From: Ant McWatt (antmcwatt@hotmail.co.uk)
Date: Tue Jan 18 2005 - 23:03:58 GMT
Chin stated January 14th 2005:
This also fits in with what I call the “Null Hypothesis”. In short, it means
“Don't buy it.” I believe rhetoric is a gift, and gifted individuals can
make the unbelievable believable, or change an opinion without valid,
supportive content. In other words, I believe the mind too easily
manipulated. I feel this in science, philosophy, and the interpretations of
the Bible by those who have a predetermined outcome in mind before the data,
reason, or interpretations are applied.
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Ant McWatt replies:
Chin,
The “Null Hypothesis” test makes a lot of sense to me (regards thought
manipulation) and came to mind while I was recently watching a TV
documentary (titled “Messiah”) concerning an hypnotist (Derren Brown) who
convinced five leading proponents/professionals of various popular beliefs
that he was someone with special powers. Even though, Brown certainly
hasn’t got any special powers, not one of these proponents questioned
whether he was genuine. As Brown wondered, there are probably quite a few
people in the various cults saying that they have supernatural powers but
are really frauds (even if they are gifted as Brown is in hypnotism or other
trickery). If the leaders that Brown met didn’t seem too sceptical of him,
it does make you wonder who else is getting through.
Anyway, the proponents that Brown met were Janet Nohavec (from the
Spiritualist Church in New York), Ann Druffel (a leading ufologist from
California), Lorraine Di Felice (an astrologer who publishes the “The
Esoteric World News” magazine in Las Vegas), Abby Haydon (who is a proponent
of psychic reading, sound and colour healing based in Arizona) and Curt
Nordhielm (an Evangelical pastor from New England).
During the program, Brown convinced Nohavec (a proclaimed medium) that he
was himself a medium who could speak to the dead, convinced Druffel that he
could sense someone’s medical history purely by touch (supposedly because an
alien abduction had given him this power) and convinced Di Felice that he
could read her dreams by using “crystal energy” in a black box. Of course,
the so-called “Dream Catcher” he used with Di Felice had no such powers.
The fourth leader, Abby Haydon was convinced by Brown that he was a psychic
who could remotely view what she was drawing in another room.
Finally – the big one – Brown convinced Curt Nordhielm that he was a
preacher who can convert people to Christianity even with just a touch.
An advert was placed by Brown and Nordhielm inviting non-believers and
atheists to a discussion on spirituality. Out of a group of about 20, only
one person believed in God at the beginning and though some people left
halfway through the meeting (after an “instant conversion” by one touch),
the remaining people ended-up all changing their sceptical beliefs. This
was basically done by Brown using the power of suggestion. For instance, he
told everyone to stand-up and without any further instruction, everyone fell
backwards in their chairs, more or less at the same time. With just one
exception, everyone of these previous non-believers said they now believed
that God existed and even the exception said that she thought that
“something” was there. As Brown noted, religious congregations generate
high energy crowd activity or candle-lit monotony which tend to invoke a
suggestible state in people that can be exploited. I’m sure similar states
are invoked at political rallies and in the classroom.
Above all, Brown emphasised that millions of people sincerely believe the
ideas promoted by cults and make important life decisions based on the
information they receive from them and their leaders. As Brown noted it’s
not so much the beliefs themselves which is the critical issue but it’s more
how people relate to these leaders and treat these beliefs. Unfortunately,
as Brown concluded, even if we are outside any cult, we still all tend to
notice what supports our own beliefs (including our own scepticism!) and
discard what doesn’t.
Best wishes,
Anthony.
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