posted April 17, 2007 07:06 AM         

Million Dollar Challenge

Here is a list of reasons people have given for not participating with the link at the bottom:

"Top Excuses for not taking the JREF Challenge

by Claus Larsen

October, 2004

Ever since the James Randi Educational Foundation offered a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event, none has passed the test. Not one could actually do what he or she claimed to be able to do, once the possibilities of trickery was eliminated.

Some have tried, but most don't. Incredibly enough, we do not see the world's psychics, dowsers, astrologers, or benders of cheap cutlery hurry to pick up the money. Far from it.

Why could that be? What could their excuses be? Let's take a look at some of these excuses, and see if they stick.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"James Randi makes a lot of money from this."

This is completely irrelevant to your claim. Can you do what you claim, yes or no?

"James Randi doesn't have the money."

The money is placed in an account with Goldman Sachs, in negotiable bonds held in a special investment account. Nobody can touch it, except those who pass the test.
A copy of the account can be found here. If you want a copy of the statement from Goldman Sachs yourself, contact the JREF.

"Randi will never pay, because he depends on the income."

All you need to do is do what you claim you can do. If you get rejected, offer to be tested by everyone else, under controlled conditions, at any time, anywhere. Then, you will not only have dramatically increased our knowledge of the universe, you will also have made Randi look silly.

"James Randi is just a magician, what does he know?"

That's the perfect occupation to be in a position where you can reveal possible trickery - which the paranormal world is full of. And he calls in scientists and statisticians, too, if so needed.

"I was tested by X and that proves it."

Read the terms of the challenge. It specifically states that:
"Only an actual performance of the stated nature and scope, within the agreed-upon limits, will be accepted. Anecdotal accounts of previous events are not accepted or considered."
Source

"James Randi judges the outcome/I want an independent judge."

Read the terms of the challenge. It specifically states that:

"Applicant must state clearly in advance, and applicant and JREF will agree upon, what powers or abilities will be demonstrated, the limits of the proposed demonstration (so far as time, location and other variables are concerned) and what will constitute both a positive and a negative result."

Source

"All tests are designed with the participation and approval of the applicant."

Source

and

"No part of the testing procedure may be changed in any way without the agreement of all parties concerned."

Source

In short:

You must clearly state what you can do.
You and JREF must agree on how the test is performed.
There is no judging. The result must be self-evident.

"James Randi won't let me take the challenge."

It would depend on the reason:
- The person does not have an ability, but a videotape, picture, or the like.

"Only an actual performance of the stated nature and scope, within the agreed-upon limits, will be accepted. Anecdotal accounts of previous events are not accepted or considered."

Source

- The person will endanger himself or others.

"JREF will also NOT test claims that are likely to cause injury of any sort, such as those involving the withholding of air, food or water, or the use of illicit materials, drugs, or dangerous devices."

Source

- The person hasn't filled out a notarized application.

"Only complete agreement with these rules will allow the "applicant" to become a "claimant." Applicant, by signing, notarizing and submitting this form, signifies agreement with all of the above rules."

Source

- It is a phenomenon that JREF simply doesn't test for.

"JREF will NOT accept claims of the existence of deities or demons/angels, the validity of exorcism, religious claims, divine healing, cloudbusting, causing the Sun to rise or the stars to move, etc."

Source

"Some things just can't be quantified by your limited scientific methods"

Then how do you distinguish between a real phenomenon and one that is not?
We don't even need scientific methods. If it can be shown to exist, then you win the money.

"Spiritual powers and money don't mix."

Then, why do psychics, dowsers, etc. charge often exorbitant amounts of money?
Why do they sell books and go on lectures?
If they are only doing it to cover the basic expenses, why not give the remainder of the money to charity?

"The money is tainted. It will only bring misery and pain."

That is ludicrous: You don't get a million dollars in cash, the sum is transferred electronically from one account to another, precisely as is being done millions of times each day all over the world. When a psychic charges a credit card, it is done the same way.
How do you know that the money you get for your services hasn't been in touch with a skeptic? If you claim to be able to detect this, then that is a test unto itself.

"I don't do this for personal gain"

Then give the money to charity. There are literally billions of people who could use the money, and you can do so much with a million dollars! The Red Cross will be kissing your feet!

"I can only perform if no sceptic is in any way involved in the experimental design/testing process"

That will effectively rule out any controls. That is not a test, that is a stamp of approval from your friends or by people who don't know how to detect trickery. Completely unacceptable.

