StopSylvia: an old email to Browne and Me

[RSLancastr]

I was looking through emails from around the time of my stroke and found the one below, addressed to Sylvia, Michael & Vera (from her office), Heather (of GoSylviaBrowne.com, Randi and myself. I replied to it back then, but doubt that anyone else did.

Vera or Michael ~ please print this email and give it to Sylvia...thank you kindly.

Dear Sylvia, Heather, Robert and James:

I have spent a couple of days reviewing the websites of all concerned. Some I read in great detail and others, such as Heather's, I really couldn't stomach for long.

I have read about 25 of Sylvia's books. My initial impression of her was I did not care for her. I would've sworn she was a brash New Yorker (and I possess a broad sense of humor). I reminded myself it is the message; not the messenger. I have watched her on Montel maybe once, but never in entirety. I have never had a reading of any kind from her or her ministers. I have contacted her office to inquire about the existence of a study group in my area and the reply I received is there is none. My area is southwestern Ohio.

That said...I have some observations and suggestions for all. First and foremost, were I Sylvia, I would immediately ask Heather to completely cease and desist her disappointing attempt at a website. This type of "support" clearly is more harmful than helpful. Heather's lack of diplomacy and tact come across as no more than a sad version of white trash cat fighting. I'm sure Heather has many strengths, but public speaking and/or defending Sylvia is not one of them. As an aside, Linda Rossi, also does not excel in this area.

I was looking into the Sylvia Browne Hypnosis Training Center when I was led to these other sites. I cringe when I look into some type of learning and find multiple typos on the application. Someone needs to proofread and correct the application as well as the Catalog for this center.

All of this hullabaloo about Sylvia's diplomas and degrees...for the love of Pete, Sylvia...produce the necessary documents to silence these doubts once and for all! Aren't these degrees and diplomas proudly displayed on the walls of your office somewhere? Why allow all of this nonsense to go on? Provide a list for public review of your master hypnosis credentials and your high school and college credentials. Why allow this doubt to needlessly cloud your reputation?

Sylvia, you state in many of your books you have already been tested a gazillion times. Please produce those tests and their results for public review. Again...what's the big deal? You don't need this negative publicity, child. 87% accuracy is something of which you should be proud and proud to substantiate.

With regard to the million dollar test or challenge...why would you, Sylvia, not participate? You may not need the money, but I'm sure any one of the charities you support would love to receive this million. No, you don't need to answer to Mr. Lancaster or Mr. Randi, but you do need to answer to those who believe in you. We want to see you prove these men wrong.

Mr. Lancaster, am I to believe of the 50 years of readings Sylvia has performed none of those individuals have written to you on her behalf? You have claimed you will post such letters on your website. Am I to believe you have received absolutely none?

Sylvia, with regard to your books, there is no need for you to continue to be redundant and reference your other books or to reiterate the truths your readers accepted long ago. You have cited the same clients/incidents time and again. New material is long overdue. It makes me cringe when an educator, such as yourself, ends so many sentences in prepositions. It also makes me wonder who edits these books for you.

We all know your background...you need not go into it in books...we know who you are and truly, it is inconsequential now...as it always should have been. You are quite simply the messenger; the funnel through which this information flows. Too often I hear people say, "Sylvia says" and that bothers me. It's not what you say that is important; it is what The Other Side says...don't you see?

I see from your website, you have now raised your rate to $850 for a reading. Frankly, the money you charge has always bothered me. I know you have tried to explain it in the sense you pay salaries and have overhead costs. At the same time, you have stressed how unimportant large, ornate buildings in which to study are so I have to question how much money the annual rent for such a building is...even in California.

Furthermore, I would have to question the salaries those who work for you earn. I, too, have sat down and done the math of how much money you might bring in in a year's time. It is astounding. This comes from a person on disability who attempts to survive on less than $20,000 a year. So many could benefit from your services, but the prices charged are cost prohibitive. At the very least, I think your financial statements should be available to the public. First and foremost, you are a humanitarian.

Sylvia, each of us do possess psychic powers. I understand you are not psychic about yourself. May I?

If you choose not to respond to the challenges put before you... if you do not respond to the letters of former ministers of your church on Mr. Lancaster's website...your time in the public eye is quickly drawing to a close. In fact, I fear the remainder of your time may be spent in prison on charges of fraud on a mass scale.

I do not see you living to age 88.

This is in no way a threat! It is what I see.

Your son, Chris, doesn't utilize a psychic bone in his body, Sylvia. In fact, he really abhors the "business" and resents the fact he cannot have a life of his own. I have read one of his books which was poorly written to the point of being an embarrassment.

