North Texas Skeptic - Vol 12 No 08 - 1998

Magazine Overview

Title: The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics
Issue: Volume 12 Number 8
Date: September 1998
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA

This issue of "The Skeptic" delves into several topics, primarily focusing on a critical examination of paranormal claims and pseudoscientific practices. The lead article, "A Skeptical View of Exorcism and Deliverance (Part III)" by Danny Barnett, continues a series exploring the mechanics and validity of these practices. The "Son of Web news" section presents a collection of short reports on various phenomena, including a product claiming to magnetically treat water, a report of a "magic" belt in Ivory Coast, and new research on the human body's electromagnetic radiation. Finally, Joe Nickell's article, "How psychic sleuths waste police resources," provides a detailed account of numerous instances where psychics have failed to assist law enforcement, often leading to wasted efforts and misdirection.

A Skeptical View of Exorcism and Deliverance (Part III)

Danny Barnett's article, the third part of a four-part series, scrutinizes the practices of exorcism and deliverance. He begins by detailing the preparations involved, citing suggestions from Richard Ing regarding clothing for deliverance subjects to avoid "embarrassing incidents." Bob Larson's advice on restroom facilities is also mentioned, highlighting the potential for demons to manifest and trap individuals.

The article describes the process of casting out demons, noting that while some ministers believe it can be done by oneself, it is usually performed by a team. An account from "Ministries Today" details an exorcism of a computer engineer named Sid, who claimed to have made a contract with the devil at age 7 for a GI Joe doll. During the session, Sid experienced rage and claimed a "demon" was responsible for his actions. The team leader, Bob, demanded the demon leave, and Sid subsequently admitted to the childhood pact.

Barnett contrasts the methods of Roman Catholic priests, who use the "Rituale Romanum," with those of Protestant and Charismatic deliverance ministers, who lack universal prayers but may use water and oil. The article discusses how demons are believed to leave the body, with Bob Larson suggesting it's through "orifices" and Maxwell Whyte describing demons vomiting up mucus and other substances. Lowell Streiker humorously notes the practice of bringing brown paper bags to "confine" demons, and the Hammonds recommend keeping wastebaskets handy for expelled demons.

The article then examines the 1949 exorcism of "Robbie," noting that the Catholic Church never made an official ruling. Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter appointed an investigator, but the results were not made public, with one source suggesting no evidence of possession was found.

Father William Bowdern, involved in the "Robbie" exorcism, expressed that church authorities would likely never comment on the case. This stance is contrasted with the strong reactions from modern deliverance ministers like Stan Madrak, who issues warnings against questioning deliverance's validity. Barnett points out that the Hammonds even list "Skepticism" as a demon.

The article critiques the lack of evidence for deliverance claims, comparing some exorcists' tactics to "the man behind the curtain" from "The Wizard of Oz." Barnett notes that many case studies cited by ministers like Don Basham, Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, Rebecca Brown, and Bob Larson are untraceable due to withheld identities, making it impossible to verify them.

Popular Delusions and Parlor Tricks

Barnett then shifts focus to horoscopes, which some deliverance ministers like Eddie Smith and Richard Ing believe can invite possession. He introduces James Randi, a magician, who conducted an experiment with horoscopes for students at Queens Community College. Randi provided each student with a "personalized" horoscope that was identical for all, demonstrating that such readings are mere generalizations.

Randi's experiment highlights how easily people can be deceived. The article also touches on "words of knowledge" and "revelations" claimed by deliverance workers, comparing them to "cold reading." Lowell Streiker is quoted expressing skepticism about individuals claiming direct communication from God, suggesting it can lead to people functioning as their "own cult."

Eddie Smith's claim to have led followers to discard possessions based on divine revelation is questioned, with Barnett suggesting it might stem from Smith's own prejudices. The technique of cold reading is further explained, with an example of W.V. Grant identifying a man's cigarette brand by observing a Pall Mall package through his pocket, a detail visible to Randi on videotape.

James Randi's standing offer of $1,100,000 to anyone who can prove paranormal abilities is mentioned, noting that the prize has yet to be claimed.