"I can only perform if a skeptic offers me large sums of money."

One million dollars, from a huge skeptic: Randi. Get on with it, then.

"I can only perform if no skeptic offers me large sums of money."

Fine! Then do it for the sake of humanity. Let us all share your knowledge, and learn from your skills. Don't be so selfish by keeping it all to yourself.

"I can only perform when no sceptic is present because their Evil Vibrations negate my powers."

That's a claim unto itself: If you can detect whether or not there is a skeptic in a room, then you win a million dollars.

"The Challenge is not worth taking."

What better way to prove yourself to the world than taking the most publicized test of all? But, if you don't want to take it, what are you doing to convince the world that you have this ability?

"I am not out to convince anyone."

You claim to be able to do something that will change everything we know about the Universe, something that could help a great many people, and you want to keep it to yourself? Isn't that incredibly selfish?

"I only heal/do mediumship for those who really need it."

That will put people in a very awkward spot: Either they must believe in you to get cured/get a reading, or they continue to be in pain or perhaps even die. By forcing sick/grieving people to believe in you, you take these people hostage.

"If I do this in public, they will lock me up in the Pentagon or in a nuthouse."

If you did this in public, and you subsequently disappeared, there would be a major public outcry. You'd be on all the talkshows, not in a padded cell anywhere.

"If I do this in public, someone will steal my discovery."

Hardly. It would make such a splash in the news that nobody would doubt who came first. Companies would pay you big money to let them use your discovery. Nobody would be able to deny you the right to your discovery.

"Randi won't pay me the money even after I win!"

Since the result will be self-evident, he would have a very hard time explaining why he would refuse to pay the money. Put him to shame!

"Randi sets the bar too high. The test is impossible."

We cannot relax the conditions to an extent where it is possible for you to cheat.

"The terms enable Randi to draw up specific rules that are unwinnable."

Each claim is different. Therefore, each test must be designed differently. You cannot test a dowser the same way as you would test a clairvoyant.

"The challenge is just a meaningless PR stunt."

It may be a PR stunt, but the money is there. One million dollars is not exactly "meaningless". Nor a discovery of such magnitude.

"Randi will say that if the effect can be produced by trickery, then the effect must be trickery."

Since the results are self-evident, this is no reason to refuse to pay. If you can fool Randi, you get the million bucks, too.

"Randi will just refuse to accept what I do as paranormal."

Showing your discovery of a new natural phenomenon will certainly get you the million - and a Nobel prize! But, you have to show it first, not merely write to Randi and claim you did.

"I will lose my power if I charge money for using my gift."

How do you know this? You have never earned a penny? If you have, then it is not correct that you lose your power, so you are quite able to apply for the million dollars.

"The JREF doesn't release any readily available results from previous applicants, so I don't know what to expect."

All the results have been negative: Nobody has won. All have failed. Still, this is irrelevant to your own claim: Can you do what you claim, yes or no?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No excuses left.

This list was compiled with the help of a lot of people. You know who you are.

Thanks!"

posted April 17, 2007 07:16 AM         

I just ran across this link yesterday and wondered if anyone had heard of this here.

Personally, I don't believe in having to prove anything to anyone unless I feel it is right for me at that time. If that means people think negatively of me or what I "do" then I don't really give a darn.

Also, my opinion is that people with a real "gift" are not a friggin circus sideshow. And I can't imagine many people really gifted in the paranormal to even want to take the challenge but, again, just my opinion.

The responses to people's reasons or "excuses" for not participating are not very convincing and some are even laughable and perhaps insulting.

Also, it is not clearly delineated what is a "pass" and what is a "fail".

It just all seems like a load of BS to me.

I can't, however, get over how they seem to think that people with paranormal gifts somehow have no choice but to use their abilities to the betterment of society and can help only by being subjected to their standards of experimentation.

Yeah, let's go back in time and let the average "scientist" accept and "prove" the theories of today's Quantum Physics without the proper equipment, knowledge or experience.

posted April 18, 2007 03:17 PM           

not a very good test, for all to particpate in...

posted April 18, 2007 04:57 PM         

Plenty of independent studies and tests have been done over the years and I'm very interested in seeing what real scientists are discovering and what new methods they are using/will use to test psychic phenomena.

posted April 18, 2007 05:00 PM         

I guess atoms and particle waves and most of what constitutes modern sciences weren't "real" until man found a way to prove they existed, either. Until then, they just didn't exist or were somehow "fake".

Or are theoretical sciences not "real", either?

All in good humor.