Reply With QuoteSome of those claims sounds like they're from Kevin Trudeaus' "Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About"
I'm sure he believes it. The assured, confident delivery suggests that to me.Originally Posted by FarSideOfTheMoon
Some of those claims sounds like they're from Kevin Trudeaus' "Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About"
Just listening to this recording now (I feel like I'm there). I wonder if it's true that Gary has no memories up to the age of the 13 when his dad took him to a spiritualist church and he 'met' his spirit guide? I have come across a couple of cases of memory losses like this before in young people- the result of some fairly substantial childhood trauma, I would raise a query re a dissociative disorder. I would hope that he might consider the idea of seeking help from a mental health professional.
I have no doubt Gary believes all this stuff. He needs to. It may be benefiting him rather than harming him, it's a living, but what about the health, safety and protection of others?
Last edited by dalriada; 5th February 2008 at 07:10 PM. Reason: punctuation, clarity
Fascinating stuff, Bindeweede! That recording leaves no doubt in my mind that Gary is genuinely deluded, which doesn't make him any less dangerous to vulnerable people.
Excellent work Bindeweede.
I'll get the mp3 transferred to the UKS server, have a listen, and then make plans to turn this into an article for the main site.
.
So Gary has accepted a challenge from Professor Chris French to have his "abilities" tested under controlled conditions. Since Gary also said that he supports the forthcoming anti-fraud legislation I'm inclined to believe that he is genuinely self-deluded - how the heck can any rational person believe that a dog lived for nine years after having its blood removed and replaced with seawater?- but it still doesn't make his nonsense any less dangerous.
Julia,So Gary has accepted a challenge from Professor Chris French to have his "abilities" tested under controlled conditions. Since Gary also said that he supports the forthcoming anti-fraud legislation I'm inclined to believe that he is genuinely self-deluded - how the heck can any rational person believe that a dog lived for nine years after having its blood removed and replaced with seawater?
I was looking back over this thread this afternoon. Gary agreed to have his claims tested back on December 11th.
Post 35.For those who are sceptics I would say that I am happy to be put to the test by any medical profession as long as they are willing to actually tackle it from a serious angle and not out right to try and prove me wrong.
Last night, someone who I presumed was part of Gary's support team did say to Prof French that Gary was very busy - loads of bookings for months ahead. I really don't think the testing will actually happen - Gary, or his team, will find excuses.
But I hope I'm wrong and that Gary will live up to his word.
Thanks for the birthday greeting, by the way! I forgot to mention it earlier.
If Gary truly believes he has these powers you'd think he'd find the time to be tested, wouldn't you?
I was interested to hear that he's still waffling on about Dr Gowri Motha. I've sent her at least three e-mails about Gary's claim to have "assisted" her and she hasn't replied. As for Manesh Naidoo, Google turns up three hits that just lead back to Gary's use of his/her name. I've also been in touch with Northwick Park Hospital to ask if someone of that or a similar name has ever held the post of Head of Physiotherapy but have had no response yet.
Needless to say I'm not wasting my time with the homeopathic doctor mentioned by Gary!
I asked Professor French for his views on last night's "demonstration", and with his permission here they are:
"It was certainly interesting watching Gary in action last night. The first
thing that struck me was the size of the audience that had turned up to
see him. I would estimate between 200 and 300 people attended, the vast majority paying £10 to get in (£5 concessionary rate!). Almost everyone in the audience appeared to swallow everything Gary said without any questioning of Gary's accuracy or reliability whatsoever. Just to be on the safe side though, Gary peppered his presentation with disclaimers throughout: "That's just my opinion. I'm not medically qualified", etc.
Essentially, his performance consists of claiming to perform psychic
surgery but without any of the skilful sleight of hand bits. His patter is
obviously well-rehearsed (much of it taken word for word from his web
site) and professionally delivered. The crowd loved him. As he invited
various sufferers of specified complaints up to the front to be "healed",
he told us his incredible life story and the pearls of wisdom that had
been imparted to him from his spirit guide, Abraham (yes, ~the~ Abraham), who has now apparently turned his hand to surgery. If Abraham cannnot deal with it, he has a team of no less than 37 other qualified (invisible) surgeons that he can call on to back him up. Gary's "healing" consisted of massage and manipulation only. He repeatedly claimed to have worked with a range of medically qualified people despite the fact that he has only just reached 20 years of age. As the only sceptical voice to ask a question all evening, I asked him if he thought it wise for medically qualified professionals to work with teenagers who approach them claiming amazing healing powers.
