Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Issue 118 – The Case Against Theresa Caputo the Long Island Medium--Part 1


By Kirby Robinson

Over the next few weeks, we'll be building a case against the credibility of the claims concerning the Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo. For the past few years, she has become America's so-called number one medium. Nowhere has she ever claimed to be a psychic, as those claims can easily be disproven. Also, the Long Island Medium is now claiming she is never wrong.

Americans are embracing psychics and mediums. Go to Google and type in psychics and mediums-- you could spend 8 hours a day for a year, and never visit every site on the Internet.

You can spend hundreds to thousands of dollars getting a phone reading, Skype, and in person readings. You can attend gallery readings, which is a group reading, and you're not even promised to receive one bit of information from the other side.

Sylvia Browne is the former number one psychic of record who has been featured on Larry King Live and appeared frequently on The Montel Williams Show. Ms. Browne has more than 50 books in print, 21 books in audio format, and all her so-called nonfiction titles can't stand a serious test of legitimacy. For example, her book "Afterlives of the Rich and Famous" is impossible to fact check—she can make up any story. And she does---as her books are simply flights of fantasy and fiction.

Why is this? Why has the public become so accepting of these modern day snake oil salespeople?

-  Rejection of God's message and embracing a feel good new age false religion.

- Uncertain times force people to find sanctuary in something. Some find it in drugs while others find it in people who will tell them what they want to hear.

- Searching for the truth about life after death. Going by what the psychics and mediums say, we can live any way we want. We can do anything we want. We can think any way we want to and sin any way we want to. If we accept their words, whether written in a book or spoken on TV, there will be no price to pay. There is no hell, no punishment -- just a bright and sunny afterlife.

- A society should embrace a learning process. Now, everything is spoon-fed to us. Our ability to think, question, and engage in a scientific manner has been reduced. If anyone on TV says it is so, then it is so. If I read it on the Internet, it is so. If some "expert" appears for a few minutes on Oprah or Ellen and says it is so – then it must be so.

Like every other medium and psychic out there, The Long Island Medium is a fake. She feeds on the emotionally needy and the spiritually insecure. Like all the others, she increases her bank account by tricking her audience that she has all the answers. She convinces her cult-like followers that she has something called "the spirit" that feeds her the information that you crave.

When I go to funerals, you won't see me cry. It's not that I am heartless. It's due to my faith. I know the saved have gone on to heaven. Why? Because that is what my faith teaches me. When the unsaved die, they made the choice to go to hell. No matter how many prayers one would say, no matter if some church baptizes them after death, that is where they are going. It is clearly stated that way-- no doubts, no worries. But so many new age "thinkers" are left in doubt. So, the new agers must turn to a medium to find out where they are at and are they all right?

The Long Island Medium talks to "SPIRIT." [Some Christians might say that is a demon feeding her information as they point out she never talks about angels, she never sees God, only mentions "a God" and the word Jesus never crossed her lips -- and they might be right].

What I've seen of her readings and our investigation into her televised Florida road trip, we uncover her so-called talent for talking to the dead.

Let me share a video from the show "LIVE! with Kelly and Michael" of a reading she did with the audience and show how she tricks the audience.

Notice she's working with an audience of over 150 people. Medium or not, you can safely ask:

- Who here lost a child?

- Who here lost a husband, wife, parent, sibling, or a grandparent?

- Who here lost a baby?

- Who here lost someone to cancer, AIDS, heart attack, car accident, etc.

You're going to have hands shoot up because these things happen. They're fairly common so you're going to get it right.

When they go out looking for an audience to fill their studio they tell people who the guest is so she knows why people are there.

Earlier on, she had a long string of misses and she had to come up with an explanation for it. She claimed it was confusion in interpreting the signs that she received.

She goes for "who over here has lost a husband?" and she sees several admitted widows. Notice that she goes over to an older female time. Cue violins, it's time to yank the heartstrings. The next step is to go into her cold readings mode, asking questions in such rapid-fire fashion you fail to notice Theresa isn't really telling her anything but simply asking questions.

Once she starts talking to the woman start counting the seconds.

- She says, "People leave this world in many different ways." The purpose of that statement is to fool the audience into believing that Theresa is knowledgeable in the ways of the spirit world. Listen to what comes up next.

- Theresa complements the woman for all the unselfish things she did. That is what the widow wants to hear. Have you ever heard a medium say, "Hey stupid, your husband says you were a lousy mother, couldn't cook worth a damn, were lousy in the sack and I couldn't wait to die!"

- Have you been counting? If you have, then ask yourself how could she be talking to the spirit of the dead man and never get a name from him? When she starts to miss with the food questions, she has to cover her tracks. These are signs and symbols she gets. She isn't wrong only responding to the symbols that she's seen.

