CFI Forums

Possible UFO BS Alert! NBC Dateline, Sunday Night 7 pm

2008-05-16T10:22:28Z

Since I haven’t seen it, I won’t say it will be complete BS, but having seen the promo on Today which treated the Hudson Valley UFOs (planes in formation pulling a hoax) as if it wasn’t completely debunked (they gave the last word to a witness who said skeptics don’t know what they’re talking about) I have grave misgivings.
Combined with recent shameless stories on NBC about UFOs, the Shroud of Turin and exorcism, this could be ugly.
Why it’s okay for Networks to broadcast blatant lies is beyond me. Sometimes there aren’t two sides, just the truth and the falsehoods. But that discussion is for another thread.
Anyway a response from CSI may be in order. We will have to wait and see.

Miracle or not: Seeking your input/pointers

2008-05-13T12:33:10Z

Folks, I was led to this forum by Google when I searched for “inquiry” and similar key words. I am new to this site, so pardon me if I am posting this question to the worng forum - if so, please direct me to the right one!

I am writing in connection with a phenomenon that I would like to further investigate, but don’t know how to. If you Google or Yahoo search “Carmelo Cortez”, you will see plenty or articles related to this purported Marian visionary who lives in the Philippines. (He claims to have seen and conversed with the Virgin Mary.) These articles will also make mention of a “rose petal miracle” where he essentially takes a rose petal from a basket (the roses not purchased by him!), touches it to your neck for a few seconds and then asks you to look at it, only to discover that you now have a sacred image on it - Jesus, Mary, Last Supper, various saints, etc.

He comes to the Chicago area (where I live) every few months and some of my close friends have attended these rose petal services celebrated in a church in Darien, IL. In fact, Brother Cortez (as he is known) stays in my friend’s house when he visits Chicago; and my friend, who claims he was a skeptic earlier, is now an ardent believer in this “miraculous” phenomenon! I have personally seen the petals he has given close and trusted friends of mine (but have not received one directly from him). I have to admit that the images are quite stunning - very clear and sharp facial features, for example - and are unlikely to have been generated by some obvious technique like a stamp.

Do any of you know how one can investigate (via chemical, photographic, whatever tests, for example) this phenomenon scientifically to determine if there is a non-miraculous explanation? Any direction/pointers will be gratefully appreciated. For those of you who want a really good “paranormal claim” to tackle, this is one of the best I know because the phenomenon is repeatable - almost ALL the people who have received a petal from him have an image on it. There are millions of people (all over the world, but mostly in the Philippines) who truly believe that Brother Cortez’s rose petal phenomenon is a miracle.

Thanks in advance,

Joe

Graveyard picture in the dark

2008-04-18T23:35:58Z

My roommate is into new age stuff and this picture was taken in a graveyard in the dark:

Is there a rational explanation for this? My roommate claims the picture shows ghosts channeling around the graveyard.

The Crystal Skull

2008-05-12T07:07:08Z

With the new Indiana Jones movie about to come out—“The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”—I expect a lot more speculation about this hoary old story. Most of my information comes from books, but when I talk to people on the internet, they naturally want a link. Does anyone know of good links for this topic?

Today Show shameless UFO segment

2008-04-24T06:45:33Z

So, Matt (bubblehead) Lauer grudgingly has to report that the Phoenix UFOs were just flares on balloons, but then they do a whole segment on two P.I.s “investigating” some bogus UFO photos from California. No skeptics to counter, just Matt and Meredith to say how they believe in aliens. Just shameless.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24288570#24288570

BBC: Psychic Ordinance in the UK

2008-04-18T13:05:14Z

I heard this story today on the BBC new broadcast on a local NPR radio station. And see the comments below the article, especially Gareth from Swansea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7354089.stm
in part:
A change in the law could mean mediums, psychics and healers face prosecution if they cannot justify their claims. Spiritualists are delivering a mass petition to Downing Street and complaining that a genuine religion is being discriminated against.

Egyptian Technology

2008-02-25T14:56:53Z

Hi,

I hope this is the right place to post this.

I have a colleague at work who told me about the “advanced technology” Egyptians used to have such as drilling tech 20 times better than current and wireless electricity etc. and ad nauseum. Obviously I rejected these claims, I’ve explained that whilst such holes may have been made (and to be honest I’ve no idea if that’s true) at bets it represents an open question and that outside of that such claims have zero supporting evidence and though it may be a shock to him that mainstream archaeological community are not a bunch of old fuddy duddies who are conspiring to prevent such things as these becoming public. I’ve tried to tell him how science works and how archaeologists adopt a highly methodological and rational approach to explaining sites of importance and that artefacts are not simply removed Indiana Jones style (good film though).

I also told him what “debunking” means and told him that I’ve decided to make him my personal project and debunk him.

What I haven’t managed to do is find any specific sites that debunk the whackier of claims about Egypt so if anyone can help I’d appreciate it ... a few links is all I need

Kyu

Jesus Condenses on Window in Chapel

2008-04-15T08:19:56Z

Eyewitnesses talk about the vaporous Lord who made an ethereal appearance on a chapel window:

http://www.local6.com/news/15875360/detail.html

http://www.local6.com/slideshow/news/15875497/detail.html

As for myself, I think it’s not Jesus but the same guy who was peering out from Mars. Probably an extra-terrestrial spy.

The first one in

2008-04-07T10:42:40Z

Those whom first enter to pull the rest of the naturalists and scientist to transcend onto anothers linier plane should they be that of the same character as to say beleive in the same thing as faith or religion or do those that say ok kelly your in first .do they know the truth that they are not of the same and do this only to make shur that know one who goes in first has what normal people consider compassion for one they are intruding upon and after they give their veiw of graphic visaul aids. Are they more tainted then the poor rabbit they just imposed upon or better yet is this done intensionatly.as these secular based societies and religous groups continue to be on the same path or in the same bed . as they do not have the laws as some would have you think . Do you need thee physical torture of waterboarding or other, to get the return of the emotional psychological torture as it is practiced in the world today or do you need the faith healers, mediums and the use of transcending to impose graphic visaul aids both of which have the same cause and effect how can one say they have only the best intentions to do this on someone who cant defend themselves and turn around at the same time and claim country ,religion or are they knowingly breaking the same law , truth of which the same book they took their oath on how can one cause these push or pull in the private level to heal the rabbit. then for the company do these things to the opposite to bring an objective to his or her knees praying for the law to pertect them when the company is the ones performing this torture to the rabbit in the first place

Rogues’ Gallery

2008-01-24T20:51:53Z

I hope this isn’t a repeat. I was sure i put this up a half hour ago or so.

But it’s too good to miss:

http://www.reformation.org/

Check out especially the ‘Thank God the Earth Doesn’t Move’ section. SEE the meanest looking picture of Kepler ever drafted by the hand of man! SEE Jesuits and Protestants unmasked in their mutual conspiracy to make the earth move! SEE beautiful downtown Cabotia! SEE how to screw up science AND religion!

cheers,

Kirk