they're full of shit. If a psychic walks into an old building and loudly proclaims for all presents the thousands of spirits she sees everywhere inside of it (the little girl, the bride, and the angry old man being stock figures), I won't believe a word they say. But I do think it's entirely possible to tap into a sixth sense. I don't think people can predict the future, but perhaps some people have a better ability to tap into the spiritual side better than others.

 

You hinged your entire belief system on Sylvia Brown? Jeebus, if I told you that you mistook the salt for sugar when you made those cookies, would you disniss the idea that baking anything is impossible at all?

[Dave]

My belief in Azna, Om and The Other Side are the only things that make my life worth living and if I lose them I lose everything!

There is life on the other side of belief. Reality is much more fascinating and engaging than fantasy.

[roman]

Psychics are entertainers, and that's all. If anybody wants to believe that they're real, I don't care. People also believe that professional wrestling is real, that juries reach just verdicts and that voters make Amerika strong. Whatever.

 

It is not possible to do what psychics claim they can do. They are no more "real" that gods, fairies, leprechauns, or honest politicians.

 

But, you know, Jimmy cracked corn.

[riverbank]

Georgia Lass quoted

 

My belief in Azna, Om and The Other Side are the only things that make my life worth living and if I lose them I lose everything! I'm not ready to give up on my beliefs just yet because I need them to survive... I know what your thinking and yes, I do want to know the truth but if that truth includes the death of my beliefs then I will truly be lost.

 

I know this is the "Lions Den" and I'm dealing with emotionless intellect but my whole life is pinned on my beliefs and if they collapse... so do I.

 

Hmmm, well I'm not in your shoes but I think I can relate to how you feel a bit. I certainly felt the same way about my christian beliefs, that without them I would be totally screwed. And when those beliefs collapsed around me, yeah it was bloody hard for a time. But I learned to appreciate that there were good things in life and realised that I was not such a hopeless case as I thought. Doesn't happen overnight though. I wish you the best in your search for truth.

[Antlerman]

My belief in Azna, Om and The Other Side are the only things that make my life worth living and if I lose them I lose everything! I'm not ready to give up on my beliefs just yet because I need them to survive... I know what your thinking and yes, I do want to know the truth but if that truth includes the death of my beliefs then I will truly be lost.

 

I know this is the "Lions Den" and I'm dealing with emotionless intellect but my whole life is pinned on my beliefs and if they collapse... so do I.

That's a little disturbing to hear you say that. You should first believe in yourself. Ideas about afterlives, gods, goddesses, and those sorts of things can be a spice of sorts for people that are attracted to those sorts of thoughts, but being emotionally dependence on anything but ourselves is setting ourselves up for a big fall.

 

No single idea should be taken as 100% truth, then if we later find fault in, it devastates us. I like what Varokhar had to say about his beliefs. I really respect that. For myself, I suppose I look at life more like an Existentialist that once someone confronts the Void, that all is absurd, that there is nothing there, that becomes the moment of liberation. We become free to choose to act in ways that makes meaning for ourselves in a sincere life. Not every system works the same for everyone, nor is any system absolute truth. Like Varokhar said, he is free to add and subtract from his beliefs as he sees fit.

 

Don't take any belief too seriously. I guess that's my advice.

[Georgia Lass]

I just spent two days looking over all your posts and Sylvia Browne's work...

 

And, My head hurts!

 

Thank you all for the time and effort put into your posts.

 

-Georgia

[Panther]

In order to explain, please bear with me while I go into some brief background here.....

 

I was born into christianity, went to church here and there as a child, etc. I only learned the bible stories they told in church as a kid....never had read it seriously for myself. (and they usually tell the the ones that are easiest to believe to reel you in)

 

So...fast forward to me as a young adult...

 

I got fascinated with "new age." (which to me includes Sylvia Brown's beliefs and various others.) I started going to physics and getting life readings and stuff. This belief was very comfortable to me and made sense at the time. I also liked it because there was an afterlife for everyone and the way it was explained, I thought surely that had to be it!! I felt as if I had luckily been enlightened.

 

One day out of curiosity, I picked up a bible and started reading. Slowly I became convicted that my beliefs in new age were WRONG. Clearly the bible said that physics and whatnot were works of the devil. I felt terrible because I had never read the bible and was deeply concerned about my actions. (felt I had invited the devil into my life or something)

I was actually fearful. I had joined a christian study group by this time and remember feeling like an idiot for "falling" for new age. But also, part of me was easy on myself because I just hadn't known better since I hadn't ever studied the bible. I dove headfirst into xtianity. Studied hard, went to church 3 times a week, etc., etc. Felt I was doing the "right thing."

 

Fast forward to my current period of life.....a few years ago I became disgruntled with the xtian arguing over the bible and what it said. I became depressed over their hatred of gays (Im straight but have NEVER thought ill of gays) and was upset over the idea of them going to hell. Couldn't understand why god would create something he hated?? There were many things that didn't add up and doctrines that didn't make sense.

Of course like many here, I then dove head first into studying the history of christianity and decided it was not true either.

 

Sorry for the long story (it was necessary).

 

MY POINT IS......it would have been REALLY comfortable for me at that point to dive BACK into "new age". The belief system was easier, softer, etc.

 

I CAN'T though..because when I learned to "discern" what xtianity REALLY is....it BROKE APART ANY BELIEF IN ANY SYSTEM for me.

 

The same bullshit baloney in that system is present in others. I can recognize it easily....just as there is no proof for xtianity, I realized there is no proof for any other EITHER......

(I started using the same system for digging)

 

Would I LIKE to believe there is SOMETHING? YES! But can I exactly? No. At best, I can say there MAY be SOMETHING, but it can't ever be proven and I won't know until I'm dead. It sucks real bad, but I slowly came to acceptance.

 

The closest I can come now is to believe in our energy (that is proven). Maybe there are other dimensions, who knows? It's always fun to read about.

 

Sometimes I and my loved ones will call each other at the same exact time..or other weird happenings. Can't explain it either. I'm OPEN to ideas but for me they have to be proven as well. (with various methods mentioned throughout this board)

 

It took a long time for me to come to acceptance.

 

With the grief process over ANYTHING there is:

denial

bargaining

anger

sadness

before acceptance.

 

It takes different people different amount of time to cycle through this process, sometimes years.

 

I don't expect you to just listen to me and change your mind, but at least be open to the possibility.

 

There is still LIFE RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. I was in your shoes before and I understand.

 

Just curious.....has this thread made you start thinking any differently? I know some people NEED their beleif system to function at all and are seriously not strong enough to go without it...but I don't really picture you like that because you are on this board to begin with. It takes a strong minded person to come here and stay here.