An invitation to UK "psychics"

[marktheskeptic]

hi,

A couple ofweeks back, I sent an email to 3 of the UK's most prominent "psychics", Derek (Faker) Accorah, Colin, "flying trumpets" Fry and Tony "I'm a nice geezer" Stockwell.

I pretended to be a believer and sent the following - (this is Dereks email)


Hi

I understand that there has been an invitation to UK mediums to take James
Randi\'s million dollar challenge.

I would love to see Derek take this test to prove that mediums are real (at
least that Derek is)

Please could you let me know if Derek intends to take the test. I think this
would be a fantastic thing for him to do. I would be great to finally
quieten the skeptics.


2 weeks on and I have only had one reply and that seems to have come from Dereks wife Gwen.

This is what she said -

Thanks for your message.
I'm afraid that Derek will not be taking part in
the Randi challenge which is heavily weighted against anybody attempting the
test and, as it states in the small print, would in no way prove to
sceptics that mediumship exists.

Regards

Gwen Acorah

So far I've had nothing back from Colin or Tony.

What do you think of Gwens comments?

[bluesjnr]

Par for the course. Maybe you could ask her in what way she thinks that the test is weighted against the attemptee, especially when it is undertaken under mutually agreed protocol?

As my claim on the MDC, I predict all will refuse to take part or come up with some spurious reason not to.

[commandlinegamer]

Better for them to have some doubt as their abilities, than have it confirmed that they have none.

[William Smith]

Every observer must make his own conclusion. Just as in this cooking show:

"Sylvia, you have said for years you can cook a delicious fish dinner with nothing but potatoes as ingredients. Would you care to demonstrate that for us?"

"I'm afraid that I will not be taking part in the cooking show which is heavily weighted against anybody attempting the test and, as it states in the small print, would in no way prove to sceptics that cooking fish with potatoes exists."

If one is inclined to believe in a shaky premise - look at how many bad movies come out every week, look at how many shabby merchandise is bought every day, look at how many females fall for ludicrous lines every hour - there is pretty much nothing you can do but let them make up their own mind, one after another, each one one at a time.

The universe allows some time for development after all: Wheel, inoculants, toilet paper.

[rjh01]

Par for the course. Maybe you could ask her in what way she thinks that the test is weighted against the attemptee, especially when it is undertaken under mutually agreed protocol?

As my claim on the MDC, I predict all will refuse to take part or come up with some spurious reason not to.

It is heavily weighted against the applicant as
1. The applicant needs to be able to show that they can do what they claim to do.
2. No trickery allowed.

[bluesjnr]

It is heavily weighted against the applicant as
1. The applicant needs to be able to show that they can do what they claim to do.
2. No trickery allowed.

Those underhand JREF bastards!

[Lamuella]

reality has a well known anti-psychic bias

[jsfisher]

I pretended to be a believer and sent the following....


Why the need for subterfuge? Isn't it a bit hypocritical to try to expose someone for being dishonest by being dishonest yourself?


ETA: Welcome to the forum.

[Ian Osborne]

Apart from the line about 'quieten the sceptics', the original communication looked fine to me. I'm not a believer, but I'd dearly love to see a psychic take the million. It would open a whole new branch of science, and possibly demonstrate the existence of an afterlife. Until I see it, though, I'm going to assume it doesn't exist.

Incidentally, is the 'invitation to UK psychics' offered in the OP a specific call, or just part of the Million Dollar Challenge?

[Scoot Meevo]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qNfA-ErZF48/TV5qAbgamSI/AAAAAAAAAxg/fkh-NYUIJ04/s1600/chicken-0011.jpg

That's about the size of it.

[Steve001]

Sally Morgan is another that said would take the test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQU4ohwvYjY&feature=player_embedded