# Hastur, what do you have against James Randi? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 26, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402 "2001-04-26T14:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/1 "2001-04-26T14:19:48Z")
First, I’d like to apologize to everybody if this is in the wrong forum. It’s not a general question, nor a great debate (though it might become one), I’m not attempting to share my opinion on anything, while it’s mundane, I don’t feel I must share it, and it’s not about a column or a message board. Also, because the original quote was put in the Pit, I thought it was a Pitibul (and it’s probably a very pitibul) question. Hastur, in another thread, you said: > [@](#): > > Uh huh… Going to quote James Randi to me? I’ve never read anyone that is more of a spiritually dead person than he. So, my question is, what’s wrong with James Randi? He does a pretty good job of sniffing out con men who charge people money to watch them bend spoons with their minds or do cold readings, and he’s generally polite to those people who honestly believe in psudoscience. He just shows how they’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/2 "2001-04-26T14:26:40Z")
I don’t know what the rest of the link is about, but I’d like to add that James Randi is one of my heroes. And what does “spiritually dead” mean? I guess I am spiritually dead, as I don’t believe there IS such a thing as a “spirit.” Brains, yeah, but what the hell is a “spirit?” ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/3 "2001-04-26T14:33:23Z")
I agree Captain. I read his weekly columns weekly. I’ve read all his books and I think he’s quite “spirtually alive” if you mean by that that he enjoys the human spirit and accomplishments, etc. He’s not a christian, but I doubt thats whast Hastur meant. I think he’s one of the tops. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/4 "2001-04-26T14:39:02Z")
Big Randi fan. Dopers by law must love skeptics, no? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/5 "2001-04-26T15:23:57Z")
Grew up watching Randi as magician/escape artist on New York City’s (WNEW, Channel 5, when it was still independent) Sunday morning show **Wonderama** back in the 1960s. Didn’t know he was a skeptic until he wrote **The Truth About Uri Geller** in 1975. Bought the book and re-read it many times. Bought **Flim-Flam!** in 1980. Read about his doings in Martin Gardner’s works, then in magazines **Skeptical Inquirer** and **The Skeptic** I’m a big fan of his, but I don’t know anything that would make him “spiritually dead”. Can anyone give us a link to the original source for the Hastur quote? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/6 "2001-04-26T16:27:22Z")
James Randi isn’t any more “spiritually dead” than any of us atheists. I’d be very keen to read **Hastur** ’s reasoning about this. **vanilla** , what columns of Randi do you allude to? Are they published or archived on the Web anywhere? I see Randi is also one of **Eve** ’s heroes. Yet another reason for me to love her with all my heart. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/7 "2001-04-26T16:42:57Z")
The thread is here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=68718&pagenumber=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=68718&pagenumber=2) Check out page 2, about 2/3 of the way down. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/8 "2001-04-26T16:53:14Z")
I believe the thread of which **Capt. Amazing** speaks may be found here, [Stupid fucks who believe in magic.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=68718) For the information of **Fiver** try James Randi’s site. It is located at [http://www.randi.org](http://www.randi.org) If I’m not mistaken, his weekly newsletter is posted there, as well as an extensive archive. Finally, I’ve long been a James Randi admirer also. Martin Gardner is another guy who has impressed me for quite some time, ever since he wrote the mathematical puzzles for _Scientific American_. Even his children’s books are fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/9 "2001-04-26T17:39:57Z")
Should I be ashamed to admit I’ve never heard of this guy? Although, in the context he’s been referenced in these threads and looking at his webiste, I think I’ll dig him. That $1M challenge is pretty cool, I can’t believe no one has taken the prize money yet! ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/10 "2001-04-26T17:41:51Z")
I don’t know what James Randi’s religious beliefs are, but I think someone can be a religious and spiritual person - even think that the Bible is literally true - and still not accept as fact that people are really bending spoons with their minds or that Miss Cleo is really clairvoyant or that someone can will images on blank film with his mind. Being a devout anything and wanting to expose charlatans who prey on the gullible are not mutually exclusive. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/11 "2001-04-26T17:50:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Should I be ashamed to admit I’ve never heard of this guy? I was about to say the same thing upon reading the OP, but now that I see the work he’s done, I remember him (just didn’t place the name to a face). I would think that Hastur would be glad that Randi is ferretting out those who are lying and deceiving the public. Y’know, that whole “Fighting Ignorance” thing. There’s a difference between doing something for entertainment, doing something because you truly believe it, and doing something that cons a million people. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/12 "2001-04-26T17:50:49Z")
Thanks for the link, **UncleBeer**. Yes, **mouthbreather** , you should be ashamed you haven’t heard of James Randi. For as long as you’ve been Doping, you definitely should be ashamed. And why do you find it unbelievable that his $1 million hasn’t been claimed? Do you really think there is real paranormal stuff out there that would stand up to scientific analysis under controlled conditions? ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/13 "2001-04-26T18:48:02Z")
Sorry **fiver** , I thought I could let one post of sarcasm fly by without the “;)”. I’ll make sure to include it at all times moving forward. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/14 "2001-04-26T19:31:28Z")
I’d appreciate that, **mouthbreather**. I’m literal-minded to a fault, so that will help. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/15 "2001-04-26T20:51:26Z")
You damned bleeding-heart literals… ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/16 "2001-04-26T21:59:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > **Grew up watching Randi as magician/escape artist on New York City’s (WNEW, Channel 5, when it was still independent) Sunday morning show Wonderama back in the 1960s.** That was him??? I just _barely_ remember Wonderama and I even more barely remember the magician but I remember liking him… Anyway, after Cecil and Martin Gardner, Randi’s and his books have affected me the most, I think. Logic and humor and charm combined is a potent combination. And his crusade against Geller _has_ to be admired. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/17 "2001-04-26T22:16:20Z")
Ha! James Randi came to Ball State a month or so back and I got to see him live… for free! It was pretty cool. He definately changed the way I thought about things. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/18 "2001-04-26T22:34:25Z")
I saw him live too, but years ago, when he was passing through Los Alamos on a tour. Dad used to take me to lots of magic shows, and he knew I liked Randi, so we went. Damn smooth at sleight-of-hand, that guy. I was worried he’d explode during the final escape, though; man, did he ever turn red in the face straining at those ropes. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/19 "2001-04-26T22:36:58Z")
Randi plays a very important role in society, not unlike Consumer Reports. The world could use a few more sceptics out there making sure the conmen can’t bilk us at will. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@The\_Man\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_Who)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402/20 "2001-04-26T22:37:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > > **Grew up watching Randi as magician/escape artist on New York City’s (WNEW, Channel 5, when it was still independent) Sunday morning show Wonderama back in the 1960s.** > > That was him??? I just _barely_ remember Wonderama and I even more barely remember the magician but I remember liking him… > > \*\* He guested on a episode of Happy Days once too. I can’t help but agree with the quote in the original post a bit though. He’s not a very spiritual fellow. That’s just not his bag. Nevertheless, anyone who professes to be Christian should read Flim-Flam at least once (I’ve read it three times). Faithfulness does not equal humiliating gullibility. -Myron [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hastur-what-do-you-have-against-james-randi/63402.md?page=2)