James Randi Fighting Cancer
Posted by Greg at 11:03, 31 Aug 2009A recent story at SFWeekly.com has broken the news that James 'The Amazing' Randi is fighting intestinal cancer:
Randi has debunked more than 100 psychics and faith healers in a quest to rid the world of hucksters. It also makes him the subject of scorn among purveyors of the paranormal, true believers who say Randi has made himself rich, pulling in nearly $200,000 a year from his foundation, at the expense of others' careers.
Now, however, Randi's work may be in jeopardy. His foundation has been hemorrhaging money, and Randi, who has spent his career challenging the notion of an afterlife, now faces his own mortality. He has intestinal cancer and may not have long to live. He has been a commanding presence for four decades, but it's unclear who could fill his role as the face of the skeptic community.
The article says doctors are giving him a 50/50 prognosis for the next five years. Not that it means much, but my best wishes go out to the old geezer in his battle against the big C, regardless of my criticisms of some of his actions and the merits of the JREF.
The full article is worth a read, there are comments from Uri Geller about his long battle with Randi, and also plenty of material from the recent Amazing Meeting which gives you the feeling there's a bit of cult vibe with the skeptical minions and the white-bearded father figure who shepherds them.
Bookmark/Search this post with
Comments
14 July 2008
6 days 1 hour
Having lost two members of our immediate family to cancer over the last three years, I can identify and sympathize with Randi and his own family. Regardless of his past behavior and/or beliefs, I wish him and them well in dealing with the rough path that lies before them.
You can spend your life thinking that you have all the answers to it. You can disregard faith and the notion of the soul; that death is the end of your process. Then, in those last days, your family members will look on knowing that you will be gone soon... and they will silently pray, even if you don't, that you were wrong.
...
- but you are mistaken.
- An (Adopted) Family Member of Randi's.
5 June 2008
2 years 22 weeks
He may have a hard time finding a medium who will channel for him from the other side.
Seriously, one does not wish pain on any being. His journey is what it is, a passage. Perhaps the shock of being conscious after the dissolution of his body will bring him to wakefulness about the spiritual nature of life.
Alternoid
There has to be a better alternative to the human mind
21 June 2007
30 weeks 4 days
I suspect Randi will find far more sympathy and classy well-wishes for his health on a site like this one than someone like Rupert Sheldrake would find on a site like the JREF forum...or like Ted Kennedy recently found on conservative fora.
I disagree with his views and his methods, but I wish him a full recovery and excellent health.
9 April 2008
1 week 51 min
It really does depress me that I think you're right -- if someone like Sheldrake was in the same position there's be taunts and cheering and a whole lot of similar nonsense going on over at those boards.
But on the other hand, it does hearten me to know that we're the good guys.
http://grthink.deviantart.com
31 August 2009
2 years 22 weeks
Though I profoundly disagree with his worldview and approach, I wish Randi the best.
19 August 2004
1 year 48 weeks
While I feel his perspective is too limited (and maybe it was intentional in order to bring in a few $s because he is an intelligent man) I do wish him the best. He has debunked a number of charlatans and people that would prey on others and for that he deserves his kudos as well.
But he has also been a part of the goofy crazy skeptic movement which is so enmeshed in their desire to show there isn’t anything other than things that can be easily explained that they are stunting the intelligent growth of humanity. The scientific process is important but to the skeptic zealots even the scientific process can be debunked. Simplicity isn't always the answer. For those who need clean tidy answers that make them feel like they are in control of their universe I suppose it makes them feel nice. Maybe actual reality isn't for everyone.
5 June 2006
1 day 18 hours
He's 81, thats a pretty good run.
2 May 2004
4 hours 12 min
Still having a good time, if the rumors of the Amazing Meeting after-party are true.
I'm a firm believer in karma, not saying anything if you have nothing nice to say -- thinking ill of others only comes back and bites you on the arse. So I hesitate to say what I really think of Randi and his cultists... nah, he's a sly, small-minded, cantankerous, boorish old fart who's done more harm to science than good!
But it's sad to see anyone have to deal with terminal cancer. Even though I don't know him personally, I sincerely wish Randi well, and that he has a painless, uncomplicated final few years. And finds out he was wrong, in the end.
~ * ~
@levitatingcat
3 August 2005
2 years 11 weeks
Don't take my approach to be lack of sensitivity. I have it, and it has a time and place. This, however, is a forum where all relevant information should be considered. To wit:
"Now, however, Randi's work may be in jeopardy. His foundation has been hemorrhaging money, and Randi, who has spent his career challenging the notion of an afterlife, now faces his own mortality."