- She quickly breaks it off and goes to her next reading. In reality, this isn't a reading but an endorsement of her abilities. She tries, but fails, to get the audience to laugh. Again, no name is given.

- She tells the group that things she says might apply to them even though she isn't looking at them. This gives the audience a false sense that they got something from the session. In reality,  they got nothing.

- She talks about a "blood illness" that is head to toe and has something to do with the liver. Anatomy 101—blood circulates throughout the entire body. All blood illnesses are head to toe and all blood diseases impact the liver.

- She then asks who is being tested for other illnesses? That's a very safe one to toss out as people are always being tested for something.

- She talks about the blow to the chest cause in death. It doesn’t pertain to those she reads for but it applies to those seated on the other side of the studio. Then it goes from a blow to the chest to her father died in front of her. The great message is don't feel bad about it! Who wouldn't feel bad about something like that?

Next week we finish this group fiasco and start on our Florida road trip debunking claims of legitimate readings given by Theresa Caputo.

Issue 119 - The Case Against Theresa Caputo the Long Island Medium - Part 2

Available in eBook and paperback formats

Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal? Check out this book and other Books by Kirby Robinson

The EYE ON THE PARANORMAL wants you as a blogger!

Want to join the best team of paranormal reporters? Do you want your blog to get hits and comments? If so, you can blog for us as we have spots open. Contact: freeallspirits@live.com


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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Dalai Lama: Seek Riches & You'll Never be Satisfied


In a pair of thoughtful, meditative sessions in Louisville, the spiritual leader urged love above all.

Peter Smith, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal, 5-20-13

The Dalai Lama's second day in Louisville started on a solemn and contemplative note as he began two sessions of teachings at the KFC Yum! Center on Monday morning.

The stage filled with monks and nuns sitting cross-legged in straight-backed postures, their robes of various shades reflecting a diverse group of Buddhist ethnic and spiritual traditions. Tibetan monks chanted Buddhist sacred texts in deep, rhythmic tones, which gradually transitioned to a contemplative solo electric cello performance by Michael Fitzpatrick.

The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists sat cross-legged on a custom-made throne, indicating his status as teacher, beneath a large tapestry illustrating the Buddha and other sacred figures.

Whereas Sunday's gathering at the Yum! Center had more of a celebratory feel and involved a general call for people of all faiths to work toward compassion and peace, Monday's gathering was quieter and had a more specific focus on Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama mixed in laughter and simple lessons along with more in-depth instruction on Buddhist concepts of enlightenment and techniques of meditation. He spoke at times through a translator and at others in his own broken English.

"So, now completed," he said at the end of two long sessions, during which fatigue began to show on some audience members' faces but not on that of the 77-year-old Dalai Lama. "I am hopeful not very tired."

While his direct spiritual authority extends only to Tibetan Buddhism — just one branch among many in the religion — his talk drew many from other ethnic and philosophical traditions. Representatives of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and other branches were on stage.

An estimated 7,000 attended. David Nguyen of California was particularly impressed that a religious leader would be so tolerant of other religions, "how they all get the point across but through different methods."

Magnolia Grove Monastery in Mississippi, home to monks and nuns following in the tradition of Vietnamese Buddhist teacher and author Thich Nhat Hanh, sent a vanload of residents on the seven-hour trip to Louisville.

Abbot Billy Hoang said the Dalai Lama's talk encouraged the group in its goal to "bring mindfulness and peace for everyone."

The title of the Dalai Lama's talk was "Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment," a teaching dating back to Tibet.

But before delving into the topic, the Dalai Lama spoke more generally on religion and spirituality, saying people who seek material riches can never be satisfied because they "always want more."

He said any guest to a family's home can sense if there is affection, making it an enjoyable visit even if the family is poor and has little food to offer. And a rich home "cannot produce affection, even if a lot of decoration," he said.

Religions have varying views on such things as whether there is a divine creator, but they share the "same aim, same purpose, to stimulate the practice of love, compassion."

He said he tells audiences in countries that are not traditionally Buddhist that he discourages people from converting to Buddhism, saying it can "create more problems, more confusion. Better to keep one's own tradition."

He said non-Buddhists should take from his talk any lessons that help them grow in compassion, and he urged Buddhists to keep striving in their spiritual practices.

"Through familiarization, gradually it become easier," he said.

He concludes his visit with a talk to students at the Kentucky Center on Tuesday.

See a brief video: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/05/20/dalai-lama-louisville/2344393/

Monday, May 20, 2013

Bad Bad Thing Award Goes to All Fake Psychics


By Kirby Robinson
ALL Fake Psychics

When psychics trick people into buying their lies that is a bad bad thing. Find out how a British author, Anne-Marie Scully, a person just like you and me, was hoodwinked by fake psychics.


