Cold Reading

Cold Reading, not the theatre type, but the psychic type, is something that supposed psychics do to get information from the people that they are with. Many great examples of Cold reading can be found on youtube.com. A few examples, and it's always easier with a group of people, will follow. Let me talk about John Edward for a minute, he will try to get a read on someone and if they say it's not correct he will argue with them. He may say, and I've seen this on youtube, "You have a police officer in the family that has passed away?" The people say "No". and he'll argue, "Yes, you do". What happens here is the people go home and talk to all their relatives about a police officer that was in the family that passed away. Eventually they'll come up with Uncle Joe who was a security guard at Kmart. BINGO. John Edward was right. Was he? Nope, he just took a stab and stuck to his guns!

The thing with cold reading is you have to be confident that you are right. Below is a video of Sylvia Browne goofing up on a cold reading but being confident with her answer. It's amazing how many people actually think this woman is for real. Nothing but a actor taking as much money as she can from a bunch of ignorant people.

I can't embed the video of Sylvia Brown at this time but I can put a couple links that you can click on and view some videos where she messes up on the cold reading.

Sylvia Browne video 1

Sylvia Browne video 2

Sylvia Browne Anderson Cooper 1

Sylvia Browne Anderson Cooper 2

Here are a few examples of John Edward doing some cold readings. Amazing!

John Edward, make sure to watch the reading at the end!

John Edward 2

Not only is cold reading nothing more than a trick but many of these psychics have got rich over pulling the wool over peoples eyes. I think it's due time that we, as Christians, no longer let the ungodly benefit by fooling the public. Sylvia Browne says that her lies are from God. Can you believe that? Isn't that terrible!?

Today, say a prayer for all of the psychics of the world. Not just the Sylvia Browne's and the John Edward's of the world but also the local palm readers and local psychics that they come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior and turn from their evil ways!

To God be the glory for ever and ever, AMEN!

Matthew 5:44

Mentalism Starting Out

It is interesting how many people want to believe in something spiritual and instead of trusting in Jesus for their spiritual support, they turn to other things. Reaching out to palm readers and tarot card readers, astrology, tea leaves, crystal balls, tickle me elmos (OK, so I just threw that one in to see if you were paying attention). Any of these use practices such as Cold Reading (hit and miss attempts to find things out about a person and concentrate on the Hits and dismiss the misses. They also use very vague readings that would apply to most people. Let's first of all, today start out with being vague. Listen to this and tell me if it sounds like you at all:

Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary and reserved. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. You pride yourself on being an independent thinker and do not accept others’ opinions without satisfactory proof. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety, and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. Disciplined and controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside. Your sexual adjustment has presented some problems for you. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a strong need for other people to like you and for them to admire you.

This is a reading that was written by Bertram Forer, a psychologist that believed that people would accept vague information as unique to them. It's interesting how many people hear something like the above from their "psychic network" and consider it as gospel. Let's look at a few other vague things.

You're especially thoughtful today, and ought to find that people are more willing to give you the space you need to figure out what's really going on in your family. Your intuition should be right on. Listen to your emotions and let them dictate the day's activities (within reason, of course). You may have been keeping yourself from telling a friend what they really need to hear, or asking out that one crush. Friends or family members come to you asking for help with an argument. You can play referee quite well, though you may need to make a ruling that irks one or even both of them. Stand by your call!

Does this apply to you? If so, and some of it probably does, it apply to most of us. These were 3 different Horoscopes from today's date. Interesting fact is you can throw all these together and they look like one reading. You will find that all horoscopes are very vague and apply to most everyone.

The thing that bugs me is why Christians would turn to psychics instead of Jesus to answer their questions. We will get into that later. As for now just know that we as people, for some reason, believe that we are unique, and that anything that pertains to us couldn't possibly apply to anyone else. Tomorrow we will discuss more about Cold Reading.

Timothy 6:12

Time to Get Moving

I performed a birthday party today for a friend of mines 6 year old son. It actually went better than I thought it would but I still don't enjoy performing at birthday parties. One thing I miss doing more often is performing an evening performance for a church. This is what I really enjoy and really believe that I am good at it. I think, with some proper marketing, I can get back into this but I really need your prayers and support.

I don't know how long it will take for me to get this going but I do know that I need to be more organized to be able to put new routines together. One thing that I really feel God has called me to do is to inform people, especially Christians, about how they are being debunked by these, so called, psychics like Sylvia Browne and John Edwards. Believe it or not, even Christians are falling for these fakes. I have been studying a lot about mentalism and cold reading and have learned that they are really just good at cold reading. More on this later.

