More “Energy” Pseudo-Science: or, “Dr Harry Oldfield Will Give You the PIP”
The following snippet of information about Gary Mannion recently appeared in Psychic News:
Quote:
Gary is also taking part in research with Dr Harry Oldfield, which involves various tests including work on brain functions.
"When I worked with him, my brain produced multiple waves which is evidence of spirit," he [Gary] claimed...”
Oldfield’s name rang a bell but I couldn’t quite place it at first. Then I remembered – our own Tom Roberts, in his UK-Skeptics persona of “bindeweede”, recently quoted a New Age website which linked Oldfield’s name with Gary’s. With the help of microbiologist Tom Irving I did a bit of research into Dr Oldfield’s work, and it soon became abundantly clear why he was so eager to be impressed by Gary’s multiple brain waves...
Even as I type this Gary and other woo-merchants are in the midst of the Soul Companions Event being held at the Stackpole Centre, a National Trust property near Pembroke in Wales. Who are the Soul Companions? Well, they claim to be "contemporary wisdom-keepers", which is Newage-speak for "sellers of feelgood fantasy to people who can't be bothered to educate themselves about the real world". You name it, there's a Soul Companion flogging it in workshops and books - angels, aliens, alchemy, Atlantis...and that's just the stuff beginning with A!
It's sad to see this sort of claptrap being aided and abetted by the National Trust, but anyone who's noticed the New Age books and trinkets on sale in NT shops will not be surprised. Personally I find this sort of thing as incongruous as seeing Jack Chick tracts or Creationist literature in the gift shops of Anglican cathedrals, but there you go.
Obviously the full complement of Soul Companions won't have invaded Wales en masse, but I thought you might like to know more about Gary's comrades in extreme New Age numptiness.
WARNING: I CANNOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR BRAIN DAMAGE, SOILED UNDERWEAR OR SUICIDAL DESPAIR CAUSED BY READING THIS ARTICLE.
This excellent article by Dr David H Gorski is taken from the Science-based Medicine blog - http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/. I reproduce it in full because it's too good to be tucked away as a link.
Last month Gary's brush with the sceptic community was the subject of a (very) brief article by Tara Brady in the Harrow Observer, which was later picked up by Psychic News.
Does the name Lynda Jakiro ring a bell? Yes, she was third from the left in this lineup of "healers" dispensing Abraham Body Energy. Aren't those matching t-shirts cute? But Lynda isn't merely a Mannion associate, she has a magic wand. And she's not afraid to use it! It's time for a closer look at "Lynda Jakiro NAET, EFT Adv. Allergy Therapist"
Many thanks to farsideofthemoon and bindeweede/tomroberts for bringing this to my attention over on UK Skeptics.
Gary now insists that he doesn't diagnose illness and always advises clients to seek conventional medical treatment. Some of the testimonials on his sites tell a very different story!
The founder members of the UUKPS: Gary Mannion, Andy Porter and Nina Knowland
Looking for an authentic, ethical psychic surgeon? A new organisation rejoicing in the name of the Unity of UK Psychic Surgeons may be able to help you. But a closer look at the UUKPS reveals some familiar faces...
In which I finally receive a reply from Steve Nobel of Alternatives about Gary Mannion's "demonstration of psychic surgery" at St James' Church in February.
Rose Shapiro, author of Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All, has come up with eight helpful tips on "How to Spot a Quack". How does Gary score on her Quackometer?
The £50,000 prize has been withdrawn at Gary's request!
Gary has informed Professor Chris French that although he is still willing to take part in controlled tests - if a protocol acceptable to all parties can be worked out - he is not interested in the £50,000 and does not want the tests to be filmed for TV.
Every now and then sceptics come across a paranormal claim so ludicrous it's almost impossible to decide if it's the real thing, the product of mental illness, a parody or a straightforward hoax. In this article we'll take a look at "Carlos", the channeler who fooled many Australians in 1988 - until his act was revealed to be a hoax dreamed up by James Randi! Could it be possible that Gary is playing a similar game?
Visitors to www.garymannion.com will have noticed that a lengthy disclaimer has been added to the site. At first glance it looks like a step in the right direction, but a closer examination reveals that it's merely a long-winded claim that medical science and paranormal skills - such as "psychic surgery" - are two different but equal approaches to illness.
It's strange, but since I began investigating the Indigo Kid's claims I seem to have been transformed from a mild-mannered lady of mature years into a sort of James Bond supervillain(ess) - the Sceptical Madame Blofeld.
Exposing New Age charlatans can be a frustrating business. E-mails to newspaper editors, trading standards authorities, MPs, doctors and scientists tend to go unanswered for weeks or are ignored completely, as are phone messages left on answering machines. But perseverance DOES pay off, as BP has discovered this week.
