I have spent a number of hours talking with people who regularly read horoscopes and consult in psychics. I have also viewed a number of promotional ads for well known psychic hotlines. What I noticed, and what many skeptics have been observing for years, is that the "predictions" or "precognitive revelations" are always general, generic things that pertain to the vast majority of people. Such displays of false psychic power is often mistaken as an accurate "hit". Psychics use a variety of tactics to learn about the caller or customer, without them realizing the wealth of information they are giving away by stating their age, by their facial expressions, or giving away seemingly unrelated bits of information.

A prime example was when a woman told her psychic that she had a teenage daughter. The psychic then revealed to the lady that she knew that there were conflicts in values, and difficulties relating to each other due to the generation gap. This statement could describe the majority of parents with teenage children! Another tactic used often by mediums and psychics is broadening questions to increase the likeliness of a correct answer. For example, a psychic may say, "You or someone close to you is suffering from an illness".

I often wonder why psychics or mediums appear to only predict good futures. Where are all the negative "death by cancer", "you'll loose your job, your house, your wife", etc... And why do you think the words, "For entertainment purposes only" appear on every psychic hotline add?

I recently watched a documentary on astrology where they attempted to prove the accuracy of star charts using ones from President Kennedy and other past historical figures. This proves nothing as star charts can be open to interpretation and the "predictable" events already happened. Astrology has been around since the beginning of humankind and can be accurate for some, but are you trying to tell me that everyone born in the same month is supposed to have the same character and personality traits?

Since seeking advice from psychics and mediums is strictly forbidden in the Bible, Christians have their own version of psychic healers and soothsayers. Countless Christian leaders have come forward announcing the exact date of the end of the world. Still others have interpreted Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and other militant dictators as the anti-Christ, all of which have not or have yet to bring about the destruction of Earth. Evangelistic healers such as Benny Hinn display a lot of the same tactics which psychics use to determine various "secret" information about certain individuals who approach them for healing.

Evangelist Benny Hinn recently had a crusade in Melbourne, Australia. I watched part of this on TV the other night. There was a woman brought on stage by his two assistants. Hinn looked at the woman and stretched out his arm. Down she went, shaking and crying as Hinn proceeded to "chit-chat" with God, whom he told his huge audience was standing right next to him on stage. Of course he was the only one who could see him. He then described two "pig-like" demons exiting the woman�s side as she convulsed on the floor, thrashing her head from side to side.

Now these dramatic and entertaining displays almost never happened in the Bible. It is as if the evangelist spices up the whole healing procedure, "conjures down" God himself, all for the entertainment of the huge, packed auditorium. The Biblical book of Exodus describes a situation where God had to shield Moses' face as he passed, because no mortal could see God's face. And in the New Testament, Jesus healed many individuals without the theatrical atmosphere. But then, Jesus was a teacher, not a showman.