Why Stop Sylvia Brown?

[dustbunny]

It's only been recently that people like Robert Lancaster are making a marked impact on Sylvia Browne, etc. With all the media attention and the internet people have easier access to facts and evidence that not long ago were a lot harder to find. I was already weary of this woman and the StopSylviaBrowne website has only verified what she is.

Ex-ministers are some of the best people to listen to. They've got first hand knowledge of what she does and they now feel they can tell others their own experiences without
being ignored. Their stories hold a lot of credibility. I remember reading one of his articles about her son calling her admiring followers "freaks" only yards away from where they were. This shows the malicious and evil way they work.

I really do believe that Sylvia Browne and John Edward, etc, can be stopped with good factual websites and the media supporting the true evidence rather than boosting their own ratings. I know myself that the information I've given to others has genuinely changed their outlook of these so called "mediums". The right approach and attitude can make a huge difference. Try not to bombard people with your opinion, show them what you have found out, it works for me. The story the EeneyMinnieMoe wrote is horrific. Montel Williams is a disgrace too. Just something else for me to tell others about.

 

[godless dave]

I mean no one really believes her nonsense do they?

Yes. Somebody's buying her books.

On another forum I lurk at two women said they just love her. One of her books came up in a discussion about reincarnation.

 

[Tumblehome]

I just see her as an insignificant fool that no one would ever believe.

That's how I felt when I first saw her (in a clip from the Montel show). In fact, I found her downright repugnant. No appeal or charisma whatsoever. She looked bored and threw out her pronouncements blandly like she was retrieving them from a set list in her mind. I would have been turned off by her if she was just discussing recipes.

Not everyone falls for her uninspired shtick, but under the right conditions some people do and for that, they're taken to the cleaners, financially and emotionally. And keep in mind that every day there is a new crop of potential victims who've had a loved one die or disappear and are potentially susceptible to Browne's crap. In their vulnerable state, some of them are defenseless in the face of her calculated efforts to take advantage of them. Without Robert Lancaster, they'd have no one standing up for them in such a dedicated and committed way.

 

[tiger]

I am new here, and found my way to your site from the Stop Sylvia Brown campaign. I'm really glad I found you, thanks for having me.

So here's my question: Why do we need to stop Sylvia Brown?

Isn't it enough that she is an embarrassment to herself? I mean no one really believes her nonsense do they? Do we really need to stop someone that is so obviously mentally ill that they have lost touch with what could be considred believable? If we stop her, Montel Williams might gain some of his credibility back. Isn't it more fun to watch him decend into the abiss as a complete joke? What if she is stopped? Then who will we have to go after? Bad question, someone will assuradly pop up from somewhere, but you have to admit; she's pretty fun to go after. Can't we just feel pitty for our lovely Ms. Brown? After all we feel pitty for the homeless person muttering nonsense on the street corner, is she so different?

Thanks for letting me post.

tapman.

Has is usually true in the world there are people that need to be saved from their own lack of ability to use common sense. They go out give this idiot Sylvia brown hundrens of dollars for 20 minutes on the phone. A senseless act that people are guilty of several times a year which makes Sylvia richer and they end up poorer. She also has no remorse for her actions that are well documented has fraud and lies. There are also those that believe no matter how much evidence of Sylvia's fraud is evident which makes her a cult leader! A leader of those who cannot make a decision or life choice without someone guiding them and when that guidance has the intention to defraud we all have a problem. This could be your mother or your aunt spending all their money on a sham that is Sylvia. If noone speaks up and noone acts then Sylvia is free to continue to lie and cheat her way into others lives unopposed.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Has is usually true in the world there are people that need to be saved from their own lack of ability to use common sense. They go out give this idiot Sylvia brown hundrens of dollars for 20 minutes on the phone. A senseless act that people are guilty of several times a year which makes Sylvia richer and they end up poorer.

Like I said, there are many people affected by her readings who didn't "ask for it."

Like "Greg X", the husband of a sick woman who was told by Browne that he was poisoning her. Or the children of parents who seek readings about them. Or the future victims of rapists, pedophiles, kidnappers, killers and burglars who might have been caught had she not inserted herself into the investigation.

And, as has been said before, not everyone who consults her is naive, stupid or superficial. The majority are desperate, depressed or have other troubles that lead them to fall into Sylvia's claws.

 

[MaryCBW]

She can't be stopped, nor will she, no matter what. It's an exercise in futility.

"I think one of the most important reasons to stop Sylvia Browne is to show the general public how easily they can be scammed. It will hopefully make someone think twice before paying extortionate amounts of money to someone who's nothing more than a carnival sideshow."

