How does prophet yahweh do his trick?

[Bill Thompson]

How does (or did) Prophet Yahweh do his trick?

I have been looking for debunk info but I have yet to find anything.

[Ashles]

How does (or did) Prophet Yahweh do his trick?

I have been looking for debunk info but I have yet to find anything.
What trick?

[I Ratant]

This trick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuEwOckwsA
.
Go to the supermarket and get a mylar party balloon.

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

This trick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuEwOckwsA
.
Go to the supermarket and get a mylar party balloon.


I agree completely.

And: That, "on my cue," bit should be a nudge in the right direction.

If you pray to The Almighty for something, what arrives doesn't arrive on 'cue.' A 'cue' is when you tell someone, "when I raise my arms...".

If the Almighty exists, no agency tells Him what to do.

I know, I know -- a semantic slip -- but it's really quite hard to not say what we actually mean, even when we're fibbing outright.

[Bill Thompson]

This trick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuEwOckwsA
.
Go to the supermarket and get a mylar party balloon.

Has anyone debunked him? Has anyone said it was a party ballon? Most everyone else, including investigative reporters, have said it is a huge silver sphere.

He was about to claim the million dollar prise until the Randi people backed out on a techniality -- they did not want him to have any armed guards.

[godless dave]

Has anyone debunked him? Has anyone said it was a party ballon?

I just watched the video, and I say it's a balloon.

Watch it yourself. It's obviously a balloon.

[drapier]

Wow! Pretty cool. The guy can summons UFOs at will. Presumably the advanced technology under his command will infinitely improve conditions of life here on Earth. How can I give him all my wealth? Do you have an address to which I can send my check?

[Bill Thompson]

I just watched the video, and I say it's a balloon.

Watch it yourself. It's obviously a balloon.

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation.

We can say it is obviously fake just because we think it must be. But where is he debunked?

I was reading the history of his application for the million dollar prise, the Randi guy suddenly says, "oh, you cannot have any personal security there". Well, if he WAS the real deal, he WOULD have personal security preventing REAL wackos from attacking him. It is a catch 22. He shows up alone and is mobbed and we say "well, if he was for real, wouldn't he had some personal security" On the other hand, if the JREF finds that he has personal security his application is turned down. So the guy says, ok, thanks but no thanks. I say the score is this:

Wacky UFO Guy: 1
JREF: 0

[Bill Thompson]

Wow! Pretty cool. The guy can summons UFOs at will. Presumably the advanced technology under his command will infinitely improve conditions of life here on Earth. How can I give him all my wealth? Do you have an address to which I can send my check?

Still waiting for the debunked info. Is it hidded somewhere like the secrets of Penn and Teller?

[Monketey Ghost]

Carlos!

[Bill Thompson]

Carlos!
Mike!

The Physics Forums doesn't seem to know http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=77086

[godless dave]

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation.

We can say it is obviously fake just because we think it must be. But where is he debunked?

He is debunked on that video.

It's not hidden anywhere. Just watch the video.

[Ernie M]

Consider:
Prophet Yahweh = A balloon & a man with gas (helium, that is.)

[godless dave]

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation.


The issue doesn't merit a thorough investigation. If he had more convincing evidence that he could summon UFOs, then a more thorough investigation would be warranted.

[Bill Thompson]

This trick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuEwOckwsA
.
Go to the supermarket and get a mylar party balloon.

Wouldn't someone see some confederate waiting for the signal to lauch the party baloon? It seems he has done this many many times and you would think that someone somewhere would have seen it.

Also, the balloon seems to stay at the same altitude and even travel side to side and back and forth.

[Bill Thompson]

Consider:
Prophet Yahweh = A balloon & a man with gas (helium, that is.)


You are saying that he or an assist is hauling around a helium gas tank?

Hey, I admit the whole thing about praying to make UFO's appear is goofy but someone hauling around helium to do this trick seems goofy too.

[Bill Thompson]

The issue doesn't merit a thorough investigation. If he had more convincing evidence that he could summon UFOs, then a more thorough investigation would be warranted.

Like what evidence?

[drapier]

You are saying that he or an assist is hauling around a helium gas tank?

Hey, I admit the whole thing about praying to make UFO's appear is goofy but someone hauling around helium to do this trick seems goofy too.


