Editorials from Investigator Magazine:
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 160, 2015 Janaury)
Investigator is starting 2015 with many interesting articles:
Harry Edwards introduces us to Cayce Therapies and finishes his article with a quote that sums up Cayce Therapies as "hogwash".
Kevin Rogers writes on Mind and Brain and finds that people do have free choice, moral accountability, the ability to think real thoughts, and are conscious of their personal identity.
Dr Potter on Manufacturing Mythology takes a sweeping look at "mythology" — our ancient ancestors, the Old Testament, worship of celestial bodies, Jesus, the New Testament and the Church.
Anonymous in Bhutan, Happiness and the Bible outlines Bhutan’s agenda of Gross National Happiness and compares it with the Bible and the psychology of happiness.
Laurie Eddie presents the identifying signs of The Sociopathic Personality and explains how to cope if you live with a sociopath.
B Stett writes on Armageddon Rapidly Approaching and suggests that Armageddon did not "rapidly approach" after all.
Kirk Straughen replies to Anon on whether God could be omniscient. And Dr Bergman writing on Creation says "Faith must be based on accurate knowledge."
Do you want to make it rain and fill the reservoirs with water or perhaps even create a tsunami? Frank Russo explains how. His Rainmaking Process Proposal has gone for evaluation to the CSIRO. The Investigator version is slightly condensed.
Several further articles not published are scheduled for #161.
4
Letters |
12
Mythology |
43
Creation & Faith |
5
Cayce Therapies |
23
Happiness |
46
Omniscient |
7
Chakra |
35
Sociopathic |
47
Dimensions |
9
Mind and Brain |
39
Rapidly Approaching |
52
Rainmakinhg |
4 Letters | 13 Monster's Photo | 22 Index of Articles |
5 List of writers | 14 Contradictions | 30 Investigator News |
6 Early History | 16 Sex with God | 50 Brief Report Index |
11 Aromatherapy | 19 The Bible Consistent |
|
4
Letters |
26 Debt |
54
Godless City |
8
Channeling |
34
Miracle |
58
Wickedness |
16 Golden Rule | 38
Williams to Bruton |
62
Tabernacle |
18 Naturopathy | 45
Miracles |
65 JW
Community |
Twenty years of investigation are behind us and 1500 articles on religion, the supernatural and the paranormal have been published. See for yourself by examining the Index starting page 43.
This is Investigator Number 120 – welcome to it.
Harry Edwards examines Spirits – particularly manifestations produced by Spiritualists – and concludes, "The evidence [is] tenuous indeed and a travesty of serious research."
From Laurie Eddie we have a tract produced by Australian skeptics explaining how clairvoyant readings come up with seemingly insightful information. Read it and be fooled no longer.
John H Williams criticises predictions based on millennial dates such as 1000, 2000 and 6000.
Anonymous answers Bible critics who claim that the Old Testament does not predict a resurrection on the third day and that the New Testament is wrong in stating it does.
Kirk Straughen shows that the "Golden Rule" occurs in many religions, not just in Christianity.
One well-wisher has expressed hope that Investigator will go on to reach 200 editions. While success can’t be promised, we can nevertheless go for it.
4 Letters | 31 Golden Rule |
6 Spirits | 34 Dinesh D’Souza |
13 Clairvoyant Readings | 36 Investigator News III |
17 No Time to Lose | 38 Music Therapy |
20 Numerology | 43 Investigator Index |
24 Resurrection Predicted? | 63 Brief Report Index |
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 118,
2008 January)
Welcome to another
fact-filled edition of
Investigator,
investigating religion, the supernatural and the paranormal.
From Harry Edwards we have Seances. Edwards says, "rational and acceptable explanations have been given for the supernatural claims made."
Bob Potter writes on Zionism and the Holocaust and explains how, "the major objective of the world Zionist movement was not in conflict with Hitler’s racist policies."
Laurie Eddie in Changing Thinking Patterns explains how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can change distorted or unwanted thought patterns.
B Stett in Conservapedia examines a Christian-based Internet encyclopedia created to rival Wikipedia.
Anonymous, in Holy or Horrible?, discusses the current "avalanche of books" authored by prominent atheists criticising faith, religion and the Bible.
Kirk Straughen in The Abolition of Sati in India examines the factors responsible for the abandonment of the practice.
4 Letters | 25 Therapy | 48 Brief Report |
6 Seances | 30 Cow Shed | 50 Sati |
8; 47 Brief Report | 32 Website | 56 Crucifixion |
9 Bob Potter | 34 Energy Solution | 58 Brief Report |
10 Zionism | 36 Conservapedia | 59 Unbelievable |
18 Evolution & Design | 39 Holy or Horrible? | 60 Letter to JW |
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 110,
2006 September)
Investigator Magazine
gives
believers
in religion, the supernatural and the paranormal fair opportunity to
debate
their critics and settle their disagreements.
In our 110 editions many topics have been debated and settled, sometimes with certainty and sometimes only probably.
This time we have the following:
Laurie Eddie is an Adelaide psychologist, recently retired, whose patients included gamblers. Mr Eddie contributed a pamphlet from his clinic about problem gambling.
Harry Edwards writes on Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The article is from his book published some time ago and therefore lacks information on recent developments. Nevertheless his conclusion on whether ET will show up – "I for one will not be holding my breath" – remains valid.
B Stett discusses Indoctrination in Jehovah's Witnesses and focuses on the importance of information-control and of repetition.
John H Williams, a highschool teacher in South Australia and a university graduate in geology, discusses "catastrophism" in geology. He rejects the notion that catastrophism implies geology is moving toward creationism.
Anonymous in Genesis and Human Origins replies to Kirk Straughen and claims Genesis has one creation story not two. In another article he assures us that "The Devil" is nasty and therefore "Justly Maligned".
4 Letters | 21 Gambling | 38 Human Origins |
6 ET | 26 Website | 47 Petrified |
11 Dogpile | 29 Devil Maligned | 48 Hair Essential |
12 Indoctrination | 33 Catastrophism |
|
University zoology includes discussion of what some now called "irreducible complexity" and whether this implies bigger evolutionary jumps than mutation and natural selection could explain.
Such discussion is part of science. However, if what's unknown is attributed to a supernatural agency then we have not science but religious belief.
John H Williams (p. 48) provides a short piece about the current creation/evolution trial in Kansas. And Anonymous (p. 36) distinguishes creationism from intelligent-design and explains what's wrong with the former.
Harry Edwards discusses Near Death Experiences. He rejects the idea that the experience occurs when a mechanism that releases the soul at death is prematurely triggered.
John H Williams in Providentially argues that good outcomes during life do not prove that God gave a helping hand but are "providential". (p. 10)
B Stett in Bible Movies discusses the Hays Code that guided movie makers, and provides a list of movies about Bible characters and early Christianity.
Kirk Straughen continues the disagreement about "The Problem of Evil". (p. 34)
4 Letters | 16 Brief Report | 26 Copernic |
5 Biology a Mess | 17 James Penton | 34 Problem of Evil |
6 NDE | 21 Providentially II | 36 Creationism & ID |
10 Providentially... | 23 Bible Movies | 48 Kansas Corn |
Investigator 107
has lots of
material
that not everyone will fully agree with. However, that's normal and
unavoidable – because Investigator seeks to find out who's
correct and
who's
wrong when people disagree in religion, the supernatural and the
paranormal.
In this edition:
Harry Edwards discusses Hypnosis. He says: "There appears to be little consensus in law for the validity of hypnosis."
Dr Bob Potter in Demonology In The Modern World explains why people working to assist others with mental problems need to be aware of the patients'/clients' beliefs including beliefs in demons and witchcraft.
The
central claim of Islam
is, "There is
no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet." The Book of Mormon
in contrast foretells a "choice" prophet and translator named "Joseph".
The Bahais, however, believe that their founder, Baha'ullah, is the
return
of Christ – which Mormons, Muslims and Christians disagree with. And
the
Bible has Jesus saying, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the father except through me."
Can such rival claims
be investigated
scientifically?
Anonymous explains how. (Page 26)
John H Williams and Kirk Straughen respond to Ken DeMyer's (#106) argument for a young Universe. They argue that science is correct, and the Earth and Universe really are billions of years old and not 6,000 years.
B Stett says that Gamblers Mostly Lose, and explains why this is so.
4 Letters | 19 Straughen to DeMyer | 37 Age of the Earth |
6 Hypnotism | 25 Hiroshima | 48 Anon to Straughen |
12 Demonology | 26 Scripture | 50 JWs—1260 Days |
15 Gamblers | 28 Gigablast |
|
Once again Investigator
has lots
of
interesting and controversial material from some of your favourite
writers.
There's much to enjoy, therefore settle down and begin.
In this edition:
Harry Edwards sums up the life of Madame Blavatsky founder of the Theosophical Society. We find out she's: "one of the most accomplished imposters of history."
Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Every tenth anniversary after World War II there's renewed debate in the media about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945. An Investigator article on this topic appeared ten years ago and is now revised.
Demons. My TV Guide, describing Erotic Ghost Story (1990) which showed on April 23, says, "A demon, disguised as a poor scholar, seduces three beautiful wolves." I'm quoting correctly, but wondering whether the TV Guide got it wrong. Investigator's debate about demons is now fading – see p. 5 – but Edwards introduces a new variant by claiming "The Devil" has been misrepresented (p. 44).
Astrology. Kirk Straughen presents The Origin of Astrology and explains why: "The predictive powers of astrology are illusionary."
Goliath. Anonymous discusses various Bible giants particularly the Goliath versus David episode. He argues, not surprisingly, that the Bible again is accurate.
Starting
with the next
edition Investigator
subscriptions will be $20 within Australia; for overseas it will be $25
or US$20. If anyone wants to renew at the previous price, it will be
accepted.
4 Letters | 22 Goliath | 36 Hiroshima |
5 Madame Blavatsky | 26 Website | 44 Devil Maligned |
11 Yankalilla | 32 Petrol Prices | 50 Brief Report |
12 Astrology | 33 JWs |
|
21 Brief Report | 34 Reply to Nicholls |
|
Welcome to Investigator Number104.
This edition includes a test of your alertness and insight. Under one subheading is some false information which does not belong there because it was deliberately fabricated. See whether you can spot it. If you do, send a letter for publication and inform other readers.
Also in this edition:
Harry Edwards contributes information about Rosemary Brown, an English psychic who claimed she produces music with help from the spirits of dead composers. Edwards concludes the works came from Brown's subconscious without supernatural help.
The Turk by B Stett gives the history and inner workings of a chess-playing "automaton" that amazed audiences in Europe and North America for almost 60 years.
Kirk Straughen of Queensland presents a Dialogue in which he answers some of the arguments used by believers in religion.
Anonymous, of South Australia, in More On Demons continues the Demon debate. In a separate article, he explains why an omnipotent God can't prevent "evil" such as the December 26 tsunami.
We also have short articles by David Nicholls and Bob Potter.
4 Letters | 21 Demons | 30 Nicholls to Anon |
5 Rosemary Brown | 24 Intelligence | 31 Brief Report |
8 Search66 | 26 Website | 32 Dialogue |
10 The Turk | 28 Brief Report | 40 God &Tsunamis |
20 Brief Report | 29 Converting |
|
800 articles and letters
from Investigator
– about religion, the supernatural, the paranormal and the skeptics –
are
now on the Internet.
The 800 articles coincide with many of the beliefs people argue and even fight over and which motivate many of our decisions and much of our behaviour. Potentially, people can make better decisions by finding out who wins when skeptics and believers give their evidence and argue out their discrepant views. This is Investigator's Rational – see page 30.
We also, in Number 100, have an Index of everything since the first edition in July 1988.
This has left space for only a few short articles. Contributors include Harry Edwards on Fairies, Anonymous on Birth the Bible Way, and Jerry Bergman on JW Books in Academic Libraries. K Straughen and D Nicholls continue with the Transmission of Scripture debate, and L Eddie authorized reprinting of a skeptics tract about Scientific Method.
A history of Investigator published in #50 concluded, "Now that fifty editions have been published, dare we hope for 100?" The "hope" evidently was justified. The aim now is to keep going while it's possible.
The 800 articles can be accessed at: www.adam.com.au/bstett/
4 Letters | 14 Anon to Edwards | 25 Search Engine |
6 Writers | 16 JW Books | 28 Investigator News |
8 Fairies | 18 Transmission... | 30 Rationale |
11 Scientific Method | 20 Transmission... | 32 Articles Index |
13 Alan Winters | 22 Childbirth | 48 Brief Report Index |
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 96, 2004
May)
The Investigator
websites now
have
over 600 articles on religion, the supernatural and the paranormal.
Occasionally requests are received to publish Investigator articles on other websites or even in books. Such requests are not decided by the editor but are passed on to the authors of the articles concerned.