In the mean time, please pray for me and my family and the Lord to guide us in the direction that he would have us go. Thanks for all your support and prayers.

9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. Deuteronomy 18:9-13

Children's Message 1 (Two Dollar Window) You and the Holy Spirit

My first Children's Message was about the Holy Spirit and how, when Jesus left, he said he was going to send someone else in his place. I used the trick Two Dollar Window by Penguin Magic for this message. This is an instant download if you want the trick, and at $9.95 it is a great value. I carry it in my pocket and do it all the time. Click Here for info on the the trick.

This is the message, I start out by talking about how Peter was afraid when Jesus was being persecuted. As a matter of fact, he denied Christ 3 times. Refused to admit that he even knew him. All because he was scared of suffering the same fate that Jesus was going through. But after Jesus died, came back, and then ascended into Heaven, he made a promise. That he would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit entered Peters life, he was filled with courage and was no longer afraid of the consequences of what would happen if he preached the word of God.

I take out the 2 bills to give the example of us and the Holy Spirit. Then I mention that before we accept Christ, us and the Holy Spirit are separate. But after we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters us and becomes one with us and gives us strength. Then I say, I guess the best way to illustrate this is to take the 2 bills a fold them together. Maybe fold them twice. Still not getting the point across, maybe a 3rd time. Nope, maybe this is the best way to illustrate your relationship with the Holy Spirit, then I do the bill switch and discuss that once you accept Christ, you and the Holy Spirit are one, like the 2 dollar bill.

Keep up the Blog

It's been interesting. No matter what I try to do, no matter how much I try to keep up with things I usually run into some sort of snag. I would love to be able to say that I will keep up with this blog and write a comment in it every day but that just doesn't seem like the kind of thing I do well. July, let's see, it is July 7th now and this is the first blog I have for July. I would like to be more committed to this but, don't hold your breath! You just never know.

Great things are coming down the line with AutoTrader.com. New pay plan. Many new processes and procedures that look like they are going to just help the company be more successful. David and Goliath story for Fuzzball, I'm writing it tomorrow. It will be posted when I'm done. OK so anyway, keep checking back. I might surprise you!

God Bless.

1 Corinthians 3:11

How do we hear God's voice?

Here is a great question! How do we hear God's voice? How do we know when God is talking to us? How do we recognize God's voice? Do we lay out a fleece and test God? How do we know?

I've been asking myself that question for years. The thing that frustrates me the most is when I hear people say, "God told me .... whatever." Did God verbally tell them? I don't think so. I don't think God has talked verbally to anyone in quite sometime. God gave us the Holy Spirit and his word. This is all we need to make a decision. This and, obviously, a relationship with Jesus.

The problem I have with people stating what I had mentioned above is, for new Christians or Non-Christians they get the attitude that either A) The person is wacky or B) They're doing something wrong because God is not talking to them. It also amazes me how many people have actually tested God through little assignments for God to complete. Let's say for example they're bowling and all of the sudden they are convicted about a certain situation. They tell God, "OK, if I get 3 strikes in a row then it's God's will." Honestly, do they really need to do that? What do you think God is thinking of that person? I'll tell you what I think he's thinking. I think God is saying, "Really, you need 3 strikes to know if it is my will or not? Honestly, maybe you should check my word again. What did I say? And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14"

What does all of this mean? It means if we are in his will, and we ask for anything that is in his will, we will receive it. If we are in his will, when we are not sure if the path we are about to follow is in his will, go to his word. His word will guide us with the help of the Holy Spirit. If you read your Bible daily, and study it continually, the Holy Spirit will give you the answers to all questions through his word. We don't need a verbal response from God because we have the Holy Spirit living in us giving us the interpretation.

Let us continue to walk in the light as Jesus is in the light and all confusion will disappear!

John 15:7

Children's Message

I just started, last Sunday, doing a Children's Message during the Sunday Morning service at church. This is going to be a great way to include the kids in on the service and, God willing, I will have a new message for 52 Sundays. I am going to have to start putting these messages on paper and maybe I'll have a better way of tracking what I talk about every week. Maybe I'll even post them here or on one of my other blogs. I started my first one last week with a torn and restored tissues talking about how, when we sin, it tears our relationship with God appart, but with Jesus, he can heal our realtionship. Please pray for me and this new venture that God has given me.

God is "always" in control!

Dan

1 Corinthians 10:24