Sylvia Browne and her book

[Mid]

I’m fairly new here and being British I’ve never really come across Sylvia Browne, but after reading Randi’s commentary on her newish book I feel compelled to have a bit of a rant about her. Now I could mention her views on the “other side” and the fact that it must be getting pretty crowded given that every animal that’s ever lived is there; but quite frankly they were just the icing on the nauseating cake that is the front cover of her book.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such as saccharine, mawkish and downright vomit inducing front cover in my entire life, and if I have I must have blocked it out due to the trauma. I mean where can you begin in describing the sheer unspeakable ghastliness of it? How about the colour for the landscape? Nice and squirmingly pink. Or perhaps we could mention the choice of cutesy animals? However, I personally think the single factor that pushed this rank artwork into the realms of pure contemptibility, in fact to a level that could almost leave you dry retching, is the cuddly panda holding a fluffy pussy cat. That picture is so disgusting words nearly fail me, although I would note that it almost made me wish for the panda’s extinction so that we would be spared such vile sights again. As an after thought I suppose we could mention the pictures of the two authors, but all I could say would be unkind so let’s leave it at that.

Sorry for the rant and moderators if this isn’t the correct section feel free to delete or move the post, but after seeing that cover and having what felt like pure sugar dripped into my eyes I felt compelled to comment.

 

[Psiload]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/im...83880-0714538?_encoding=UTF8&n=507846&s=books

 

[HarryKeogh]

I disagree with Mid. I'm quite the art buff (I own several Nagel prints and a few Bob Ross originals) and love the use of negative space and the way the light plays off the panda's coat.

 

[Jon.]

What really astounds me is that it took three , count'em, three! authors to come up with this drivel.

Look at the cover - it's by "Sylvia Browne & her son Chris Dufresne" and further down, written with Kat Shehata."

I suspect what really happened is that the son came up with this goofy idea ("Gee, mom, don't you think all the kiddies out there would feel much better if they thought their puppies and kitties had gone to a Better Place?"), they enlisted Kat to write it, and put SB's imprimatur on the cover to sell copies.

 

[Mid]

I disagree with Mid. I'm quite the art buff (I own several Nagel prints and a few Bob Ross originals) and love the use of negative space and the way the light plays off the panda's coat.

To miss quote Mr Burns I don't know much about art but I know what I hate, and I hate this

 

[alfaniner]

Aren't pandas like, really nasty animals?

 

[RichardR]

Re this:

The only living things I have never seen at Home are insects. I am not sure exactly why that is, but I have never seen a spider, fly, or any other type of insect...

Surely spiders are arachnids, not insects. Surprised Randi didn't pick that up.

This puzzled me:

On the Other Side, we can communicate with animals telepathically... without even opening our mouths.

Yes but unfortunately it's mainly with initial letters. Imagine:

"I'm getting an M..."

Opening your mouth sounds easier to me.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

On the cat forums I frequent the preferred term is "The Rainbow Bridge" as in "last night Fluffy lost his battle with CRF and went to The Rainbow Bridge."

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

 

[Ducky]

Aren't pandas like, really nasty animals?

From what I can gather, they are downright cuddly next to Sylvia.

She makes my teeth hurt...


*Chokin' on my own rage here...

 

[H3LL]

Surely spiders are arachnids, not insects. Surprised Randi didn't pick that up.

I had the same thought and also wondered about the other Invertebrates such as crustaceans, molluscs, worms, sponges etc.

The 'other side' must be ankle deep in slugs and worms...Yum!

 

[Lisa Simpson]

I had the same thought and also wondered about the other Invertebrates such as crustaceans, molluscs, worms, sponges etc.

The 'other side' must be ankle deep in slugs and worms...Yum!

No, all the yucky, disgusting creatures like cockroaches and wall lice are in hell.

 

[psy kick]

When looking atthe cover,the titlethat cameto mind immediately was
To Serve Siamese.
heh

 

[Mid]

On the cat forums I frequent the preferred term is "The Rainbow Bridge" as in "last night Fluffy lost his battle with CRF and went to The Rainbow Bridge."

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Does this mean if I go to hell I'll be stampeded by all the cows I've eaten in my lifetime?