You're right. It's much more logical to think that he summons UFOs. After all it's totally impossible that he carries a helium tank in his car and it's totally impossible that he filled a milar balloon at the local party center will helium and released it on site.

Hey, where do I send my money?

[drapier]

Once again you are totally right. No one would ever think of shaking the camera when a totally awesome UFO was in sight.

Wouldn't someone see some confederate waiting for the signal to lauch the party baloon? It seems he has done this many many times and you would think that someone somewhere would have seen it.

Also, the balloon seems to stay at the same altitude and even travel side to side and back and forth.

[Bill Thompson]

Consider:
Prophet Yahweh = A balloon & a man with gas (helium, that is.)

Consider:
If it was a baloon, the news crew that set out to riddicule and make fun of him and expose him as a fraud would have picked up on that ASAP and would have joked around about it later a the anchor desk.

[I Ratant]

Were that guy, or any of the god-shouters capable of pleading their case to yahweh, all it would take to make believers of everyone would be something like a mass curing off all the debilitations of the members of his community.
All the arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, retardations, all of the numerous problems any large group of people would have.
Just fix all of them, right now!
No Chris Angel video-edited miracles, just a straight forward curing of what ails the people.
The party tricks are just that, party tricks.
Without that, and there never will be anything like that, he and all the rest of those guys are scammers and criminals, duping the innocent for their own profit.
His sole "miracle" is making your money his money, with your willing consent.

[Bill Thompson]

Once again you are totally right. No one would ever think of shaking the camera when a totally awesome UFO was in sight.

Check some videos.

I am not talking about shaking of camera. The news crew saw the object staying in one place. Then it moved towards an Air Force base. THen it came back. Then if vanished.

Never did it go up. Never did it go down.

[Bill Thompson]

You're right. It's much more logical to think that he summons UFOs. After all it's totally impossible that he carries a helium tank in his car and it's totally impossible that he filled a milar balloon at the local party center will helium and released it on site.

Hey, where do I send my money?

If it was like that, the news crew set out to make fun of him would have noticed that they looked and moved like a balloon. To them it did not look like a balloon. To them it did not move like a balloon.

Also, It is not logical to use supposition as fact.

We suppose that it must be fake. Sure. But noone seems to have debunked the guy.

I have seen a lot of people make fun of this guy and no one can really explain how he does it.

If you claim to be a logical thinker and you write this guy off just by appearances, than you are a hypocrite and no better than the wack jobs who believe in something just because they want to believe.

I think it is fake. But without proper debunking, it is an ich I have yet to scratch.

The news crew who set out to make a story making fun of a local nut job were deflated (no pun intended) and a the end of their report they were sitting around the anchor desk begging views to contact them if they had any idea how the trick was done.

[Pogo]

Check some videos.

I am not talking about shaking of camera. The news crew saw the object staying in one place. Then it moved towards an Air Force base. THen it came back. Then if vanished.

Never did it go up. Never did it go down.It just followed the wind. Maybe he could claim that he can control the wind and then make the balloon go where he commands it?

[godless dave]

Also, the balloon seems to stay at the same altitude and even travel side to side and back and forth.

Yes. That's called "wind". The camera also seems to be moving.

Like what evidence?

A flying object that didn't look exactly like a balloon would be a start.

[BTMO]

Has anyone debunked him? Has anyone said it was a party ballon? Most everyone else, including investigative reporters, have said it is a huge silver sphere.

He was about to claim the million dollar prise until the Randi people backed out on a techniality -- they did not want him to have any armed guards.

He was going to perform a demonstration (on the evidence presented so far of a second rate magic trick) in a public place. He didn't need to supply armed guards.

Unless he is a paranoid wackjob...

[Typicallucas]

Just watch the video to see how he did it. Here are some instructions for you to repeat Yahweh's experiment:

1) Clear your mind
2) Raise your hands and look up at the sky a couple of times
3) Say the words "All mighty Yahweh I bless your holy magnificent name and I ask for brother [insert your name] that you send a sighting, a special sighting on [name] in your holy name. Rooted in the covenant you may with our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and um, for the cause of our people so that these brothers will know that truly Yahweh is the only conscious and living creator when they see this sighting they will know that if my words, if you heard my words and sent a sighting when they prey to you you will hear their words and answer their requests if it be they will. So shall they trust in you and be blessed of you and realize the power of prayer in yo' name. I pray oh Yahweh that send this sighting, send it oh Yahweh for us to see, send it not for us but for your holy name, send it oh Yahweh, send it, oh Halleluja, oh Hallelu-Yahweh, praise god, Hallelujah. [you can relax now and put your arms down] -- Go ahead and start it. -- Hold on brother. Just hold on. -- Man I feel this [wave hand]. I'm feelin' this man. Just keep that timer goin' man. Yahweh is going to give us something, even though it is cloudy and windy. Just hold on lemme, lemme put it on standby brother."

