Comments on: A field trip to Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment

By: Brandon

Brandon — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:10:46 +0000

Well, I can certainly say that this article in no way shape or form debunks Edgar Cayce or anything else for that matter. All it is, is negative spin. Did the author even try any of the remedies Edgar offered as a possible therapy for Cerebral Palsy? That would be a ‘debunk’ worthy process and certainly wouldn’t hurt to try? What’s the worst that could happen? You’re child could be cured without paying a fortune in Western Medicine?
I think people are too scared to accept that humans can have extraordinary powers. Both for the greater good and the bad.
When you look at all the other ‘famous’ psychics and clairvoyants you will find a common theme among their ‘predictions.’ That is, the future is not set and can be changed. In other words, had man gone down the exact same path he/she/it was taking they would wind up fulfilling ’said’ prophecy. This is akin to saying that if you keep smoking cigarettes you will eventually get lung cancer and die. That is something you can predict based on the events at present and from the past. Now, let’s say that after 3 years you decide to stop smoking cigarettes. How likely is the prediction that you’ll get lung cancer and die? Not likely at all.
Another fallacy is that humans are emotional beings and they allow emotions to cloud their judgment. I would ‘predict’ that over 80% of skeptics would continue to argue their point even if all the predictions were true purely because they refuse to accept it out of pure anger and shame. You’d be amazed at how powerful the mind is. A person can instantly blind themselves to the truth when confronted with knowledge they were not ready to accept. It can even be labeled as protection. Another concept is that a great number of people want predictions to be wrong. Nothing ruins a day more knowing something bad is going to happen. It’s much better if its completely random.
I will be the first to admit skepticism. Some of the famous ‘debunks’ about Edgar Cayce are using tactics that are themselves ‘debunked’ and by making broad generalizations. Like his saying that the Great Pyramid was likely built in 10,000+ BC but carbon dating says the oldest pyramid is only 7000 years old. Oh no, how can that be!?! I can tell you; Carbon dating isn’t accurate to an exact date. Carbon dating doesn’t take into account material density, light and heat changes, and other natural phenomenon that take place over time. So it doesn’t prove or debunk anything it’s just an approximation and not an exact ’science’. As far as Atlantis is concerned, it’s not like Edgar made it up. There are writings of this lost civilization from numerous other sources. The fact that a hall of records exists under the paw of the Sphinx, according to Edgar Cayce, has led to an undiscovered chamber found under the paw in 2004 is proof enough for me of some sort of gift or skill. As of yet the Egyptian government isn’t allowing it to be excavated (how convenient is that?). His descriptions of locations has led to the discovery of several artifacts that would have otherwise never have been found. So say what you will; a learned scientist who is perfectly sober and alert couldn’t even predict or say with any confidence where anything is without years of research, tools, calculations and a team of people. So a lowly educated man in his sleep can utter things he cannot possibly know that deeply about (no matter what books were available in the 30’s and 40’s), and still be at least 80% accurate is pretty darn astonishing to say the least.
IN the end…what does it even matter? My argument(s) or opinions aren’t going to change anyone’s mind and their opinions certainly aren’t going to change mine. Everything (with few exception) in this world can be classified as Yin and Yang, Black and White, Positive and Negative, Yes and No, On and Off, Light and Dark, Good and Evil, AND…Skeptics and Believers. The truth is…we need both to create balance. So by all means continue to believe in Edgar Cayce and continue to be skeptical.
In time all the truths will be revealed to each and every person’s satisfaction.

By: James

James — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:18:37 +0000

[comment deleted]

By: DB Skeptic

DB Skeptic — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:40:24 +0000

Hi Elizabeth,

I’m not the author, but here are my replies to your points:

1) Yes, people saw him and then he “treated” them. Your statement would make sense if he also turned people away at the door. But the organization exists to make money via Cayce’s legacy of mystical power. I argue that’s morally wrong.

2) Desperate people are willing to go beyond their normal limits (logically and financially) to get help. It’s arguable that Cayce or his organization takes advantage of such people.

3) Point #3 is related to points 1 and 2. As for the author’s “knowing nothing about EC”, the reason this article was written was because of her new knowledge about EC, both having researched in the library and having attended the tour. What better way to gain this information?