Do you really think that the general public could be shown that? Stuff like this has been going on for centuries, there is nothing that will change the thinking of those prone to believe in this crap, today or tomorrow. It will always be there.

Aqular:
Ditto. Your post is perfect and priceless. I totally agree.

 

[RSLancastr]

She can't be stopped, nor will she, no matter what. It's an exercise in futility.

As with the StopKaz site before it, the StopSylviaBrowne site is mainly aimed at getting the word out so that people can find the truth about her, if they are so inclined.

It is more about getting as many people as possible to stop believing in Browne, than it is actually stopping Browne. And I think the site has made some headway in that regard. YMMV.

"I think one of the most important reasons to stop Sylvia Browne is to show the general public how easily they can be scammed. It will hopefully make someone think twice before paying extortionate amounts of money to someone who's nothing more than a carnival sideshow."

Do you really think that the general public could be shown that? Stuff like this has been going on for centuries, there is nothing that will change the thinking of those prone to believe in this crap, today or tomorrow. It will always be there.

First, that is a broad-brush statement, and like most such statements, it is not correct. I get emails nearly every day from people thanking me for providing the information that convinced them that Browne is a fraud. Certainly, some percentage of them go on to believe in some other fraud, but others, having been shown that they were fooled by Browne, try to be more discerning the next time.

So, what is the alternative? Do nothing? Snigger from the sidelines at those who fall for her con?

When the news does a story exposing the latest scam, do you sigh and say "What's the use? Scams have been going on for centuries! Why warn anybody about them? They'll just fall for some other con tomorrow!"

Put another way: Do you think that James Randi been wasting the past several decades of his life?

 

[CFLarsen]

She can't be stopped, nor will she, no matter what. It's an exercise in futility.

"I think one of the most important reasons to stop Sylvia Browne is to show the general public how easily they can be scammed. It will hopefully make someone think twice before paying extortionate amounts of money to someone who's nothing more than a carnival sideshow."

Do you really think that the general public could be shown that? Stuff like this has been going on for centuries, there is nothing that will change the thinking of those prone to believe in this crap, today or tomorrow. It will always be there.

Skepticism is futile, then? We should just all go home and find something worthwhile to do?

ETA: For once, Robert is quicker than me. Don't let it happen again!

 

[MaryCBW]

I was agreeing that the world is full of people that do not think.
Yes, some people will get a clue but they had doubts or they would have never looked at/found this site or Mr. Lancaster's site.
A gun would have to be against my mom's head before she would look here.
She believes 99% of the Bible and so do most of the people that I know.
DH and I are the lone heathens.
I will explain more later.

 

[tiger]

Like I said, there are many people affected by her readings who didn't "ask for it."

Like "Greg X", the husband of a sick woman who was told by Browne that he was poisoning her. Or the children of parents who seek readings about them. Or the future victims of rapists, pedophiles, kidnappers, killers and burglars who might have been caught had she not inserted herself into the investigation.

And, as has been said before, not everyone who consults her is naive, stupid or superficial. The majority are desperate, depressed or have other troubles that lead them to fall into Sylvia's claws.

Yes and yes I was just talking about one aspect of the situation and answering the question posted on here about why even worry about Sylvia. I disagree with your majority claim since most seem to be people just trying to find out about romance, or what their future holds. But without a doubt you are right about some just being depressed or like Shaun Hornbecks parents seeking answers to find their son. And you have to agree that Sylvia has a following just like shes a cult leader and they will believe no matter what.

 

[Hawthorne]

I say she needs to be stopped because it is the right thing to do...she's defrauidng people, hurting people, and a liar and that is all the reason in the world to take her down.



agnosticexgnostic - love your name.

 

[RSLancastr]

ETA: For once, Robert is quicker than me. Don't let it happen again!

And it took both of us almost a whole day...

Yes, some people will get a clue but they had doubts or they would have never looked at/found this site or Mr. Lancaster's site.

If the emails I receive on the site are any indication, this is often not the case. People frequently write and say that they were searching for Browne's site, saw my site listed on Google, and curiosity got the best of them. Or that they saw my site linked from elsewhere, and came there, bound and determined to prove me wrong, and changed their mind.

Yes, there are those for whom the site only confirms what they already suspect on one level or another. But they are not the whole story.

I say she needs to be stopped because it is the right thing to do...she's defrauidng people, hurting people, and a liar and that is all the reason in the world to take her down.

Agreed.

