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StopSylvia email: 'Sylvia Browne "prediction"'

RSLancastr

www.StopSylvia.com
RSLancastr
Joined
Sep 7, 2001
Messages
17,135
Location
Salem, Oregon
Got the following email at StopSylvia, with the Subject 'Sylvia Browne "prediction"':

Hi there..just wanted to let you know I was also told something from Sylvia at a lecture given in Toronto in 2001 that was not true either. My name/ticket stub was picked at this lecture for any question I wanted to ask. I had suffered a miscarriage short months before that time and had asked Sylvia if she saw me having any more children and she said yes, only 1 and it was a girl. I asked her when she saw that happening and she looked at me irritated and started tapping her watch with her finger and said right now. I told her that wasn't possible (mother nature reasons..lol) and she told me I was wrong. When I hesitated I was asked to sit down. When I did, members of the audience sitting around me kept congratulating me on my "pregnancy".
Obviously I was not pregnant. A few months later when I still failed to get pregnant, I contacted the Sylvia Browne website to ask how many times she's wrong. I got a response saying that Sylvia is NEVER wrong. And even if her timing seemed off, right now also means within months, but not longer than that, and that I should not question her predictions.
I did not get pregnant for almost 2 years. I also now have 4 more children.
Suffice to say, I think what Sylvia spouts is pure and utter ignorance and guesses. Incredibly sad that our society even still pays any mind to this fraud.
Just wanted to add this in your efforts to call the truth out. Great Job!
Take care. [Name]
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Here is my reply:

Ms. [Name]:

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with me.

I am so sorry that Sylvia's nonsense added further turmoil to what was obviously already a very difficult time for you, both physically and emotionally.

Who was it that told you that Sylvia was "never wrong"? Was it her staff, or just other Sylvia fans/followers on her web site?

I would be surprised if it was her staff, because Sylvia herself often says that she cannot be right 100% of the time - only God can. Of course, she usually only admits this when confronted with evidence that she was wrong about something.

Do I have your permission to share your story with others?

I am not currently able to add new articles to the site, but would like to share your story with some online friends of mine, and add it to my site once I am able to do so. Is my doing these things allright with you?

Warm regards,

Robert S. Lancaster
Founder & Webmaster,
www.StopSylvia.com
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...To which she replied:

Hi again. Thanks for the quick response. Of course you may share my story with anyone and on your site.
It was a member of her staff on her website that responded to me that said Sylvia is always right. When I responded back to the staffers response after a year went by and I said "right now" or "within months" was still not accurate again, I got no reply at all. I also informed the site that I was very disappointed and felt I had been taken by buying her books and tickets. Not just because she wasn't correct, but also because of all of their arrogance and their inability to actually take what someone else had said into consideration.
I'm not opposed to "psychics" being wrong. Totally understand that no one is ever all knowing, but the way they reacted made it look like it was more my issue. Just a poor representation of a public figure as I see continues.
I've met other psychics who actually did a show at my home in 2007 who were far more cautious and professional and don't have a superior attitude. You can still catch the show on you- tube or on reruns and those ladies question even what they think..lol
Thanks again, [Name]
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Too bad she still seems to believe in psychic abilities in general.
 
Yes, that is a pity. Good thing that she found your site, maybe it will spark some doubts about other psychics. After all, she was open to be swayed, while she obviously believed in Sylvia before this reading.

It always amazes me how a True BelieverTM in one psychic can spot flaws in other psychics, and still be blind to the exact same flaws in the one that they decided to be the True PsychicTM.
 
frustrating at times, certainly.

OTOH, we have seen StopSylvia emails from correspondents who took the site's lessons and applied them to other psychics. :)
 
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Femke said:
See? There is hope.
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Eventually the cognitive dissonance will cause the believer to work out what's happening. It happened to me; I thought I was a spirit-talker, tested it and failed spectacularly.
 
tuxcat said:
Eventually the cognitive dissonance will cause the believer to work out what's happening. It happened to me; I thought I was a spirit-talker, tested it and failed spectacularly.
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Good for you. You got to the testing phase and allowed yourself to fail. Wow.
Most believers never test their convictions, because they 'know' it to be right. Those are very hard to reach, I am afraid.
 
Femke said:
Good for you. You got to the testing phase and allowed yourself to fail. Wow.
Most believers never test their convictions, because they 'know' it to be right. Those are very hard to reach, I am afraid.
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I could pass on no messages from the "spirits" that weren't already known. I couldn't tell things that I didn't already know. The "spirits" didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. They told me nothing that I couldn't work out. What happened was that I picked up bits and pieces from listening to conversations and made inferences - this was all unconcious. I didn't register myself doing it.

In the test, for example, the tester asked me to communicate with her departed mother. I knew her name from listening to another conversation that she had a few weeks beforehand with another person. I couldn't tell her what her mother looked like, I couldn't tell her where she died and I couldn't tell her anything else. Spectacular fail.

