Nexus - 0606 - New Times Magazine-pages

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used to simulate quasi-surgical operations, they were forced to separate the imposters from the genuine healers. Realising that sleight of hand was indeed widely used, and not wanting to be labelled as facilitators of quackery, the advocates of psychic surgery began to distance themselves from the healers. Serious researchers who had documented hundreds of genuine operations retreated to the position that while sleight-of-hand sim- ulations of operations were a reality, genuine paranormal "opera- tions" were also a reality. Eventually, the debates on psychic surgery ceased, as no one could reasonably explain the practice of placebo surgery. used to simulate quasi-surgical operations, they were forced to was nothing more than a "despicable" fraud, delegations of separate the imposters from the genuine healers. patients continued to arrive from around the globe on a daily Realising that sleight of hand was indeed widely used, and not _ basis. wanting to be labelled as facilitators of quackery, the advocates of I could not imagine a better way to study the efficacy of a heal- psychic surgery began to distance themselves from the healers. ing technique than to subject it to the objective and subjective Serious researchers who had documented hundreds of genuine scrutiny of every conceivable belief system as well as the various operations retreated to the position that while sleight-of-hand sim- racial and religious biases of a broad cr ction of the entire ulations of operations were a reality, genuine paranormal "opera- human race. It also seemed reasonable to assume that any method tions" were also a reality. Eventually, the debates on psychic of healing that could produce consistent results, given these con- surgery ceased, as no one could reasonably explain the practice of ditions, certainly had merit. It was quite common to hear enthusi- placebo surgery. astic testimonies to the healing abilities of the psychic surgeons being offered in Japanese, English, Arabic, Chinese and many CONTROVERSY IN THE PHILIPPINES other languages. In 1983, I had the opportunity to visit the Philippines as a guest Rev. Orbito told these delegations to surrender to God in what- of the famous psychic surgeon Reverend Alex Orbito. I met Rev. ever way they perceived God to exist. The message at Rev. Orbito through a close friend who had been healed by him. Later, Orbito's healing centre was that God is larger than any particular my friend and I co-sponsored Rev. Orbito to come to Hawaii to _ religious orientation. conduct a healing mission. Living in the Philippines and working at Alex Orbito's healing During this healing mission, we strictly controlled the healing centre, I saw overwhelming evidence that psychic surgery was a environment, eliminating any possibility of very effective method of healing. fraud. The results of the healing mission Surrounded by so many satisfied and grate- were so impressive that I was immediately ful patients, I was both baffled and even convinced that Rev. Orbito was genuinely offended by those who continued to insist performing paranormal healing, and that that the psychic surgeons must prove, under psychic surgery was a fact. Two days before clinical conditions, that what they were returning to the Philippines, Alex asked my . doing was "real". I couldn't understand why friend and me if we would come to the _ whatever psychic the hundreds of people who were visibly and Philippines and produce a video documen- surgery was it seemed dramatically cured didn't constitute "proof". tary of his life and work. We agreed to do u . In this surreal environment, the definition of so, and after a month of preparation we pro- to be e uall effective what constituted "real" psychic surger prep: Pp ’ psy gery ceeded on to the Philippines. became increasingly nebulous. To parapsy- [arrived in the Philippines in June of 1983 tegardless of the chologists, psychic surgery was "real" if per- and immediately became aware of the con- diverse backg rounds formed without using sleight of hand. To troversy surrounding psychic surgery. . scientists, only conventional surgery It seemed that everyone I met had an of the patients who was "real". opinion on the subject. While detrac- i i Sceptics demanded that the healers tors of psychic surgery insisted that it COO arrived submit to controlled scientific studies. rom all over the world. be rejected entirely as medical quack- When healers refused to submit to such ery, advocates insisted that it be inte- experiments, their refusal alone was grated into the conventional practice of regarded as proof that they were fakes medicine. Since my only experience of and that psychic surgery was quackery. psychic surgery had been totally posi- This bizarre situation forced Alex tive, I was genuinely surprised to find Orbito to announce publicly that "the myself surrounded by so many zealous mission of the healing is not to con- etractors. vince the people, but to cure the peo- The publicity surrounding psychic ple". In fact, several psychic surgeons surgery had drawn a number of people did agree to extensive scientific testing, from around the world who fancied and it didn't take them long to figure themselves as freelance quack-busters. They saw themselves as out that being the guinea pigs of scientific materialists was insult- public servants, boldly blowing the whistle on medical fraud. To ing, absurd and counterproductive. these sceptics, psychic surgery was a brazen hoax with no In increasing desperation, those who continued to emphasise redeeming value. As I came to know these people, the flaws in the failures and disregard the successes of the healers were forced their thinking became apparent. The most obvious was their total to try to save face by taking a stand on the issue. Those who had ismissal of the many dramatic, often miraculous, cures that were hoped that psychic surgery would conform to their theories and taking place. While working at Alex's healing centre, I saw hun- expectations were bitterly disappointed. Sporadic miracles simply reds of people come from around the world with all sorts of ail- weren't enough. The miracles had to be produced on demand, ments and leave cured. I began to wonder why the debunkers under the intense scrutiny of total sceptics. Anything short of per- were choosing to ignore the obvious success of the psychic sur- manent miracles, produced on demand, were not miracles at all. geons. Full of rage and bitterness, the detractors of psychic surgery I was deeply impressed by the fact that, whatever psychic denounced the healers. To the patients who were healed, howev- surgery was, it seemed to be equally effective, regardless of the er, a single miracle was more than adequate proof. diverse backgrounds of the patients who continually arrived from In the face of intense inquiry into the nature of their work, the all over the world. While sceptics insisted that psychic surgery healers offered a simple explanation for their phenomenal diverse backgrounds of the patients who continually arrived from all over the world. geons. I was deeply impressed by the fact that, whatever psychic surgery was, it seemed to be equally effective, regardless of the diverse backgrounds of the patients who continually arrived from all over the world. While sceptics insisted that psychic surgery NEXUS - 27 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 1999