> She says John Edward has been exposed as a fake. He uses the > cold reading technique, but apparently he also plants microphones in the > audience to garner material. >
I know you are just passing this on Deb, so this is not aimed at you. I am rather tired of hearing this sort of crap said about poeple who have a genuine ability and use it. I have a strong interest in this subject(as does my partner). we have seen many excellent demonstrations of mediumship that were by no means fake at all. The people who slander these people are so arrogant, they think eveyrone is stupid and being taken in. There are bad and fake mediums. Yes the word is medium, not psychic. A psychic is something different and Mr Edwards is a medium. I have seen his show. Now becaue it is television, it is of course possible to fake it. however, what he does cannot be said to be cold reading. Cold reading is nothing compared to real meduimship. Either Mr Edwards is genuine or he is a liar and faking his messages, pre planend etc with plants in the audience. however, what he is shown doing is NOT cold reading. Cold reading is a favourite saying of pyshologists and magicians and who wouldn;'t know the genuine article if it was right under their nose. What THEY do is cold reading and crap. Anyone with a bit of knowledge can tell a fake or cold reader. There are people who set themselves up as psychics or mediums who do exactly that. however, thare are many genuine mediums. They are easily found and watched and listened to. The fact that people don't bother to research this properly and don't go and see them demonstrate tells me they are more than biased against it in the first place. IF you want to go for a reading: DO NOT pay a load of money. Up to $30 maybe. Do go on recommendation if you can. If you can, go to a Spriritualist service and see a medium working. Not always good, but the good ones are there.(and usually free) These services are not disimiliar to an ordinary church srvice with prayers and hymns but with a medium as the speaker/demonstrator. NEVER say anything to the medium other than yes, no or I don't uderstand. Don't fill in deatils. Make them work and TELL YOU!!!! If they are genuine they will give you information about deceased loved ones. Job, nature of death, physical characteristics, temperament, family details etc. The info will differ but the importnat thing is it will not be vague and will be meaningful to you, the recipient. If it isn't, then it has failed. You do not need to say anything. IF the person cannot provide this, then they are either fake or they are a psychic. Now a psychic is someone who can accurately give you details about yourself and your past and possibly your future, but will not be able to give the spirit evidence as above. All sittings with a medium are an experiment. If the medium is conscientious, they will tell you that the sitting is not working when they do not get a communiator. They will not bullshit you or fluff their way thru it. No one can contact the dead. the dead contact us. so you cannot go and say 'i want to speak with Elvis'!!! Just like with anything in the field of metaphysics(just look at those tv evangelists), there are deliberate abusers and fakes, there are the well meaning but uselss and or dangerous, and there are also the well meaning and gifted. It is up to us to use our brains and our OPEN minds to sort the wheat from the chaff. The only unforgiveable sin is a closed mind. A closed mind cannot be changed. A closed mind locks out forgiveness.
