Friday, May 21, 2010

When did religion and psychics become bed buddies?

When I first started getting involved in calling out psychics, I was amazed (or amused?) that psychics would often invoke "god" in their advertisements and discussions.  Being brought up Catholic, I remember being told that psychic powers and the like were not supported by the Catholic church.  The bible even condemns psychics.

Leviticus 20:27 says: "A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads." And Deuteronomy 18:10-12 even says "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in a the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you."

I'm not suggesting that the bible is correct or an authoritative text, I am simply attempting to solidify the basis for my point. 

At a recent dinner with DJ Grothe, I mentioned my astonishment at how many psychics try to tie themselves to religious belief.  He, as I would have, suggested that they are simply not agreeable beliefs and that most Christian doctrines forbid belief in mediums and psychics.  The reality appears to be different from what we expect.   

With my recent article on Another pseudo-psychic comes to town and why it matters, I received a number of emails from people who are supportive of psychics and the fundraiser.  Almost without fail, each of them mentioned their willingness to pray for me.  Most also suggested that I was hateful, heartless and/or god-hating.  (For the record, I don't hate anyone.  I especially do not hate things that do not exist (like a god). And by "god", I'm probably talking about your god.)

I think this shows, more than anything, that something I often claim is more likely the case/reason for this: most people who sit in the pews/attend church/follow a religion have little knowledge about the actual doctrines/official positions of their churches.  (Catholics who are anti-evolution are a good example.)  Or, even more simply, they have never read the bible and believe it says nothing of the sort.

I'm interested in learning about how you see it... comment away!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Could you post this on your website?

Some things truly amaze me - I think I've seen a lot in my life but I came across something recently that made me think "can someone truly have written this with a straight face?".

Imagine selling yourself as someone who does the following (I'm not making this up - and don't jump ahead!):

Progression Therapy – allows one to move forward in time – even to future lives. The client is able to experience the future in a deeply relaxed state – and remember all he has seen at the end of the session. Each person is able to determine what he or she wants to see. With knowledge of the future, one can enjoy, or change, the present.

You could be offering people the ability to see FUTURE LIVES?  Wow!  That'd rely on your clients having accepted some other pretty wild ideas first off.  I guess if they already believe in some sort of "dualism", maybe they'll blindly accept this idea.

The people are able to determine what it is that they want to see?  Any ideas on how that might work?

And people can see the future and, based on what they say, enjoy it or change it?  Would they be seeing the changed "future" or would they be altering the future and then they didn't really see the future?  Maybe I'm over thinking this one.

Anyway, this is one of the many wild things that Lorraine Scott claims on her website.  For those that don't remember, Lorraine Scott was coming to Sarnia for a fundraiser (she was getting paid, people were getting fleeced and a portion of the proceeds were going to the Canadian Cancer Society). 

Lorraine also claims to "teach" at some community colleges but neither of them have her listed as an instructor on their websites.  Her classes (for last fall, anyway) were 7 weeks long - one class per week and only 45 minutes per class.  I suspect that she rented a college room and used it to claim some legitimacy from it.

At least she wasn't claiming crazy stuff like Animal Communications, Healing, and Locating Lost Pets or Rebirthing Therapy.  What?  She does?

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

On the front f#$king page? Yep! Welcome Observer Readers!

I wake up this morning to a load of emails - "You made the paper!" So here it is on the front page of TheObserver.ca website:


Now, let me clarify.  I wasn't in the paper - there was a reference to my blog and it wasn't all that accurate. 
  1. Nobody threatened the pseudo-psychic (Lorraine Scott - Oh, that reminds me, I have so much more to say about her.. she's just a ball of fun!)
  2. I didn't send an email/letter to Lorraine.  Somebody else may have but I can assure you that nobody from "our group" threatened anyone (except with exposing their lies)
  3. I don't have three eyes - Robbie Thomas has an eye around the crotch area
  4. I'm not sorry that my blog may have altered the fundraiser - I think it is wrong.  My "tongue-in-cheek" "Sorry" is the very next blog article (scroll down a bit).  It doesn't say what you think it says.
Here are the articles that The Observer refers to:
and

And, in case anyone is wondering, if Dan Valkos claims that he is psychic, can talk to the dead, hears voices or talks about the spirit world - get him a straight jacket.  Anyone who claims paranormal abilities is welcome to 1 Million Dollars but there is only one catch - they have to prove it.  Without evidence, people, don't accept these wild claims. 

I guess I forgot to link to the article in The Observer.  We should also thank The Observer for plugging the "Stop Robbie Thomas" site as well. 

(Since posting this, I've read the comments on The Observer site.  I must add that I have the utmost respect for the Caughlin family - to speak out after going through what they went through is very honourable and courageous.  It is through those types of actions that we will ultimately win the battle against pseudo-psychics and their relentless abuse of already victimized families.  Thank you to the Caughlin sisters.)

