Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

From:- http://www.freeinfidel.com/2008/05/26/s ... rtainment/
The UK Government has passed a law which means that fortune-tellers, mediums, spiritualists and other peddlers of the supernatural must label their services as ‘entertainment only’. I can think of a few other organisations that should do that.

And http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7416809.stm

So will this apply to other unprovable activities/faiths? Church services, religious funerals, marriages?

If not, why not, and what's the difference?

jtaylor wrote:

From:- http://www.freeinfidel.com/2008/05/26/s ... rtainment/
The UK Government has passed a law which means that fortune-tellers, mediums, spiritualists and other peddlers of the supernatural must label their services as ‘entertainment only’. I can think of a few other organisations that should do that.

And http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7416809.stm

So will this apply to other unprovable activities/faiths? Church services, religious funerals, marriages?

If not, why not, and what's the difference?

The operative word is TRADER.

Fortune tellers, mediums etc charge for their services and there is evidence that some of them exploit vulnerable, recently bereaved people.

Churches do not charge for their services. There maybe a voluntary collection which you can contribute to if you wish but there is no element of compulsory payment.

Therein lies a major distinction in my humble opinion!

In fact if you go to many Free churches they don't even call it a collection, it is an Offering.

Incidentally on "The Weakest Link" on Saturday the 'Team' consisted of these noddies.

Interesting!
And yet "tithing" is encouraged by the Church?

I like the Richard Dawkins quote "You're an atheist too - I just go one God further"

Who are Christians (and I count myself as one) to say that Spiritualists are any more wrong than they are?
Christian's choose one form of unprovable belief, spiritualists another.
Christian's often ridicule those who believe they talk to the dead - but what is Jesus if not a dead person, who rose again?

Interestingly selective!

J

Relatives of No 1 Daughters partner are regular visitors to a local medium.

I have to say she remarkably accurate !

Unfortunately the charlatans give the 'profession' a bad name.

What about hypnosis ?

My housemate's girlfriend is a medium from time to time, also does tarot, body spin, reiki etc....

She once successfully reiki'ed a car door!

J.R. wrote: Unfortunately the charlatans give the 'profession' a bad name.

What about hypnosis ?

That is a branch / offshoot of psychology (or whar=tever) which is supposed to be a sort of medicine; perhaps you got the above two sentences in the wrong order?

I personally do not regard hypnosis as a game, entertainment or whatever; on the rare occasions I have used it then the use has been for serious matters such as pain avoidance when a loose milk tooth was being pulled or control of bleeding.

Are you saying you have the power of hypnosis, David ?

Do you remember Bennett in Coleridge B, (sadly no longer with us) ? He used to hypnotise people in the dorms ! Rather a strange and eccentric fellow but highly likeable !

Mid A 15 wrote:The operative word is TRADER.

Fortune tellers, mediums etc charge for their services and there is evidence that some of them exploit vulnerable, recently bereaved people.

Churches do not charge for their services. There maybe a voluntary collection which you can contribute to if you wish but there is no element of compulsory payment.

Therein lies a major distinction in my humble opinion!

So it'll apply to the "Church" of Scientology, then.

This *will* be a fun one to watch.