I saw absolutely nothing all evening that gave any indication that
anything over and above placebo effects were operative. Opinion was
divided amongst the sceptical friends that I'd attended the presentation
with. About half felt he is a deliberate fraud, half that he is deluded. I
really could not decide either way."
Professor French is still waiting for Gary to find enough time in his busy schedule to undergo testing under properly controlled conditions. He issued the challenge to Gary on December 11th last year but apparently being a miraculous healer is a full-time job...
Interesting post Julia, thanks for passing it on.
Gary posted on the SpiritLove forum this morning, I fear he is less enthusiastic about testing now than he might have been last night:
Also, on that thread Gary repeats his 2 mantras:
Did anyone from here come to the demonstration last night. I know Uk sceptics were there and Jon (Donnis) bless him did all the advertising he could for me. He is thoughtful sometimes.
There was a professor there who has asked me to do medical trials to prove the existance of Psychic Surgery. Sound intresting I have his card so will contact him and see whathe's after
1) He doesn't actually claim he can do anything
2) He doesn't charge for his service, only his time
I'm kind of split half way down the middle as to whether Mannion is a fraud or a nutjob.I quote: Wrong again Jon - as I've made it clear I don't claim anytjing therefore I'm not telling the client to expect anything. Even though 85% of my clients would say in their own opinions that they are better and that they would put it down to the Psychic Surgery. On the money issue I also make it clear I don't charge for the service offered I charge for my time. Do you have a problem with that? If so I would ask what do you do for a living. If you don't work because you waste all your time on accusdations without evidence and you get money off the goverment I think your just as bad as any fraudulant medium/healer out there! If this is a hobby you can't have much of a social life - don't suppose it would be because you've accused friends of things without any evidence :-D (sorry that last comment was a bit mean of me, but there is some truth in there so please don't be offended)
I don't think he would continually state he doesn't claim to be able to do anything if he wasn't knowingly behaving fraudulently. But I also think he is a whacko, because it is hard for a scammer to come out with just so much tripe in public without at least looking slightly embarassed.
I'll stick with my position - I think he knows what he is doing, but is also pretty gullible and uneducated. He has got cocky once he realised just how much the believer community would listen to what he said without question, and also thought he could placate the skeptics. Unfortunately he hasn't realised that skeptics know more about what he claims to do than he does.
http://spiritlove.freeforums.org/vie...t=162&start=60
So I see Gary's on the board.
I wish he'd go ahead and post already. It's nearly midnight and I'm sleepy, but I'm damned if I'm going to miss his Unique brand of otherworldy dyslexia...
Might go make some tea while I'm waiting...
tum ti tum...
Oh get on with it...!
POST something...Anything...
Gary needs to learn that having once attracted the attention of sceptics he won't be allowed to escape from the limelight. We won't forget about Professor French's challenge to Gary. We'll continue to ask Dr Gowri Motha if she has ever been "assisted" by Gary until we get a straight answer. We'll try to find out who this mysterious Manesh Naidoo is. Although the Brain Gym people still haven't responded to my question about Gary's unauthorized use of their technique I'll continue to pester them until I get a reply.
Oh crap he's gone again.
I feel all unfulfilled now...
Farside wrote
While I was waiting for the demo to start, the woman sitting next to me started talking at me - I'd given her no encouragement! She said a friend of her's had visited Gary, and was a bit miffed at paying £40 for about 10 minutes of "healing". So, the equavalent of £240 an hour, just for his time.Also, on that thread Gary repeats his 2 mantras:
1) He doesn't actually claim he can do anything
2) He doesn't charge for his service, only his time
Lovely Jubbly!
Both. It's entirely possible that he actually believes he can do something, but when he says things like:
he is plainly just being a fraud. Whether he believes or not, those are just lies.1) He doesn't actually claim he can do anything
2) He doesn't charge for his service, only his time
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