You may remember that a testimonial from "Rodger Andrews", insinuating that his terminal cancer disappeared two days after being treated by Gary Mannion, recently appeared on two of Gary's sites. I reported what seemed to me to be a breach of the Cancer Act to Gary's local Trading Authority, Brent and Harrow. It took some time to get a reply but in the meantime Gary toned down the wording of Andrews' testimonial on garymannion.com. I suspected that someone from Trading Standards must have had a word in Gary's ear, and sure enough an e-mail from Winston Brooks of Brent and Harrow TS confirmed that this was the case - Gary had been given a verbal warning.
After our recent exposure of his lies, Gary Mannion has come up with an excuse that's about as credible as "the dog ate my homework":
Quote:
"Sceptics are always a pain in the backside. My predicament is the 2 medical professions I mentioned that back my work. Thankfully I mis spelled ones name and called the other by the name I personally call him (i also thinkI need to check his last name as I spent some time with his family last yar and assumed he had the same last name as them) and I think I got his potion wrong he is a physiotherapist for northwick part hospitall but apprently not the head which honstly is news to me. Do I come out with the real names - would clear my name in that case but I fear they would be harrassed just as some of the centers I am working at are being harase at the moment. Evenb recieveing threats!"
Do you remember what you posted on UK-Skeptics last December?
Quote:
"Some of the medical professions I work with are Dr Gowri Motha - Got waterbirth into the Nhs Manesh Naidoo - Head Physiotherapiist for Northwick park Hospital"
We already know that Dr Gowri Motha "is yet to be impressed" by you and is concerned about your "extravagant claims" - so concerned that she has asked you to stop using her name. But what about Manesh Naidoo, the Head of Physiotherapy at Northwick Park Hospital who you also claim to have worked with?
Back in the mists of time - late last August, to be precise - Gary Mannion assured readers of UK-Skeptics that "I do currently work with many leading doctors and medical professionals". Everything went quiet for three months until 5th December, when Gary bounced back with this post:
Quote:
"Some of the medical professions I work with are Dr Gowri Motha - Got waterbirth into the Nhs Manesh Naidoo - Head Physiotherapiist for Northwick park Hospital Dr Glen Davies - Homeopatic Doctor, with over 30 years experiance.
E.t.c I will have to ask the other medical professions if I can post their Details."
At 7pm at St James' Church, Piccadilly, on the 4th of February, Gary Mannion appeared in an event being billed as follows:
"Gary Mannion is a 19 year old Indigo Child with amazing psychic and healing gifts. Working with his Spirit Surgeon, Abraham, Gary will demonstrate Psychic Surgery on some willing members of the audience. These operations, which are completely safe and painless, are non-evasive, and require no surgical instruments, or removal of clothing. Whilst working, Gary will talk about how he and Abraham ended up working together, and how Psychic Surgery works."
BP Supremo Julia asked Professor Christopher French of Goldsmiths College Department of Psychology for his views on last night's "demonstration", and with his permission here they are:
I was told the doors opened at 6-30pm. I was there at 6-28, and my watch seems to be 2 minutes fast. There were about 12 people ahead of me in the queue and when I got in, there were about 50 people already seated right at the front, around the area Gary was to do his demo. I don't know how they managed to get in so early.
Then Steve Nobel, Co-director of "Alternatives", came to the front. He asked at one point if there was anyone in the audience from UK Skeptics, as he'd had a few emails. Now this was a problem for me. I am a member of the UKS Forum, obviously, but I was not there officially representing UKS. And as I was sitting there recording things with my new digital recorder, I thought if I raise my hand, I might be asked to leave. Well possibly.
One thing I always pride myself and this site on, is our ability to accept criticism, allow people to respond to any articles on them, and if necessary even change our original article to better state the facts.
Gary Mannion contacted me with a few suggestions as to how better represent our original article on him.
I decided to show his email to the original author (Julia) and allow her to reply to comments aimed at her article, and I have also responded to some comments directed in general to the site.
December 11th 2007, Prof' Chris French
issued a challenge to Gary Mannion to prove his claims, the challenge was accepted. This challenge was repeated on February 4th 2008, and was accepted again.
A member of the BadPsychics site has agreed to put up £50,000 of his own money if Gary can pass a test demonstrating his abilities.
Will Gary ever actually go through with the challenge? We will keep an eye on how long it takes for him to go through with it.
Is there no end to Gary's talents? Apparently not, if the programme for his next workshop at Nash Manor is anything to go by.
In which the author examines the curious afterlife of an Old Testament patriarch and finally gets a chance to use the word "gallimaufry".
Exposing New Age charlatans can be a frustrating business. E-mails to newspaper editors, trading standards authorities, MPs, doctors and scientists tend to go unanswered for weeks or are ignored completely, as are phone messages left on answering machines. But perseverance DOES pay off, as BP has discovered this week.
Oh, Gary.
Back in the mists of time - late last August, to be precise - Gary Mannion assured readers of UK-Skeptics that "I do currently work with many leading doctors and medical professionals". Everything went quiet for three months until 5th December, when Gary bounced back with this post:
