First let me say I love this site...Bear with me , long post

Ok , my wife watches Sylvia on Montel , she gets very upset with me because I say she is a scam.I really do not understand any of it , pet psychics , etc...Here is why I will never be convinced in near future.Whenever a nation wide news alert about missing children , or murders ( John boney Ramsey...spell check comes to mind ) where are these psychics?This is mainly aimed at sylvia , but any will do claiming that much power.I mean seriously , how hard would it be to pick up the phone and tell someone where they are before it is to late?I do not mean every single case ,but would you not think she would have a little spare time and heart to help a little?She gives out names of "murderers" on montel to people , have we had even one "update" if anyone caught?If these abilities were true and that strong , if I were her than the twin towers would have been standing today , numerous children would be home , numerous criminals would be off the streets....And I would run off of government funding , or donations and do it full time.Meaning ,if these powers true why make millions talking to dead relatives on tv shows when you could live comfortably helping a huge amount of people?....If you have not , just check her site with this in mind , anyones site for that matter..Please do not take offence to my beliefs , but they are based on facts.

Sylvia and her sons phone charges : Phone reading with Sylvia - $700
Phone reading with Chris - $400

A Phone consultation with Sylvia or Chris lasts approximately 20-30 minutes.

And to anyone being Psychic have you heard of the million dollars waiting for you?...Below detailed info on it....Its worth a try?

Magician and skeptic James (The Amazing) Randi has had a long-standing offer for any psychic to perform a paranormal act under controlled conditions. If the results meet mutually-agreed-to standards for success, a cash prize is to be awarded to the challenger. The prize started out as $10,000 of Randi's own money.

But many of the same psychics who do readings in their drawing room for 30 or 40 dollars a pop said that $10,000 for a single job was not worth their time and effort. (As an aside, some other psychics who do the same thing for a living haughtily announced that they weren't in it for the money. When it's pointed out that they can donate the money to charity if they wish, they simply pretend not to hear.)

So Randi turned to his many fans and supporters. He started an organization called the 2000 Club. Membership consisted of pledging a minimum of $1,000 in $1,000 increments to the Randi Challenge. As of this writing, the pledges stand at over 1.2 million dollars. The prize would now consist of a $10,000 check handed over on the spot, with the remainder collectable in pledges.

But the psychics complained that this was still not acceptable. It would be far too much work to collect the money from everyone, and not everybody would come through on their pledges. The job of collecting a potential one million dollars seemed pretty enticing to me, even if half the pledgers turned out to be welchers, but I guess my mind doesn't work like that of a psychic.

An anonymous philanthropist has made it possible for Randi to found the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). This donor has additionally provided one million dollars to be kept in an account specifically for the Randi prize. Therefore, in the interests of pleasing the psychics, the Randi Challenge was modified. A winning challenger would immediately get $10,000 of Randi's money, along with a check from the JREF for the remainder of the 1.2 million. Collecting from the pledgers would now be the JREF's problem.

Now the psychics expressed extreme skepticism that the JREF even had assets worth one million. (In fact, Randi's honesty seems to be the only subject the paranormalists are capable of working up any skepticism for.) At one point James Randi offered to make a $1,000 bet that the assets were there. He has indicated that there were no takers, despite repeated insistence by the psychics that the money is nonexistent.

The latest move to accommodate potential challengers was to place the funds in an account named The James Randi Educational Foundation Prize Account with the firm of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the form of liquidatable bonds. Doubters were then invited to send a FAX to a certain number to receive confirmation that the one million dollars was really there.

Afterward, none of the highly vocal scoffers had said anything about having performed this simple and convenient research. So I went ahead and sent a FAX. I got back this letter on Goldman Sachs letterhead, signed by a Naomi C. Shapiro, confirming the presence of one million dollars in liquid assets.

At this point, I expect the psychics to charge that the letter is a forgery, either on my part, or on the part of the JREF. One imagines Goldman Sachs would vigorously prosecute anyone distributing incorrect financial information on their letterhead. This would be a tremendous risk to run, especially for the simple purpose of trying to shut up a few obnoxious loudmouths. If the psychics could investigate this matter, and manage to expose fraud on the part of the JREF, there should be little doubt that they would eagerly set out to do so. Bringing The Amazing Randi down in humiliating defeat is the kind of fantasy that fires their imaginations at night.

Anyone paying attention will certainly see a pattern here. The paranormalists will never be satisfied no matter what attempts are made to address their supposed concerns.