Son of Web News

This section, compiled by John Blanton, presents several brief news items:

1. Washball Product: A product called the "Washball" is advertised as a device that magnetically treats water to reduce soap usage, remove chlorine, and prevent scale. John Forester of the Skeptic list server expresses skepticism about the health claims, noting they are carefully worded to avoid outright falsehoods.
2. "Magic" Belt Incident: Reuters reports from Ivory Coast that an army colonel was shot and killed while testing a "magic" belt promoted for protection. The shooter was the son of the belt maker, and the belt's efficacy was conditional on the wearer abstaining from sex.
3. Mobile Phone Radiation Research: A press release highlights new research by Dr. Gerard Hyland on the human body's electromagnetic radiation. The research suggests that biological systems emit coherent low-intensity radiation, raising questions about the effects of external microwave sources like mobile phones. The article notes that Russia has more stringent safety precautions for microwave devices due to this knowledge.

Dr. Hyland's research is presented as potentially leading to therapeutic applications, such as using resonant microwave radiation to activate bacteria-killing phages, and non-invasive medical diagnostics. The note for editors mentions Professor Herbert Fröhlich as an early contributor to this field.

How Psychic Sleuths Waste Police Resources

Joe Nickell's article critically examines the role of psychics in assisting law enforcement. He argues that psychics are not only ineffectual but actively harm investigations by misdirecting efforts.

Nickell states that most police departments do not use psychics, and those that do rarely claim significant success. He explains the common psychic trick of "retrofitting," where vague clues are given and later interpreted to fit known facts.

The article then presents 20 chronological case studies of wasted psychic efforts:

• Boston, Massachusetts, 1964: Peter Hurkos failed to identify the Boston Strangler.
• Nutley, New Jersey, 1968: A dream led police to search a drainage pipe for a missing boy's body, which was found elsewhere.
• Oakland, Michigan, 1977: Psychic Phil Jordan's pronouncements on a child-murder case were deemed useless.
• Patterson, New Jersey, 1980: Dorothy Allison made incorrect predictions about a missing boy's body.
• Boston, Massachusetts, 1981: A psychic predicted a missing student's body was in a pond, but it was found miles away.
• Northern Alabama, 1985: A psychic led a search for a missing woman in remote cabins, without success.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1987: A psychic directed a search for a missing girl's body in a park, which was a wasted effort.
• Beaverton, Oregon, 1988: Psychic Bill Ward envisioned a missing person's body buried near a barbecue, leading to extensive digging with no results.
• Joliet, Illinois, 1988: Psychic Bill Ward confirmed a body would be in water after a grain-elevator explosion, but it was found in a basement.
• Shadyside, Pennsylvania, 1988: Nancy Czetli directed searchers to a cliff for missing remains, finding only an animal bone fragment.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1989: Psychic Doreen Boyd led police on a fruitless search for a missing woman, whose body was later found by a handyman.
• Vancouver, British Columbia, 1990: Numerous psychics offered opinions on a missing woman's fate without success.
• Hallsville, Texas, 1990: A psychic predicted a missing girl's body would be in her driveway, leading to a backhoe search that yielded nothing.
• South Amboy, New Jersey, 1991: Psychic John Monti provided multiple incorrect locations for a missing boy's body.
• Falmouth, Illinois, 1991: Greta Alexander directed searchers in the wrong direction for a lost elderly man.
• Cape May County, New Jersey, 1991: Various psychics failed to locate a missing 12-year-old boy.
• Decatur, Illinois, 1992: Psychics directed authorities to an abandoned farmhouse for a missing woman, which was found empty.
• Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1993: A psychic's vision led to draining a farm pond for missing persons, resulting in an empty pond.
• Dayton, Ohio, 1994: A psychic predicted a missing son's body would be in a river, but divers found nothing.
• Arlington, Texas, 1996: A "vision" prompted an unsuccessful helicopter and ground search for a missing girl, whose body was found elsewhere.

Nickell concludes that psychics are a hindrance and that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has no documented cases of psychics finding missing children. He asserts that self-styled psychics should not be credited for the work of law enforcement.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards paranormal claims, particularly those related to exorcism, deliverance, and psychic abilities. The publication consistently promotes a rational, evidence-based approach, highlighting the lack of verifiable proof for supernatural phenomena and the potential for deception or self-delusion. The editorial stance is clearly critical of unsubstantiated beliefs and practices, advocating for scientific inquiry and critical thinking. The inclusion of research on electromagnetic radiation suggests an interest in exploring phenomena through a scientific lens, even when they might appear unusual.