Monday, May 10, 2010

I was wrong, I am sorry

A little over a week ago, I wrote a blog entry entitled Another pseudo-psychic comes to town and what it matters.  Today's blog, however, is to admit that I was wrong and to tell my readers that I am sorry.

In the original blog, I had pointed out that a local "Relay for Life" team was planning on bringing a pseudo-psychic to Sarnia as part of a fundraiser.  The pseudo-psychic at the time was someone by the name of Lorraine Scott.  Lorraine was to do readings and connect with the spirits of loved ones - if she didn't have a chance to do your reading during the 'show', you could pay for her to do it after. 

Some of the money raised from this fundraiser would go to support the Canadian Cancer Society - a valuable and reputable charity striving towards a valid goal. 

It has come to my attention that, as a result of my blog, Lorraine Scott cancelled her appearance in Sarnia out of fear of physical harm.  The event organizers, however, are venturing on so all is not lost. 

I received a number of emails from people who had planned on attending or were involved in organizing (their claims) the event and they expressed a level of dislike for me and my blog.  As a result, I just want to say that I'm sorry.  And, more fully...

When it comes to fundraising, I was wrong to apply a skeptical approach to what was actually happening at the fundraiser.  The Canadian Cancer Society needs donations to continue their mission and the Relay for Life team was trying to help raise money for them.  If you can, you should support "Lisa's Angels" fundraiser - now is not a time to consider the damage done by psychics.  We must put aside the fact that psychics might desecrate real memories of your loved ones when the goal is to give a portion of the proceeds to charity.  I'm sorry that I made people think (or think twice) and I was wrong to suggest that there was anything wrong with providing support for psychics.

The reality is that skeptics (like myself), can be wrong.  I obviously was wrong in this situation.  I should have done as my teacher (at a Catholic school none-the-less) said - "sit down and shut up".  There is a time and place for skepticism. 

In saying that, throw out critical thinking, throw out skepticism and wholeheartedly support, without questioning, anything that might involve a charity receiving a financial benefit. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

I'm really sorry, however, if you took this post to be anything more than tongue-in-cheek.  The harm that claimed psychics and "healers" cause is real.  Apply critical thinking, be more skeptical and don't simply toss all caution to the wind because a little bit of money is going to a "worthy" cause.  Just as churches claim to be helping the needy, it doesn't justify the acceptance of child sexual abuse and rape.  Lisa's Angels may be giving some of the proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society but that does not justify the unquestioned acceptance of someone who claims to be able to talk to the dead.  Lorraine is (and other claimed psychics are) offering false hope all the while desecrating and/or distorting true memories of lost loved ones. 

I'm not sorry if you think I'm heartless.  I'm not sorry if you think I was trying to ruin a valuable fundraiser - the value is far outweighed by the harm.  The end does not justify the means.  The costs are far greater, the harm is more substantial and the continued acceptance of these abusers of trusting people makes this one fundraiser I encourage everybody to avoid.

With all of that said, support the Canadian Cancer Society and other charities. Without the support of us all, they will never achieve their goals. The Canadian Cancer Society does not endorse psychics – they even clearly told me that when I called. We should be working to reduce suffering and supporting the search for cures/treatments for cancers is a great way to do that. Cancer will not be cured by psychics, “healers” – it will be cured through scientific research. Supporting psychics as a means of supporting the Canadian Cancer Society is, at the very least, counter-intuitive. Support science not swindlers.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

The Truth About Psychic Hotlines

Mark Edward, a contributor on http://www.skepticblog.org/ was featured on ABC Good Morning America on May 8, 2010.  Check it out:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/truth-psychic-hotlines-10591847

In case you aren't aware, Robbie Thomas is not psychic.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Damn it, Robbie Thomas, why do you have to make this so much fun?

First of all, like Robbie, I'm not psychic.  For me, this post is going to prove it. 

When http://www.stoprobbie.com/ was created for stopping Robbie Thomas, it was my hope that I'd move on to other subjects and leave most of my Robbie Thomas related blogging to the http://www.stoprobbie.com/ site.  Robbie, in his own way, has asked me to continue blogging about him.  I can't let a friend down.

I became involved with Robbie Thomas about a year ago when I had written a blog about the Tori Stafford case.  When the police had informed the public that arrests were made, I wrote a blog entry stating the obvious - that a psychic (namely Robbie Thomas) would be standing with the police at the press conference to be recognized for solving the crime.  Sadly, Robbie must have been too busy solving other crimes that he couldn't make the press conference.  What made me mad, however, was that the police didn't even mention him.  Not in passing and not even a reference to a psychic being involved.  Obviously the police are covering something up.

