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Welcome to BadPsychics, your trusted resource for uncovering the truth behind fake psychics and debunking supernatural claims. We are committed to promoting skepticism and critical thinking, providing you with clear and factual information about the paranormal and pseudoscientific practices. At BadPsychics, we celebrate the power of science and rational inquiry. Our mission is to expose fraudulent psychics and unverified supernatural phenomena, empowering you with knowledge.
8 July 2008
Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal
"If a man doesn't know how to measure and is told by a crowd equally ignorant that he is six feet tall, how can you expect him not to believe it?" -- Plato, The Republic
This is a new show on the US television channel A&E.; A&E; describes the show as “an intense journey of a medium and a psychologist, who draw on their own personal experiences, training, and unique outlook on life to teach troubled kids how to deal with what they often feel is a curse, as much as a unique and special gift.”
The “medium” named here is Chip Coffey. One can read more about his claims on his website (chipcoffey.com) as I am not concerning myself with his claims except those made in the show.
www.aetv.com/psychic-kids/about/index.jsp
Dr. Lisa Miller is the psychologist and she is a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Columbia University. She is also a believer in parapsychology and mediumship. One thing notable about this show is that there are no dissenting views, no lone skeptic to give a scientific explanation to any occurrence.
The episode being reviewed is called “Night Terrors” and was first aired on July 7, 2008. It followed the stories of three children: Kali, age 9; Caleb, age 8; and ReAnna, age 8, and their fears of being left alone in the dark. This fear is somehow equated to the children seeing ghosts, which was first recognized by the mother of each child. The opening half of the show is an introduction to each child.
The first child introduced is Kali, the eldest of the three in this episode. She introduces herself and says she can see spirits. A caption then says “Kali has been seeing spirits her entire life and is afraid to share her experiences with other kids.” According to this statement, we are lead to believe she has been seeing spirits since she came out of the womb; how anyone would test this or even prove this is unknown and not explained. Kali then goes on to claim that she “feels bad energy”. Kali’s mother then shows up to say that Kali has “always” been able to tell when someone passes away. The mother says that Kali sees a tall figure in a dark suit, who the mother calls “the caretaker”. Kali then says that she sees the caretaker drag spirits into the floor where “hell is”. The proof of these claims comes in an anecdotal story about the passing of Kali’s aunt. The mother retells the story of Kali seeing her aunt with the caretaker 3 days before her aunt died. Besides this story being anecdotal and unfalsifiable, it is never mentioned what condition the aunt was in during this time or how she died. Also, earlier the claim was that Kali was able to see dead people, but when she sees her aunt, her aunt is still alive.
In the next segment, Kali's mother stated that whenever Kali sees this “negative energy” she becomes ill. Her mother even mentions that she will keep her out of school for 2-3 days after one of these episodes. Later in the show it is even mentioned that the school Kali attends has sent a truant officer after her and are holding her back because she has missed so many days. The mother also says Kali has a blood disorder but gives no other information beyond that of what kind of disorder or if it was even medically confirmed. She also goes on to say that the blood disorder is caused by the “negative energy” that is draining her child and is causing stress in Kali’s life. If Kali truly has a medical disorder then the school would help to work with her and her mother. Kali then comes on to say that this sickness is a gift.
Next the show introduces Caleb. Caleb claims that he hears spirits calling his name. After that claim, the show places a caption saying, “Since the age of 2, Caleb has been tormented by spirits. The frequency and intensity of these experiences have caused him severe anxiety.” Caleb’s mom, who is very young looking, starts to talk about the first time he saw a spirit. According to the previous caption, this would have been while he was 2. She says that she tried to tell him it was his imagination, but that she was scared of what he was seeing. It is doubtful that a 2 year old would understand what imagination was, but a child can tell when their parent or parents are scared and would take their cues from the parent. His mom then goes on to say that she takes him to a therapist for his anxiety; it never says what therapist or even interview the therapist. Caleb says that he does not tell his friends about his “gift”. The episode then shows his mom putting him to bed. His mom then talks about his reward and punishment system for being afraid at night alone. If he spends 10 nights not afraid he gets a new game. If he spends 10 nights being afraid he loses a game for a week. His room is painted pink with pink hearts and flowers on white doors. Caleb is then shown waking up at night afraid, which is common when having a nightmare, but Caleb equates it to spirits.