 

[Agular]

As with the StopKaz site before it, the StopSylviaBrowne site is mainly aimed at getting the word out so that people can find the truth about her, if they are so inclined.

And the word goes out to those "so inclined." A drop in the bucket compared to those that aren't.

So, what is the alternative? Do nothing? Snigger from the sidelines at those who fall for her con?

It wasn't suggested that one "snigger from the sidelines." If you think that you are making a significant difference, nothing will change your mind. The next time Larry King idiotically has her on, there will be more converts to her scam in one hour than all those you have saved. Like I said, "an exercise in futility."

When the news does a story exposing the latest scam, do you sigh and say "What's the use? Scams have been going on for centuries! Why warn anybody about them? They'll just fall for some other con tomorrow!"

Nope. I'm giving my opinion here about your campaign against Sylvia Browne, a popular subject on this site, that I think is a waste of time, not all the other scams that are done. Have you created any other websites against the thousands of scams in the world, not just the ones popular here?

Put another way: Do you think that James Randi been wasting the past several decades of his life?

I'm discussing YOU, not Randi and the myriad of other things that he exposes. Nice try though.

 

[Agular]

Skepticism is futile, then? We should just all go home and find something worthwhile to do?

Talk about painting with a broad brush! Who said anything about skepticism in general being futile? Stick with the subject at hand or consider remaining silent. (I'm beginning to see why so many have you on Ignore.)

 

[moon1969]

1. She makes alot of money fooling people and telling lies.

2. She tries to make people believe in something that is not true.

3. She hurts people like in the Shawn Hornbeck case. Remember what she told to his parents?

 

[moon1969]

I don"t think that relativism is a good thing. We only need to stay in the reality and tell things that are true.

 

[RSLancastr]

And the word goes out to those "so inclined." A drop in the bucket compared to those that aren't.

Part of those "so inclined" are people from the media, which sometimes results in wider coverage. The article on the site which broke the story of Browne's involvement in the Shawn Hornbeck case resulted in a front-page newspaper article in the New York Post, mention on several national radio shows, a piece on Fox News, and two separate broadcasts of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 show.

I think that among the readers, listeners and viewers of those reports were people who weren't "so inclined."

If you think that you are making a significant difference, nothing will change your mind.

The next time Larry King idiotically has her on, there will be more converts to her scam in one hour than all those you have saved.

Another result of the Shawn Hornbeck story: She has refused to be on King's show ever since. And that same story, compbined with her screw-up regarding the Sago Mine disaster, have kept her from coming on Coast To Coast for more than two years.

These two shows used to be staples of her media appearances. They are no more, and it is, in part, due to the site's breaking the story when it did.

Like I said, "an exercise in futility."

We disagree.

Nope. I'm giving my opinion here about your campaign against Sylvia Browne, a popular subject on this site, that I think is a waste of time, not all the other scams that are done.

Why? Using the logic from your first post in this thread, it is futile and useless to present the skeptical angle on ANY scam, since scams have been around for hundreds of years, and no matter how many people you educated, there will still be others who won't listen.

If you think that is only true of exposing Browne, and not scams in general, what is so unique about Browne that makes it futile in your eyes to expose her scam?

Have you created any other websites against the thousands of scams in the world, not just the ones popular here?

So far, I have two. StopSylviaBrowne and StopKaz.

I'm discussing YOU, not Randi and the myriad of other things that he exposes. Nice try though.

Again, read your first post in the thread, and then explain why it is not true of all of Randi's work regarding charlatans over the decades, but is singularly true of StopSylviaBrowne.

 

[agnosticexgnostic]

And you have to agree that Sylvia has a following just like shes a cult leader and they will believe no matter what.

I agree there are some Browne followers who stubbornly refuse to consider the evidence, but in my experience they make up a small percentage of her fan base. There are others who know the truth but continue to support her - her staff and many of her ministers for example - but again they are relatively few. IMHO (formed while I was a minister and since RSL's work has started) much of her fan base can be swayed provided they have access to solid information such as that being presented by RSL.

Oh, and thanks Hawthorne!

Ian

 

[agnosticexgnostic]

And the word goes out to those "so inclined." A drop in the bucket compared to those that aren't.

Agular: please consider my previous post.

 

[ponderingturtle]

And the word goes out to those "so inclined." A drop in the bucket compared to those that aren't.

Do you have evidence for this assertion? Sure the hardline believers might not be convinced, but people who could become hardline believers, but get shown that her claims are not entirely truthful?

Just because you can't make headway with true believers doesn't mean opposing something is pointless.