In the current edition:
Harry Edwards explains "Automatic Writing". This occurs when the hand producing the writing or painting "is not consciously directed by that person's mind." (p. 8)
Tomas Hu Douts seeks reasons for Islamic "Fanaticism & Violence". He adds that, "the vast majority of Muslims do not appear to be bloodthirsty fanatics hungering for the destruction of the West."
Laurie Eddie investigates the sources of the Atlantis legend. Another writer wrote about Atlantis last year, but Mr Eddie's effort supplies additional details.
B Stett shows that if you gamble you "Risk Being A Loser" and the odds of you being a loser are in your favor. (p. 33)
Jerry Bergman provides a summary of the life and beliefs of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun - who apparently believed the Bible!
There
have been further
literary
contributions
to the 1 1/2-year long creation/evolution debate. However, that
debate
finished in #95. I remind writers of the requirement expressed in the
Editorial
of #94:
4 Letters | 18 Atlantis | 33 Gamble & Lose |
7 Investigator | 25 Brief Report | 36 von Braun |
8 Automatic Writing | 26 Website | 47 Rolfing |
12 Search Engine | 28 Reply to Anon | 48 Readers |
13 Islam & Violence | 29 Brief Report | 49 Fetus & Sound |
17 Brief Report | 30 Child Abuse | 50 Brief Report |
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 95, 2004
March)
Welcome to Investigator No. 95.
The 1 ½-year debate about evolution and creation draws to a close in this edition. The final comments appear in the Letters section.
Also in this edition:
Harry Edwards in Psychic Detectives discusses psychics who claim to have helped the police to solve crimes. He finds their claims to be exaggerated and in reality they, "cost the taxpayer money by diverting police attention from the facts of the case thus wasting valuable investigation time."
B Stett discusses the House of Princes. This house was prepared in 1929 for the ancient Bible heroes like Abraham, Daniel and Samson. These ancients were supposed to return from the dead in the 1930s, rule the world, and put an end to sickness, poverty, suffering and death.
Frank Russo queries how Joseph Smith – the founder of the Mormons – lifted and transported the "golden plates" that became the Book of Mormon. Gold is quite dense and if the plates were one cubic foot they would have weighed half a ton!
Bob Potter in Darwin's Black Box criticises some points in Michael Behe's new book by that name. Behe is a big name in creationism.
Jerry Bergman in The Great Galileo Myth untangles the roles of the Catholic Church and of the academic community in the rejection of Galileo's discovery that the planets revolve round the Sun.
Anonymous presents more evidence the Bible is correct and only seems wrong when: (1) It's misunderstood; (2) Science hasn't caught up to it.
4 Letters | 24 Edwards to Anon | 34 Joseph Smith |
8 Psychic Detectives | 26 Darwin's Black Box | 36 Galileo |
14 House of Princes | 28 Website | 48 Biology & Bible |
Welcome to the November
2003 edition of Investigator
Magazine.
Harry Edwards examines palmistry. He concludes, "Scientific tests show conclusively that there is no correlation between the lines on one's hands and future or past events."
Laurie Eddie has supplied another skeptics tract, wherein he examines the claims of Erich von Daniken about alien visits to Earth. Mr Eddie finds that von Daniken's claims are "complete and utter rubbish."
John H Williams replies to J Bergman's recent piece on evolution and says it wasn't specific enough.
Dean Dowling replies to "Isaiah's Virgin". He wonders whether present Jews believe their yet to arrive Messiah will arrive by a virgin birth.
B Stett investigates a topic that many still wonder about, i.e. Santa Claus, and attempts to arrive at "the truth".
Kirk Straughen in Perspectives on Atheism and Religion explains that his conclusions are the result of study and thought – not indoctrination.
Anonymous presents Terrorism and the Bible. He summarises recent current events and argues the Bible is against terrorism.
Some long-running debates are also still spluttering on – Adam and Neanderthals, Bible ethics, and Holman versus Atheist et al.
4 Letters | 21 Faeces for Fuel | 34 Perspectives |
7 Investigator | 23 Psychic Dentistry | 38 Terrorism |
8 Palmistry | 24 Isaiah's Virgin | 50 Holman to Russo |
13 Brief Report | 26 JW Child Abuse | 51 Holman to Williams |
14 Von Daniken | 28 Search Engine | 52 Atheist to Holman |
18 Believerism | 31 Santa Claus | 54 Writers |
Investigator's
editor, although
preferring
a limit of two or three rounds, has never halted a debate. The writers
themselves – whether supporting or criticising
religion or the
paranormal – have always made their own decision to stop. This
practice, it's
hoped,
has given a fair balance of the evidence and counter evidence available.
