Sylvia Browne has left the building
Sylvia Browne has left the building
Sylvia Browne died yesterday.
She had made/maintained a career as a psychic/medium for decades, receiving some very harsh press recently when it was revealed that after she had told parents that their missing children were dead, when they were, (thankfully) actually alive at the time.
(Time has always been the nemesis of prophecy...it is relentless and catches up with, and then leaves predictions/proclamations in the dust behind, as it constantly moves onward.)
She had made/maintained a career as a psychic/medium for decades, receiving some very harsh press recently when it was revealed that after she had told parents that their missing children were dead, when they were, (thankfully) actually alive at the time.
(Time has always been the nemesis of prophecy...it is relentless and catches up with, and then leaves predictions/proclamations in the dust behind, as it constantly moves onward.)
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Great news. Cheers.
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Hustler, and should have been jailed. Good riddance.
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Was this predicted?
Has anyone talked to her since she left?
Has anyone talked to her since she left?
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
There is a Christian Holiness church not far from me. On Fridays they hold prophetic services where church 'elders' channel the spirit and provide 'readings' for their members.
Should they be jailed and called hustlers?
Should they be jailed and called hustlers?
Brad Henderson magician in Austin Texas
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Anyone who pretends to tell people what the future will hold for them is a hustler.
Anyone who charges money for doing it should be jailed after a trial.
Anyone who charges money for doing it should be jailed after a trial.
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
even mr gellar who attended and spoke at the convention? There were no cops waiting for him. (best magic lecture ever - by the way.)
what about magicians like Richard Webster? I believe Stetson and Hillford make money doing readings? Shall we jail them?
But regarding the church - I failed to mention, the people giving the readings there are believers. They are not using (consciously) cold reading techniques.
Are they still hustlers?
and at what point does prayer become spell casting?
what about magicians who appear on tv using trickery, yet claiming this is nlp, or examples of an extra sense?
shall we jail the worlds religious leaders?
shall we see t-shirts that read 'free Stetson. free Webster?"
and yet we would trip over each other for the chance to spend time with a master of the short con, or someone who 'moved' at the table.
is it only some hustlers we think should go to jail - one's who are not our friends, who do not appear at our conventions, and who do not do card tricks?
just trying to find what the line is - it seems to be crooked and dotted.
what about magicians like Richard Webster? I believe Stetson and Hillford make money doing readings? Shall we jail them?
But regarding the church - I failed to mention, the people giving the readings there are believers. They are not using (consciously) cold reading techniques.
Are they still hustlers?
and at what point does prayer become spell casting?
what about magicians who appear on tv using trickery, yet claiming this is nlp, or examples of an extra sense?
shall we jail the worlds religious leaders?
shall we see t-shirts that read 'free Stetson. free Webster?"
and yet we would trip over each other for the chance to spend time with a master of the short con, or someone who 'moved' at the table.
is it only some hustlers we think should go to jail - one's who are not our friends, who do not appear at our conventions, and who do not do card tricks?
just trying to find what the line is - it seems to be crooked and dotted.
Brad Henderson magician in Austin Texas
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Personally, my belief is that giving people false information about specific events in their future, which may alter their behavior in ways that cannot be forseen, and therefore have unknown consequences, is a bad thing.
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
It may be a bad thing, but we end up tolerating it and other things done in the name of religion to make sure the government doesn't step on the churches we like.
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
I think we should exclude accepted religions from the discussion. Religions are faith based institutions, and are therefore demonstrably differerent than an unaffiliated individual, like Ms. Browne.
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Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
Richard Kaufman wrote:I think we should exclude accepted religions from the discussion. Religions are faith based institutions, and are therefore demonstrably differerent than an unaffiliated individual, like Ms. Browne.
Belief in sprits, hierarchies and cities of otherworldly beings, human souls that are distinct from the living human... is faith based. A rose by any other name. IRRC spiritualism is a recognized religion in England.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time
Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
May I refer you to this wonderful book:
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Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fake-Psychic-St ... B00FAN0MIM
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370554
Enter promo coupon HN27B to get it completely free.
Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
I think the key phrase in Richard's condemnation is "Anyone who pretends..." with "pretends" being the word that ought to be fleshed out.
If someone (the performer) knows that the reality of what they are claiming doesn't correlate with the words and actions they use, then they are pretending.
In a dramatic performance of a fictional work, and in other similar venues, this is perfectly acceptable and fees can be charged without any problem.
If the viewers are led to believe that the words and actions of the performer are not "pretend" but are fully in tune with reality and they charge fees, then there is likely to be a problem if the discrepancy becomes known.
Certainly the viewpoint of the performer is critical: If the perfomer is actually an unbeliever in their own words/actions, then they ought to be censured. If they are true believers, perhaps mistaken or misguided, then they are not running a con - they are the blind leading the blind.
I tend to think the paranormal field has it's share of both true believers and charlatans, and this goes for established religions as well.
If someone (the performer) knows that the reality of what they are claiming doesn't correlate with the words and actions they use, then they are pretending.
In a dramatic performance of a fictional work, and in other similar venues, this is perfectly acceptable and fees can be charged without any problem.
If the viewers are led to believe that the words and actions of the performer are not "pretend" but are fully in tune with reality and they charge fees, then there is likely to be a problem if the discrepancy becomes known.
Certainly the viewpoint of the performer is critical: If the perfomer is actually an unbeliever in their own words/actions, then they ought to be censured. If they are true believers, perhaps mistaken or misguided, then they are not running a con - they are the blind leading the blind.
I tend to think the paranormal field has it's share of both true believers and charlatans, and this goes for established religions as well.
Re: Sylvia Browne has left the building
I worked with Ms. Browne many times over the years as she toured her show into my 1500 seat theater. We saw her and her "people" up close and personal many times...enough so as to become painfully aware that they were all just common scufflers of the con-man variety.
Her entire career was simply about hustling money off peoples ignorance, grief, or outright bad luck.
She was no different than the guy pushing peas and bottle tops around on top of a cardboard box in an alley somewhere.
Her entire career was simply about hustling money off peoples ignorance, grief, or outright bad luck.
She was no different than the guy pushing peas and bottle tops around on top of a cardboard box in an alley somewhere.