QLD Skeptics and Faith “Healer” feature on A Current Affair tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night (28 July 2010) channel Nine’s A Current Affair will feature the story they recorded last Sunday morning when a group of us attended the New Hope Church at Kelvin Grove for a “Healing Meeting” featuring Australian “healing” evangelist, John Mellor.

Again John’s origin story can be found here: (note the undertones of “I too was a skeptic once, until…”….
http://www.johnmellor.org/about_john_mellor.html

Mr. Mellor has previously been featured on channel Seven’s Today Tonight, in a very flattering but far from critical story. This has been analyzed on the Bad Psychics page here.

Also here is Dr Stephen Barrett’s great summary of the state of evidence in regards to faith healing:

Mellor’s performance was far from credible and I’m cautiously optimistic the ACA story may actually reflect that but only time will tell. Blog and detailed complaint to the ACCC to follow.

Jayson D Cooke

Qld skeptics are visiting a Faith Healer at church this Sunday!

This Sunday morning a group of us are attending the New Hope Church at Kelvin Grove. I have been advised is not a Star Wars reference but this will be probed into deeper on the day.
The reason for this somewhat uncharacteristic event for many of us is to attend a “Healing Meeting” featuring Australian healing evangelist, John Mellor.
Mr Mellor’s origin story can be found here: (note the undertones of “I too was a skeptic once, until…”.

Channel Nine’s A Current Affair will be in attendance and we have a brave volunteer with an independently verified ailment willing to give Mr Mellor a chance to show his stuff. I’ve trawled the internet for information on Mr Mellor’s ministries and the claims he makes in regards to curing MS, blindness, cancer and pretty much any illness and/or condition that can be named. I found many anecdotes and testimonials, nothing even remotely verifiable could be found. As we’ll be reminding the reporters, the plural of anecdote is not data.
Anyway we have been advised to keep a low profile so that the healers don’t think we have stacked their meeting. Our test subject will be interviewed before and after and we may offer other comments after the jig is up.

Everyone is more than welcome to attend but please keep in mind we don’t want to spook the whole proceeding for Channel 9 who seem to be doing the fair thing.
Mr Mellor has previously been featured on channel Seven’s Today Tonight, in a very flattering but far from critical story. This has been analyzed on the Bad Psychics page here:

Also here is Dr Stephen Barrett’s great summary of the state of evidence in regards to faith healing.

New Hope Church Brisbane
46 Kelvin Grove Rd
Kelvin Grove Queensland 4064
Sunday July 25th 9.30am.

Jayson D Cooke

Westboro Baptist Church Vs Superheroes (Because you asked for it true believers!)

First they came for Swedes, then homosexuals, the American army and Heath Ledger; now they come for Superheroes. If there is a pattern emerging within the minds of the Westboro Baptist Church, I’m not following.

“The destruction of this nation is imminent — so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry.”

http://nerdbastards.com/2010/07/12/westboro-baptist-to-protest-at-comic-con/

Jayson D Cooke