Angelia is not the reincarnated soul of Ada. Ada spent her last incarnation on this earth and has no desire to return in less than 60 years...let alone ever.

Clearly, this is an attempt on your part to "approve" Chris as your successor and Angelia as his successor.

It will end with you. Chris should also pursue another career. This reminds me of the story of how those in charge decided to fulfill the immaculate conception of Jesus...to create wonder and awe.

Your son, Paul, needs to get back into his chosen line of work and establish financial security completely independent of you.

Only one person knows a secret. When two people know; it is no longer a secret.

Silence cannot be bought long-term...legal documents or no.

Sylvia...please treat Mr. Randi and Mr. Lancaster the way you would want to be treated. Surround yourself with the White Light of the Holy Spirit, take a few deep breaths and face your challenges head on. Peace be with you.


I wish you all clarity.

Interesting. I replied to it just a few hours before my stroke.

 

[Silly Green Monkey]

If you were to reply to it now, would your reply be very different?

 

[Spoons]

Did you ever receive a response to your reply?

ETA: Not to smother Silly Green Monkey's question.

 

[Zep]

What was the reply you sent, Rob?

 

[Apology]

Would you mind sharing your reply with us? I would find it interesting.

This is such a fascinating email; on the one hand, this person has obviously applied logic to what s/he read and heard about Sylvia and realized that Sylvia is a fraud, yet on the other hand, the email is still chock full of woo. This person seems to be teetering right on the edge of becoming a skeptic. Perhaps the right word or the right phrase might sway them away from the dark side (woo) and into the light of skepticism.

I shudder when I think of how much money this person wasted on Sylvia's materials while on a fixed income. Sure, s/he might have spent most of the money before money became an issue, but if that first dollar for the first book had been put in an interest-bearing account, it might be $25 by now, and $25 would buy a single person a small sack of groceries today. I know, because I'm on a fixed income myself, and often wish I could return stupid purchases I made when I was wealthier and have the money instead. At least when I bought an overpriced blouse, I got to wear it a bunch of times. Someone who bought one of Sylvia's books would get even less use out of it than I got out of that overpriced blouse.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

It's weird how someone can think so critically and still apparently believe in this stuff.

Or at least take it seriously.

Email writer, you seem like an intelligent person and you make excellent points but let me make it really simple for you: Browne is just a fraud, end of story.

 

[RSLancastr]

If you were to reply to it now, would your reply be very different?

Since my opinion of Browne hasn't changed, probably not. Although I have more energy now than I did that day.

 

[RSLancastr]

What was the reply you sent, Rob?

Would you mind sharing your reply with us? I would find it interesting.

All my response was was to answer the question she asked me. I told him/her of the only three emails I had received from people telling me they had received an accurate reading from Browne.

I emailed him/her again today asking if he/she had received any other replies. I will let you know if he/she replies.

 

[RSLancastr]

Did you ever receive a response to your reply?

ETA: Not to smother Silly Green Monkey's question.

I don't think so but will double-check.

 

[RSLancastr]

Here was my reply, sent just four hours before I had my stroke:

Sir ir Madam:

Thanks for writing.

As for your querstion to me, I have received a small handfull of emails
from people saying that they have had positive experiences with Browne
readings.

There are three which I recall at the moment:

1. A woman wrote to me angrily about the site, saying she had a very
accurate reading with Browne. Over the course of our correspondence,
her opinion of browne was completely turned around.

2. A woman who wrote with an obscenity-laced rant full of typos and
spelling errors, saying that Browne had found her missing father, who
had amnesia. We corresponded several times over the next day or two
until she calmed down somewhat. I asked her at that point if she
wanted me to put up her first email, or if she wanted to rewrite it in
a calmer tone.
She thanksed me for the option, and said she would rewrite it and get
right back to me. I was glad she made that choice, because if I had
put up her original email, people would have accused me of publishing
it because it made Browne fans look bad. I never heard from her again.

3. A woman described a reading she had, and why she felt it was
accurate. That email is in my "Article Ideas" folder, along with over
100 other ideas for articles. It will get on the site eventually. I
often think of putting it up, but other things take priority. Perhaps
this is a result of my admitted bias.

Frankly, when GoSylviaBrowne.com opened up, with promises of lots of
positive Browne experiences, I felt that niche was going to be filled.
For whatever reason, that has yet to happen.

I certainly hope that Browne takes your advice, and submits to the
challenge, or provides proof of her claimed degree.

I am not, however, going to hold my breath, as I doubt either of these
things will ever happen.

Best regards,

Robert S. Lancaster
webmaster,
www.stopsylvia.com

I find no reply to it.