ReAnna is the final child is introduced. She claims to be terrified of spirits, especially at night. She then begins to talk about one of her first experiences. She apparently witnessed the death of a little girl that lived next door. The girl was killed by a passing vehicle. ReAnna dealt with this traumatic experience by imagining seeing the little girl after the accident. The show never mentions how long after the accident. ReAnna talks about hearing the girl say she missed her family. These neighbors were not interviewed as they had moved away, so they wouldn’t have to see the sight of where their daughter died. ReAnna’s mother is holding her and had her write this story down to read for the taping of the show, thus reinforcing the behavior. The mother also then says that ReAnna can also diagnose and heal any medical condition. According to the mother she does this by taking the disease or condition into herself, just like the character from the movie and book “The Green Mile”. Once again the evidence for this is an anecdotal story given by the mother. ReAnna’s mother claims that ReAnna healed cramps in the mother’s hand by waving her hand over the cramping area. ReAnna’s experiences all happen at night while she is alone. She claims to hear noises and see shadows.
A few similarities between all three children were noted: They are all young and at an impressionable age. None of them are shown to have a father figure. The mothers seem to be shaping what the children believe. They are all afraid of the dark; as are most children at their age. All three are afraid to talk to their friends about their “gifts”. Anxiety seems to be haunting all of three of them.
Now, enter Chip Coffey and Dr. Lisa Miller. They are at ReAnna’s house to talk to her. The first thing out of Chip’s mouth is this house has “strong energy”. He proceeds to describe spirits to ReAnna and asks her if this is what she sees; of course the 8 year old girl answers yes. She does not describe these things herself; instead it was Chip describing them to her and ReAnna just agreeing with him. This is ReAnna appeasing to an authority figure. Chip is also asking leading questions and not letting ReAnna speak as herself.
Dr. Miller talks to ReAnna’s mother and points out that ReAnna is at the age of strong imagination. Dr. Miller then follows that statement by asking the mother when was it that you realized your child’s gift was real. This is a loaded question and an implicit assumption; it is assuming that the gift is real and not just imagination without proof of it being real. The mother answers by saying she also heard a spirit voice while staying one night in her daughter’s room. Chip then says the room is “very spiritual.”
The next scene is Dr. Miller and Chip talking outside the house. Chip says the best way to tell a child is psychic is by noticing two things. 1) They are afraid of the dark. 2) They don’t know what to do about being afraid. By this definition, almost every child is psychic. Dr. Miller then points out fear of the dark is common and widespread in children. She follows that statement up by saying ReAnna’s fear is beyond what is normal in most children and thus must be caused by her seeing spirits. This statement makes two logical fallacies. The first is excluded middle, spirits may not be the only reason a child is afraid of the dark. ReAnna has anxiety of the dark and thus is showing a phobia of the dark, this can be caused by many different things which are not suggested or discussed with ReAnna or her mother. The second fallacy is non sequitur or it does not follow. The fact that spirits are brought in as an explanation just does not make any logical sense. They base this decision, not off scientific studies, but off of unverifiable anecdotal evidence.
Chip and Dr. Miller’s answer to helping ReAnna is isolating her from reality with the other two children, Kali and Caleb. The three children and their mothers are taken to a ranch in Arizona that is supposedly built on American Indian sacred grounds and is said to be haunted. This help means dragging these kids around at night with only Chip. The first night Chip has them go to the dining room area and asks them to sense for the energy of ghosts. This is encouraging the behavior of the children. Once again, to appease an authority figure, all three children start to sense something. Caleb describes a man at a table looking at “someone”. Kali says she is in contact with a woman with a black stripe around her waste.
Chip then tells the children he is going to give the children a challenge; he insists that it is not a test and that there are no right answers. He then tells the children to close their eyes and concentrate. Next, Chip turns out the lights in the room. The kids become visibly afraid and ReAnna is crying. Chip tells them to not be afraid. He then goes over about feeling energy and sensing spirits. He tells them they are afraid of spirits and not the dark. He starts to insist they need to face their fears.