Andy

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:01:53 +0000

I can’t help but think that the author of this article was in fact insulted by the label given by EC as children with a disability being called “abnormal children”. She tries to deny this by stating that its because she feels simpathy about those who spent time, money and invested their emotions on getting help from EC. Yeah….so where is the problem? Lets look at the facts:

#1 EC didn’t call on them, they took the initiative to go and see him.

#2 Even if he were not 100% qualified, I’m sure they knew the risk they would be taking by seeking his help. Obviously, they were not getting anywhere with conventional techniques of that time.

#3 The author states very clearly in the beginning that she knew nothing about EC, so how can she jump to such conclusions and make those statements about the patients that went to see him taking the trouble to travel, pay money (which anyone who has read about the life of EC knows he didn’t ask for money) and invest their time when it could have been spent seeking more qualified methods of treatment. I refer again to #2 and say before you make such statements, you should educate yourself first on who this man was, and what he was like.

By: Rob Steenwyk

Rob Steenwyk — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:30:21 +0000

” as humans we only use 10 percent of our brain function.”

Please take a look at this article, http://www.dbskeptic.com/2008/06/04/the-ten-percent-of-the-brain-myth-a-fractional-truth/

before continuing to state such things.

By: ty

ty — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:19:02 +0000

If you’re going to be skeptical you have to back it up with something besides just the fact that you’re skeptical.

You should take the most convincing pieces of evidence and prove them wrong. There is some super alarming cayce proof, why not confront that? Was this all a big scam with thousands of people involved and literally everything he predicted was a coincidence? When the chances of a coincidence gets up into the one in quintillion or whatever you have to stop and take a breath. That would be a super fantastic mind blowing world, far far more rainbow magical than if he just had esp.

By: dr. lafarge

dr. lafarge — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:10:24 +0000

the whole new age religion came after mr. cayce’s death. he had no part in devoloping a cult- like following. i belive that there are certain people who come around every now and then who are truly gifted with extra sensory perception. as humans we only use 10 percent of our brain function. if a person is chanced to be born with a disability like c.p. the same probability applies to a person born with an extraordinary gift. einstein was thought to have used 12 percent of his brain, thus came his brilliance. mr. cayce was conscious in parts of his brain, that for the majority of us, we are not conscious.
cayce was very modest with his work. he collected pay for readings early on, to open a hospital because he truly felt he could help people. there are records of him diagnosing patients in a subconcious state. his claims to have traveled out of the body are an arguement which should be corresponded with carpesian duality. the universe is a very mysterious place, a mere atom in a universe of planets. we are not fully knowledgable of the complete functions of the human brain. in time, we learn from our mistakes; to be such egotist is a flaw of our human nature. edgar cayce should not be classified as a psychic or a prophet. surly, though, he is more accurate in his predictions than nostradamus or those before him.

By: MH

MH — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:18:20 +0000

” And his prophecies? Were any of them correctly interpreted before the events they foretold took place? Or were they all retrofitted after the fact? ”
Actually some of his fortellings, like the existence of the Dead Sea Scrolls, were only realised AFTER he DIED! So no retrofitting was necessary.
The film cannot be a comprehensive answer-guide to every man’s questions, but if you took the time to read and check the facts (e.g. about his wife’s diagnosis by a medical doctor – the answer is yes she was diagnosed before turning to Cayce for help) you would have written a more balanced article.
As for the money aspect – Cayce and his family lived simple lives, he did not charge for his readings and did many of them without receiving a donation. So $$$ was not the motive and wealth was not the result.
I expect you are disappointed.

By: todd

todd — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:42:16 +0000

“The fact of the matter is, either thousands of people (including initially skeptical medical doctors of Cayce’s day) were completely delusional, or Cayce did in fact help to cure people.”

sorry but i must disagree.

Where is the evidence that cayce ever cured anything? We have his word. There is no proof at all.

Cayce claimed a bunch of things that are demonstrably false though. look up some of his predictions. many are downright laughable.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:13:43 +0000

I’m sorry the author of this article has a child with cerebral palsy, but she rather abruptly ends the article without having debunked a single thing.

The fact of the matter is, either thousands of people (including initially skeptical medical doctors of Cayce’s day) were completely delusional, or Cayce did in fact help to cure people.

Even Houdini, who was almost as famous as a debunker as he was an escape artist, did not denounce Casey after having been present at a reading.