Leg Lengthening

darren · 26th September 2003, 12:43 PM

This is the first time I've heard the term.

However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt.

Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery?

arcticpenguin · 26th September 2003, 01:04 PM

I think she was pulling your leg.

Powa · 26th September 2003, 03:13 PM

I guess the saying "break a leg" is inappropriate when you want to wish luck to a faith-healer when he's going on stage to do this stunt.

Brown · 26th September 2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by darren
This is the first time I've heard the term.

However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt.

Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery?

Read "The Faith Healers" by James Randi. I believe the technique is described there "at length."

billydkid · 26th September 2003, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by darren
This is the first time I've heard the term.

However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt.

Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery?

Yes, I have seen it. The local public access station where I used to live used to regularly have a faith healers on. Basically, the persons sits and the healer has the persons legs outstretched but shifted just a little off to the side so that one leg appears longer than the other. Then they just bring them back straight in front of the sitter and the shorter leg "grows" to match the other.

What always struck me was how there was this unknown epidemic of people with one foreshortened leg. "Funny, I didn't know one leg was shorter than the other!" What really sickens me is that the people doing this present themselves as and probably consider themselves to be "Godly". I hate the bastards. Believers hate skeptics, but that is only because they are too stupid to even know who their friends are. It sure ain't the faith healers.

Jim_MDP · 27th September 2003, 12:27 AM

Could this be where the Chiros picked it up?

I presume faith healers have been doing it longer than chiropractics has been around.

T'ai Chi · 27th September 2003, 12:32 AM

Basically, you put your right foot in, and your left foot out, and then your left foot gets pushed all about.

(you do the hokey pokey and...)

beowulf573 · 27th September 2003, 10:00 PM

There is a scene in the (unforunately mostly lost) Lon Chaney movie The Miracle Man where he pretends to be crippled, part of which involves having a shortened and bent leg, and is 'healed' by a local faith healer.

Although the movie itself has been lost this scene has been saved and can be seen in the fantastic documentary on his life, Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces where they describe how he carried out the gag.

Great documentary, catch it if you're a Lon Chaney fan.

Eddie

BillyJoe · 28th September 2003, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by billydkid
Basically, the persons sits and the healer has the persons legs outstretched but shifted just a little off to the side so that one leg appears longer than the other. Then they just bring them back straight in front of the sitter and the shorter leg "grows" to match the other.

Why do that when there is an easier method that is harder to pick? It just reqires a bit of flexibility in the pelvic area.

Tommy.
(Keep on dancing, you'll get there)

patnray · 30th September 2003, 01:13 PM

If one of your legs were lengthened, even by a fraction of an inch, do you think you could stand up and walk without stumbling? Even if one leg were shorter than the other, you'd have spent a lifetime learning to walk with your legs just the way they are. If one leg was truely lengthened, it would take a lot of practice before you could walk without stumbling...

darren · 30th September 2003, 01:17 PM

I ordered Randi's book. And that, patnray, is a good point. Its a nice detail that would make sense.

Of course, if they were truly healed by God, he could certainly keep them from stumbling too, no? See? Silly logic user.

26th September 2003, 12:43 PM	#1
darren New Blood Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10	Leg Lengthening This is the first time I've heard the term. However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt. Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery?
darren New Blood Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10

26th September 2003, 01:04 PM	#2
arcticpenguin woo ban clan Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,717	I think she was pulling your leg.
	__________________ The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it. - George Bernard Shaw

26th September 2003, 03:13 PM	#3
Powa to the people Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Slovenia Posts: 6,503	I guess the saying "break a leg" is inappropriate when you want to wish luck to a faith-healer when he's going on stage to do this stunt.
	__________________ Satan is waitin', anticipatin' and hatin'. Stop Sylvia Browne www.whatstheharm.net What's a "sig"?

26th September 2003, 03:15 PM	#4
Brown Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 9,025	Re: Leg Lengthening Quote: Originally posted by darren This is the first time I've heard the term. However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt. Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery? Read "The Faith Healers" by James Randi. I believe the technique is described there "at length."
	__________________ Klaatu: I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. Mr. Harley: I'm afraid my people haven't. I am very sorry. I wish it were otherwise. -- The Day The Earth Stood Still, screenplay by Edmund H. North "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know." -- Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice

26th September 2003, 07:35 PM	#5
billydkid Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 4,683	Re: Leg Lengthening Quote: Originally posted by darren This is the first time I've heard the term. However, in a discussion I had recently with a faith-healing fan, she did mention that her absolute belief in it was caused by seeing a person's leg "grow" right before her eyes at a faith healing event. I had no response, because I was unfamiliar with the stunt. Can someone add more information regarding this so I can be more informed on this particular aspect of trickery? Yes, I have seen it. The local public access station where I used to live used to regularly have a faith healers on. Basically, the persons sits and the healer has the persons legs outstretched but shifted just a little off to the side so that one leg appears longer than the other. Then they just bring them back straight in front of the sitter and the shorter leg "grows" to match the other. What always struck me was how there was this unknown epidemic of people with one foreshortened leg. "Funny, I didn't know one leg was shorter than the other!" What really sickens me is that the people doing this present themselves as and probably consider themselves to be "Godly". I hate the bastards. Believers hate skeptics, but that is only because they are too stupid to even know who their friends are. It sure ain't the faith healers.

27th September 2003, 12:27 AM	#6
Jim_MDP Muse Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 515	Could this be where the Chiros picked it up? I presume faith healers have been doing it longer than chiropractics has been around.
Jim_MDP Muse Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 515	__________________ ------------ Santa doesn't need eyes. He hunts by echolocation. -TragicMonkey ------------ We are the spirits of Flux and Anchor and some call us demons. --- chown -R us:us yourbase

27th September 2003, 12:32 AM	#7
T'ai Chi Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 11,233	Basically, you put your right foot in, and your left foot out, and then your left foot gets pushed all about. (you do the hokey pokey and...)

27th September 2003, 10:00 PM	#8
beowulf573 New Blood Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 12	There is a scene in the (unforunately mostly lost) Lon Chaney movie The Miracle Man where he pretends to be crippled, part of which involves having a shortened and bent leg, and is 'healed' by a local faith healer. Although the movie itself has been lost this scene has been saved and can be seen in the fantastic documentary on his life, Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces where they describe how he carried out the gag. Great documentary, catch it if you're a Lon Chaney fan. Eddie

28th September 2003, 04:41 AM	#9
BillyJoe Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: MOOROOLBARK Posts: 11,622	Re: Re: Leg Lengthening Quote: Originally posted by billydkid Basically, the persons sits and the healer has the persons legs outstretched but shifted just a little off to the side so that one leg appears longer than the other. Then they just bring them back straight in front of the sitter and the shorter leg "grows" to match the other. Why do that when there is an easier method that is harder to pick? It just reqires a bit of flexibility in the pelvic area. Tommy. (Keep on dancing, you'll get there)
	__________________ A secular society is one in which no one loses any liberty as a consequence of someone else's religious beliefs. NB

30th September 2003, 01:13 PM	#10
patnray Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,018	If one of your legs were lengthened, even by a fraction of an inch, do you think you could stand up and walk without stumbling? Even if one leg were shorter than the other, you'd have spent a lifetime learning to walk with your legs just the way they are. If one leg was truely lengthened, it would take a lot of practice before you could walk without stumbling...

30th September 2003, 01:17 PM	#11
darren New Blood Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10	thanks all I ordered Randi's book. And that, patnray, is a good point. Its a nice detail that would make sense. Of course, if they were truly healed by God, he could certainly keep them from stumbling too, no? See? Silly logic user.
darren New Blood Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10