4) Look up and there will be a mylar balloon. Eventually.

Easy

[Typicallucas]

Have him perform the trick on a weekend:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2005/feb/16/budget-cutbacks-ground-weekend-weather-balloons/

[I Ratant]

Chris Angel's stunts are all done without any paid audience... it is claimed.
But reality is that all the witnesses to his "feats" are paid to be there and follow a script.
PY's video is no different.
And as mentioned, the "feat" is so trivial, that I wonder why anyone would consider it as real for more than a minute.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Who made the videotape and why is there a cut at 3:33?

~~ Paul

[TraneWreck]

Bill, buddy, really? You need someone to debunk that for you?

It's one thing when a nutjob is fooling around with complicated scientific claims. This board is awesome for helping with stuff like that, but seriously, this is just lame.

[Typicallucas]

Someone captured one of the UFOs when it floated close to the ground!

Check it out!!

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_278094a11fd18c4214.jpg

[rjh01]

Check out the tag I gave this thread. Should contain all the answers.

Not much more to say.

[Delvo]

I don't understand what's being asked. There doesn't even seem to BE any trick in that video.

[Bill Thompson]

It just followed the wind. Maybe he could claim that he can control the wind and then make the balloon go where he commands it?

That is how passenger hot air balloons work. But when party ballons are released they only go up and that is all. This thing did not go like that.

When I was a kid, and also a few other times, I have had the experience of watching a party balloon go to the sky. They just go in one direction: "Up-and-away". I mean, if the wind is blowing it goes away at an angle.

Pointing and laughing a "Prophet Yahweh" is easy. Debunking is hard. I hope someone here is not lazy. Maybe I am wrong to have such hopes.

Party ballons are not controled like passenger balloons, they do not change course and come back to where they were released.


It is also interesting that JREF backed out because of "lack of evidence". I might add that Prophet Yahweh has two talents. One talent is that he can make these balls appear in the sky. Another talent is that he can turn skeptics into chickens.

[Typicallucas]

That is how passenger hot air balloons work. But when party ballons are released they only go up and that is all. This thing did not go like that.

When I was a kid, and also a few other times, I have had the experience of watching a party balloon go to the sky. They just go in one direction: "Up-and-away". I mean, if the wind is blowing it goes away at an angle.

Pointing and laughing a "Prophet Yahweh" is easy. Debunking is hard. I hope someone here is not lazy. Maybe I am wrong to have such hopes.

Party ballons are not controled like passenger balloons, they do not change course and come back to where they were released.


It is also interesting that JREF backed out because of "lack of evidence". I might add that Prophet Yahweh has two talents. One talent is that he can make these balls appear in the sky. Another talent is that he can turn skeptics into chickens.

Balloons big and small are subject to winds... the same way cruise ships and canoes are subject to ocean currents.

Your perceived difference in the behavior of hot-air balloons and party balloons is fallacious.

Debunking is just a matter of figuring out the Earthly source of the balloons. Maybe we should visit Prophet Yahweh during TAM7 but I suspect spending any time with him and his friends will be extremely irritating and since controlling for balloon releases is difficult I doubt any observations of his "trick" will be worth much except for an interesting anecdote.

There is no evidence that Yahweh is even responsible for these "balls" appearing in the sky. There are meteorological balloons released twice a day in Las Vegas.

The most likely explanation is that he has an accomplice who releases a mylar balloon upwind and they point and shout and film the thing. To test his claim for the million dollars this kind of cheating would have to be controlled out of the experiment.

If Prophet Yahweh and god are tight like best buddies maybe he can ask god to send a signal that is close enough to see clearly.

What do you mean by this statement?: "Party ballons are not controled like passenger balloons, they do not change course and come back to where they were released."

