New European law could target woowoos

[lazarus]

I just saw this on BBC World News America, here's the Guardian story:

The evocative question 'Is there anybody there?' conjures up images of mediums summoning spirits in a darkened room. But now psychics must add a few riders before they invoke the voices of the dead, thanks to new consumer laws due to come into force. Breathless audiences are now likely to be asked: 'Is there anybody here... who is vulnerable, of nervous disposition, or likely to sue?'

Indeed, a whole list of disclaimers must be added to the spiritualists' spiel if they are to avoid an avalanche of writs following the repeal next month of the Fraudulent Mediums Act, to be replaced by the new Consumer Protection Regulations. Promises to raise the dead, secure good fortune or heal through the laying on of hands are all at risk of legal action from disgruntled customers. Spiritualists say they will be forced to issue disclaimers, such as 'this is a scientific experiment, the results of which cannot be guaranteed'. They claim the new regulations will leave them open to malicious civil action by sceptics.

The Spiritualists are all up in arms about this, and according to the report I saw, psychics are starting to put the disclaimer on their ads that they're for entertainment only.

Hee.

[realisticphish]

1. i heard about that on SGU

I think it's great. It's better than an attempt to license, since that would give them a sense of legitimacy

[mr blur]

2. "'this is a scientific experiment"?

I suspect that scientists might disagree...

[Deep13]

3. Why don't they use their psychic powers to weed-out litigious customers?

:shrug:

[TZ]

6. What I want to know..

Is how come they didn't see this law coming ahead of time....:)

[onager]

4. Heh...

Promises to raise the dead, secure good fortune or heal through the laying on of hands are all at risk of legal action...

So as a Grumpy Atheist, I'll soon be filing lawsuits against the Pope, the Archbishop Of Canterbury, and Billy Graham. Just for a start.

[Warpy]

5. Start with a really easy target, Benny Hinn

He's a total fake, something that's already been proven, he's got really deep pockets thanks to all the suckers he's fleeced, and any court case would be a slam dunk. In addition, you might be able to put him out of business.

The Pope is someone who should be worked up to. He's got thousands of years of miraculous cures that can no longer be researched and disproven, he's got over a billion supporters worldwide, and a court case would go on forever and would need the kind of funding that judgments against frauds like Hinn would provide.

I'm just suggesting a long term strategy here.

[onager]

7. Great minds think alike!

"Benny Hinn" was actually the first name I typed. Then I changed it. To honor the man Garry Wills once described as "the thinking man's Easter Bunny."

Anyone who uses the "what does it hurt" argument about faith-healers needs to see that old HBO special on Benny Hinn. I've never forgotten it, much as I tried.

The show featured a couple with a very young son who had congential brain disease. He was born with it and was never going to get much better. As I remember, those evil, cold-hearted "conventional" docs had told the couple the best they could do was keep their son comfortable and let him enjoy life as much as they could while they had him.

Then along comes Benny Hinn, and now the parents are dragging that poor kid all over the country, following Hinn's revival circus. At their own expense. There was even footage of Hinn and his disciples urging the parents to put "love offerings" on their credit card. Which they did. And all the visible evidence showed that these were not wealthy people.

The child finally died, and the parents felt guilty because their faith wasn't strong enough. Hinn encouraged that line of thinking, naturally.

The whole thing made me wish I could still believe in Hell.

[and-justice-for-all]

8. That rocks!! good for the UK!!! nt