North Texas Skeptic - Vol 03 No 04 - 1989

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics, Volume 3 Number 4, dated July/August 1989, features a cover story titled 'News Media Kidnapped by Satanists!' and includes articles on creationist credentials, AIDS, skeptical test results, and the testing of channeled spirits and graphology.

News Media Kidnapped by Satanists!

By John Thomas, this article critiques the media's sensationalized coverage of Satanism, particularly in the wake of the Matamoros murders. Despite law enforcement identifying the Matamoros 'cult' as a drug ring with ties to Caribbean religion, local media continued to headline stories about a 'Satanist cult.' The author notes that while local news outlets and publications like the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and D Magazine have focused on Satanism, often highlighting anecdotal evidence of 'dabblers' and teenagers interested in the occult, there is a lack of evidence for a fearful 'international network' of Satanists. The article criticizes the media's tendency to amplify urban myths and suggests that such coverage may be driven by a desire for attention-grabbing stories rather than factual reporting. It points out that even a skeptic interviewed on Channel 8 suggested media overkill. The article concludes that while the occult, pseudoscience, and mass hysteria are relevant topics, the focus on Satanism seems to congeal fears about urban life, crime, and youth alienation, offering simplistic explanations for complex societal problems.

A Critical Look at Creationist Credentials

Authored by Ronnie Hastings, Rick Neeley, and John Thomas, this piece investigates the academic claims of creationist Rev. Carl E. Baugh. Baugh claims to hold a master's degree in archaeology from Pacific College and a Ph.D. from the College of Advanced Education. The article scrutinizes these claims, revealing that the College of Advanced Education is a small Bible college in Irving, Texas, which no longer grants science degrees and is not accredited in Texas. Pacific College, Inc., based in Victoria, Australia, operates under the name 'Pacific College of Graduate Studies' and is also unaccredited in Australia. Professor I. R. Plimer of the University of Newcastle states that degrees from Pacific College are not valid academic degrees. Furthermore, neither the College of Advanced Education nor Pacific College hold certificates of authority to grant degrees in Texas. The article suggests that Baugh's work, particularly his dissertation, appears to be an antievolutionary tract with little anthropological content and includes photocopied sections. The authors conclude that while Baugh's factual claims can be judged on their merits, the examination of his credentials is important for assessing his credibility in the creationism debate.

Meetings on Mantracks and AIDS

This section reports on recent meetings of The North Texas Skeptics (NTS). Dr. David Dunn, originally scheduled for May, was rescheduled for August 20 to discuss the creation science movement. Ronnie Hastings provided an update on local creationist activities, including a videotape of alleged Paluxy mantracks and a summary of the 'man tooth' controversy. At the June meeting, Dr. Gordon Green, Director of the Dallas County Health Department, spoke about the AIDS epidemic and pseudoscientific drugs and cures. Dr. Green, a former research scientist with the U.S. Public Health Service, summarized current knowledge about AIDS, dispelled misconceptions, and discussed treatments, including unproven black-market remedies. He also shared frustrations about doing science in a politicized atmosphere.

Skeptic Test Results

Dr. Art Babick of NTS administered the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal and the Myers-Briggs type indicator to members. Fourteen NTS members participated. The skeptics scored in the 90th percentile for most subgroups of the Watson-Glaser test, except for inference, where scores were lower but still high. The sample size for the Myers-Briggs test was too small to draw definitive comparisons between skeptics and members of a local psychics group who also took the test.

NTS Member Helps Psychics

Harold Cunningham, an NTS member, has published a book titled 'How To be A Psychic (And A Lay Psychologist).' The book offers guidance on becoming a 'scientific' psychic, covering character reading and psychological factors that lead people to validate psychic predictions. It includes a bibliography of skeptical literature and cautions against giving specific advice. The author expresses some ethical reservations about recommending character reading as a business.

NTS Member Compiles Two Bibliographies

Scott Faust, another NTS member, has compiled two bibliographies: one on skeptical literature complementing a bibliography for librarians, and another on 'uncritical' literature covering topics from Astrology to UFOs. These lists are intended to be useful for research on pseudoscience or paranormal topics.

How to Test a Channeled Spirit

By James Rusk, this article explores methods for testing the authenticity of channeled spirits. It notes the financial success of famous channelers like J. Z. Knight and Jane Roberts. The author dismisses common non-paranormal explanations like multiple personalities or fraud, and then proposes tests for a genuinely real spirit. The dilemma is that questions with known answers are easily verifiable but can be cheated, while questions with unknown answers are hard to verify. The article suggests using mathematical problems like Fermat's Conjecture or Goldbach's Conjecture, but notes that counterexamples might be too large to check. It proposes that unsolved ciphers, such as the Beale ciphers or the Voynich manuscript, offer the best test. A spirit's ability to translate or provide a key to these ciphers, which can then be verified by code breakers, would be a strong indicator of authenticity. Failure or refusal to take such a test would dismiss the spirit's claims.

Graphology Fills the Gap?

By John Thomas, this article discusses the implications of a new federal law restricting polygraph use for personnel screening. It suggests that personnel managers may turn to graphology (handwriting analysis) as an alternative. The article references the October 1988 issue of 'The Quill,' a graphology newsletter, which indicates graphologists are eager to solicit business. The author contrasts the scientific evidence against the polygraph with the 'non-existent' evidence for graphology, likening it to fortune-telling. The article urges employers to be cautious and demand scientific studies before relying on graphologists.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of claims that lack scientific evidence or are based on sensationalism. The North Texas Skeptics, through its articles, consistently advocates for skepticism, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning. The editorial stance is clearly against pseudoscience, media hype, and unverified claims, promoting a rational approach to understanding phenomena ranging from alleged Satanic cults to the validity of academic credentials and paranormal claims.