If you are trying to say that "passenger balloons" change course and come back to where they were release this is incorrect. Hot-air balloons are pushed around by the wind and you have very little control over where the balloon goes (except up and down.) You must have a two-way radio and have someone in a truck follow you around to pick up the balloon wherever you land. If you are very skilled and very lucky you can time your landing such that you land relatively near your starting point.

If you are saying that Yahweh has the power to make his balloons come back to him, that is a different issue. I haven't seen anything that would indicate this, though. I would be very interested to see if he could make the balloon approach the camera so we could see it clearly.

[Dr Adequate]

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation. Is there other evidence we should be looking at?

Well, if he WAS the real deal, he WOULD have personal security preventing REAL wackos from attacking him. It is a catch 22. He shows up alone and is mobbed and we say "well, if he was for real, wouldn't he had some personal security" What an interesting fantasy.

However, the Million Dollar Challenge does not in fact require guards with guns as a proof of authenticity.

[yairhol]

Can he make the UFOs appear right above his head? Like 20-30 feet above the ground?

[Dr Adequate]

That is how passenger hot air balloons work. But when party ballons are released they only go up and that is all. This thing did not go like that. How do we know? There are no point of reference in the video, and the camera doesn't hold still.

Pointing and laughing a "Prophet Yahweh" is easy. Debunking is hard. Claiming to be able to summon UFOs is easy. Proving it is hard.

It is also interesting that JREF backed out because of "lack of evidence". I might add that Prophet Yahweh has two talents. One talent is that he can make these balls appear in the sky. Another talent is that he can turn skeptics into chickens. The latter is hardly a "talent". If a crank asked to see me and demanded that he be allowed to bring an armed entourage, I'd be worried.

[rjh01]

The balloon is not
change course and come back to where they were released. It is the camera that is moving around. Please note the lack of background objects.

The video is so stupid and the object is so obviously a balloon I do not see why anyone would take him seriously.

[fuelair]

Check some videos.

I am not talking about shaking of camera. The news crew saw the object staying in one place. Then it moved towards an Air Force base. THen it came back. Then if vanished.

Never did it go up. Never did it go down.Bill, part of the reason you won't get all the information you want (hope not to find?) is this is a very minor but cute magic trick - and tricks are not given away here. However, your statement of never goes up or down provided all the info I needed to tell you that part - because a company openly used it some 25 years ago for party balloons: the company sold mylar ballons, filled with helium and included aluminized sticky card board squares with it - to make the density of the balloon match the density of air at a given height you simply added or removed squares. Due to buoyancy (which applies in all fluids IIRC), an object will stay at the level where upward force (buoyancy) and downward force (gravity) are equal. That is, the balloon will hang in the air at a fairly specific height and move, staying at that height, with prevailing air currents. I do this to entertain kids at parties (not as a business) with all kinds of helium balloons and weights. I'll leave it to you to figure out other simple flight control methods - limited as they will be by the item being moved.


Oh, the security people would not be allowed in because they are likely the ones handling launch and movement. If he was real, they would not be needed.

[Bill Thompson]

good response.
thanks.

[fuelair]

Having actually watched the video, there is no trick to explain - the balloon did simply move with air currents - it is also evident that it was being affected by rising or falling air (density changes)(just in case: warm air rises as it is less dense, cool air falls as it is more dense) as reflectivity kept changing. There was no independant control of the flight - though such is possible if the "UFO" cannot be examined.

Low level fraud at best.

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

You are saying that he or an assist is hauling around a helium gas tank?

....

Ummm... YES, actually! (http://www.cylindermart.com/helium.htm?gclid=CNWJ4sGsyJoCFQE0xgod6E_q2A)

A 14 cubic foot tank is 5 inches in diameter, 18 inches long, and weighs 8 pounds. That seems pretty portable to me.

[rjh01]

good response.
thanks.

I think this is a great post. Not often do members get thanked in threads like this one by the OP.

[Drudgewire]

For the record, here's the application challenge thread (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=40507). "He was about to collect the million" and "UFO guy:1 JREF:0" claims are... ummm...

Well, if I can't say something nice it's probably better not to say anything at all. ;)

[ugot2bekidding]

If it was like that, the news crew set out to make fun of him would have noticed that they looked and moved like a balloon. To them it did not look like a balloon. To them it did not move like a balloon.

.