A small number of genuinely self-deluded individuals have agreed to take the Randi Challenge, and invaryingly failed. But the biggest majority of those who boast of paranormal abilities avoid the Challenge like the plague. Some disregard the entry rules, and make up their own counter-challenge (Their rules - Randi's money). Randi sensibly ignores them. Then they crow that Randi is excluding them from the Psychic Challenge, but in truth they never accepted the existing Challenge, only another of their own invention involving none of their own money.

Or they simply deny that the Challenge is legitimate. Arguments that the best way to prove this assertion is to take the Challenge and win are like water off a duck's back.

Why do believers in psychic phenomena do this? Because they have to. A universe in which paranormal effects abound cannot be the same universe in which a one million dollar Psychic Challenge lies unclaimed for many years. This is the whole point of the Challenge.

Fans of the paranormal delight in portraying skeptics as being like ostriches with their heads in the sand, carefully avoiding any kind of research which might contradict their beliefs. But it's a widely-recognized fact that we tend to expect others to do as we do. I've never heard of a psychic actually investigating whether the prize money for the Randi Challenge was really there, even after Randi has made it very easy to research this. I hear nothing but their repetitive, loudly-proclaimed doubts about the existence of the money.

There's a phrase for this.

It's called willful ignorance.

Holy talk about attack on Sylvia Browne! I would like to see how you would feel if someone openly cut down your faith, as Sylvia is a head of Novus Spiritus, many people look to her teachings for hope and direction. Do you see any of us cutting down Catholisism? Why would we bother? I don't really understand why so many people choose to berate Sylvia, did people treat Edgard Cayce this way? Oh my mistake, he didn't really charge much for his sessions, I will give you that, but for the amount of good her church has done for others, well it helped me out quite a bit. Have you ever actually sat down and read one of her books? If not maybe you should. I won't waste my time trying to convince you to believe in her, I could really care less if you do or do not, but please respect others beliefs, as they are very dear to them. I would never ever say something like: Oh, what a bunch of phonies those Catholics are, how could they believe that Jesus healed the sick with a mere touch, or that he rose magicaly from his grave, or that he turned water into wine, how could he possibly have been real? DUH, of course he was real, and I respect his work, why do you feel the need to be so offensive? In this day and age we are supposed to be tolerant of others, you sir are not.

Has your wife ever asked for 700$? If not who cares if she likes Sylvia? It is her business, and I am sure she does not appreciate your lack of support. Just because you do not believe in something does not mean you have to rip it apart like that. Prove to me she is a fake, she most certainly is not one hundered percent but she is most definately not a fake. That is my opinion, and I am sticking to it...you people who choose to cut apart my beleifs are rude and kind of mean. I feel sorry for you.

Wow for people who are a part of Unexplained Mysteries, you sure are close minded. I think whenever someone gets big, there are like a million people right there to tear them down. So sad, Sylvia only pulls in 35,000 a year, she is not rich, and she is a very awesome spiritual teacher. Don't bother watching Montel if you don't like her. I do not go to church, because I don't really agree with some of the philosphy told there. But I do respect them...that is why I stay away.
It is really too bad you can't open your mind a little bit more.
Love and light, Denise.

I believe the willul ignorance is on your part. For one, it is correct to say your beliefs are based on YOUR BELIEFS, not fact, certainly not fact. 1st, Sylvia has many many charities, as most high profile celebs. do. As far as nothing she has said on Montel has been credited?? Wrong, everything she says is checked either by staff of Montels or her own, or local police of whomever is asking for help. If the person is helped or case solved, why is it any of our buisness?? As far as helping police, thats an all the time thing, even if she is not asked, if she gets a "hit" on it she will contact the correct authorities. I could go on myself discrediting what you have said, but as i said, what u belive is not fact, dont confuse belief from fact. Yes, all i have said I belive is fact, but it is based on what i have read and extensively researched, but i still am not foolish enough to call it fact, it is my beliefs based on what ive read.

Whatever. I know this she never predicts anything right. She also takes down the predicitons from the previous year so know one sees how wrong she is.

Thank goodness for your reply. I totaly agree with everything you say. I cant say enough good things about Sylvia and her contributions. Also, nice comparrison to Cayce, the guy who wrote the nonsense probably has never heard Cayces name anyhow.

So she makes sure that there is no record of her past perdictions? Is there any way we can find a copy of them and compare?

It also says everything about her "psychic " abilities....or should we say lack of..

