"I'm sure 99% of people here know there is no such thing as real psychics, fortune tellers and what not."
I am humbled by your omniscience. I happy for you that you know so much. (that was meant sarcastically, it's obvious I know, but occasionally things don't come through in print).

"Why do you protect the people who profit from manipulating with gullible people? "
I don't, but even cynics agree that most readers are sincere. Very few readers, especially in the neo-pagan community are frauds. If you think they are deluded or gullible so be it, but that does not make them frauds. Readers can and do make positive differences is peoples lives and neo-pagan spirituality is a meaningful, helpful and positive influence in the lives of many. Why would you denigrate that simply because it does not match your worldview?

On 2010-03-19 04:25, seadog93 wrote:
"Get off your horse, you're just choleric because of your personal beliefs about Neo-paganism. You my friend are taking it way too personally."
Could be. My reference was to your categorical statement (repeated statements) that there is no such thing as real psychics and fortune tellers and other similar phenomenon. That is your belief system and world view and you are welcome to it, not everyone shares it though. Being a mentalist does not in any way effect ones ability to believe (or not) in psychic phenomenon.

"The gullible people I was referring to are the clients not the readers."
obviously. My point was that the clients are not being "manipulated" if the readers are sincere.

"as Derren Brown said in his interview with Richard Dawkins, the readers who are proficient at it know it's all a trick because they are using the tricks"
Much better readers than Derren Brown would disagree. Richard Webster and Gene Nielsen spring to mind.

" Don't you think the clients are getting ripped off or being taken advantage of?"
Obviously not. Yes it can happen, but on the whole no.

" If I'm not mistaken this is a form of a fraud. "
You are mistaken. Fraud would be intentionally lying and manipulating, this is usually not the case. Your belief system is that this means both parties are wrong, fine that's your belief, but it's not fraud. Also, again, if it is helpful to a sitter's life I think that is more important than the arguments of skeptics.

"I wasn't specifically attacking the Neo-Pagans, more towards the psychics as this post was originally about, I personally think all new age and religions out there are ridiculous not just neo-pagans."
So then, if you were to use your understanding of cold reading to actually do readings for members of these groups that would be fraud.