Another fail came when I had to ask my "spirits" to open a brown envelope in which the tester had put 10 cards. Those cards could contain numbers, letters, strings of numbers or letters, alphanumeric strings, photographs, periodic table elements, Zener cards, words, logos or the cards could just be coloured pieces of paper. I made guesses - 0 out of 10. The "spirits" "said" that they had seen inside and opened it up. They told me what it was - every single one of them was wrong!

In actual fact there were 2 pictures (a seaside shot and a picture of a car), 4 alphanumeric strings from a one-time pad generator 10 chars long, 2 cards with a number string (OTP generator again) and 2 cards with a string of letters (ditto).

I didn't use cold or hot reading to my knowledge but I think that I probably did and just don't remember doing it.
 
Well done, tuxcat!

I'd think that putting your "abilities" to the test and then admitting you'd failed that test (rather than explaining/rationalizing it away) had to have been quite difficult.

We have another forum member (was it ChillZero? Drat this poor excuse for a brain!) who had at one time been convinced that she was psychic, but had - like you - put it to a test and come to the sad realization that what she had thought were psychic powers were nothing more than (mostly subconscious) cold reading, bolstered over the years by a lot of "remembering the hits and forgetting the misses".

Her story helped show many of us that it IS indeed possible for someone to truly believe that they are psychic, and that not all who claim to be psychic are knowingly lying about it (although the ones who have been at it for years and years, such as Sylvia Browne, are, almost certainly, knowing liars).

Thank you for stepping forward with your story and reminding us of that again.
 
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RSLancastr said:
Well done, tuxcat!

I'd think that putting your "abilities" to the test and then admitting you'd failed that test (rather than explaining/rationalizing it away) had to have been quite difficult.

We have another forum member (was it ChillZero? Drat this poor excuse for a brain!) who had at one time been convinced that she was psychic, but had - like you - put it to a test and come to the sad realization that what she had thought were psychic powers were nothing more than (mostly subconscious) cold reading, bolstered over the years by a lot of "remembering the hits and forgetting the misses".

Her story helped show many of us that it IS indeed possible for someone to truly believe that they are psychic, and that not all who claim to be psychic are knowingly lying about it (although the ones who have been at it for years and years, such as Sylvia Browne, are, almost certainly, knowing liars).

Thank you for stepping forward with your story and reminding us of that again.
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Well it's not quite true - I did for a bit say that the "spirits" must have been mistaken, but then it dawned on me that that outcome would be consistent with a world where spirits don't exist and are invented by the brain in it's functionings. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I have a very active and vivid imagination which means that I find writing fiction easy so it's not entirely out of the question that my brain may be able to create these beings. I also read a paper where researchers were able to create a ghost out of nothing. Then that dawned on me too. It was hard giving up my special powers and my security blanket but there we go.

Some of the examples of "spirit communication" that I can offer are varied - from attending someone's funeral and "seeing" them in my mind's eye at the funeral watching. It's more or less a mental chroma-key and the fine line between reality and daydreaming are crossed over.

Another one is when I was driving home one wet and freezing cold day in February. My "spirits" told me that I was going to crash if I wasn't careful. Back end went out going around a tight bend. Anyone could see that a freezing winter's afternoon, wet road and tight bend are not conducive to settled nerves! It was my subconscious telling me what I could see with my eyes but maybe what didn't register in my conciousness. FSM help us if we need ghosts to read the road and help us to drive on a B-road!

And the final nail in the coffin is the lack of consistency. For example "Dr" Dave and Sharon Oster say "x" but the local medium says "z." The complete lack of consistency is consistent with something that is made up.

So there we have it folks! That's my story in a nutshell.
 
ETA: the other sinister side of my "mediumship" was being attacked by figments of my own imagination where I'd be scared to enter my own bed! Absurd yes, I laugh about it now. But when you have sleepless nights and are sat downstairs because of shadows, sleep paralysis, a bit of heat and glowing cat's eyes and thinking it was a demon, it isn't so funny. Or the creaks, bangs, knocks and other noises a wooden house makes.

And no, the various incantations that I made to my imaginary protector didn't get the cat to leave. That's the other thing, it turned out to be the cat. It usually sleeps downstairs behind the sofa, but it does often go upstairs and sits on my pillow. Glowing eyes doesn't always mean a demon - it might be a black and white mouse-chasing fish-eater :D

Putting it on paper (or rather screen) I amaze myself with my own gullibility and insanity at times! I suppose I am a bit like flaccon - just less deluded and in denial.
 
tuxcat,

When the spirits communicated with you, did they just give you a feeling or did you hear voices? I find this fascinating. If you heard voices, did they stop or do you still sometimes hear things but you've learned to ignore them like asydhouse does?

Thanks for sharing this info. In future threads like the one that flaccon has running, you might want to weigh in with "here's how I did it in your situation...."

Thanks again,
Ward
 
wardenclyffe said:
tuxcat,

When the spirits communicated with you, did they just give you a feeling or did you hear voices? I find this fascinating. If you heard voices, did they stop or do you still sometimes hear things but you've learned to ignore them like asydhouse does?