To the news crew, loony UFO summoning = ratings
...balloon = no ratings.

[TraneWreck]

For the record, here's the application challenge thread (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=40507). "He was about to collect the million" and "UFO guy:1 JREF:0" claims are... ummm...

Well, if I can't say something nice it's probably better not to say anything at all. ;)

The funny thing about that is even if this nutjob could actually summon UFOs, that in no way indicates paranormal powers. It just means he can contact intergalactic space travelers, there's no way for him to prove some unknown technology isn't being used.

But that's beside the point. How do we take someone seriously who says this:

I once tried to summon for money before Michael Jackson's farther and casino executives of Las Vegas. But, a sighting did not show.

By the way, the funny part isn't the spelling error...

Edit: I was reading more of the challenge application. This seems a little, er, damning for our noble summoner:

As long as the skies are clear and the winds calm.

Hmm...why would a UFO be afraid of a little wind...

More funny:

Two space craft are going to show up on my signal, and I will use the money to feed, house, and cloth people in ways that has never been done before.


That seems to be the real paranormal claim. I bet the clothes are made out of mylar.

[fuelair]

The funny thing about that is even if this nutjob could actually summon UFOs, that in no way indicates paranormal powers. It just means he can contact intergalactic space travelers, there's no way for him to prove some unknown technology isn't being used.

But that's beside the point. How do we take someone seriously who says this:



By the way, the funny part isn't the spelling error...

Edit: I was reading more of the challenge application. This seems a little, er, damning for our noble summoner:



Hmm...why would a UFO be afraid of a little wind...

More funny:



That seems to be the real paranormal claim. I bet the clothes are made out of mylar.
If you did not look at the video, you might want to. Even with the camera shake (and I have no idea how a pro-camera operator could get that much shaking in unless on purpose) you can tell that the "craft" (balloon) was rocking back and forth irregularly as it moved (watch the reflection off it as the top or bottom alligns with the camers). That motion in moving air is why that test condition.

[TraneWreck]

If you did not look at the video, you might want to. Even with the camera shake (and I have no idea how a pro-camera operator could get that much shaking in unless on purpose) you can tell that the "craft" (balloon) was rocking back and forth irregularly as it moved (watch the reflection off it as the top or bottom alligns with the camers). That motion in moving air is why that test condition.

I don't understand your post. Of course I watched the video. That's why it's funny.

[Moochie]

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation.

We can say it is obviously fake just because we think it must be. But where is he debunked?

I was reading the history of his application for the million dollar prise, the Randi guy suddenly says, "oh, you cannot have any personal security there". Well, if he WAS the real deal, he WOULD have personal security preventing REAL wackos from attacking him. It is a catch 22. He shows up alone and is mobbed and we say "well, if he was for real, wouldn't he had some personal security" On the other hand, if the JREF finds that he has personal security his application is turned down. So the guy says, ok, thanks but no thanks. I say the score is this:

Wacky UFO Guy: 1
JREF: 0

Bill, PY's "trick" was so patently obvious that it needed no formal debunking. He has many videos on YouTube all showing the same thing -- balloons --or variations thereof. For instance, there are different sized balloons, different colored balloons, and in one video that I saw, he had tied several balloons together into a cluster. The camera actually zoomed onto the "object" and it was clearly a bunch of balloons tied together. You may choose to believe otherwise, but I doubt you'll get much support anywhere except on sites which indulge such fantasies.

Oh, and your position on the MDC has been thoroughly debunked in numerous threads in this forum as well, so good luck with that one.

Bill: 0
Skeptics: millions :)


M.

[blutoski]

I think this is a great post. Not often do members get thanked in threads like this one by the OP.

Yes, I'm impressed.

Another thing to consider is that the quantity of helium - or even hydrogen - required to fill one mylar balloon can be compressed and stored in one of those cartidges used for hand-held paintball guns.

The smallest model I've seen is easily hidden in one hand, suitable for such a trick.

[blutoski]

Yes, I'm impressed.

Another thing to consider is that the quantity of helium - or even hydrogen - required to fill one mylar balloon can be compressed and stored in one of those cartidges used for hand-held paintball guns.

The smallest model I've seen is easily hidden in one hand, suitable for such a trick.

Just to follow-up... I located some helium cartridges in very small sizes, ostensibly used for medical purposes. It wouldn't be difficult to conceal these in the hand.