Next Chip and Dr. Miller talk to the parents. He makes one good point here. He tells the mothers that they are causing the fear in their children by being afraid in front of them. This is the truth; the actions of the mothers are affecting the actions of the kids. Chip still insists though that the kids can see spirits.
During the day, the kids are talking to each other. The topic is about seeing spirits and so are reinforcing their beliefs. Since they are isolated now, thanks to Chip and Dr. Miller, there are no outside sources interfering with this reinforcement. Kali then starts talking about how other kids at school make fun of her and won’t sit next to her in the lunchroom. She says this is because she told her friends about seeing spirits and energy. She uses words like energy very much in the woo sense. She is shown talking about energy and then her mother is shown saying almost the exact same thing. This shows that Kali is coached in her words and beliefs by her mom.
Next, Chip is seen talking to Dr. Miller about what the kids did the night before. He tells her that Caleb saw a man in the dining room. Dr. Miller finds this amazing and states that it correlates with other sightings. She describes these sightings as men sitting, around a table, playing cards and dressed as cowboys. Caleb claims to have just seen a man sitting at a table, this is not near as specific as what Dr. Miller describes and is in fact very vague and could fit any male ghost story. This is still seen as validation of Caleb’s ability. Dr. Miller also points out that there is a story of a women being seen wearing a black skirt. The sighting is equated to Kali’s description of woman with a black stripe around her waist. This is discounting the fact the stories of the ghost are suppose to take place in the kitchen and Kali was in the dining room. At the age of 9, Kali should know the difference between a black stripe and skirt or dress. Her description is just too vague.
ReAnna and Kali are taken to Mega Mease, an “energy healer.” She is teaches ReAnna how to heal Kali of her disease. ReAnna is now using the word energy in the woo sense. Mega has ReAnna move her hands over Kali in a therapeutic touch fashion. She also has ReAnna start drawing a picture of what she pictures in her mind while doing the “healing.” After the “healing” is done they look at the picture. The picture has a bunch of random lines and weird images but these are ignored and they focus on one part. In this part ReAnna drew blood, this is equated to the “blood disease” that Kali has and says she never told ReAnna. In this instant they are remembering the hits and forgetting the misses. ReAnna’s mom now starts calling ReAnna a healer.
The next night, the children are sent out on their own with night cameras to “ghost hunt.” Caleb is the first to claim to see a man staring at them by the rocks. The two girls freak out, scream, cry, and run back to the cabin. Chip gathers the kids and the mothers outside, still at night. He begins to raise his voice at the children for getting scared. He admonishes the children and the mothers. He then says one of the most ironic things in the show. Chips says, “We cannot let our actions feed off each other.” Caleb says he was not afraid and Chip congratulates him for that. Chip then tells them all they are going out to where they saw the spirit.
They go to a stage coach wagon. The kids are now saying the spirit is in wagon and not by the rocks as Caleb said earlier. Chip now claims to feel “energy” at the wagon. He then goes to show the children how to cold read by telling them to ask the spirit for a name or a first initial. ReAnna says “B” and Chip reinforces that by agreeing. Chip then just says the name Bart and that is the end of the retreat.
As they are leaving the ranch the kids are given a chance to talk again. Kali claims to be able to protect herself from negative energy now. All three claim to be friends now and only want each other as friends, thus creating more isolation.
The last bit is taken 2 weeks after the retreat. The mothers all claim the children are better and not as afraid. Kali’s mother even says Kali doesn’t get sick anymore. The show ends, mentioning that all three kids keep in touch with each other.
By BeamStalk
24 June 2008
A Look At Self Proclaimed Psychic Christopher Heath
Fishing around in River Woo the other day I found Christopher Heath a very busy man lately, amazing what a stint on an unassuming satellite channel can do for your bank balance.
So I decided to delve deeper, look at some of his readings and see if I could find any kind of pattern to his patter.
If you recognise Christopher Heath it is because Christopher is one of the psychics starring on Psychic TV!
www.cellcast.tv/advertising/press.html
![](http://web.archive.org/web/20080803063641im_/http://www.mysticconnect.com/featured/featured_3_1.jpg)
Here's a bit of background...
Quote:
So I decided to delve deeper, look at some of his readings and see if I could find any kind of pattern to his patter.
