h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"this is only very very rarely"

"It makes absolutely no sense atall, logically speaking."

Do bear in mind that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool sceptic with a personal bias as a result of the way gullible members of my family have been led down the garden path, BUT:

If it only happens rarely, then logically speaking, this counts as chance.

A very fair comment indeed.

Except... how the hell could I tell anyone I got an impression of severe headaches and an operation, when I didn't know anything about the person concerned?

I didn't even *think* what I was saying, it just sort of popped out - and no-one was more surprised than me when the lady concerned said she had just had a sucsessful operation to relieve pressure from behind her eye which was causing her severe headaches.

(And no, she had no obvious marks on her face that I would have picked up as operation marks)

Obvious stuff - or stuff one can put down to "chance" - and thats 99% of stuff, really, I'd agree with; as chance.

I think a lot of people just pick up body language clues subliminanly - ie, without consciusly being aware of it happening

Perhaps thats what happened when I surprised myself... I don't know.

I've no problem with anyone being sceptical - frankly I think its a very healthy standpoint to take.

But I'm sorry your familly members got a raw deal, Snailrind. No-one should ever exploit the gulliable - its like stealing coins from a blindman's tray - despicable.

...can I just say that although the person may have gone about it the wrong way in the original entry, the persons heart was in the right place.

....fraudsters involved in spiritualism target people when they are vulnerable. People who have lost parents, children, etc are desperate for a final goodbye or some sign from the person they lost. Some do it for the money, some do it for the ego boast...but all fraudsters are heartless...saying fraudsters suggests there are genuine ones , but that is a whole differnt matter, and to be honest I doubt there are even genuine ones, but that is just a personal opinion.

I know two mediums. One of them appears to genuinely believe in what she's doing. The other, who knows, but the manner in which she has lately been cashing in on the death of a certain young girl has been making me feel murderous. I sympathise greatly with the original poster of this thread.

> "What, mediums? Aren't they a bit difficult to wrap up?"

The paint ones come in bottles or squeezy tubes.

If its any consolation, the old saw "What goes around comes around" generally holds true, eventually.

Anyone who cashes in on another person's misery suggests to me the phrase the Vogon captain muttered, when Ford and Arthur were catapulted into space

"Death's too good for them"

A shame sometimes, we can't catapult baddies generally into the ether never to return, but there you are. Life has lumps - and its sad to see - or at least hear of - two peoples famillies who were given particually nasty ones.

"It makes absolutely no sense atall, logically speaking."

yes, but logically speaking there is nothing spiritual or paranormal or even slightly weird at all. some people can't stand illogical things and strive to find the logic but what they should do is stop trying to figure out how it works and enjoy it.

sometimes i feel that, logically, nothing exists beyond what we can perceive with our 5 senses. but i want to beleive in something and i am always on the lookout for stuff that i can't explain, like when you are thinking about someone for no reason at all and then they phone you within the next 5 minutes, or if you turn on the radio and your favourite song is on and you just have enough time to listen to it.

lots of people can put these things down to coincidence, but that's just what people say when they don't appreciate fully what is happening. if a coincidence like this makes me smile it's suddenly something more. it's like the universe is trying to make me smile, and most of the time it succeeds. logically there's nothing weird going on, but if it makes me smile then i don't care about the logic anyway.

to quote the Magrathean planet designer, Slartibardfast,

"...eventually you've just got to say 'hang the sense of it'..."

I'd go along with the whatever gets you through the night school of thought - if it makes you smile, then fine, if it feels good (and doesn't hurt anyone else in the process) then go for it.

I think it's only when others get taken for a ride -and I know quite a few psychics and mediums who go thru life with "It's a sign!" seemingly emblazoned on their forehead - and attempt to co-erce others into their way of seeing The Way Things Are (their way) is when problems start and people get hurt.

And thats when I begin to become irritated. The only thing I am intolerent of is intolerence itself!

(Climbs carefully off soap box)

Aww, i like the idea of "the universe trying to make me smile"

Nice, nice, thanks!

zdt

yeah, go universe!

*steps onto the now empty soap box*

EC, i couldn't agree more with what you said. my view is good for me but it might not suit someone else so i'm not going to try and persuade them otherwise. everyone has their own thing. that's why i don't like religions and missionaries. they try to persuade people that they are right and the people are wrong, and i think that's not what people should do. if someone tried to persuade me into something like that i would probably want to punch them. i say to each hs own and be done with it. if people don't interfere then we would all be that much happier.

as someone once said,

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

and someone else said

"one man's meat is another man's poison"

*unceremoniously falls off soap box*

Well, I remain sceptical. I mean, wouldn't it be totally weird if there were never any coincidences...?

yep.

"do I ching online "

Presumably that would be e-Ching ?

It could be worse - it could be IT-Ching.

He! Surprised Apple haven't tried to sue for calling it iChing

it's probably quite a bit older than the Apple company.

All this cashing in on oriental religion...kerChing!