If Randi's work is in jeopardy due to his mortality, it would be no different from most of the 150,000+ people who die every day. However, in Randi's case his work was meant to endure, and like it or not, it certainly will in the numbers of "skeptics" who follow his banner, even should he himself get behind the slow marching band*. Often misguided, sometimes no better or even worse than the targets of the ridicule, they do at least serve to keep objectivity and methodology to be a public concern.
I find the SF News article quoted to be a shallow and tasteless disservice to the man and his work. I hope he distances himself from it. More so, I pray he doesn't start singing in that key himself, as I don't want to lose the respect I do have for him.
No, I am not the brain specialist.....
YES. Yes I AM the brain specialist.
* "Slow Marching Band", Jethro Tull, on The Broadsword and The Beastie. Look up the lyrics and read them alone, to see what it's really about. Then listen to see how good a job they did portraying the message in the music also.
1 May 2004
6 weeks 5 days
I wonder if anyone ever thought to do a study to see what the result is of having thousands of people hate you to the very core and sending you negative thoughts daily.
Just something to think about.
ASM
22 November 2004
2 weeks 12 hours
Past cases of dictators and such indicates that it doesn't make any difference.
I wish Randi the best.
----
No amount of cursing at the round earth will make it flat.
1 May 2004
6 weeks 5 days
became dictators because of millions of adoring sheeple. When the people turn against them, they go down . . if the majority keep on loving them, they get put on state display for lines of followers to see. . . Stalin is a good example ... plenty of die-hard communists still pine for his strong hand.
ASM
2 May 2004
4 hours 12 min
Dick Cheney is still fit as a fiddle, despite my best woowoo efforts.
~ * ~
@levitatingcat
1 May 2004
6 weeks 5 days
. . . and he can't go into a dark room without someone going in first and turning on the lights . . . doesn't sound peachy to me.
2 May 2004
4 hours 12 min
Really? Geez, I only aimed with my woowoo to make him incontinent.
~ * ~
@levitatingcat
1 May 2004
16 hours 22 min
Violent flatulence while holding a hair-trigger shotgun can have consequences!
30 April 2004
1 hour 45 min
Time to pass on the torch to someone else to fight the good fight.
30 April 2004
1 hour 45 min
I wonder if anyone ever thought to do a study to see what the result is of having thousands of people hate you to the very core and sending you negative thoughts daily.
Just something to think about.
ASM
While the test you proposed is mealiness if it had merit the hundreds of thousands of people cheering you on would far out weigh the thousands of people hating you .
First, think about the people who are doing the hating...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball
;)
1 May 2004
6 weeks 5 days
Have you ever had even hundreds of people cheering you on? I have and it is an amazing boost. So amazing some people get addicted to it . . . just a thought.
ASM
30 April 2004
1 hour 45 min
That explains why there are so many screw-balls out there, thanks! ;)
Cheers
1 May 2004
6 weeks 5 days
Are you suggesting having a few hundred people give you a standing ovation makes you become a screwball or are you just having a go at me?
ASM
Dogma is as Dogma Does
30 April 2004
1 hour 45 min
Are you suggesting having a few hundred people give you a standing ovation makes you become a screwball or are you just having a go at me?
ASM
Dogma is as Dogma Does
Ok if you want me to explain this I will.
James Randi has been diagnosed with cancer. Randi as you know has made it his life's mission expose paranormal woo woo oogie boogie frauds and made many enemies in oogie boogie land.
You suggested for a new test of what happens when hundreds of people hate you. I took it as you suggested Randi's cancer is the result of people hating him.
I countered with there are thousands of people cheering Randi compared to hundreds hating him.
Have you ever had even hundreds of people cheering you on? I have and it is an amazing boost. So amazing some people get addicted to it . . . just a thought.
ASM
I understood this to mean that if only hundreds of people cheering you on is like a drug imagine what thousands of people must be like meaning Randi is only after the cheering as his motivation.
That explains why there are so many screw-balls out there, thanks! ;)
Cheers
My meaning is there seems no end to screw balls that want people to listen / read their woo woo oogie boogie screw ball stuff. For example, how many webs are there on ORBs when it is clear that orbs are nothing but dust / insects caught in the camera flash?
'nuff?
:)
Cheers
Wont miss him.