REALL News - Vol 08 No 03

Magazine Overview

Title: The REALL News
Issue: Volume 8, Number 3
Date: March 2000
Publisher: Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL)
Description: The REALL News is the official newsletter of the Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land, a non-profit educational and scientific organization focused on rational thinking and the scientific method applied to paranormal and fringe-science phenomena. This issue features articles on creationism, psychic phenomena, skepticism, health, and science education.

Baptism of Hellfire: A Personal Account of a Creationist Speech

This article by Bob Ladendorf recounts a presentation by Eugene A. Sattler, founder of the Creation Education Association, Inc. Sattler argued that evolution is a "big lie" and "nonsense," and that "scientific evidence" supports creationism. He presented arguments against evolution, including ridiculing Darwin's finches, calling evolution a "myth," and claiming humans and dinosaurs co-existed, citing alleged footprints and carbon-14 dating of dinosaurs living 9,000 years ago. Sattler also criticized evolution exhibits and called humanism a "religion." The article notes that Sattler's presentation was a "demagogic appeal to apparent believers" and that his stance is to push creationism as a metaphysical hypothesis to replace evolution in public schools. The author points out contradictions in the Bible's creation accounts and questions the infallibility of the Bible based on these discrepancies. The article concludes that allowing such presentations to go unchallenged will only harden the attitudes of the faithful and that creationism should belong in church schools, not public ones.

Additional anti-science and anti-evolution assertions from Sattler's CEA "Update" newsletter are listed, including claims that Genesis is accurate, scientific evidence supports Biblical Creation, and evolution is a device to eliminate God. One article headline mentioned "Pterodactyls Alive and Well in New Guinea," based on a missionary's report, suggesting it as a way for the Creator to frustrate evolutionary theory.

REALLity Check by David Bloomberg

This section covers various news items related to skepticism and psychic phenomena.

Skeptics 1, Psychics 0

The Chicago Tribune reported on Dorothy Bimbo, a psychic accused of scamming victims out of thousands of dollars by claiming they were cursed. Her mother, Cindy, was also charged. Bruce Walstad commented that fortune tellers make significant money by exploiting people's beliefs.

Skeptics 2, Psychics 0

An AP report detailed a Supreme Court refusal to hear a case where former psychic hotline employees claimed ABC illegally videotaped them. The court ruled that recording conversations for news-gathering is not illegal.

Skeptics 2, Psychics 1

The Bloomington Pantagraph featured a local psychic fair with no skeptical content, similar to previous articles on a UFO abduction specialist and Greta Alexander. Reporter Michael Freimann interviewed Helen Hardwick, who claimed local psychics are better than phone psychics because they can "see their clients and get a feel for them," which the author identifies as cold reading. The author sent a letter to the Pantagraph, wishing they would consult skeptics before publishing such content.

Skeptics 3, Psychics 1

The New York Times reported that New York City's welfare-to-work program was recruiting welfare recipients for the Psychic Network. The city later stopped dealing with the company, especially after a previous operation to stop psychic con games. An article noted that 15 welfare recipients were trained to read tarot cards and hired by the Psychic Network, with taxpayer funds subsidizing wages. Qualifications included a high school diploma and the ability to read, write, and speak English.

Psychic Junk Mail Update

This update mentions receiving "psychic" junk mail addressed to various names at the REALL office box, suggesting someone is signing them up on these lists, costing the "psychics" money.

Frances Fox Article

Reporter Lydia Martin's article about "intuitive" Frances Fox is criticized for repeating Fox's claims without verification, such as the "10% of our brain" myth and the idea that the mind is not in the brain. Fox also claimed cells have memory and misused the term "dissociation." She makes a living "treating" attention deficit disorder, autism, and cerebral palsy.

Wonder Twin Powers, Activate!

This section discusses claims of magical powers by leaders of "God's Army" in Burma, led by 12-year-old twins Johnny and Luther Htoo. While U.S. News & World Report claimed the twins have black tongues as a sign of divinity, the Chicago Tribune stated their tongues are pink. The article notes that such mystical beliefs persist in Burma during times of trouble, citing historical examples of tattooed rebels.

Hail to the Chief

An article about Henke Otto, a Dutch man declared the reincarnation of a Ghananian king, is discussed. Otto claims he doesn't believe in reincarnation but has "overcome his Western skepticism" to accept his role as king.

All We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself

This segment discusses "mass psychogenic illness," where symptoms are real but caused by fear rather than physical agents. It highlights the placebo and nocebo effects and the hesitancy of doctors to attribute symptoms to psychogenic causes due to potential offense. The author notes that skeptics often face similar resistance when questioning people's experiences.

Not So Healthy!

This section reports on concerns regarding dietary supplements and herbal remedies.

Shark Liver Oil Capsules

High levels of PCBs were found in five brands of shark liver oil capsules sold as cancer supplements.

Herbal Remedies and Cancer Treatments

Many cancer patients use "herbal remedies" without discussing them with doctors. Some, like ginseng, can interfere with cancer treatments, such as enhancing estrogen levels and interfering with tamoxifen. Echinacea can react with chemotherapy drugs. Herbal remedies are also found to be contaminated with steroids, digitalis, or heavy metals.

St. John's Wort

St. John's wort can interfere with drugs used by HIV-positive patients and those with heart transplants. Studies show that heart transplant patients taking St. John's wort may reject their new hearts. This is particularly concerning as St. John's wort is often taken to combat depression.

Congressional Action

Despite these concerns, Congress has decided that the FDA should not regulate these "supplements." However, the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine is receiving significant funding and is being upgraded to the "National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine," which can grant research money directly. The article expresses hope that this funding will go to scientists who adhere to the scientific method.

Web Sites for Skeptics

A curated list of websites relevant to skeptics is provided, including sites like www.ncas.org, www.phact.org/phact, www.quackwatch.com, www.randi.org, www.reall.org, and www.snopes.com.

Our Next Meeting

The newsletter announces an upcoming meeting featuring a videotaped lecture from the 1999 Skeptics Society conference by Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education. The lecture, titled "Fighting for Evolution in America's Schools," discusses the battle for quality science education and warns about "intelligent-design" creationists. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, at 7:00 PM at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois, and is free and open to the public.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The REALL News consistently promotes skepticism, critical thinking, and the scientific method. The editorial stance is clearly against pseudoscience, creationism in public schools, and the uncritical acceptance of paranormal claims or dubious health remedies. The newsletter actively debunks psychic scams, challenges pseudoscientific arguments, and advocates for evidence-based reasoning. There is a strong emphasis on the separation of church and state in educational contexts and a commitment to informing the public about issues related to science, health, and critical inquiry.