# How did Uri Geller (psychic) divine pictures people had written?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 7, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260 "2013-03-07T03:25:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 13
### Author:  [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/241 "2013-03-13T03:04:18Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> Saying it’s so does not make it so.
I’m not just ‘saying it.’ I’m showing the contributing factors which makes a lie a damned lie: refusal to ever acknowledge it’s a lie (until it’s too late); and profit from the lie. That makes a wrong a grave wrong.
> [@](#):
>
> Most magicians disagree with you, and they are in a position to know.
Most ethicists would disagree with you, and they’re in a better position to know.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/242 "2013-03-13T03:05:03Z")
Oh look, some more [‘naughty’](http://www.uri-geller.com/articles/jewish/jt1.htm) (1st article only)
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### Author:  [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/243 "2013-03-13T03:11:33Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> Most magicians disagree with you, and they are in a position to know.
The views of magicians are now the authority on what is and is not fraud? On degrees of “naughty”? Who knew?
And perhaps someone’s already asked you for this but I call “cite” on your “most magicians” claim.
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/244 "2013-03-13T03:11:54Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#):
>
> Oh look, some more [‘naughty’](http://www.uri-geller.com/articles/jewish/jt1.htm) (1st article only)
Naughty? Apparently most magicians disagree with you.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/245 "2013-03-13T03:13:01Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#):
>
> Oh look, some more [‘naughty’](http://www.uri-geller.com/articles/jewish/jt1.htm) (1st article only)
[Quote=from that link]
In rare cases the HIV virus has apparently vanished from an infected patient - could this be Mindpower at its incredible best?
[/quote]
Clearly, he’s Just Asking Questions.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/246 "2013-03-13T03:22:34Z")
Slightly naughty?
_Slightly naughty??_
Saying that Uri Geller is slightly naughty is like saying the Titanic is slightly dented. **Petey** , don’t you think you’re carrying this “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing just a tiny bit too far? I can just imagine what you would be posting now if J.R. had written a book opposing the Holocaust.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/247 "2013-03-13T03:22:56Z")
Since this thread has long ago left the factual realm and is now mainly a discussion of ethics, let’s move it over to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/248 "2013-03-13T03:43:03Z")
If my air conditioning breaks I hope PM can come over. All this hand waving will keep the entire house cool.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/249 "2013-03-13T03:51:28Z")
This is what happens when one’s claims are negative.
Poster 1: A is B.
Poster 2: A is _not_ B.
Poster 1: Then what is A?
Poster 2: It’s not B.
Poster 1: Well, here’s some evidence I found that A is indeed B, but if A _isn’t_ B, what is A?
Poster 2: It’s not B, that’s for sure. I’m an amateur B-keeper, and that A sure isn’t B.
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/250 "2013-03-13T04:16:08Z")
> [@Princhester](#):
>
> And perhaps someone’s already asked you for this but I call “cite” on your “most magicians” claim.
How about this earlier post
> [@ianzin](#):
>
> It may be the case that _you_ have never heard of a professional magician calling Uri anything but a fraud, but how large is your data set? I am very confident I know more professional magicians than you do, and have known them for longer, and mix and mingle with them on a more regular basis. The number who have anything bad or unkind to say about Uri is very small They are in a tiny minority. Most are either neutral towards him or like him very much. I’ve been friends with Uri for years, and I think he’s a really nice guy.
>
> Uri has been welcomed to several major magic conventions over the years, most recently the ‘Genii’ anniversary convention last year, where he was interviewed for two hours about his life and work and won a standing ovation. I wasn’t at that particular event, but I was at the Macmillian International convention in 2008 when he was given a prestigious award and spent hours afterwards with hundreds of magicians who wanted to shake his hand, have their photo taken with him and get his autograph. He was enormously popular, and it was rather like watching a rock star sign autographs for a couple of hours for enthusiastic fans!
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/251 "2013-03-13T04:21:45Z")
> [@moriah](#):
>
> Most ethicists would disagree with you
cite?
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### Author:  [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/252 "2013-03-13T04:22:55Z")
So you don’t know what the majority of magicians think of Uri’s selling “magic crystals” then, I take it?
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### Author:  [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/253 "2013-03-13T04:42:53Z")
Once I saw that he was charging money for “Uri Geller’s Quartz Crystal Pendulum and Diving Rods”, I lost all respect for him, and anyone defending him.
Seeing that, [especially with the cheesy photo of Uri on the back of the box](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/uri-gellers-crystal-pendulum-dowsing-kit-uri-geller/1008401235?ean=9781842931943), “unlocking the powers of your mind” with his “magic” crystal, any rational person would put him in the “claiming to have paranormal abilities” category. And the “being a fraud” category.
Notice I said “rational” person…
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/254 "2013-03-13T04:46:06Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> How about this earlier post
It shows that magicians think he puts on a decent stage show…but it does absolutely nothing for his reputation _off_-stage when he is defrauding people and lying about his background.
What about those “magic crystals”, btw? Is conning people out of their money “slightly naughty”?
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### Author:  [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/255 "2013-03-13T07:25:14Z")
PM, I don’t have a dog in this fight, but can you tell me why you so vehemently defend Geller?
I don’t mean just a thread on the SDMB. If you were having a conversation at a bar/whatever and this came up, are you the same way? Just curious.
I mean, many of us have passionate beliefs, but does this come up for you in real life and if so, how does that go? IOW, you seem to be so narrow-minded and downright pedantic about this it blows my mind.
Or is it just a board thing and you wake up in the morning with a chuckle?
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/256 "2013-03-13T07:44:04Z")
Because the purpose of the board is to fight ignorance.
A lot of the stuff the Geller-haters say is based in ignorence. Some parts are factually wrong. Others are logically wrong. Mostly they are just copying what other people have said about him. Some have directly refused even to watch Uri perform his act, because they KNOW he’s a fraud, and don’t need to see it.
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/257 "2013-03-13T08:19:36Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> Because the purpose of the board is to fight ignorance.
>
> A lot of the stuff the Geller-haters say is based in ignorence. Some parts are factually wrong. Others are logically wrong.
For example
> [@](#):
>
> He doesn’t claim to assist the police in solving crimes. He doesn’t attempt to locate missing children.
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### Author:  [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/258 "2013-03-13T08:26:07Z")
Thank you. I would ask one more question. Do you believe that it is possible that a human being is capable of psychic powers (as generally defined, such as precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, telepathy and other psychic abilities) as is purported to be true by many individuals over the course of history?
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/259 "2013-03-13T08:27:45Z")
> [@Klaatu](#):
>
> PM, I don’t have a dog in this fight, but can you tell me why you so vehemently defend Geller?
Peter’s background regarding the issue is discussed [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684618)
---
### Author:  [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2013, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-uri-geller-psychic-divine-pictures-people-had-written/652260/260 "2013-03-13T08:54:23Z")
> [@Simplicio](#):
>
> Peter’s background regarding the issue is discussed [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684618)
Well understood, and I have read all relevant threads. I am just looking for a broader, "non-SDMB"centric possible explanation for his beliefs, of which I may not agree with, but am certainly not going to be against the rules type disrespectful of.
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