First let me say I love this site...Bear with me , long post

Ok , my wife watches Sylvia on Montel , she gets very upset with me because I say she is a scam.I really do not understand any of it , pet psychics , etc...Here is why I will never be convinced in near future.Whenever a nation wide news alert about missing children , or murders ( John boney Ramsey...spell check comes to mind ) where are these psychics?This is mainly aimed at sylvia , but any will do claiming that much power.I mean seriously , how hard would it be to pick up the phone and tell someone where they are before it is to late?I do not mean every single case ,but would you not think she would have a little spare time and heart to help a little?She gives out names of "murderers" on montel to people , have we had even one "update" if anyone caught?If these abilities were true and that strong , if I were her than the twin towers would have been standing today , numerous children would be home , numerous criminals would be off the streets....And I would run off of government funding , or donations and do it full time.Meaning ,if these powers true why make millions talking to dead relatives on tv shows when you could live comfortably helping a huge amount of people?....If you have not , just check her site with this in mind , anyones site for that matter..Please do not take offence to my beliefs , but they are based on facts.

Sylvia and her sons phone charges : Phone reading with Sylvia - $700
Phone reading with Chris - $400

A Phone consultation with Sylvia or Chris lasts approximately 20-30 minutes.

And to anyone being Psychic have you heard of the million dollars waiting for you?...Below detailed info on it....Its worth a try?

Magician and skeptic James (The Amazing) Randi has had a long-standing offer for any psychic to perform a paranormal act under controlled conditions. If the results meet mutually-agreed-to standards for success, a cash prize is to be awarded to the challenger. The prize started out as $10,000 of Randi's own money.

But many of the same psychics who do readings in their drawing room for 30 or 40 dollars a pop said that $10,000 for a single job was not worth their time and effort. (As an aside, some other psychics who do the same thing for a living haughtily announced that they weren't in it for the money. When it's pointed out that they can donate the money to charity if they wish, they simply pretend not to hear.)

So Randi turned to his many fans and supporters. He started an organization called the 2000 Club. Membership consisted of pledging a minimum of $1,000 in $1,000 increments to the Randi Challenge. As of this writing, the pledges stand at over 1.2 million dollars. The prize would now consist of a $10,000 check handed over on the spot, with the remainder collectable in pledges.

But the psychics complained that this was still not acceptable. It would be far too much work to collect the money from everyone, and not everybody would come through on their pledges. The job of collecting a potential one million dollars seemed pretty enticing to me, even if half the pledgers turned out to be welchers, but I guess my mind doesn't work like that of a psychic.

An anonymous philanthropist has made it possible for Randi to found the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). This donor has additionally provided one million dollars to be kept in an account specifically for the Randi prize. Therefore, in the interests of pleasing the psychics, the Randi Challenge was modified. A winning challenger would immediately get $10,000 of Randi's money, along with a check from the JREF for the remainder of the 1.2 million. Collecting from the pledgers would now be the JREF's problem.

Now the psychics expressed extreme skepticism that the JREF even had assets worth one million. (In fact, Randi's honesty seems to be the only subject the paranormalists are capable of working up any skepticism for.) At one point James Randi offered to make a $1,000 bet that the assets were there. He has indicated that there were no takers, despite repeated insistence by the psychics that the money is nonexistent.

The latest move to accommodate potential challengers was to place the funds in an account named The James Randi Educational Foundation Prize Account with the firm of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the form of liquidatable bonds. Doubters were then invited to send a FAX to a certain number to receive confirmation that the one million dollars was really there.

Afterward, none of the highly vocal scoffers had said anything about having performed this simple and convenient research. So I went ahead and sent a FAX. I got back this letter on Goldman Sachs letterhead, signed by a Naomi C. Shapiro, confirming the presence of one million dollars in liquid assets.

At this point, I expect the psychics to charge that the letter is a forgery, either on my part, or on the part of the JREF. One imagines Goldman Sachs would vigorously prosecute anyone distributing incorrect financial information on their letterhead. This would be a tremendous risk to run, especially for the simple purpose of trying to shut up a few obnoxious loudmouths. If the psychics could investigate this matter, and manage to expose fraud on the part of the JREF, there should be little doubt that they would eagerly set out to do so. Bringing The Amazing Randi down in humiliating defeat is the kind of fantasy that fires their imaginations at night.

Anyone paying attention will certainly see a pattern here. The paranormalists will never be satisfied no matter what attempts are made to address their supposed concerns.

A small number of genuinely self-deluded individuals have agreed to take the Randi Challenge, and invaryingly failed. But the biggest majority of those who boast of paranormal abilities avoid the Challenge like the plague. Some disregard the entry rules, and make up their own counter-challenge (Their rules - Randi's money). Randi sensibly ignores them. Then they crow that Randi is excluding them from the Psychic Challenge, but in truth they never accepted the existing Challenge, only another of their own invention involving none of their own money.

