# The Medium Test **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823 "2009-03-09T12:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/41 "2009-03-11T17:41:40Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Not on only do they refer to God, but it is God Himself that ensured that those are there and enforced - thanks be to God. > > My statement stands, try to remove them and you will be fighting God Himself. No, you’ll be fighting the fanatical subset of christains. Who do seem to think of themselves as being God. And I can take God two falls out of three. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/42 "2009-03-11T17:59:27Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > No, you’ll be fighting the fanatical subset of christains. Who do seem to think of themselves as being God. Well all I can say is try it then, you can’t win, you may be able to force it underground for a while. [QUOTE=Matthew 16:18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [/QUOTE] If hades can’t overcome it, no way in hell is some governmental structure. The Lord response: [QUOTE=Psalm 2] 1 Why do the nations conspire [a] and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. \*\* 3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. [/QUOTE] (it gets sort of nasty from here) ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/43 "2009-03-11T18:26:02Z")
> [@Weston](#): > > The second solution would be to draw a line between mediums and televangelists. It could be argued that, since psychics aren’t endorsed by any recognised religion, they don’t qualify for 1st amendment protections. What? No it couldn’t. A religion’s status as “established” has nothing to do with a person’s right to exercise it, and a person’s right to free speech has nothing to do with their religion. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/44 "2009-03-11T18:45:51Z")
I would not support any law that curtails free speech rights for anyone. I felt sickened when native Germans on the thread about free speech in Germany where actually defending their governments biased and unhindered involvement in the limiting of free speech. The best solution to the problem of psychics and faith healers is the one that tends to solve most problems: EDUCATION. Teach people the importance of a rational, scientific approach to problem solving. Instill in them a natural skepticism and give them the tools they need to learn about the world around them without having to invoke superstition and ignorance. Do that and not only will you see less of the problems that the OP is commenting on, but you’ll see a lot less of other types of problems too. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/45 "2009-03-11T18:48:35Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Well all I can say is try it then, you can’t win, you may be able to force it underground for a while. Personally, I don’t care if there are meaningless lies on the money. Such verbiage is just a laughable residue of the fact that the country is dominated by people who believe in a poorly defined sky-god _really, really hard_. You’re the only person I’ve ever heard of who actually thinks the text means something, and frankly, I can laugh you and anyone who agrees with you off in this matter. Even if there are enough of you to keep your comforting meaningless lies on the money. > [@kanicbird](#): > > If hades can’t overcome it, no way in hell is some governmental structure. Dude, you don’t even think that any church on the planet _is_ God’s church. Hades can’t overcome it because it collapsed in a matter of seconds on its own. Not to mention, it’s _so_ impressive that the book says itself that it’s so cool. A complete shock, really. Why, if I ever write a book, I’m going to put “This is the best book ever, and this is true” on the back cover. You’ll know it’s true, because it _says_ it’s true - how can you argue with that? > [@kanicbird](#): > > The Lord response: > > (it gets sort of nasty from here) I can take him. Bring it on. Though, this really is a completely irrelevent hijack of this thread. Perhaps you should start a new thread: “My god can beat up your god - and all americans are his slaves, Bwahahahaha!” ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/46 "2009-03-11T18:49:14Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > What? No it couldn’t. A religion’s status as “established” has nothing to do with a person’s right to exercise it, and a person’s right to free speech has nothing to do with their religion. licensing has nothing to do with free speech. a person unlicensed to practice law (i.e. someone defending himself) is still free to practice law. a person unlicensed to cut hair (i.e. a mother) can still cut hair. They just wouldn’t be hired by anyone because they’re no good at it. If they were, they would easily be LICENSED. a psychic on the other hand can’t be licensed because they’re all frauds. if there was a small group of legit psychics, they would have banded together a long time ago to wean out the posers that were collecting money. This has nothing to do with the government coming down and sanctioning it. The american bar association is completely non-government and only exists because a group of legit lawyers came together to keep unlicensed lawyers from practicing poor, underqualified law. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/47 "2009-03-11T18:54:52Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > licensing has nothing to do with free speech. I wasn’t addressing the licensing issue; I was challenging the specific claim made by **Weston** that adherents to small or unpopular religions are not protected by the First Amendment in the same way that members of larger ones are. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/48 "2009-03-11T20:10:16Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > I would not support any law that curtails free speech rights for anyone. So, for consistency’s sake, you’re opposed to the licensing of lawyers? Because it’s illegal for Joe Schmoe down on the corner to give you legal advice in exchange for money, and that is a restriction on his free speech. My wife is a Licensed Professional Counselor. It seems to me like the stuff psychics and mediums (media?) do is close enough to LPC work - could we go after them for operating a counseling business without an LPC license? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823/49 "2009-03-11T21:38:02Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Any time a faith healer gets tested he is revealed as a fraud. We do have laws against fraud. These people like Johnathan Edwards are absolute jokes. South Park treated him with the proper reverence. The police should stop these people. Ahem. [John Edward](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edward) = TV psychic medium dude that I think you’re thinking of [John Edwards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edwards) = former US Senator, Presidential candidate, and John Kerry’s running mate [Jonathan Edwards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_(theologian)) = colonial American preacher/theologian best remembered for his fire-and-brimstone sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-medium-test/488823.md?page=2)