 

[Beckett]

Quote from the book
... All God's creatures exist on the Other Side with only one exception. The only living things I have never seen at Home are insects. I am not sure exactly why that is, but I have never seen a spider, fly, or any other type of insect...

... [All animals] exist on the Other side... animals that have existed throughout the history of the world are there as well, such as dinosaurs, unicorns, griffins, and other species...

How did she arrive upon this conclusion that all animals, with the exception of bugs, "exist on the Other side"? Did she catalogue each animal? Who or what told her she had seen every animal there is and ever was? How did she spot the amoeba or other tiny living things there at Home? Are there microscopes there?

Surely now we can find out just how accurate our understanding of evolution is by asking Mrs. Browne what, if any, are all (or even some of) the missing links within the animal kingdom, since they too would be at Home? Actually, the previous question won't create much of an argument since she'll probably simply say there weren't any. This raises the question, however: how does she know and what evidence does she have to support her?

I lost a dog a year ago, and I still feel remorse for not giving her a better life. I also know what it's like to lose friends. I truly understand how comforting a notion the Other side can be for children, I wish there was such a thing for those who've been wronged in life. But I don't pretend to know either that there is or isn't an afterlife. I'm simply a man. I just don't believe due to lack of good evidence. For Mrs. Browne to write a book on the subject, stating various things as facts without offering evidence, I find extremely patronizing, and not simply to children.

Another comforting notion about where we go when we die is that, in a sense, we don't really go anywhere. We are a part of something truly incredible, existence, not seperate from it. We, in some form, have always been here since time began, and will remain until it's end - if it ever began or will ever end. We are individuals and yet are one with the universe. I not only find this comforting, but more believable than an afterlife.

If it weren't for the fact that things die, I seriously, seriously doubt that all the things in life we cherish now would mean a darn thing to us otherwise. What is a meteor shower viewed for the millionth time? Is it still cute to see ducks waddle to a lake for the billionth time? And if you don't like your in-laws now, imagine a trillion years worth of visits from them. Sorry, I had to throw that joke in. Even if one is hard pressed on how to answer, "what happens to us when we die?", perhaps the above can help a child accept death. It helped me.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Does this mean if I go to hell I'll be stampeded by all the cows I've eaten in my lifetime?

I don't think so...The Rainbow Bridge is for companion animals.

However, in my life so far, I've had 6 cats and two dogs. Figuring on an average cat life of 15 years, and an average human female life of about 80 years, plus I'm planning on being a crazy cat lady when I get old, I could reasonably expect to be swarmed by somewhere around 20 cats when I die.

Ouch.

I need to ask Sylvia if cats poop in the afterlife, because no way am I changing litter for 20 cats.

 

[bluess]

I don't think so...The Rainbow Bridge is for companion animals.

However, in my life so far, I've had 6 cats and two dogs. Figuring on an average cat life of 15 years, and an average human female life of about 80 years, plus I'm planning on being a crazy cat lady when I get old, I could reasonably expect to be swarmed by somewhere around 20 cats when I die.

Ouch.

I need to ask Sylvia if cats poop in the afterlife, because no way am I changing litter for 20 cats.

And the hairballs.....

 

[Jono]

"always a perfect 78 degrees with no rain, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or lightning flashes." ...

Well, I certainly hope so, but that'll be a burden to everyone who's not American, because that's 172 degrees to all those folks who've been using the Celsius temperature scale; they might as well have gone Down Below....

78 degrees farenheit isn't equal to 172 degrees Celsius. Doesn't make sense.

I'm used to the Celsius scale myself and if I remember correctly 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the boiling point of water while the boiling point by use of the Celsius scale is 100 degrees.

 

[JamesM]

78 degrees farenheit isn't equal to 172 degrees Celsius. Doesn't make sense.

I'm used to the Celsius scale myself and if I remember correctly 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the boiling point of water while the boiling point by use of the Celsius scale is 100 degrees.

He meant that European readers, seeing "78 degrees", would read it as 78 degrees Celsius = 172 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Jono]

He meant that European readers, seeing "78 degrees", would read it as 78 degrees Celsius = 172 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then it does make sense, thank you.

 

[psy kick]

Next we'll probably see Sylvia "communicating"with the other side animals a la John Edward, them giving us "advice."
Maybe she'll get freaky enough that people will wake up, eh, maybe?