In this edition:
We have two items from Harry Edwards – Graphology and Eyeless Vision. The latter, says Mr Edwards, is fraud and the former works, if at all, when the subject supplies a photo and "biographical content" in addition to the handwriting sample.
Jerry Bergman explains his conversion from Atheism to Theism. He emphasizes the inability of evolutionists to demonstrate vestigial organs.
Tomas Hu-Douts criticises Christian and Islamic fundamentalism and proposes that, "The Old Testament was a mine of harsh texts."
Anonymous analyses a text The Skeptic magazine called "the most horrifying of all". He argues it was benign compared to what ordinarily went on and that it actually afforded protection to women.
Laurie Eddie discusses Feng Shui and, after some consideration, calls it Feng Phooey.
B Stett presents the JW claim that their doctrines are influenced by dead JWs in heaven. He compares this to New Age "channeling".
We also have further disagreement on several other topics.
If all this disagreement
is stressful to
you, read J Holman's Hints to Make Your Life Less Stressful.
4 Letters | 21 Fundamentalism | 44 Less Stress |
6 Graphology | 25 Anzwers | 46 Evolution |
10 Eve | 29 Feng Shui | 47 Investigator |
11, 18, 45 Brief Report | 32 Horrifying Morality | 48 Atheist to Holman |
12 Atheism to Theism | 39 Eyeless Vision | 50 Writers |
19 Child Abuse | 42 JW Channeling |
|
Investigator Magazine
investigates.
Therefore it's for people who don't have all the answers but are still
learning. It's of less interest if you already know everything.
What we investigate are topics in religion, the supernatural and the paranormal (including medical claims that apparently flout science).
In this edition:
Stigmata is a chapter from Harry Edwards' book A Skeptics Guide to the New Age. Edwards explains most occurrences of stigmata as physical effects of "religious ecstatic states".
Dr Sydney Bockner of Adelaide discusses The Rise and Fall of Psychotherapy. Despite listing five main criticisms he says, "Freud's work cannot be dismissed as of no significance."
From Kirk Straughen we have Part 2 of Is Creationism The Answer? His conclusion, which I quote here at the risk of spoiling your suspense, is "Creationism is not the answer."
Anonymous replies to Kirk Straughen on Adam and Eve and gives six reasons which together, he says, constitute, "evidence for divine origins of humans." He also continues what began as a debate about prayer but which became a discussion of why there is evil if God is good.
B Stett (1) Summarises a TV report on Homeopathy [often spelt Homoeopathy]; (2) Discusses weeping statues; and (3) Explains why JWs decline public debates.
4 Letters | 24 Adam and Eve | 34 Homeopathy |
6 Stigmata | 26 Website | 37 JWs and Debates |
9 JW Dictionary | 28, 49 Brief Report | 42 Holman to Atheist |
10 Psychotherapy | 29 MSN Search | 46 Atheist to Holman |
14 Creationism | 30 Anon to Straughen | 48 Poem |
22 Jesus said… | 33 Statue Weeps Oil | 50 Writers |
Investigator is for
people who are
skeptical or believers or neutral in topics in religion, the
supernatural
and the paranormal AND who are gutsy enough to face contrary
evidence.
In this edition:
Sai Baba is an Indian psychic whose followers make remarkable claims about him. Harry Edwards lists some of the alleged miracles of Sai Baba and says they are, "simple magic tricks performed by magicians world-wide."
Dr Sydney Bockner of Adelaide, in You can't change your sex, explains why "sex change is impossible."
Bob Potter says Laurie Eddie's article (#87), on The Real Story of Christmas, "magnificently covered much ground". Now in #88 Dr Potter covers additional ground.
"Anonymous" in Skymap and the Christmas Star uses computer technology to support his Christmas Star thesis described in Investigator 81. He also challenges Laurie Eddie's (#87) interpretation of similarities between the Gospels and other religions.
In December, 2002, Bigfoot was declared "Dead". To commemorate this, an article is reprinted from Investigator #8 wherein it was argued that Bigfoot is "nonsense". (pp. 37-39)
Kirk Straughen asks Is Creationism the Answer? He gives reasons for concluding it's not. In particular Creationism is based on faith whereas, "science is based on the testimony of nature which is accessible to all people and therefore its theories are capable of being tested."
If,
occasionally, an Investigator
article makes you angry because you disagree with it read The
Asininity
of Anger by Joseph Holman.