If you recognise Christopher Heath it is because Christopher is one of the psychics starring on Psychic TV!
www.cellcast.tv/advertising/press.html
![](http://web.archive.org/web/20080803063641im_/http://www.mysticconnect.com/featured/featured_3_1.jpg)
Here's a bit of background...
Quote:
Christopher Heath is from Romany Descent on both sides of his family, was born on October 17th 1978 and is a classical Libra.
A classical Libra? Puccini or Beethoven I wonder...
Quote:
He was brought up in a multi- faith family. He went to Catholic school and studied Health & Social Care at further and Higher Education levels.
He briefly worked in the Health & Social Care sector, but his vocation was to work for the World of the Spirit.
Yes much more money to made from the vulnerable by claiming to have psychic abilities than he’ll ever make caring for them.
Quote:
He has an office in the town of Bridgend, South Wales. He is highly sort after by people from all walks of life. You can be assured that whatever way of life you have you will be welcomed with open arms.
And open palms...
Oh and not to worry that he might not be as well connected as other psychics...it's ok he is international!!
Quote:
Christopher is available for telephone and private readings in London, New York, Marbella (Spain), Beverly Hills (California)
That's a busy man! Must check but I'm sure Superman isn't Welsh ...
Quote:
„X He is Clairaudient which means he can hear those people who have passed over.
„X He is Clairsentient which means he can feel those people who have passed over. -
„X He is Clairvoyant which means he can see those people who have passed over and he can clearly "see" future events.
Quote:
He is a natural psychic
Of course he is we all are apparently!
Quote:
Christopher Heath is 29 years old, and has worked with his gifts since he was 16 years old. He considers himself privileged to be able to use his God given ability to help people no matter what way of life they may lead.
Wondered how long it would be before God was mentioned.
Anyway let’s see what Christopher has been up to lately …
This is a page on his website with videos of his performances on Psychic TV
www.christopherheath.net/psychic_videos.html
Well I painfully listened to these…..quite a few times …. transcribed them and compared readings, here are my findings.
PARENTAL COMPARISONS
Video 2Quote:
You do remind me very much of your Mother but you do have your Dad's attitude which doesn't always help you
Video 3Quote:
Remind me of your Mum.
Video 5Quote:
Brother very much like your Dad to look at, you remind me very much of your Mother with your Dad's approach.
Video 11 (Isobel)Quote:
You do remind me very much of your Dad actually with Mum's approach to life.
Video 11 ( Carolyn)Quote:
Being so much like your Mum.
Video 12Quote:
You look very much like your Mother but unfortunately for yourself you have your Dad's approach.
Hmmm are you seeing the repetition?
Next is the AMERICAN CONNECTION
Video 2 Quote:
Can see you living in California
Video 3 Quote:
Connection with Manhattan actually a connection with New York
Video 6 Quote:
Trip to New York coming up-- then conversation in 5 weeks about going to New York
Video 11 ( Carolyn)Quote:
A New York connection
Ok before I go on let's recap. The first two comparisons have the most repetition that's because we will all relate to similar traits with parents and the American connection is the future therefore cannot be validated at the time of the reading and of course we won't be revisiting these people to check on Christopher's accuracy! Also please keep in mind that the people he's giving readings to will be standing around for a while chatting before filming takes place, lots of information will be gained from that time.
Next ...Same reading just worded slightly differently.
SARCASTIC WIT
Video 3 Quote:
You have a sarcastic wit but in a nice way, things come across as if you're serious but you're really being funny, people don't actually understand where you are coming from
Video 11 (Carolyn) Quote:
You have a sarcastic wit people don't always know if you're joking or having a laugh.
NEXT....
Video 11 (Isobel) Quote:
People looking in on your world consider you to be lucky in what you've got
Video 12 Quote:
People looking in on your circumstances think they're fabulous
AND AGAIN.....
Video 3 Quote:
Academically excelled people wouldn't believe how far you've come
Video 5 Quote:
They think you're some clerk in an office where that is not the case at all you've studied academically to get where you are.
Let's look realistically at Christopher's readings, they are a basic cold read, he is taking into consideration the age of the person and the needs or worries of that age group. If you actually listen to what he is saying it isn't psychic ability it is basic psychological observation into which he adds predictions.
