[LuLu2012]

Im wonderin what are people views on mediums?? Do you believe and what are your experiences???

[girl2]

Hello

I would have been a complete skeptic to be honest, I always thought these people hone in on those vulnerable and desperate for information.

Until today that is. I haven't lost anyone recently, I have a fairly normal life and just went along with a friend. I got a reading done and then progressed onto the spiritual part. Which was pretty amazing. She told me my grandmother was there, named her. Then named a man (my grandmothers brother). Then named my uncle. She went on to name another man, who she said was no relative of mine, but was in fact associated with my partner - this was my boyfriends father.

I was totally amazed at the accuracy of the whole thing to be honest. And I have to say, that I have her no reaction at anytime throughout the whole process. Everything she said to me, I simply responded with "ok".

There is no doubt in my mind that this woman was totally authentic. She lives 60 odd miles from me and wouldn't know me from Adam. And there is no way he would have known any of those names.

So, today I had some food for thought.

That's just my tuppence worth.

[Pedant]

I view "mediums" as akin to theatrical performer. Their claims are not grounded in science or reasoning and are not backed up by any evidence whatsoever. They fish the customer for information and then rely on broad, vague and contrived statements, which have many interpretations and can often apply to a very wide range of people. However, to the individual receiving the consultation, it appears as though they are receiving information that relates specifically to them. This is what's known as the Forer Effect.

Many so-called "mediums" are aware of this and use it to exploit people for financial gain. It's sickening how they exploit vulnerable people, especially those who've lost loved ones. Other "mediums" have utterly convinced themselves that they have supernatural ability and try to practice it. In actual fact, these individuals use the exact same aforementioned techniques, sometimes unbeknownst to themselves.

The only ounce of usefulness a "medium" has is their entertainment value; usually providing someone, often with a strong belief in the afterlife, some amount of solace and piece after the death of a loved one. However, it must be understood that their claims are mere conjecture, and are not grounded in reasoning or scientific evidence. Anyone who claims to be a medium, and offers their services, ought to be approached with extreme caution, cynicism and speculation. Often they use emotion and mention previous "success" stories (usually with zero proof as to their validity) in order to draw in customers.

[endacl]

Originally Posted by Pedant

I view "mediums" as akin to theatrical performer. Their claims are not grounded in science or reasoning and are not backed up by any evidence whatsoever. They fish the customer for information and then rely on broad, vague and contrived statements, which have many interpretations and can apply to a very wide range of people. However, to the individual receiving the consultation, it appears as though they are receiving information that relates specifically to them. This is what's known as the Forer Effect.

Many so-called "mediums" are aware of this and use it to exploit people for financial gain. It's awfully sickening how they exploit vulnerable people, especially those who've lost loved ones, etc.. Other "mediums" have utterly convinced themselves that they have supernatural ability and try to practice it. In actual fact, these individuals use the exact same aforementioned techniques, sometimes unbeknownst to themselves.

The only ounce of usefulness a "medium" has is to provides a customer, usually with a strong belief in the afterlife, some amount of solace and piece after the death of a loved one. However, it must be understood that their claims are mere conjecture, and are not grounded in reasoning or scientific evidence or fact. Anyone who claims to be a medium, and offers their services, ought to be approached with extreme caution, cynicism and speculation. Often they use emotion and mention previous "success" stories (usually with zero proof as to their validity) in order to draw in customers.

Very well put. I would say much the same, but with bannable-level language.

Charlatans at best. Pond scum level emotionally abusive parasites at worst.

My tuppence worth...

[King Mallie]

Hi Op,

There are many gifted medium whom have a very special gift and have alot to offer clients.
But like all walks of life there are some chancers but that the same in every business.
Great that you had a good experience with that medium. If people cant understand it the will try and knock people gifts at very oppurunitity.

[The Muppet]

Originally Posted by Pedant

. This is what's known as the Forer Effect.

Can you explain how the forer effect explains girl2 experience with the medium?

Originally Posted by girl2

She told me my grandmother was there, named her. Then named a man (my grandmothers brother). Then named my uncle. She went on to name another man, who she said was no relative of mine, but was in fact associated with my partner - this was my boyfriends father.

I was totally amazed at the accuracy of the whole thing to be honest. And I have to say, that I have her no reaction at anytime throughout the whole process. Everything she said to me, I simply responded with "ok".

.

will you or anyone else here use this effect to tell me my grand mothers name and her brothers name and my father in laws name.

[Pedant]

Originally Posted by The Muppet

Can you explain how the forer effect explains girl2 experience with the medium?




will you or anyone else here use this effect to tell me my grand mothers name and her brothers name and my father in laws name.

I don't want to question girl2's experiences or belief.

However, I think it's not too hard for a medium to pull off cold reading stunts.

If I asked anyone in Ireland today if they had a relative by the name of say "Michael" or "Mary", I guarantee you that 99.9% would say that they did.

