Cancer Parasite
- always looking for ideas on the frontiers of medicine, 80
was intrigued to come across
this page extolling the wonders of
electromedicine. Electromedicine? Yes, and it is applied through a Zapper.
No, this is not another exhibit at
The Museum of Questionable Medical
Devices although it may as well be. The Zapper and the nonsensical theory
behind it are products of the imagination of one Hulda Clark who believes
that "parasites" are a causative factor in many illnesses, in particular
cancer. This
page from the ever useful Quackwatch looks at Clark's claims
and finds them to be hogwash. It quotes from Clark's book, The Cure for All
Cancers (a typical example of pseudoscience hyperbole right there) where
she states "All cancers are alike. They are all caused by a parasite. A
single parasite! It is the human intestinal fluke. And if you kill this
parasite, the cancer stops immediately. The tissue becomes normal again.
In order to get cancer, you must have this parasite. . . ." And this is
only the beginning of these ridiculous claims - do read the rest of
Stephen Barrett's piece on Clark and her followers, her legal troubles and
a libellous campaign against those who point out the absurdity of Clark's
parasite theory.
But back to the Zapper and the website this piece started with. Don Croft
makes and sells Zappers from his page - so how does he explain how they
work? It would appear to be no more than a method of delivering to the
body a low electrical current - so what, you may ask - surely touching the
terminals on a regular flashlight battery would achieve the same thing.
Aah but that is where you are wrong - the crystals in Croft's Zappers "are
a bridge between the user and the device which causes the electric current
to be more compatible with the tissues." Croft also differs from Clark's
original ideas in the application of the device. Clark says that a regimen
of "holding copper-pipe electrodes in the hands during three cycles of 7
minutes on, 20 minutes off" is the way to go but Croft reckons "if one simply
puts the electrodes anywhere securely against the body for an hour,
exactly the same results are obtained." A statement with which 80 will not
disagree.
Orgone Crazy - not content with the original Zapper Croft has added a twist
which, while it may not demonstrate any real ingenuity, certainly
confirms his willingness to believe in flummery of all sorts. It is
revealed that he has experimented with orgone accumulators and has made
orgone generators. Orgone, he reminds us is "chi, prana, life force, etc.,
and is present throughout the universe." and was discovered by
Wilhelm
Reich. (see Elusive Energies below for more on these mysterious and, to mundane science,
undetectable forces) By adding the power of this imaginary orgone to his
little electrical current Croft claims that "According to users, orgone zappers
quickly relieve pain throughout the body and generally speed up healing."
Naturally none of Croft's statements are backed up by a shred of
independent evidence beyond the anecdotal. If you click on the
Zapper
Research Report link expecting some real proof you are presented with a
rambling personal view in which Croft tells the history of his researches
including a nice line in the kind of irritating cliches popular with
pseudoscientific claims of new "paradigms". 80 is thinking of compiling a
list of these and Croft certainly helps things to get started. "The Ark
was built by amateurs, the Titanic by experts" and "what happened to
buggywhip manufacturers after the introduction of the automobile?" are a
couple of good examples but sadly he misses the chance to compare himself
or Clark to Galileo. Some of his evidence is more inclined to disgust this
reader, particularly his practice of interpreting results through the obscuring veil
of his own wilful ignorance......
"Although I’ve heard from a few cancer patients that the zapper was
causing their tumors to shrink, the only case I was able to follow through
with involved a friend’s mother who was in the last stages of lymphatic
cancer and was considered beyond treatment by her doctors. She used her
zapper every day and a month later tests failed to show any sign of cancer
in her body. It saddens me to report, though that the doctors convinced
her to undergo radiation of the bone marrow, "just in case," which did
kill her within a couple of months."
Educational Excuse
- he also has a built-in excuse for the lack of what in any
medical/scientific field would be acceptable evidence - " I will use my
lack of scholarly background, however, to forego footnotes and
references." My, that is a handy ploy for ducking even the semblance of
real world research. At least this way he avoids the need to support such
contentions as "I feel confident that parasites enjoy and and thrive on
all the vitamins, herbs and minerals that you send in there to correct the
problems that are caused by the same parasites." So long as Croft feels
confident who needs proof? To complete his Research Report Croft helpfully
lists the afflictions that benefit from his Zapper. Looking at the length
and variety of illnesses and diseases it would perhaps have saved space if
he just listed the few that don't respond to his invention. One illness
that was new to 80 in this list, (which runs from autism to sinusitis to AIDS)
is "Dependence on Doctors". (But of course such a dependence would not be
beneficial for Zapper sales.) At least Croft has the honesty to place a
question mark after a couple of entries - Nerve Regeneration and Organ
Transplant Rejection. It is a pity that he chose not to do that with every
one listed. Croft and his claptrap are worrying enough, but he also projects
his illusions onto his child, pictured with him on the web page. The
caption reads "Don Croft and daughter, Nora, at Mount Shasta Nora sees and
feels subtle energies and is a great help in the process of making
modifications on the energetic healing tools that Don comes up with." Poor
kid.
