I'm the Phoenix Examiner: About Eddie's Challenge
Hello. I wrote the article about the Eddie Benitez challenge to psychics, mediums and ghost hunters. I would like to weigh in with a couple of things from myself, and also from Eddie.
First, there seems to be an assumption in this thread that because Eddie was featured in an episode of the Discovery Channel show, A Haunting, that the Discovery Channel is involved in this challenge Eddie is putting out there.
This challenge is from Eddie — and it will be filmed by Eddie. The person setting the criteria is Eddie. It's a personal challenge, between Eddie Benitez and any psi takers.
The money is not Eddie's. The challenge is being sponsored by Creative Music Entertainment, an East Coast promotions company, as stated in the article. Eddie himself has no interests held in that company.
When I wrote the article I thought of Randi's long-standing million dollar challenge which has never been paid out. I gave props to an earlier challenge. Having said that, if you feel Eddie has "taken a page out of Randi's book" then Eddie would like to point out that Randi has taken scores of pages out of Harry Houdini's book. It's a free market.
Having said that — the offer of money if spirit communication can be proven is where any and all similarities in the challenge stop.
Eddie's challenge is spiritual, not scientific, though the criteria will not allow for trickery and the obvious fraudulent scams.
Eddie is a true believer yes — which is precisely why he is in a position to
gauge authenticity. Eddie has spiritual gifts and yes, he is matching his gifts, which he asserts are authentic — in a challenge to others. Someone with an authentic gift, could walk away with $50k. The rest, with their heads down.
Grunion wrote: "It sounds from the article as if he expects to film a psychic showdown with any of these con artists to prove that only his visions are the real ones." Let's be clear. Eddie's does not claim to have "visions." He claims to have real communication and encounters with spirits, and angels. Not visions.
Let's also be clear what the other differences between Eddie Benitez and Randi are. Randi is a magician. A skeptic. A "materialist" (a eupemism for atheist). Randi's criteria are for magic, not even paranormal purposes.
Eddie is a man of faith, not religion. He is not a magician. Spirituality is what he teaches, faith in God, and in the Son of God, Jesus. (Who is not God, but God's son.) He believes the spirit realm is real, and that there are spirits from God, and also demonic spirits. He believes mediums, if they have spirit contact, are consorting with the dark side, spirit imposters who claim to be the spirits of the dearly departed.
Determining the authenticity of the spirits and where they come from is one thing. Because some of these mediums and psychics and ghosthunters are playing with forces they do not recognize and are gullibly being used. Others are simply charlatans using tricks and cons.
I am also at work on Eddie's biography, Angels on My Stage, so my knowledge of Eddie's world and beliefs goes beyond the short article you refer to.
My own credentials are both in the media and academia. I'm a veteran broadcaster, published author, freelance writer — and a clairvoyant. (Not mediumship.) I'm also a theolgian, with two graduate degrees in theology, studies that, btw, led to my rejection of all organized religion. I too, am in the spirituality, not religion camp.
Eddie would like it to be known that he is willing to meet James Randi in a challenge at any time. He has offered to tell Randi the date and time of his "ascension" as well.
On the other hand, he wonders why, if Randi is never going to really engage in a challenge and give the million dollars away — why doesn't he donate that money to the Randi Educational Foundation and ease the need for donations?
I hope this helps to further your conversation. Thank you.