In video 2 he states Quote:
Now I don't like futurising because I believe in validation in the first instance
So I understand he's saying he really isn't comfortable predicting the future but apart from his basic cold readings the only other readings are predictions, oh and I'm sorry but I do have to point out Christopher that futurising is not a word, well according to the Chambers dictionary anyway.
Please check these links for excellent information on the basics of cold reading
www.skepdic.com/coldread.html
www.skepdic.com/barnum.html
www.skepdic.com/forer.html
Please remember visual editing is a wonderful tool for deception.
By Amaris
11 April 2008
Psychics On Ebay - By Emma-Louise Rhodes
You can buy nearly anything on eBay. From tractors to tricycles, from lipgloss to liposuction – if it’s legally available, then you can purchase it on the world’s favourite auction site.
Not only is eBay one of the best places to make the odd penny from your unwanted Christmas gifts or the antiques you’ve recently rediscovered in your attic, it is also a useful means of a steady tax-free income for thousands of people all over the UK. Artists whose work might never get further than the local gallery can now exhibit and sell nationally and authors whose self published books were only ever available on a handful of bookshop shelves can now get worldwide distribution on eBay.
Amongst those who make a profit from auctioning their wares are the psychic community, who offer a whole range of spiritual delights, ranging from one question readings, to in-depth past life dossiers, all done never having never even met their ‘clients’ or touched or seen anything belonging to them or their dearly departed loved ones.
Of course telephone readings have been a source of income for lone spiritualists, along with those larger companies who specialise in making a profit from the pain of the bereaved, for quite some time now. At the back of most women’s magazines the reader will always find, between the ads for plastic surgery and abortion, columns of psychic phone lines offering their advice and assistance.
However, the beauty of eBay is that it is far cheaper and easier to control. An advertisement in the back of Cosmopolitan, for example, will cost in the hundreds, yet an online auction listing is less than fifty pence. Also, the seller can plan the exact time and date that their ‘item’ finishes on eBay, therefore knowing just when they will be asked for the reading (payment permitting).
Another aspect of eBay is the ‘Buy It Now’ feature, where sellers can place multiple items for purchase at a set price. On the basis of this, a small time publisher could market twenty copies of his book in one single advert at a relatively cheap listing fee, or an astute psychic sell as many readings or tarot spreads as they wish at a fixed price of their choosing.
Over the past few months I have personally purchased several readings from a range of different spiritualists on eBay, in order to compile a small amount of data on exactly what is on offer and, more importantly, precisely what it is that people are buying. Having collected a certain quantity of information, I then discovered, with great interest, that not only are psychic readings readily available on eBay, but so too are electronic ebooks with exact instructions on how to make a profit from tarot cards and other such spiritual money-makers.
THE ELECTRONIC TAROT
An extremely interesting eBay purchase of mine was a digital download bought from an American seller listed as “MAKE $ DOING PSYCHIC TAROT CARD READINGS”. The download (entitled ‘Psychic Reading Money Machine’) comes with a complete tarot reading programme and instructions as to how to design, list and sell the reading on eBay. Costing only 73p (a lot cheaper than £100 for a ‘Mediumship Course’, also offered on eBay), the blurb forthrightly it informs its reader that:
After running the auction, you need to be prompt
in dealing with each customer individually … do
your reading via the computer generated tarot and
then write it in your own words. Don’t copy the
reading word for word as it needs to read like an
authentic reading and not some generated one.
It continues by posing the question “How much money can you actually make?” and answers it with the following information:
A lot of people who sell this type of service on eBay
usually charge $15.00 per reading and sell 15 – 20
readings per week, which generates around $300 a
week.
The actual computer tarot consists of entering the virtual sitters name and date of birth. It will then give a ten card spread, which features pictures of the cards and fairly detailed and informed descriptions, under the headings ‘Your Power Cards’, ‘Your Desire Cards’, ‘Your Core Cards’, ‘Your Growth Cards’ and ‘Your Lucky Cards’.