Do you know of a para-celeb, psychic, ghost hunter, demon chaser, or false teacher who’s eligible for the award? You can take part by sending us a name and why you think they should receive the BAD BAD THING award. Contact freeallspirits@live.com for more information.


Keep current and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of NEVER MOCK GOD: AN UNAUTHORIZED INVESTIGATION INTO PARANORMAL STATE’S “I AM SIX” CASE [also in paperback!], INVESTIGATING PARANORMAL STATE, PARANORMAL STATE EXPOSED and PARANORMAL TEACHINGS: THE BEST OF SHEDDING SOME LIGHT and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Bad Bad Thing Award Goes to Paranormal Hoaxes & Fakelore


By Kirby Robinson
Bad Bad Thing Award goes to
Paranormal Hoaxes/Fakelore

We’ve spent years uncovering paranormal hoaxes and debunking the folklore [a/k/a fakelore] in the paranormal field. However, the internet has allowed them to spread life a California wildfire … and that is a bad bad thing.

“Hoaxes today can be as low-budget as a guy in a ghillie suit walking through the woods at a distance filmed with a smart phone, to professional artists rendering impressive CGI special effects particularly with UFO hoaxes on YouTube.”
Read more in this revealing article:


Do you know of a para-celeb, psychic, ghost hunter, demon chaser, or false teacher who’s eligible for the award? You can take part by sending us a name and why you think they should receive the BAD BAD THING award. Contact freeallspirits@live.com for more information.


Keep current and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of NEVER MOCK GOD: AN UNAUTHORIZED INVESTIGATION INTO PARANORMAL STATE’S “I AM SIX” CASE [also in paperback!], INVESTIGATING PARANORMAL STATE, PARANORMAL STATE EXPOSED and PARANORMAL TEACHINGS: THE BEST OF SHEDDING SOME LIGHT and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Actual Announcements from Church Bulletins


By Stephen Piersall, 
God’s Preservation Ministry http://sfprs.org/
 
• Coming Up—Theological Open House. We discuss thought-provoking topics. Your opinions are hardly welcome.
• All singles are invited to join us Friday at 7 p.m. for the annula Christmas Sing-alone."
• Thursday night – potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.
• Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our church and the community.
• For those of you who have children and do not know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
• This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends at the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.
• Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.
• Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones will sing "Put Me in My Little Bed" accompanied by the pastor.
• Thursday at 5:00 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the minister in his study.
• This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
• The service will close with "Little Drops of Water”. One of the women will start quietly, and the rest of the congregation will join in.
• Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet will come forward and get a piece of paper.
• The ladies from the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" – come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
• Miss Charlene Mason sang, "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
• "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
• The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• Barbara remains at the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and request's tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
• The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. It so ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• Low self-esteem  Support Group will meet Thursday. Please use the back door.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double door at the side entrance.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight to the audience.
• Next Sunday Mrs. Vinson will be a soloist for the morning service. The pastor will then speak on "It's a Terrible Experience."
• The music for today's service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.
• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to the church secretary.
• Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
• Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
• This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
• The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

Friday, May 17, 2013

Residual Haunts & Six Forms of Energy


By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

One reader told me that they thought I made a plausible case, BUT are there other forms of unknown energy which may account for the residual phenomenon? That is an excellent question, and I think by attempting to answer it we may further enrich our understanding of this topic. Let me remind you that the category known as "residual haunt" is thought to be the most common cause of paranormal activity.If for only that reason, it is important that we analyze it and try to get at the truth. More than usual, this newsletter builds on the foundation laid in the last one.

One other preliminary comment--please note that the ultimate court of appeal for truth is God's special revelation...His personal Word to us in the Bible. Science (part of what is called general revelation), when properly understood, will always concur with scripture, but it must not be seen as an autonomous activity. God's inerrant, written revelation to us has primacy of authority...science must not be seen as an equal in terms of authority. It would be an act of impiety to pursue scientific truth as if it were more "true" than the bible. When the bible speaks, God speaks with full authority over our lives, but general revelation cannot claim implicit obedience because the "assured results of science" often turn out to be not so sure! We must presuppose God and His word first, or all of reality, including science, will be incoherent. 

Let me review some basic physical science first. There are two types of energy--kinetic and potential. It seems that scientists really do not know how to describe what energy IS...all they can do is give a functional definition (the ability to do work) or a mathematical equation--E=mc2, but a truly ontological definition remains elusive. That does not bother me because in God's world we should expect mysteries. However, in addition to the two types of energy (kinetic/potential) there are six forms which energy takes--chemical energy, electrical energy, radiant energy (light),  mechanical energy, nuclear energy, and thermal energy..

The question put to me was: is it possible that there is some form of unknown energy that can explain residual paranormal activity? First, if it is an unknown form of energy, then how are we to talk of it?  The burden of proof lies on those who would entertain the notion that the paranormal realm has forms of energy unknown to us. Let me explain... What is true in the natural realm can and should  be extrapolated into the supernatural realm . The paranormal/invisible realm here on Earth is part of the same space/time continuum that the normal or visible realm is.part of--and is subject to all the laws of God which He has interwoven into space/time. It seems apparent to me that there is simply a dimensional veil separating the two, and they don't exist or function like two distinct water-tight compartments....they "bleed " into each other and occupy the same space. Put another way, the same six forms of energy found in the visible realm on Earth, exist and function in the invisible realm on Earth. How do I know this? Because it is still the Earth (albeit invisible) and because energy itself is usually invisible...its effects are what is visible. Our eternal home will be here--right here... a renewed Earth which is perfect. We cannot escape time and its flow, even in eternity...the 'ravages" of time will be done away with.

Here are the six known forms of energy again--chemical, electrical, radiant, mechanical, nuclear, and thermal energies.I won't take the time to examine each one, but take a moment to picture in your mind each of these six forms of energy in action. The form that is most germane to our discussion is electrical because the body and brain do have electrical energy. In fact, it has become common to determine death by means of cessation of electrical activity in the brain, instead of the old way of heartbeat (which has electrical activity as well...I know this because I have a pace/defib in my chest!) There are other forms of energy active but electrical is primary I think. 

Let me shift gears and state that none of the six known forms of energy can do what residual haunt (r h) requires. An r h is said to have energy that remains clustered in the environment for years.Also, this clustered potential energy summons itself to begin a sound and light show that may include--multiple moving apparitions, sounds, smells and so on.It is important to note that we have no precedent for this kind of activity in the natural realm (please read that again). Try to grasp how involved this process would have to be--impersonal electrical energy (similar to what is flowing to the light in my room) would be expelled from human body and remain virtually unchanged for decades or longer.(any notion of the environment reacting and stirring up energy due to one's violent death seems implausible to me) Then this potential electrical energy is able to recognize certain cues which causes this energy to manifest and loop. 

As I stated last time, some material conducts energy better than others but (and this is key) nobody has ever observed any of these six forms of energy putting on a visual, auditory, or olfactory demonstration similar to what is claimed in the residual haunt phenomenon.(we could spend an entire article merely on how extravagant this display of intelligent non-intelligent energy  becomes) Even nuclear energy, which stores energy for a long time in radioactive isotopes,has never been observed doing what we have come to know as residual activity...looping. The burden of proof is on those who believe in these anomalous events to prove that there is a form of energy in the paranormal realm which has no know counterpart in the natural realm.

The only energy that I'm aware of that is released into the environment when one dies is the small amount of electrical activity in brain and heart. Electrical energy is electrical energy is electrical energy! For heavens sake, if a billion volts from an average lightning strike dissipates immediately after impact, then the minuscule voltage in a human body (1.5 volts?) is not going to "hang around.". It is outta here! (because it is not the soul...we need special revelation for that knowledge) 

In summary, none of the six forms of known energy have ever been observed functioning like an r h. We can posit all sorts of ideas but Ockhams Razor would heavily favor a model of reality that is symmetrical--six forms of energy on both sides of thin, permeable veil. An unknown paranormal form of energy would make reality asymmetrical. At this point, it is clear to me that positing an unknown form of energy would be an act of special pleading.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Angel Myths Part 2


By Lisa Grace



Myth: All angels have wings.

Angels appear in the Holy Scriptures sometimes as humans, sometimes winged, sometimes clothed in light, etc.
They can be awe inspiring in the case where the prophet Daniel kept fainting in the presence of Gabriel (Dan 8:17, 27) or ordinary which is why the Scriptures warn you may be entertaining angels.

Myth: Angels are immortal.

Angels are creations, just like us. They were created before us and saw the foundations of the universe laid and created for us. (Genesis)

Myth: Angels can be destroyed by humans.

They can't. God has arranged for a time of judgment for them. (1 Cr 6:3)The ones that follow God listen to His commands alone. He guides them. The evil ones (fallen angels, demons, etc) can be commanded to leave, but may not stay permanently away. It depends on the authority (faith) of the believer. As an evil spirit said to one would-be exorcist, "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are ye?" (Acts 19:13-16)
For now, they are condemned to roam the Earth. They seek people, places, and things to wait in and/or destroy. (Matt 12:43-45)

Myth: All angels are alike.

There are several types of angels. Seraphim, Cherubim, Nephilim, wheels, etc. The Scriptures indicate some are more powerful than others. Evil ones also differ in strength. They have different duties. Some serve as messengers, some as warriors, some as guardians, etc.

It's important to study the Scriptures as evil angels delight in appearing as angels of light (2 Cr 11:14) and giving deceiving messages. If you do not know what the Scriptures teach, it's easy for you to be deceived.