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chiefsceptic · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

SICK AND TWISTED

While reading a Bad Psychics web site (what a great resource for sceptics) I came across the following story which made me sick.

Source: Bad Psychics

On 24th July 1991 Ben (then twenty one months old) was reported missing from his home on the Greek Island of Kos. In the past, the Greek Police have made some enquiries and they believe that Ben has been abducted. There have been many reported sightings of Ben on the Greek islands and the mainland particularly during 1991 and 1992.

So when a famous psychic turns up and suggests Ben is alive and well, living in Kos, Ben's family get that adrenaline rush and hop on the first flight to follow the lead. This 'psychic' then sees a picture of a young blonde haired child and says with 100% conviction that 'This IS Ben'.

The hunt is on to find the child in the photograph. After a few months, and a lot of hard work, the child is tracked down and the family holding the child approached. Through screams and tears, the only way the mother of this child can convince this grieving family that this child isn't Ben is to whip off the undergarments and expose this child as a girl.
Yes, thats right, a girl.
-------------------------------------------------

But this is legal. This is allowed to continue. And it will carry on until some people in the psychic circles get the balls to stand up and be counted against such fraud OR for people like me who find this absolutely disgusting to out these low life human scum bags and show them up for what they really are.

Neither the psychic nor the newspaper publishing the story have never offered an apology to the Needham family. I have heard umpteen stories about mediums getting things wrong, I've had the unfortunate experience of meeting quite a few lesser gifted mediums myself, but for someone to have to go through what this family went through it makes me want to throw up.

Not only have they suffered the heartache of losing their child, Ben, but then to have your hopes built up by a fraudulent medium only to have those hopes cruelly snatched away again...I just can't bring myself to think about what they must have been going through.

So-called psychic mediums who do such terrible and thoughtless acts should be punished. Yet surprisingly the law is very lax when it comes to mediumship. They have the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 but when has it ever been called upon in court? Never to my knowledge.

Bring these frauds to justice, throw the book at them, have them hung, drawn and quartered. And when you've finished doing that break a few of their bones. The pain and sorrow this causes is just a fraction of what Ben's family went through and are still going through to this day.

Does anyone know who this so-called famous psychic is

_________________
NON BELIEVER, TRY AND MAKE ME BELIEVE !!!

chiefsceptic · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951

(14 and 15 Geo 6 c 33)
An Act to repeal the Witchcraft Act 1735 and to make, in substitution for certain provisions of section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824 express provision for the punishment of persons who fraudulently purport to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers (22 June 1951).

1. Punishment of fraudulent mediums, etc.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any person who:
(a) with intent to deceive purports to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise any powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or
(b) in purporting to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise such powers as aforesaid, uses any fraudulent device,
shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under the foregoing subsection unless it is proved that he acted for reward; and for the purposes of this section a person shall be deemed to act for reward if any money is paid, or other valuable thing given, in respect of what he does, whether to him or to any other person.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding (the prescribed sum) or to imprisonment for a tern not exceeding four months or to both such fine and such imprisonment, or on conviction on indictment to a fine... or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and
such imprisonment.

(4) No proceedings for an offence under this section shall be, brought in England or Wales except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(5) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall apply to anything done solely for the purpose of entertainment

2. Repeals
The following enactments are hereby repealed, that is to say:

(a) the Witchcraft Act 1735, so far still in force, and
(b) section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824 so far as it extends to persons purporting to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise any powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or to persons who, in purporting so to act or to exercise such powers, use fraudulent devices.
_________________
NON BELIEVER, TRY AND MAKE ME BELIEVE !!!

san4uzel · Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 70 Location: British

It seems to be common knowledge now that the 'Fraudulent Mediums Act' is to be replaced in April 2008, and 'replaced' by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2007 (CPRs) which implement the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD).

Here is the Governments comments on the repealing of the fraudulent mediums act:

Quote:

The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 will be repealed from April 2008 by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2007 (CPRs) which implement the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD).

The CPRs include rules prohibiting conduct which misleads the average consumer and thereby causes, or is likely to cause him to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise.

Although the average consumer would arguably not be misled by a person who claims he is able to contact the dead, such conduct would still be unfair under the CPRs if it deceives the average member of (i) the group to which it is directed, or (ii) a clearly identifiable group of consumers who are particularly vulnerable to this type of practice.

Unlike the Act, there is no requirement in the CPRs to prove an "intent to deceive". This means that where practices are aimed at vulnerable consumers or average members of particular groups, it should be easier to take action against fraudulent mediums than under the Act.

The CPRs will be enforced by both civil (injunctive) action and criminal sanctions.
I can see this being a good thing, as mediums who blatantly set out to decieve and take money off people deserve their punishment. It'll no longer be as hard to take action against such people.

I have had two arguements put towards me though:

1. how long will it be until it is being thrown around as a threat to someone who practices mediumship by people intent on bringing a certain medium down/get at another group etc? It's inevitable now its easier to bring charges against mediums this will be the case with a select group of prize idiots who want to abuse the new laws for their own gain (i hope this isn't going to be the case, and thankfully don't frequent any sites that i think would do that, or know anyone who would). that, and the difference in opinion between sceptics and believers will soon show as charges begin to be brought against a medium who has given a poor stage show...

and

2. I have seen it somewhere said ;- that it would border on religious discrimination if a medium is prosecuted for demonstrating their apparent ability.

Whilst we'll have to wait and see on both counts, the second argument brought up is the one that I personally feel will give the biggest loophole.

Mediums, under this act, can no longer hide themselves behind the 'entertainment' banner, but should the religious discrimination thing start getting thrown around, will we not just see a lot of 'Joe Jones - Psychic Medium' become 'Joe Jones - Spiritualist Medium'? If they can't tackle people because of their belief system, does this not just give the bad eggs a new banner to hide behind?

I sincerely hope not, as for me, the fraudulent ones out there deserve to get their comeuppance.

Another thing I've seen somewhere said ;- is that discussion is needed between the Govt. and Spiritualist Unions - what help will that do though, in all honesty? Certify genuine mediums? Give out certificates to allow people to practice Mediumship publicly? You can't certify someone a 'medium' as there is no way to prove that they are or aren't. For those of you who have seen Derren Brown's 'Messiah' you can see how accurate cold reading can be.

I think the point I'm trying to get at is that whole the new laws are a step in the right direction, steps need to be taken to ensure that people who are 'faking' mediumship get the action they deserve, and ensure there is nothing they can hide behind. I've heared many a story - and seen a few myself - of mediums who have blatantly deceived grieving people to make a quick buck (a local medium once charged upward of £60 for half an hour, and having listened to people telling me how 'good' she was, nothing they came up could not be discounted by generic statements and cold reading).

I' ve worked with many mediums, and the bunch i work with now are extremely trustworthy and they fall into the category of 'If you've got nothing to hide, then whats the problem?'. They haven't got anything to hide, so they won't have a problem.

To all the mediums out there who are up in arms at this new legislation: If you have nothing to hide, whats the problem?

Moan over

Blackbird · Joined: 17 Mar 2008 Posts: 113

I applaud this act coming in.. I have been on many an invest where the so called medium is nothing but an extra large!

As a medium myself, that story of Ben Needham made me sick to the stomache! Its the first time I have heard it.
These frauds do not see children anywhere.. They are guided by spirit..
Its too much to put on here, but I woll start a new thread of how to tell the real mccoy from a fraudelent money grabber..

admin sinfulldude · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject:

Blackbird · Joined: 17 Mar 2008 Posts: 113

Thanks for the welcome.
It does take a long time as you know, to learn how to use this gift..
I have been left on the hop myself where I have been in the middle of a message and spirit has walked out on me! Embarassing doesnt cover it does it Mad Mart? lol lol
Like you, I just say I have lost connection, apologise, go bright red and try to move on!

As you have the gift of mediumship then you no doubt have the gift of healing. I had been told several times that I had the gift of healing as well, but didnt really believe it, until I was introduced to a healer by one of my friends and he showed me how to tap into it.. It was amazing, my hands burnt like crazy at first, but like chanelling anything, you have to learn to do it to suit you and find the trigger.

The guy (Steve) who is a healer, is hoping to be back on line soon and will sign up on here. He can talk you through it better than I can and he can send you energy to boost your healing technique, something else I have not worked out how to do, though my distant healing has been a success to date, so I dont know why I cant do that!

Hopefully we can all meet up for an invest in the near future

admin sinfulldude · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: yes that'll be great.

whitedove · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 61 Location: London

I am not a healer, a medium or a spiritualist, but I think this consumer act coming in is open to all sorts of mis use and is the worst thing since someone invented chocolate! lol

Just reading Black Bird and mad Marts posts where spirit have played games or just walked out on you, should tell you that you wil be wide open to be sued.
Spirit do this occasionally as I have been told many times, so where would that leave genuine mediums like you two with someone hell bent on destroying your credibility as san4uzel states?

I think it will be a witch hunt where genuine mediums/spiritulists will be targeted.

I agree something should be done about frauds, and especially ones like in the Ben Needham case as its sick, but there has to be another way.

Cant a medium tell if someone else is a medium? Wouldnt they see the same spirits? Just a thought!
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Blackbird · Joined: 17 Mar 2008 Posts: 113

Simple answer I think would be no as it is our spirit guides that guide us to spirit, we are just the carrier if you like. It is a lot more indepth than that, so basically I would say no.

I have re thought about this act now. And you are right whitedove, genuine mediums would be open.
I had never given it a thought before when spirit just walks out on in the middle of it all, but I think Mart will agree with me that our track records speak for themselves.
For every person that didnt get a full reading, there will be 10 that took our messages.