4 Letters | 18 Skymap & Xmas Star | 38 Bigfoot |
6 Neurolinguistic Progr. | 21 Prayer Debate | 40 Anon to Eddie |
7 Sai Baba | 22 Adam & Neanderthals | 49 Polarity |
12 Potter to Bockner | 24 Potter to Eddie | 50 Tidbits |
13 Search Engines | 28 Website | 52 Anger |
14 Sex Change | 31 Bloopers | 54 Writers |
17, 20, 21, 23, 37 Reports | 32 Creationism |
|
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 87, 2002
November)
The Investigator
website says,
"Beliefs
that survive skeptical scrutiny are more likely to be worthwhile than
those
that don't. It's easy to 'blow your trumpet' if opposers are excluded
and
prevented from replying. But it's difficult if there is open access to
informed others who disagree."
Investigator Magazine
therefore
invites
skeptics, true believers and impartial observers to present their
evidence
in topics in religion, the supernatural and the paranormal. The hope is
that:
In the previous edition Harry Edwards gave a broad definition of what a psychic is. This time he contributes an article about Joan of Arc – who fits the definition – and explains the source of her voices and visions.
Kirk Straughen gives brief replies to Anonymous on Neanderthals and on God and Evil.
"Anonymous" uses the lull in debate to write about The Bible on Lions. He presents another apparent case of the Bible pre-empting modern scientists in a scientific discovery.
Dr Sydney Bockner contributes two items that previously appeared in pamphlets published by the SA Skeptics – Hypnosis and Alien Encounters. He shows that, "Experimental evidence obtained under scientific conditions does not support the extravagant claims made about the hypnotic state."
Past Investigator debate touched on whether the Bible writers borrowed ideas from other ancient religions. Laurie Eddie in The Real Story of Christmas now presents this topic in more detail.
Rado Vleugel explains why
he changed from
being a devout Jehovah's Witness "pioneer", commended in The
Watchtower
as a fine example, to maintaining an anti-JW website. Read Rado
Vleugel's Story.
4 Letters | 12 Hypnosis | 46 Alien Encounters |
6 Joan of Arc | 15 Lions | 48 Rado Vleugel |
9 Vandals Destroy… | 20 Brief Report | 52 Bloopers |
10 Adam & Eve | 21 Christmas | 54 Writers |
11 God & Evil | 28 Website |
|
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 86, 2002
September)
Many editors have an "axe to grind" and make sure that evidence contrary to their standard position does not get fair appraisal. Their aim is to leave little room for doubt. Investigator in contrast leaves much in doubt. Conflicting views are sought on principle and readers decide for themselves whether anyone has made a convincing case.
In this edition:
Harry Edwards defines "Psychic". The definition is broad and includes Joan of Arc, Edgar Cayce, Jeane Dixon, Uri Geller, Nostradamus, etc.
Anonymous writes about Adam and Eve. He accepts both creation and evolution but concludes: "Clearly it's more scientific at present to attribute our ancestry to ‘Adam and Eve' than to Neanderthals." He also continues the Prayer Debate this time focusing on "Coincidence".
B Stett has revised his article Kuru: Demon, Gene or Virus? He rules out the Demon/Sorcery hypothesis for the disease and attributes it to "Prions"—rogue forms of proteins that multiply by inducing malign change in normal protein they come in contact with.
Law of Karma is from a Skeptics' tract by Laurie Eddie. He argues that the Law of Karma is no more a law than the Law of the Jungle. He says its concepts are, "completely at odds with Western scientific thought."
Josef Holman tackles Creation Versus Evolution by quoting What Some Scientists Said. He seeks to demonstrate, "the impossibility of evolution as an explanation for the existence of life on Earth."
Jerry Bergman summarises the results of a survey of religion in America and shows that, "Jehovah's Witnesses have an extremely low socioeconomic status."
And there's much more: Runes;
Gambling;
Guide to Argument, etc.
4 Letters | 18 Kuru | 38 Evil & Prayer |
7 Psychic—Definition | 25 Runes | 44 Creation |
10 Adam and Eve | 26 Website | 48 Bloopers |
13 Freud & Child Abuse | 30 Gamble & Lose | 49 Brief Report |
14 Guide to Argument | 32 Law of Karma | 50 Writers |
17 Brief Report | 34 JWs |
|
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 85, 2002
July)
Investigator tries to get believers in religion, the supernatural and the paranormal to settle their differences with skeptics by debate. If most articles are skeptical it's because true believers are often backward in coming forward.