To right the wrongs, I contacted the Ontario Provincial Police to tell them that they need to give credit where credit is due - that the public is entitled to know that a psychic solved the crime.  What I was told will shock you.  The police told me "the public is entitled to know the truth and the truth is that no psychic was involved in solving the case".  You can imagine how upset I was that the police would have the audacity to say... well... the truth.

Robbie Thomas did not solve the Tori Stafford case, he didn't solve the Natalee Holloway case, he didn't solve the Cezar Cano case and he has never been attributed with solving a single missing person or murder case using any claimed psychic abilities. 

Okay, so Robbie might have fibbed about his involvement in such cases - but what's the harm?  Good question!  And it was, in having that question answered, that my view of psychics (and Robbie Thomas in particular) took a turn. 

Shortly after posting the blog entry about a psychic likely (sarcasm folks, sarcasm) to be at the press conference to receive the credit, I received contact from families and friends of victims of crime.  Not only were they victimized (by, in some cases, unidentified criminals), they were re-victimized by Robbie Thomas.  To read their personal stories, to talk with officers involved in the cases and to hear the distress in their voices changed the game.  Robbie Thomas has done a great number of horrible things to a good number of people and he has the balls (and an eye in his crotch, oddly) to market the lost lives of innocent victims for his self-promotion and financial gain.

Don't believe me?  Consider an email I was asked to post by one such family.  Imagine, for a second, being told that your daughter/niece would be returning home safely after having gone missing - only to learn that she was murdered more than week before the psychic (Robbie Thomas) claimed such.  (Robbie claimed that she was still alive - on a radio show.  The X-Zone by Rob McConnell.  Rob has since exposed Robbie Thomas - as have many others.)  Or, how about having lost 10 members of your family to a house fire that the police and fire departments claim was accidental - the result of a cigarette ash.  Horrible?  Not as horrible as being told by Robbie Thomas that the fire wasn't accidental - it was arson.  Pile on top of that the claim, by Robbie, that it was a hate crime.  How about losing a sister to murder and then having Robbie Thomas claim that you have forgotten about the case's importance. The stories do get worse than that but some families have asked that we hold off on publishing their accounts for now.  (If you have a personal story about Robbie Thomas, you can contact me at sarniaskeptic@gmail.com or email the http://www.stoprobbie.com/ team at emailus@stoprobbie.com)

Why is this so much fun?  Robbie has recently contacted the Sarnia Police to suggest that I have threatened him with physical violence (I haven't - if I saw Robbie, I'd give him a big hug - I'd just be concerned about the eye in his crotch), he has contacted the company that is hosting the http://www.stoprobbie.com/, http://www.stoprobbiethomas.com/, http://www.stoprobbiethomas.net/ and http://www.robbiethomastours.com/ domains to find out who I am (they claim that they couldn't release my name - of course they can't, thank PIPEDA!) and suggest that his family is at risk of physical violence.  He/his crew has (falsely) accused a number of people of being "me", accused others of a possible anthrax attack at one of his shows, accused an innocent person of threatening to hurt him and even suggested that the Sarnia Police were incompetent for not doing more about the "protesters" at one of his shows. 

Update: Apparently Robbie is concerned that I had posted his home address on the internet.  He fears that because someone knows where he lives, that his family is at risk of being murdered.  I wonder if he lobbies against phonebooks?  Imagine how horrified people would be if they knew that someone could grab a phonebook and, by just knowing their name, find out where they live!  The horror!  (I hope that nobody creates a site like http://www.411.ca/.)  Robbie Thomas (Robbie Poulton) may have his number unlisted - to be fair - but one has to question the need.  I checked through my blogs and the places where any of his addresses were, they had already been replaced with fake information.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Robbie Thomas: Official Response

I promised Robbie Thomas the opportunity to respond to the statements by John Ramses so, in an effort to keep my promise, here's what Robbie had to say:
Well guess what moron...you have become more famous than you think!!!! Is your wife ready for you to lose your home and everything...IAN LEACH is my lawyers name and we have built up so much against you...and go ahead and call upon your friends to help you lets see who comes to your defence now...lolol I am filing a suit against you that will have your head spinning...are you ready for it...its coming faster than you think...you think your so smart and that your blogging is invincible but guess again...your a pigeon that is had...I am so going to own you...thank you for doing what you have...all the records of what you have blogged and sent to me and much more...you crossed the line and I waited patiently for this...what an idiot you are...

See you real soon...
LMAO!!!!
Does anyone have a place for me to live? Obviously, Robbie Thomas knows what is going to happen since he is, after all, psychic.

Update: (Note to regular blog readers: I have no intention of trying to take credit for how funny Robbie's email is. My psychic powers tell me that he actually did write the full email himself - they fail, however, to suggest that he wrote it with the intention of being funny. Also, please do not contact Robbie's lawyer.


The email came from Robbie's regular email address (robbiethomas@cogeco.ca) directly to me as a reply to my offer to post his response to John Ramses' statements.)