 

[Spoons]

Thanks for the reply Robert. It sounds as though No. 2 may have been swayed by the correspondence with you, and decided to bow out gracefully by not resubmitting. (ETA: Then again, maybe not)

How many "readings" has Sylvia done? (Forgive my ignorance - I will have to read up more on this character) Just through pure chance she'd be bound to get a few guesses right on the odd occasion, right? If I roll dice with numbers corresponding to various moods it's bound to match my actual mood from time to time.

It'll be interesting to hear if this person from the OP does respond at some point - I wonder where they're at, with regard to their beliefs.

Although I have more energy now than I did that day.

Glad to hear it!

 

[RSLancastr]

Thanks for the reply Robert. It sounds as though No. 2 may have been swayed by the correspondence with you, and decided to bow out gracefully by not resubmitting. (ETA: Then again, maybe not)

Maybe so, Spoons. If so, I don't think she ever said. She at least seemed to have calmed down.

How many "readings" has Sylvia done? (Forgive my ignorance - I will have to read up more on this character) Just through pure chance she'd be bound to get a few guesses right on the odd occasion, right? If I roll dice with numbers corresponding to various moods it's bound to match my actual mood from time to time.

There is an article on the site titled something like "how much money does she make?" which goes into that somewhat. She claims to do at least 20 reading a day. she has been doing readings for decades. you do the math.

It'll be interesting to hear if this person from the OP does respond at some point - I wonder where they're at, with regard to their beliefs.

I wonder too!

 

[ExMinister]

Maybe so, Spoons. If so, I don't think she ever said. She at least seemed to have calmed down.



There is an article on the site titled something like "how much money does she make?" which goes into that somewhat. She claims to do at least 20 reading a day. she has been doing readings for decades. you do the math.


I wonder too!

Robert, do you remember that statement I once e-mailed you by "Francine" saying how many readings Browne had supposedly done? Wow, this was quite a few years ago now so if you don't remember, no worries! We did the math and, if Francine had been right, she'd have had to start when she was 5years old or something ridiculous like that.

Do you remember that at all? That was on some old trance tape; I have no idea which one anymore, but it was such a perfect example of a silly Francine statement.

 

[Gr8wight]

Robert, do you remember that statement I once e-mailed you by "Francine" saying how many readings Browne had supposedly done? Wow, this was quite a few years ago now so if you don't remember, no worries! We did the math and, if Francine had been right, she'd have had to start when she was 5years old or something ridiculous like that.

Do you remember that at all? That was on some old trance tape; I have no idea which one anymore, but it was such a perfect example of a silly Francine statement.

Would that make her the Wilt Chamberlain of Psychics?

 

[Gr8wight]

I was looking through emails from around the time of my stroke and found the one below, addressed to Sylvia, Michael & Vera (from her office), Heather (of GoSylviaBrowne.com, Randi and myself. I replied to it back then, but doubt that anyone else did.



Interesting. I replied to it just a few hours before my stroke.

I suspect that letter was written by a skeptic.

 

[Dragonrock]

I suspect that letter was written by a skeptic.

I had that same thought. The logic was too well presented and the facts that were brought up were the ones that would make Sylvia look like she's trying to hide things.

 

[ExMinister]

Yes, but more of an intelligent believer type of skeptic. How many non-believers say, "Each of us do possess psychic powers," and end e-mails with "Surround yourself with the white light of the Holy Spirit?" She seems well versed in Sylvia-isms and in the philosophy overall, which makes sense in light of how many books she says she has read.

She also says, "It is not what you say that is important; it's what the other side says..." BTW, this is why I think it's so important to continue to show that Francine is full of contradictions. So many of Browne's followers think this way! They don't care if she makes a mistake, she's only human, just as long as what Francine says is credible and consistent. For the most part, of course, in the books it is. In reality, on the trance tapes on which the books are based, it isn't.

Overall she is talking common sense and offers some excellent advice to Sylvia, IF Sylvia were on the up and up and had nothing to hide.

 

[RSL's better half]

I think the letter was written by a skeptic, too - one fairly well-informed on Sylvia and on the type of religion Sylvia promotes. I suppose it could be an ex-believer, but I don't think so. I sense a "haughtiness" between the lines. Maybe I'm psick-ick, too!

 

[Dragonrock]

I sense a "haughtiness" between the lines. Maybe I'm psick-ick, too!

Yes! There's a snotty undertone I wasn't sure if I was just adding or if others saw it too.

I will say that when skeptics pretend to be woos they do a much better job than the woos who pretend to be skeptics.

 

[RSLancastr]

Maybe I am being naive here, but I think it is from an ex-believer. For one thing, how many skeptics would have known to send an email to Vera and Michael in Sylvia's office?