Thanks for sharing this info. In future threads like the one that flaccon has running, you might want to weigh in with "here's how I did it in your situation...."

Thanks again,
Ward
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If I am completely honest I would say that it was more telepathic. To the best of my knowledge I haven't heard any voices. Here's hoping that will long continue :eek: I certainly can't recall any voices as if they were speaking like normal people do. So basically what I think is that they were characters my brain invented and chroma-keyed them into everyday life - for want of a better analogy. Some of the spirits were real people that had died - but the majority were indeed fictional characters that my brain invented.

I was under a lot of stress at the time and I think that it might have been my brain's way of utilising escapology.
 
"A few months later when I still failed to get pregnant, I contacted the Sylvia Browne website"

LOL! You gotta love it! They bang themselves in the head with a hammer in one hand while reaching for the aspirin with the other.

"I am so sorry that Sylvia's nonsense added further turmoil to what was obviously already a very difficult time for you, both physically and emotionally."

Gimme a break Robert! It's not like Sylvia came knocking at her door or made an unexpected call to her cell.
She bought tickets! She wanted it! She paid for it! She got it!

When are you gonna get it? Holy Cow Man!
 
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Brattus said:
Gimme a break Robert! It's not like Sylvia came knocking at her door or made an unexpected call to her cell.
She bought tickets! She wanted it! She paid for it! She got it!

When are you gonna get it? Holy Cow Man!
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Regardless of whether or not what you say there is true, that would not change the fact that SB's nonsense added to her turmoil, nor the fact that I am sorry that happened.

My reply stands.
 
No doubt her miscarriage was a tragic event in her life. But that and her attending a Sylvia Browne show are completely unrelated.

It only added to her turmoil because she bought tickets, waited in line and felt like a winner when her name was called to ask one question of Sylvia.
The question she asked was directly related to her miscarriage.

She chose to go the show.
She chose the question.
She chose to take Sylvia's reply seriously.

It's all on her brother.
If your going to be sorry about anything regarding that email author than you should pity her complete lack of basic common sense.
 
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Brattus, people under severe emotional distress don't always make rational decisions. Blaming the victim for acting irrationally when they are literally out of their mind is not useful to anyone. In fact, the fact that these people are so vulnerable is why many of us consider the psychics who prey on them to be among the very worst of all woo-perpetrators. Someone who sells you a ticket to see Bigfoot, well, I might agree with your caveat emptor position, to some extent. But in a case like this, I have nothing but sympathy for the victims.

I have experienced loss, and I know that it becomes much harder to remain rational when that happens. The fact that I've never given a dime to any of these criminals, or even been vaguely tempted to do so doesn't mean that I don't understand the temptation. I do, and I am 100% certain you're blaming the wrong person.
 
tuxcat said:
I didn't use cold or hot reading to my knowledge but I think that I probably did and just don't remember doing it.
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I would say it is a near certainty. Separate from the high profile hucksters like Sylvia Browne et al, there are many people who, like you, honestly believe in their own abilities. Their belief gets (mistakenly) buttressed not only by the easy-to-garner positive feedback of their sitters but by the fact that many are naturally gifted at observation, even if they don't realize it. I suspect you had honed your own skills in that direction.

Further, sometimes they use them in helpful ways. There are people who are moderately or severely troubled who would not under any circumstance seek counseling but who would and do seek out what they see as spiritual help. The honest and benevolent though misguided readers such as you were oftentimes serve as a "poor man's counselor."
 
Brattus said:
No doubt her miscarriage was a tragic event in her life. But that and her attending a Sylvia Browne show are completely unrelated.

It only added to her turmoil because she bought tickets, waited in line and felt like a winner when her name was called to ask one question of Sylvia.
The question she asked was directly related to her miscarriage.

She chose to go the show.
She chose the question.
She chose to take Sylvia's reply seriously.

It's all on her brother.
If your going to be sorry about anything regarding that email author than you should pity her complete lack of basic common sense.
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While I lean far more to Robert's position than to yours, I do see your point, and at my lowest cynical ebb I sometimes temporarily adopt this "screw 'em if they're that stupid" attitude. Thankfully, it is only temporarily.

To be honest, I don't believe that your own position is that clear cut. Do you have the same attitude toward a car buyer who got a lemon from the dishonest used car dealer? Screw 'em if he didn't bother to take it to a mechanic first!

The fact is that the two positions are not exclusive. One can hold the buyer (at least partly) responsible for falling for the schtick while simultaneously holding the dishonest huckster to account. Frankly, I would use that approach with my own children if they spent money on Sylvia Browne.

Look, son. You got ripped off. Sylvia Browne is a thief, a liar, a fraud, and a reprehensible human being. You should pursue all legal recourse available. Simultaneously, learn your lesson. In future, do your research and don't fall for something because it is emotionally appealing (like that 1967 Mustang you want to buy from Honest Dan the Good Car Man).
 
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