The electronic programme goes on to inform its reader that, when listing such items on eBay, it is:
… best to offer a selection. Services such as
Numerology, Natal reports, Biorythms and
Compatibility readings, all of which are unique,
would be excellent sellers.
afterwhich it offers such complimentary programmes at a reasonable cost. The final words of advice from the ‘Psychic Reading Money Machine’ are:
Mispelled (sic) words are ok while doing a reading.
A real reading is not of perfection but a reading of
personal guidance. If it is to (sic) textbook, it will
not seen authentic.
Of course, the computer generated cards are very similar to buying a set of tarot cards and an instruction book and producing a spread, then looking the meanings up in the book, typing them into a credible format and emailing this to the buyer. Nevertheless, by using the computer it is incredibly quick and easy and, by asking for a name and date of birth, it seems more authentic. However, whatever name (male or female) is typed into the computer generated tarot, if the date of birth is the same, it will always produce identical cards and explanations.
THE WORLD’S PSYCHIC MARKETPLACE
There are a variety of readings available on offer on eBay (around five hundred at any given time) and, in sifting through them and making my selection for purchase, I tried to be as diverse as possible in what I chose. The price scale of readings ranges from very inexpensive (around two pounds) to the more extravagant (£150 for a comprehensive yearly psychic forecast).
My first buy was from a spiritualist who had only just started to sell his goods on the internet and was, due to that, very cheap. I paid 99p for a very detailed reading, from his ‘Ancient form of Irish Celtic Reading’ assisted by his ‘spiritual guide’.
The content of the reading dealt with the usual – money, health, relationships and emotions. The use of cold reading was extremely evident and everything addressed could have been applied to anyone (‘you need to stop people putting you down – be more sure and assert yourself in a nice way’). The names presented in the reading were very obvious ones, such as John, Anne, Paul, Joanne and Clair.
The reading ended with ‘Many blessing, all my love’ followed by the offer of answering any more questions that I might have via postal reading, telephone or email, along with promoting candles that are made and blessed by the spirits.
Another eBay reading I chose was ‘One Question Only – Thoth Reading’. Here I was able to ask the spirit world any question in exchange for the winning price of the auction, along with supplying my full name and date of birth. The question I posed was ‘Is anyone in the spirit world trying to contact me?’ An hour later I received an email regretfully telling me that the medium was unable to answer this question (although for more money she would be very happy to do so) and that I could either ask the spirits another question or get a refund.
It is interesting to view what else the psychics are selling on eBay whilst simultaneously offering the readings. A tarot reading purchased on a ‘Buy it Now’ auction was from an ‘in house psychic’ of a company who specialised in detox pads. Here a five card spread was used in answer to a question, and written in six precise paragraphs. A week later I purchased another tarot reading from the same seller and received (although a different spread of cards) exactly the same formatted and paragraphed structure of equal length. Both readings, neatly presented and well written, strikingly resembled the composition of the computer generated tarot readings.
eBay uses a ‘feedback’ system in order for users to assess whether or not they want to purchase an item from a seller. For example, if a member has had a bad experience with a purchase, they can leave negative feedback and this information can be accessed by other users. In browsing through the list of psychics selling tarot spreads, healing and past life readings, it is insightful to peruse at what others who have bought from them have had to say.
A certain lady psychic who refers to herself as a ‘Famous TV Medium’ on eBay, was selling readings at £15.00 a time (‘Buy It Now’), until she received negative feedback from her clients. Within the space of a month, comments were appearing on her feedback page such as ‘Sorry but the reading was unclear and not useful at all for me’, ‘Not brilliant, expected more …’ and ‘DO NOT BID!! Total rubbish plagiarised from AOL’s horoscope – didn’t even change words.’
After these unconstructive observations, the medium in question was forced to lower her price to £5.00, before gaining enough positive feedback to enable her to put the cost back up again in time for Christmas.
IMAGE IS EVERYTHING
Description, layout and image are extremely important when marketing a product on eBay and, when there are four hundred and ninety-nine other sellers all trading the same sort of product, it is crucial that yours stands apart from the rest.
eBay psychics tend to utilise a range of images to promote themselves and their goods. Some will use their own photographs, others pictures of beautiful blond women and others still illustrations of tarot cards. Descriptions are varied, as are the titles, but generally always include the words such as ‘authentic’, ‘genuine’ ‘ honest’, ‘spirit guide’ and ‘destiny’.