[JoeTheJuggler]

Still waiting for the debunked info. Is it hidded somewhere like the secrets of Penn and Teller?

I understand that you're asking for a debunking and no one has provided it. However, it is not necessary to debunk a claim in order to reject it. The skeptical approach is to follow the evidence. The burden of proof is on the claimant. In this case, we have an over-the-top extraordinary claim. All we have as "evidence" is a YouTube video that could be faked in any number of ways.

This came up in another thread. We don't have to expose this "trick" to reject it as false. The evidence isn't anywhere close to compelling us to accept the claim that he summoned through Yahweh a UFO to appear in the sky.

Not even close.

[Moochie]

<snipped for Bill>

It is also interesting that JREF backed out because of "lack of evidence". I might add that Prophet Yahweh has two talents. One talent is that he can make these balls appear in the sky. Another talent is that he can turn skeptics into chickens.

If you read the entire sad and sorry saga, you will be aware that negotiations went on for about a year, and everything was set and ready to go when virtually at the last minute PY casually introduces this requirement for armed guards to be there -- armed guards for which there was absolutely no need, and which the local police would probably not have allowed anyway.

The reasons PY gave for wanting armed personnel were totally spurious. In the entire history of the MDC there is not one instance of anyone ever stipulating that armed guards be present at a test.

For the test to go ahead, all PY had to do was drop that stipulation. For reasons never adequately explained to anyone's satisfaction, PY wouldn't do that.

To almost everyone, with the exception of maybe yourself, it looks like PY never had any intention of allowing himself to be tested

Also, it has never been established that PY ever had any armed guards to deploy, or even if he actually applied for any permits or attempted to comply with any other legal requirements that may have existed.

For reasons known only to PY himself, he chose to back out of the preliminary test by introducing this stipulation at virtually the last minute. After all, he could have mentioned it many months before the test, but he did not.

My personal take on his egregious behavior is that he sought to generate publicity for himself by going through the charade of applying for the MDC.

He certainly succeeded there.



M.

[Ferguson]

So, Bill Thompson, you think it's a good idea for claimants seeking the million dollars to show up with a bunch of cronies armed with guns?

[Lonewulf]

Bill Thompson supports police brutality and using nuclear weapons to blow up your own country. I highly doubt that showing up with cronies to affect a scientific test would be out of his bounds.

[TraneWreck]

And the other bizarre thing about all of that is that if the Prophet just showed up with one or two armed body guards, and they just did their job without making a stink, I'm not sure anyone every would have known they were armed much less cared.

If you read the bizarre letters, it's clear that old Yaweh was just getting ready to toss out a bunch of odd, impossible to satisfy requirements so he could claim JREF backed off, rather than having the venerable Mr. Randi look up and see a couple of balloons.

[tsig]

This trick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuEwOckwsA
.
Go to the supermarket and get a mylar party balloon.

And some fishing line.

[Typicallucas]

It is totally common and sometimes compulsory to have on-duty police officers present at commercial filming sites.

I think it could have been arranged in a single phone call to have one or two Las Vegas police officers at the test.

ETA: Actually I would have wanted to hide behind a cop when near a person who says "the Messiah is going to destroy all religions other than the worship of YAHWEH because of the soul murder they have committed against humanity for far too long"

E again TA: He goes on to claim in a document titled "In the name of the most holy and wonderful Yahweh"
* First God searched him out but he actually asked God for the job of top prophet, and was approved.
* He has been commanded to go to war.
* He is preparing to receive a massive fortune for Israel's sake.
* He must build two great temples for God; one in the Nevada desert, one in the "Amazon wilderness of Brazil" with highways and huge storage facilities.
* He "must build survival retreats for Israel", in which his acolytes, called "students", will be pampered while the world suffers.
* The "two witnesses" he identifies as Enoch and Elijah, will be flown to him by spaceships at his desert compound.
* He "must plan for our national deliverance", which is defined, in a rambling description, as kicking the Israelis out of Israel to accommodate his followers
* He defines the border of his kingdom, called New Israel, as half of Egypt, half of Sudan, part of Uganda, all of Eritrea, all of Israel, all of Jordan, all of Lebanon, part of Saudi Arabia most of Syria, almost half of Iraq, part of Kuwait, which will require the forced removal of all peoples from those lands.
* He and his "students" will rule the world.
* There can be no doubt, (and he makes sure we know it), that he is "YAHWEH's Chosen One".
* God has told him to become a media mogul by selling his "Pay-Per-View Summonings" worldwide.
* He claims that he is actually "The Voice Of Him Who Cries In The Wilderness" and not John the Baptist.
* And, as amazing as it seems, in, what he says are God's own words, he actually proves conclusively he is a false Prophet and was commanded to stop his ministry by God in 2004.





yikes

[dafydd]

You'll believe anything,won't you Bill?