In this edition:
Harry Edwards writes on the New Age. He says that New Age lectures discourage "critical thinking and analyses fundamental to scientific and rational processes." He says that by misinformation the New Age makes the gullible public vulnerable to financial and emotional ripoffs, various other hazards, and sometimes even death.
"Anonymous" again promotes
the message
that
the Bible is right and people who disregard it are wrong. This time he
tackles Child Sexual Abuse and Religion. The currency of this
topic
is seen by the following news report:
John H Williams writes
on the Misbeliefs
of cults and castigates their "nonsensical and irrational beliefs." He
and Kirk Straughen also reply to Anonymous' article (#84) on prayer.
B Stett examines a book that was popular in1918, The Finished Mystery. He investigates whether its content fulfils what its promoters implied for it – infallible accuracy.
Lance Storm of the
University of Adelaide
describes an investigation into The effects of Attitudes Toward
Gambling
on ESP Performance.
4 Letters | 24 Myths, Misbeliefs... | 40 Straughen to Anon |
6 New age | 26 Web Site | 42 ESP Performance |
11 Bloopers | 31 The Finished Mystery | 48 Williams to Anon |
12 Charles Fort | 37 Vic Lloyd |
|
14 Child Abuse | 38 Prayer--Holman |
|
EDITORIAL
(Investigator 83, 2002
March)
There's a saying which
goes: "If you
can't
stand the heat, leave the kitchen." In a magazine that invites skeptics
and true believers to "settle their differences" – that is by
discussion
and debate – there is risk of a little "heat".
However, don't leave. Try to enjoy it – perhaps your efforts will solve questions that people have debated for centuries.
In this edition:
Laurie Eddie discusses the origin and nature of Ayurvedic Medicine, reveals its differences with modern scientific medicine, and highlights its "fatal flaw" – that it was "based upon many superstitious beliefs."
Harry Edwards gives us two articles – Mentalism and Metaphysical Degrees. In Mentalism (= mental magic) Mr Edwards explains how some common tricks are done.
John H Williams replies again to Jerry Bergman. In #82 Dr Bergman gave A Brief History of the Modern American Creation Movement. This was originally written 9 years ago. Therefore Williams presents some of the more recent events involving creationism.
Anonymous takes the Astronomy, Geology, and Creation debate, which started in #79, a step further and fits the "six days of creation" into the evolutionary framework.
B Stett discusses the JW effort - now discontinued - to provide Comfort for the Jews and concludes: "JWs do not provide genuine Comfort for the Jews nor for anyone else."
Josef Holman replies to
his two opponents
on the efficacy of prayer and Kirk Straughen discusses The
Perception
of Auras.
4 Letters | 22 Comfort for the Jews | 53 Brief Report |
6 Mentalism | 26 Creationism | 54 Genesis & Evolution |
9 Crossword | 30 Website | 58 Bloopers |
12 Auras | 32 Metaphysical Degrees |
|
18 Prayer | 36 Ayurvedic Medicine |
|
Welcome to Issue 75 of
the magazine
that
examines religion, the supernatural and the paranormal – the magazine
that
invites skeptics and true believers to give their evidence and settle
their
differences.
In this edition:
We have the Index to Investigator 2 to 74. A separate index to the "Brief Report" sections is planned for January.
Harry Edwards, author and skeptic of NSW, writes on Spontaneous Human Combustion and concludes that: "unreliable circumstantial evidence abounds."
Lance Storm – Adelaide University Ph.D student in psychology – investigated ESP in vision-impaired and sighted subjects. He discusses why sighted subjects got the higher score.
We see Investigator's whimsical side in Movie Cliches, Oh deer I got it awl rong!, and in the reprint of one of the earliest investigations, done in 1988 – Zambian Spaceflight.
Burjin J Kotwall found his long-ago debate with "Anonymous" on the Bible "debilitating". (No. 73 p. 4) John H Williams perhaps felt the same way when he wrote, "I will not be responding to anything he writes in future." (No. 72)
Mr Williams has now recovered and will be joined in January by Keith Cornish, president of the Atheist Foundation. Epic Bible Battles lists Bible Debates so far since No. 60.
The previous special edition, No. 50, had the comment: "Now that fifty editions have been published dare we hope for one hundred?" Well, having reached No. 75 we're half way there.
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