Or they simply deny that the Challenge is legitimate. Arguments that the best way to prove this assertion is to take the Challenge and win are like water off a duck's back.

Why do believers in psychic phenomena do this? Because they have to. A universe in which paranormal effects abound cannot be the same universe in which a one million dollar Psychic Challenge lies unclaimed for many years. This is the whole point of the Challenge.

Fans of the paranormal delight in portraying skeptics as being like ostriches with their heads in the sand, carefully avoiding any kind of research which might contradict their beliefs. But it's a widely-recognized fact that we tend to expect others to do as we do. I've never heard of a psychic actually investigating whether the prize money for the Randi Challenge was really there, even after Randi has made it very easy to research this. I hear nothing but their repetitive, loudly-proclaimed doubts about the existence of the money.

There's a phrase for this.

It's called willful ignorance.

I've not read each entry contained in this discussion; however, please let me begin by saying that this is my first visit here. I like the idea of having a place to discuss this and not feel that any of us are judging or arguing. The mere fact that we are all here posting our belifes, opinions, etc. proves that Sylvia is doing what she has set out to do. As she has said all along, she is truly on a mission for God. She is encouraging all of us to search for the truth and to find our own God center. Through discussions such as this, we stimulate thought toward the matter.

Whether Sylvia's predictions/visions/whatever you want to call them are correct or not is really irrelevant. If what she does is helping others, that is all she is trying to do. More important than her psychic lessons are her spiritual ones. All she is trying to tell us is that we have everything we need to survive this hell hole. All we need to do is love an support one another and to be sure that everything we do is done for God. After that, give God credit for the good things that happen and then be smart enough to "shut up and go Home."

How can any of us blast a person who is doing nothing more than to encourage all of us to love one another. Sylvia Browne is simply a messenger trying to help us all see what we were meant to see..............the beauty of love for God and each other.

I have to say that Randi is every bit as *fake* in his own way as many of the people he criticises.

He came over to England a few years back to appear on a TV show about psychics etc, Not being that well known over here, he was able to pose as a *psychic* and quite rightly and properly he showed how a *cold reading* works on the member of the audience. He showed all the tricks , the vague descriptions etc etc. Nothing wrong with that and he did it well only he had to lie about it.

During his *reading* he mentioned something about the girl he was *reading* living in a circular room or a room with round walls. Now this wasn't particularly vague as it turns out the girl had indeed lived in a water tower ,converted into a home, and it was indeed,, round.

Unsurprisingly the girl asked Randi how he could pick something like this , lets be honest quite unique piece of information, up from a simple cold reading of stranger he had never met before. Randi then admitted that he had a researcher delve into her background and feed him the information knowing she would in the audience that night.

Now, call me picky, but thats not a *cold reading* where a stranger walks in off the street or calls on the phone, that was Randi deliberatley misleading an audience in his attempt to get his ponit across. The fact is, the audience reacted by booing him the moment he actually admitted he'd cheated totally not just *read from cold*.

To me that incident said a lot about the veracity of the man Randi. He makes just as much money from debunking the stuff he laughs at as do most of those who fake being able to tell people the future and he was determined, by whatever means necessary, to prove how *good* he was on the TV programme and he made a complete ass of himself.

Sylvia brown is a prime example on people who prey on human insecurities to make money. Like we dont have enough of that already...

I've not read each entry contained in this discussion; however, please let me begin by saying that this is my first visit here. I like the idea of having a place to discuss this and not feel that any of us are judging or arguing. The mere fact that we are all here posting our belifes, opinions, etc. proves that Sylvia is doing what she has set out to do. As she has said all along, she is truly on a mission for God. She is encouraging all of us to search for the truth and to find our own God center. Through discussions such as this, we stimulate thought toward the matter.

Whether Sylvia's predictions/visions/whatever you want to call them are correct or not is really irrelevant. If what she does is helping others, that is all she is trying to do. More important than her psychic lessons are her spiritual ones. All she is trying to tell us is that we have everything we need to survive this hell hole. All we need to do is love an support one another and to be sure that everything we do is done for God. After that, give God credit for the good things that happen and then be smart enough to "shut up and go Home."

How can any of us blast a person who is doing nothing more than to encourage all of us to love one another. Sylvia Browne is simply a messenger trying to help us all see what we were meant to see..............the beauty of love for God and each other.