Another method used by medium goes somthing like "I'm getting someone who's name starts with 'A', I think it's a woman", the person receiving the consultation might then say "Oh yes, I have an aunt named 'Agnes'".

Observe the following:

[The Muppet]

go on then, my grandmothers name?

[Pedant]

Originally Posted by The Muppet

go on then, my grandmothers name?

I'm getting an F or maybe a C or an M.

[Bad Panda]

If I walked into a so called mediums place of fraudulent activity business and said nothing, gave him/her no clues at all and waited for specific information, I'd be there a very very long time.

There's no such thing. Not one has been able to prove without doubt a supernatural ability.

I suspect girl2 unknowingly responded to the 'mediums' questions/tricks and actually lead him/her to the answers she was/n't expecting in the first place.

[MrMojoRisin]

This recent-ish thread might be of interest: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056554255

We were just discussing proof, in our opinions, of an afterlife existing based on various personal experiences, and the experiences of friends and family, with mediums.

[bubblypop]

im what i would consider a 'realist'
couple of years ago a friend asked me to go with her to see what she described as a fortune teller, her name was Elaine and she lived along the canal in kildare somewhere, allentown or somewhere like that?
anyway, i am very interested in all this type of thing but in a skeptical kind of way.
so i went, and to be fair the things she said to me bowled me over at the time. my friend had booked with just her name so this lady didnt even know my name till i got there.

she told me my uncle had come through, my two grandmothers, my cousin who had only died a year before, young. she told me how he died, very suddenly and quick, a matter of minutes, and that my grandmother had been there to help him.
she named my uncle, and gave me two more names, both names of his sons. those 3 names were the only ones she mentioned and were bang on.

she described my house, it has an unusual layout, and said my grandmother spends a lot of time there. (i spent a lot of time with her when i was young)

she then mentioned a young man, that i couldnt place, she told me he had recently spent time in my house also, my brother had moved in with me shortly before, from what she described of this young mans death, i could identify him as my brothers best friend who had died 10 years beforehand.

lastly she told me there was another young male there who had died recently, she was holding her throat and said that was how he died, she said he wasnt there for me but wanted a message passed to my mother. she told me something that left me in no doubt that it was a young guy that had worked with my mother and had hung himself a few months before i saw her.

she did not know me before i got there, and believe me i gave nothing away, being a bit unsociable at the best of times!!
the only person that came through for my friend was her grandfather, but she did get a lot more 'future' than i did.

i would like to go back but im not sure if there is any reason.

[girl2]

Originally Posted by Bad Panda

I suspect girl2 unknowingly responded to the 'mediums' questions/tricks and actually lead him/her to the answers she was/n't expecting in the first place.

Just to clarify the experience that I had. I am a very skeptical person, and was completely skeptical going in to this woman. And with this in mind, I can assure you that under no circumstances at anytime whatsoever, did I give this woman a reaction. I would always have been under the impression that these people hone in on people's vulnerabilities and those getting reading will always be able to apply what is being said to some part of something that may be going on in their lives.

The fact this woman was able to name very people specifically was daunting. There was no name dropping, it was a case of her saying, "your granny is here, Bridget, and there is a man with her. James, or jimmy.". My granny is in fact Bridget and her brother is jimmy. She then went on to say about a "Patrick in the room". This was my uncle. She the. Said there was another man, Thomas or Tom, but he is not related to you, he is related to this person - to where she pointed to one of the cards in the reading, who she indeed had told me was my partner, there was no way in the world she could throw out names like that and
Make them fit.

I do, completely understand people's impressions and opinion of people claiming to be mediums and exploiting people. And this goes on every day. So people re entirely entitled to their opinion.

I was simply sharing my experience and the level of accuracy for me.

[Ksf123]

Originally Posted by girl2

Hello

I would have been a complete skeptic to be honest, I always thought these people hone in on those vulnerable and desperate for information.

Until today that is. I haven't lost anyone recently, I have a fairly normal life and just went along with a friend. I got a reading done and then progressed onto the spiritual part. Which was pretty amazing. She told me my grandmother was there, named her. Then named a man (my grandmothers brother). Then named my uncle. She went on to name another man, who she said was no relative of mine, but was in fact associated with my partner - this was my boyfriends father.

I was totally amazed at the accuracy of the whole thing to be honest. And I have to say, that I have her no reaction at anytime throughout the whole process. Everything she said to me, I simply responded with "ok".

There is no doubt in my mind that this woman was totally authentic. She lives 60 odd miles from me and wouldn't know me from Adam. And there is no way he would have known any of those names.

So, today I had some food for thought.

That's just my tuppence worth.

Who is this woman and could u pm me her number please x

[girl2]

Originally Posted by Ksf123

Who is this woman and could u pm me her number please x

I will have to get it for you, I'll do that tomorrow as it was my friend who made the booking. Her name was Yvonne and she's from the Dublin side of Dundalk (on the old Dublin road).