Elusive
Energies
-the universe is awash with energy. This is
something that physicists and New Agers can agree upon - but what is meant
by energy? The answers from the two groups show how a single word can
carry so many different meanings. The energies measured and manipulated by
the scientist are nothing to do with the various mystical, life-force
energies beloved of New Agers and others, although it suits them to try
and blur this fact, thereby lending a cloak of scientific respectability to
their imaginings. (It is funny that many of these folk, who have little
time for uncaring rational science, are only too keen to adopt its
terminology and apply it to their particular hobbyhorse. (Deepak Chopra's
promotion of "quantum healing" is typical example.) So what are these
mysterious energies that are beyond the reach of dull science but can be
detected and manipulated by Therapeutic Touch, Acupuncture, Clark's Zapper
(see above), Ayurvedic Medicine, Dowsers and any number of others - are
they all the same thing, or different manifestations of the same basic
thing or all different unique things unto themselves?
Shy Psi
- the answer depends on who you ask - and often practitioners within the
same field will differ as to their answer. In fact many New Age healers
are happy to use mutually exclusive energy fields and pathways depending on
which method of healing they are using that day. Here is a
good essay by
Victor J Stenger, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy, University
of Hawaii and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, University of Colorado,
courtesy of Skeptical Briefs that looks at such life energies or
bioenergetic fields. He notes that the idea of a "life force" is very old
indeed. The names for this force, bestowed by various ancient cultures,
instead of being of interest only to cultural historians and
anthropologists are familiar to the modern day reader because of their
adoption by the alternative complementary medicine community and their
near kin the psychics and assorted paranormalists. Is
prana the same as
ch'i or the auras seen by the "gifted" or even, to use a modern example,
orgone energy? The answer is that nobody knows - as these so-called
energies are indetectable by any easily replicated and consistent method
they can be whatever the hell you like. The only consistent thing about
any of them is their shyness when looked for under strict laboratory
conditions. Let's face it, if any of these ancient methods for controlling
such life energies actually worked the world would surely be a healthier
and happier place. The argument posed by many that modern
science/medicine/big business and other vested interests supress knowledge
of such things does not hold water as most of this "ancient wisdom"
predates such recent activities. So were our ancestors any healthier
because of their intuitive healing methods and awareness of spiritual
energy? Evidence for this, like replicable evidence of prana and all the
rest, is conspicuous by its absence.
Parodies Lost
- as has been noted before, some websites are
so weird or over the top that one assumes they just have to be a parody.
One such is called Why is George W Bush president? (A question that must
occur to many, accompanied by a rueful shake of the head) According to
Duty is Ours, the bunch behind these pages, the answer is simple - "It was
God's choice". Not an answer that would satisfy many
believers let alone checking what a bright would say about it. DIO, as they like to
call themselves, naturally have plenty of biblical quotes to back up their
assertion - much like for anyone else, selective quoting from the good
book can shore up almost any idiocy. Their thesis fails for this observer
at the first hurdle when they say of the White House's latest incumbent
"How did that happen? If we truly believe the Bible is God’s inerrant
word, then let us view recent history through this lens." Yes let's - it
makes perfect sense to understand the inadequacies of the US electoral
system by reading ancient texts consisting of rules of conduct for members
of an Iron Age Middle Eastern tribe, religious visions and in particular
Paul the Apostle's desperate attempts to stop his newly minted religion
falling foul of the Roman authorities. Prominent in their quotations is
this from Paul's epistles
Romans 13:1
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities , for there is
no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that
exist have been established by God."
Oddly they seem to have missed an opportunity here by not going on to the
next verse........
Romans13:2
"Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God:
and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."
This should make inspiring reading to any of the many, many people in the
world suffering under dictatorship and repression in say North Korea,
Zimbabwe or Myanmar. What it says about administrations with a policy of
pre-emptive attack and
"regime change" is unclear.
Even the DIO people seem to realize how crazy their ideas sound, although to
the sufficiently looney some ideas can be compelling for that very reason.
"At this point, you must be thinking these statements are completely
ridiculous and whoever wrote them is mentally challenged. Scripture
teaches that God appoints the leaders, as above. Our recent election put
God’s choice in the White House."
......and the final point
"Duty is ours; results are God’s. This is true. We who did our duty to
stand firm may have compelled God to have mercy on us so G.W. Bush is
president despite losing the popular vote to Al Gore and winning by merely
~500 votes in Florida. God defeated armies of Philistines and others with
confusion. Dimpled and hanging chads may also be because of God’s
intervention on those who were voting incorrectly. Why is GW Bush our
president? It was God's choice."
