Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 08 No 01 - 1998

Magazine Overview

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 1
Date: August/September 1998
Publisher: The Association for Rational Thought

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic, a newsletter of The Association for Rational Thought, delves into various topics from a skeptical perspective. It features articles on Scientology, paranormal investigations by Joe Nickell, creationism, and reviews of books related to militias and psychiatric testimony. The newsletter also includes reports from the organization's officers and a puzzle for its readers.

How is Scientology Like Domestic Violence?

Edna Rawlings, a professor of psychology at the University of Cincinnati, discusses the parallels between Scientology and domestic violence. Her research into the psychological consequences of trauma and coercive control in domestic violence led her to explore similar tactics used by religious cults, including Scientology. Rawlings emphasizes that her information comes from investigative journalists and former members, as she has never been a Scientologist. The article notes Scientology's recent media attention due to celebrity members and its involvement in numerous lawsuits. According to the Church of Scientology, its ideology is based on the writings of L. Ron Hubbard, who described it as an applied religious philosophy focused on knowing how to know.

KASES - The Second Annual Skeptics Lecture by Joe Nickell

This section reports on a lecture given by Joe Nickell, a senior research fellow and executive council member of CSICOP. Approximately 35-40 people attended the event, which was held at the Holiday Inn of Lexington. Nickell, an investigator of paranormal cases and author, shared insights from his own office in Buffalo, which houses a laboratory and various artifacts. He explained the origin of 'ghost pictures' from the 1860s, attributing them to issues with emulsion-covered glass plates that could leave residual images when washed. Nickell also discussed modern examples and prepared a poster illustrating the historical development of 'alien' images.

From The Un-easy Chair: Whose Creationism is it Anyway?

This editorial expresses skepticism towards the Creation Science Museum in Santee, California, which it describes as displaying standard scientific research interpreted through religious texts. The author criticizes attempts to teach religious interpretations in schools and objects to the idea of halting research into pre-history based on existing beliefs. The article then discusses the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and how its vagueness has allowed tribal activists to demand the return and re-burial of ancestral remains, often without scientific assessment. The author contrasts the scientific understanding of human migration from Asia with Native American creation myths that posit indigenous origins. The piece highlights the conflict between scientific inquiry and the insistence of some tribal spokespersons on respecting their religious beliefs, even if it means the loss of scientific data.

Book Review: American Militias: Rebellion, Racism, and Religion by Richard Abanes

This review discusses Richard Abanes' book, which examines four loosely related groups: the patriot militias, the Identity Church, the sovereign citizen movement, and Aryan Nations. These groups share the belief that the U.S. government is corrupt or an enemy conspiracy. Abanes identifies six complexes within the patriot banner, including gun-rights advocates, anti-tax protesters, survivalists, neo-Nazis, sovereign citizens, and anti-abortion activists. The review quotes Norman Cohn on the danger of subterranean worlds of pathological fantasies emerging as political power. It highlights how these groups use the internet and other media to spread their ideas, often twisting Christian doctrine. The book examines Pat Robertson's 'The New World Order' as a significant source for militia movements, synthesizing conspiracy texts into a repeatable mantra.

Book Review: Whores of the Court: The Fraud of Psychiatric Testimony and the Rape of American Justice by Margaret A. Hagen

This review critiques clinical psychology, calling it a 'fraud' and 'scam.' Margaret Hagen, an experimental psychologist, argues that clinical psychology lacks scientific validity, relying on speculation, intuition, and Freudian theories rather than empirical knowledge. She criticizes diagnostic tests as fictions and therapy as romanticized nonsense. Hagen asserts that clinical psychologists have no scientific basis for their judgments and that their recommendations to courts are merely personal opinions influenced by biases. She contrasts this with the resilience of children and the concept of free will, which she believes are diminished in clinical psychology's framework. The review concludes that clinical psychology is akin to astrology in its reliance on mysticism and romanticism.

Scientology (Continued from page 1)

This section continues the discussion on Scientology, detailing its ideology, founder L. Ron Hubbard, and his writings, including 'Dianetics.' It highlights controversies surrounding Hubbard's life and the church's claims about his novels being history. The article explains the 'fair game' doctrine, which allows members to target critics, citing the case of a journalist who was allegedly targeted by 'Operation Freakout.' It also describes Scientology's recruitment methods, including personality tests and the use of E-meters for auditing, which involves extracting personal information for potential blackmail. The section details the high costs associated with becoming 'clear' and the organization's authoritarian structure, comparing it to a cult.

ART BUSINESS: Annual Report, 1997-1998

This section provides reports from the officers of the Association for Rational Thought (ART). The President's report highlights the organization's success in producing a newsletter and holding meetings with speakers, noting an increase in membership. The Secretary's report details the meticulous record-keeping of meetings and activities, emphasizing the importance of these reports for seeking tax-exempt status. The Treasurer's report shows a net income of $228.55 for the year, with income from membership dues, donations, and other sources, and expenses for postage, printing, and programs. The Membership Chair's report indicates a record high of 100 members, with efforts to increase membership through mail solicitations and outreach.

Newsletter Editor's Report

Wolf Roder, the Newsletter Editor, reports on the consistent publication of nine 12-page issues, with some double issues. He notes that the format and layout have remained consistent, featuring summaries of meetings, editorials, book reviews, and other short pieces. The cost of producing and mailing 250 copies of the newsletter is approximately 75 cents per copy.

Web Site and SANE List Manager's Report

David Wall reports on the growth of the SANE list to 48 members and the migration of the list to a listserv for automated administration. He also discusses the web site, which has been moved to a new host and includes a significant amount of content, with plans to convert newsletters to Adobe Portable Document format. The report includes statistics on web site access, showing a significant number of hits from around the world, with a concentration from Cincinnati.

Publicity Coordinator's Report

Gary Himes reports on efforts to publicize ART's upcoming meetings through press releases to local newspapers, including the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Eastern Hills Journal. He has also expanded coverage to include the Kentucky Post and free-distribution periodicals. Himes also mentions purchasing a fax machine for distributing club notices.

Investigations Officer's Report

This report notes a change in Investigations Officer from Joe Gastright to Dick McGrath. It states that no formal investigations were conducted by the whole membership, but individual members like Joe Gastright and Dick McGrath continued their research on topics such as Therapeutic Touch, magnets in medicine, and the Shroud of Turin.

No Brain Required?

This short piece discusses Rosalind Picard's claim that her new computers, developed at MIT, exhibit 'heart' and human friendliness, contrasting them with 'autistic' computers that lack emotional abilities.

A Puzzle for Thinkers

This section presents a puzzle about calculating the number of possible hands in the card game Skat. It also provides the solution to the previous month's puzzle, which involved a geometry problem with a ladder, solved using cubic equations and successive approximation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards paranormal claims, religious cults (particularly Scientology), and pseudoscientific or unproven therapies. The newsletter consistently promotes critical thinking, scientific investigation, and rational explanations for phenomena. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of evidence-based reasoning and against the spread of misinformation and unsubstantiated beliefs. The organization, ART, positions itself as a force for education and critical thinking within the community.

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 1
Date: August/September 1998

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic, published by The Association for Rational Thought (ART), focuses on the intersection of skepticism and electronic media, alongside organizational updates and an announcement for an upcoming meeting.

The Association for Rational Thought (ART)

The Association for Rational Thought is presented as an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization. It aligns with the philosophy of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an international body that investigates paranormal phenomena and publishes the journal *Skeptical Inquirer*. ART's mission includes sharing this philosophy, sponsoring workshops, and publishing investigations of paranormal claims.

ART holds its meetings on the second Saturday of each month, from September through June, starting at 10:00 AM at James Tavern in Blue Ash. The organization also publishes the *Cincinnati Skeptic* monthly and maintains a database of paranormal claims for local media. ART was founded by Cincinnati area skeptics in 1991. Annual membership dues are $15.00, which includes a subscription to the *Cincinnati Skeptic*.

Contact information is provided for President Roy Auerbach and Nurit Bowman. Roy Auerbach also handles address changes, corrections, and membership questions, and can be reached via email at [email protected].

Membership and Contributions

The issue includes a form for new and renewing members, contributions, or gift memberships. It requests members to indicate their interest in supporting ART's work and receiving the newsletter and meeting notices. Members are asked to provide their name, address, phone number, and email. The form also allows for additional contributions beyond the membership dues to support ART's work. Checks should be made payable to The Association for Rational Thought and mailed to their P.O. Box in Cincinnati, OH.

Skepticism and ART on the Electronic Media

A significant section of the magazine is dedicated to "Skepticism and ART on the Electronic Media." It promotes joining SANE (Skeptical Area Network Effort) via email to receive skeptical news. Subscribers are asked to send their email address to list manager David Wall at [email protected] with the subject "subscribe." The SANE list is described as a weekly email containing "cheerful, rational messages from CSICOP, James 'The Amazing' Randi, your fellow local skeptics and ART." It serves as a means of staying in touch between issues of the *Cincinnati Skeptic*.

The ART website, http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org, is highlighted as a valuable resource. It offers links to skeptical thinking resources worldwide, provides basic definitions of ART's mission and bylaws, and details how to get to meetings, sign up for the email list, send sample copies of the newsletter, and find other related sites. The website is also intended to host draft skeptical objections and eventually offer an electronic version of the newsletter.

David Wall is credited as the Web Site Manager and his email address is provided.

Preview Of Coming Attractions

The magazine announces the "First Meeting of the 1998-1999 Season" for the Association for Rational Thought. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 1998. The program runs from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, followed by lunch and a social period from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The location is James Tavern at Cooper Road and Reed Hartman Highway in Cincinnati, noted as being accessible for individuals with mobility aids. Coffee is available for a small donation.

The topic for this meeting is "Critical Thinking and its Relationship to Science." The speaker is Dr. Steven D. Schafersman, from the Department of Geology at Miami University. Dr. Schafersman is described as a long-time participant in skeptical and humanist activities, who helped found a local skeptical group in Houston, TX. His interests include critical thinking, the Shroud of Turin, naturalism in science, and creationism. His homepage, with links to his writings, is provided at http://www.muohio.edu/~schafesd/homepage/.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around promoting skepticism, rational inquiry, and critical thinking, particularly in the context of emerging electronic media. The Association for Rational Thought positions itself as a scientific and educational resource dedicated to debunking paranormal claims and pseudoscience. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of evidence-based reasoning and scientific methodology, encouraging public engagement through meetings, newsletters, and online platforms. The emphasis on accessibility for meetings and the promotion of online resources suggest a forward-looking approach to disseminating skeptical information.