With such tough competition, sellers rely heavily on feedback and sometimes use their positive comments in their item description. However, as with the marketing of specific products, there are certain colours and images associated with spiritualism and these are sometimes also employed by the psychic sellers. The popular spiritualist colour blue features on quite a few of the auction adverts, along with images of crystal balls, Native American Indians, wolves, angels and rainbows. Some sellers go further in their personal descriptions, as the following illustrates.
I am a practising Witch (sic), mother and
grandmother, attuned to Nature (sic)
and the power of the elements and a
professional Psychic (sic) and am well
skilled with several forms of divination
techniques.
Another description of a psychic reading included the statement:
Just to be clear on what to expect … don’t
expect, just be wiling to except help from your
silent witness with the view that this is purely
and simply a prediction and foresight as what
your guides have seen as the most probable
outcomes.
The use of the word ‘counselling’ is also an effective means of selling. Tarots, rune castings and spiritual readings focussing specifically on love are also seen to be good sellers, with mediums asking for pictures of the both their buyer and the loved one in question, along with some background information on the situation.
Information on the particular psychic is also sometimes available on the auction description but, interestingly the TV mediums rarely state the programmes they have featured on. However, one particular eBay clairvoyant is all too happy to inform his readers that he is a ‘famous Polish TV celebrity and fortune teller’ whose TV career started with the Polish edition of Big Brother. His eBay biog continues by telling his readers that he:
… predicted the outcome of the last presidential
election in Poland and was hired by politicians to
help them predict what would happen to them
in that time …
The astounding life story doesn’t stop there as his spiel continues, telling his readers that he has:
… read tarot cards to many TV, theatre and show
business celebrities around the world (as an
example Steven Segal, the Polish premiere and
others).
However, amazingly there is absolutely no mention of this ‘famous fortune teller’ when his name is typed into a search engine such as Google, apart from his eBay listings and a snippet of a book review that he has written, where he proudly calls himself ‘The Only Polish Famous Ventriloquist and Mindbender’(sic).
VIRTUAL BELIEF
Readings via email are not incredibly recent and some prolific mediums have been using this form of communication with clients for quite some time. Craig Hamilton-Parker, for example, began offering a similar service from his website some years ago, although he now only gives one to one consultations, but he offers a link to a very similar site (endorsed by him) where online psychics proffer readings via email or telephone.
In today’s society, where nearly everything can be accessed through a PC and where we find ourselves increasingly isolated from the outside world because of this, what better way than to connect with the spirits than via the internet? Instead of having to turn out to visit the spiritualist church on a rainy Sunday evening, or attend a psychic meeting at the local community centre on a blustery winter’s afternoon, eBay offers a whole range of mediums offering a varying selection of spiritual amusements for the susceptible masses.
However much human kind relies on computers and technology and, due to this, inadvertently find themselves distanced from each other, one thing is clear – the need to be loved and receive love in return along with the desire to believe in the life hereafter burns as strongly as ever and, depending on just how much money you have to burn, anyone can be spiritually reassured, comforted and counselled by the simple click of a mouse.
By Emma-Louise Rhodes
15 December 2007
Charles J Sibley Using Murdered Children To Further His Own Agenda
In what most go down as one of the sickest stunts we have ever witnessed on BadPsychics, Psychic Charles J Sibley has used the images of murdered children to advertise both himself and a petition.
Rarely do we come across anything so sick and twisted as this, and I am practically speechless.
Here are the specific images he has used.
And possibly the most distasteful of all
I want the world to see and know what kind of a person Charles J Sibley is.
His video was originally hosted at the link below, he removed it after we exposed it.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5qIHnDHnkrE
On the Youtube comments area Sibley had responded to someone who described the video as
Quote:
This is probably the most repulsive video I've ever seen on YouTube or indeed anywhere else. Sibley's exploitation of murdered children to further his 'career' is beneath contempt.
He replied with
Quote:
What i say in this video about Murdered Children.. is `TRUE` And you do not know that `DO YOU`? `NO YOU DONT`. But mediums all over the world know it TRUE. I am not saying this at all to further my 'career, `A Medium is not my career` Open your mind or go away.. Charlie..
A second disgusted poster said
Quote:
This is sick, you should be ashamed!
And as ever Charles simply replies with his usual level of arrogance
Quote:
I am not sick because spirits mums, dads, Children in the spirit world ask me to do this video. The Spirit world wants to be heard to?
And they want there families to know that they are there to? WHAT IS SO SICK ABOUT THAT????
So Charles is claiming that these poor murdered children have ASKED him to make this video.
Well now Sibley has removed his video from Youtube and also from MySpace.
I am going to leave this article up until Charles Sibley makes a public apology to the families of the dead children he used in this shameless self promotion, and also until he admits these children have NEVER spoken to him, and never asked for his help in any way.
UPDATE: 26/08/17
To this day as far as I know Charles Sibley has NEVER apologised for any of this.
I have kept a copy of the video as evidence which you can watch below. Images start at about 2m40s
27 October 2007
Sensing Bullshit - Psychic Deb Webber Exposed.
By Jon Donnis
On August 13th, 2004 Australian Channel 7 broadcast a show called "Caught on Hidden Camera" but this wasn't a Beadles About type show, instead it was an exposure of one of Australia's best known Psychics.
They set Deb Webber up, by letting her give readings to three people, psychologist Michelle Smith, Tahlia and Joshua.
Deb then continued to communicate with dead people, who simply never existed.
But before we get into the exposure, lets take a quick look at Deb Webber herself.
Just 2 years ago, Deb Webber was a simply a single mother living in the Sunshine Coast area of Queensland. She was living by way of a pension.
But it seems she found a way to make much more money, from her humble beginnings she now charges $200 per hour to talk to YOUR dead relatives.
Just think about that for a second, she is charging YOU money so YOU can speak to your own dead relatives. Surely no one would want to pay that? Well they do, and in their droves.
On Debs promotional video she even talks to the famous dead, and Michael Hutchence makes an appearence during a reading for his brother Rhett.
But Deb is not without her critics, of which I am one of course.
Just think of what type of person is likely to visit Deb, the recently bereaved are always going to be vunerable people. And it wouldn't take much to be able to convince a person in such a state that you areindeed speaking to their dead relatives. Afterall who likes to think that once you're dead, you're dead.
One of Debs quotes when asked about sceptisism is:
"I don't judge the butcher, because I can't cut meat,"
Hang on a second Deb, Butchers actually do something that can be seen and measured.
Yes you will have good and bad butchers, but the fact they cut meat is not in question, it is only their skill.
So lets get back to the exposure, and first up is Psychologist Michelle Smith.
Michelle is single, but creates a dead husband for Deb to speak to.
And Deb obliges, she even manages to speak to this imaginary dead husband on more than one occasion!
Now that is an amazing skill, reminds me of a certain Derek Acorah!
Anyway Michelle later reveals.
"I never had a husband,"
"She saw two large dogs, a large house and property, I have none of those things."
Deb Webbers response to this is:
"If they lie to me, well it's like the spirits do it back to them,"
"All I can say is: people tell me I can do it."
Hang on, why would the spirits lie back to the clients through Deb? if this truly is the case, how can Deb ever trust what she receives? the truth is she can't.
Her other defence is that people tell her she can do it, well if I tell you Deb you can fly, will you go jump off the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
No didn't think so.
Deb was also tested with two other sitters.
Next up was Joshua who invented a dead daughter and yet again Deb was able to fully communicate with this imaginary spirit.
And finally Tahlia who said she wanted to communicate with her dead sister, but as you have already guessed this dead sister simply did not exist. And yet amazingly Deb Webber was able to communicate with her.
Deb again defends herself.
"It's the truth,"
"I'm 100 per cent truthful - I only say what I'm getting back and I can't explain what I'm getting."
"I help more people than I hurt and I don't want to harm anyone."
Well Deb you claim to be truthful, yet you have been caught talking to spirits who never existed, and on more than one occasion too.
Your claims that if you lie to spirit they will lie back is simply ridiculous. If you were truly speaking to the dead, then should't you be able to tell who is real and who is not?
By Jon Donnis
You can now watch the associated videos below