It just HAS to be a parody .........doesn't it?
Catholic Fascists
- at least this site is definitely a parody......maybe. Here are a jolly bunch
calling themselves British Conservative Catholics formerly known as
British Union of Catholic Fascists. Surprisingly the name changed
ocurred at the end of the Second World War and not at the beginning. Their mission statement is
uncompromising "The British Conservative Catholics (BCC) were formed to
counter the many sinister forces that are pitted against us, especially
the Atheist Movement and the agents of Satan. Many of us are parents with
young children we are very concerned with the evil they face from modern
society. Unfortunately, the Atheist Movement is aware of our activities.
Although they are at the brink of defeat they still wage a futile campaign
against our group. Our website has been shut down four times already!
Clearly the Atheist Movement seeks to silence dissident opinions. They
want no one to oppose them as they use the internet as a propaganda tool
to promote sickening practices such as masturbating and listening to rock
music." (For more on what used to be called self-abuse take a look
here -
but please remember good taste is not a factor in sites reviewed or
mentioned) Back to the BCC and a short list extracted from their
Aims and
Principles...........
Poverty - Nothing should be done to alleviate the suffering of the
deserving poor. These evil people are being punished for their
disobedience to God. They live in squalor because of their immoral
lifestyles.
Education - The teaching of certain subjects in schools should be closely
monitored. It is amazing that science has become accepted as fact by most
educational boards. This should cease.
Race - The BCC reject all forms of racism unless they are constructive. In
1986 we lifted the ban on non-whites joining our organisation. We believe
that the inferior races, though they should know their place, should be
treated fairly and should not suffer the indignity of violence, verbal
abuse and exclusion, unless of course this discrimination is justified.
Anyone still wondering about this lot should check out the
Feedback page.
History Real and Imaginary - last
month's View from Number 80 featured a small part of the work done by Mark
Newbrook (see Taking the Time) in countering the claims of that lucrative
branch of publishing, cult or pseudo archaeology books. Here he is again,
reviewing Proof of Vedic Culture’s Global Existence
by Stephen Knapp (who seems to be responsible for a depressing amount of
questionable material) at the
Antiquity of Man
website (which itself is well worth looking at with many good things
including a very comprehensive page of
links pertaining to pseudoscience) The review is not
only up to Newbrook's usual standard but the short list of Knapp's idea of
words derived from Sanskrit is hilarious and makes you wonder how this
tripe ever sees the light of day. A few examples are irresistible -
America is from Amaraka ‘land of immortals’
Harry (as in Harold) is from Hari (Krishna)
England is from Angulisthan ‘finger-sized country’ (ie, in comparison with
Europe, seen as a palm)
Also on the subject is this piece from the UK Guardian by Karen Armstrong
called
Believers in the Lost Ark - about the creationists' search for the
actual places and remains featured in biblical tales. " Religious truth
does not stand or fall by the historicity of its scriptural narratives. It
will survive only if it enables people to find meaning and value when they
are overwhelmed by the despair that is an inescapable part of the human
condition. When we are discussing the meaning of life and the death of
meaning, the historicity of the flood becomes an irrelevant distraction
from the main issue. We are dealing not with history or science but with
myth." Recommended.
Announced with considerably less fanfare than the so-called James Ossuary
is the discovery of what some have claimed to have been the tomb of John
the Baptist's father, the priest Zachariah. An inscription found by a tomb
at the foot of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, is reported as "This is the
tomb of Zachariah, martyr, very pious priest, father of John.” As
this
article from MSNBC makes clear this does not mean that the tomb is that of
Zachariah merely that the Byzantines, hundreds of years after he lived,
believed that the spot was connected with him and commemorated this with
an inscription. The identification of
various sites in the area with events described in the New Testament by
the Byzantines is suspect to say the least - Helena, mother of Constantine
travelled to the Holy Land and famously managed to locate not only the
site of the crucifixion but also the three crosses associated with the
story. One has the impression that the Byzantines were long on religious
faith but short of any real knowledge of the history of the first hundred
years or so CE. As the commendably restrained MSNBC item makes clear this
discovery has something to say about the Byzantines and their beliefs but
tells us
nothing of the earlier history of the tomb.
Update - here is a rather more
"imaginative"
account of the same inscription.
Quotes
"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one
fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other
possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
Stephen F Roberts
"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the
opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."
Niels
Bohr
"The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity."
Harlan Ellison
"The real cause of personal existence is not the favor of the Almighty,
but the sexual love of one's earthly parents."
Ernst Haeckel
"Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of
science makes skepticism a virtue."
Robert King Merton
"If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
Anatole France
