Can James Van Praagh Talk With Dead People?

James Van Praagh has made himself rich by claiming he talks to the dead on daytime TV and at pricey ticketed seances—but he wouldn't talk at all when 'the dead' actually turned up at his $100-a-head seminar to ask why he won't prove his psychic powers.

The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) brought a small horde of costumed 'zombies,' carrying signs reading "Van Praaaaaaagh" and "talk to us, we won't bite." The zombies shambled up to the building where Van Praagh's "Spirit Circle" was set to begin, and asked to speak with him. Led by JREF President D.J. Grothe, the groups asks why Van Praagh is dodging questions about whether he'll accept the Foundation's million-dollar challenge to prove his claimed abilities. Apparently, Van Praagh won't even talk to dead people about the JREF's challenge.

More information on this action can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/zombies-attack-alleged-psychic-james... and http://skepchick.org/2011/10/zombies-to-james-van-praagh-talk-to-us/

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Psychic
• Medium
• James Van Praagh
• JREF
• Zombies
• Million Dollar Challenge
• DJ Grothe

[Ultraleftie]

Bill Maher last night: "Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Herman Cain have all stated that God called on them to run for president. Doesn't that mean that God is fucking with two of them?"

[ModeLTU]

@silenthill992000 Again, you're acting as if it's some kind of innocent service they offer and you can take your money back if you're unsatisfied. The thing is that their audience are usually grievous and somewhat dumb people who are willing to do anything to deceive themselves and get some kind of closure.

There's no "money back guarantee" for them. It's not that much different than taking money from people who have mental illnesses in my eyes

[stupididiotsdumb]

this guy is an idiot....why go through all that zombie shii.. tha'st funny that this guy is making fools otta theese zombies are theese zombies really gone ....ya dont belive then suck it up ...

[Smithpolly]

@krackkrazy1 How is this stopping anyone spending their money on it? How is this stopping anybody believing what they want?

[SkyRifter]

2:02 - I Think that act is all so DAARPA Cutez *!^_^!* -My kind of works.

[SkyRifter]

>YEAH & DEMONS & the JInn Are giving Me Forbidden Starchart Alien designs to manipulate all mankind & take over your planet - with an I.Q. of 789 - *

So to train me to be the DAJJIN. *!^_^!* -Laughing face.

"Give me a break, " doubting my own soulless intentions as Auto-manual wigi board art-designs for machinery : GIVE ME A BREAK From myself Lols.*

[krackkrazy1]

If you don't wanna spend your money on it don't and if you don't want to believe it don't. simple as that. why try to ruin something for everyone else just because you dont like it. its not your business its their money let them spend it on what they want its their beliefs let them believe what they want. all you guys in this video did was act like a bunch of childish jackasses.

[GlueRman]

@TheTerrorUforgot On the other hand, they say that ignorance is bliss, so thinkers must be sad. Don't get me wrong, I know what you mean. There's no reason for anyone to care if these people go ahead and throw away their money like this. It is kind of funny if you distance yourself from them. On the other hand, I try to empathize with them, because I don't think that a person can be blamed for being undereducated if they didn't get a glimpse of knowledge in the first place.

[TheTerrorUforgot]

@GlueRman Life is a tragedy to those who feel and a comedy to those who think, and I find these people hilarious.

[GlueRman]

@Draugo The point of "Don't be a dick" videos, isn't to accept everything and live in blissful ignorance, but rather to carefully choose the points you make, based on what impact they would have. If you say "Gesundheit" to someone who just sneezed, doesn't make you religious. It will only be perceived as a warm, friendly gesture and nothing more. It's not about quitting skepticism, it's about being polite to your friends and family. Also, you have 2 accounts. :-P damn limit...

[Draugo]

@GlueRman I didn't say anything about declaring war, but I liken the 'Don't be a dick' ideology to trying to spare the feelings of "skeptics" who refuse to examine their world view and cling on to theology with no shred of evidence. There is a time and place for civil discourse and that is when there is an actual discourse. I wonder if you would have the same view if instead of JREF the stunt was done by Improv Everywhere. Also youtube has a shitty character limit.

[GlueRman]

@TheTexanCanadian Ok, sure. How are you going to persuade the victims of these con-artists to do all that, even before you throw them your (mine) skeptic pitch?