[fuelair]

And some fishing line.
For the video as shown complete, he didn't need the fishing line.

[Drudgewire]

When I was in Florida I saw him demonstrate it for a reporter. They found a balloon in the area where he pointed out the "ufo" but in the end it was decided "they couldn't prove it was the same balloon." :rolleyes:

Wish I remembered whether it was a local show or some syndicated thing but it was the first time I ever heard of the guy. At the time I was still somewhat open to woo but haven't had a very high opinion of him ever since.

[kedo1981]

My vote would be that the section of video with an “object” in it was edited in later while retaining the dialog from the “sighting”.
In Vegas, the sky is clear like that, a lot and you could film released balloons all day with no clouds or anything to show reference.
Remember he claims to call spaceships not just UFO’s
Funny how he did not need any apparent armed security in this video.
Why would he think he would be mobbed?
As far as I know JReF while not keeping the tests secret and maybe telling the local news media doesn’t put out an all points, come one come all. Bulletin.

[dafydd]

Is he the same Bill Thompson who once managed the Jefferson Airplane?

[RoboTimbo]

And the other bizarre thing about all of that is that if the Prophet just showed up with one or two armed body guards, and they just did their job without making a stink, I'm not sure anyone every would have known they were armed much less cared.

If you read the bizarre letters, it's clear that old Yaweh was just getting ready to toss out a bunch of odd, impossible to satisfy requirements so he could claim JREF backed off, rather than having the venerable Mr. Randi look up and see a couple of balloons.

And I didn't notice him needing any bodyguards in the video. Funny how it became a requirement for the challenge.

[eirik]

I didn't realize the aliens would come to earth in mylar balloons. They must be patient and stoopid aliens. I'm sure phycisists will have problems with tis.

[Gord_in_Toronto]

In answer to the question posed in the tittle of this thread, may I suggest, "Very poorly"?

[Typicallucas]

Nice one, let me try answering the title.

He doesn't. Not anymore. He is more interested in going to war with Israel and taking back the holy land for him and his brothers.

[DevilsAdvocate]

One video?

That does not sound like a very through investigation.

We can say it is obviously fake just because we think it must be. But where is he debunked?

I was reading the history of his application for the million dollar prise, the Randi guy suddenly says, "oh, you cannot have any personal security there". Well, if he WAS the real deal, he WOULD have personal security preventing REAL wackos from attacking him. It is a catch 22. He shows up alone and is mobbed and we say "well, if he was for real, wouldn't he had some personal security" On the other hand, if the JREF finds that he has personal security his application is turned down. So the guy says, ok, thanks but no thanks. I say the score is this:

Wacky UFO Guy: 1
JREF: 0Don’t you remember the original threads on this guy? You can search the forums. If I recall correctly, there were not only videos of “UFOs” that were obviously balloons, but even videos of him carrying weather balloons to and even releasing balloons at his “summing” sites. For which he had some several excuses.

If I recall correctly, JREF did a ton of work to get permission to do a demonstration in a park with police protection, and only backed down when the crazy Yaweh guy started insisting that he be allowed to bring along a gang of armed guards with machines guns and such.

It is balloons. Just balloons. And he won’t even try to prove it for real without a personal gang of armed men.

I say the score is this:

Yahweh: 1 crazy guy
JREF: 0 crazy guys

[dafydd]

C'mon it's far more likely to be an alien,A balloon on Earth,what are the chances of that?

[wackyvorlon]

I thought it would be pointful to quote Prophet Yahweh from here:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=40507

"Now, I have one concern: security.

I will provide the armed security for the event: several armed guards will be present to protect every one present in the event negative personalities show up."

I would be extremely alarmed by that as well.

[Lothario]

I imagine the little green men on board the UFO must be getting pretty angry at the Prophet for summoning them for no reason at all :)