"I gather that you are basically uninterested in, let's say, tarot, psychic healing, interplanetary visitors, and so on."

oh, NO! You do me a grave injustice, Little Hawk! I am fascinated by all that stuff! I have read seience fiction for 50 years, and LOVE the idea of telepathy, aliens, psychic abilities, etc...I tried for YEARS to 'do' things and 'see' things and understand why they might work. I can't tell you exactly why I was so stubborn and wanted proof before I believed, but that's the way it is.

and I must say, Winona Ryder and the lottery are not exactly comparable situations to aliens and telepathy! Real people DO meet and date Winona and win the lottery...real people SAY they have been in a flying saucer and read the minds of their Aunt Sadie, but they can't do it reliably under controlled conditions.

and---"The Universe is kind and generous, in that it usually provides people with more or less what they are looking for...either consciously or subconsciously."

That is either just plain false, or those built in disclaimers render it hollow & useless...(reminds me of old "Preparation H" commercials..."Using this medication ..., often helps shrink swelling and gives prompt temporary relief from the painful burning, itching and irritation of inflamed hemorrhoidal tissues."...*grin*

"I had a VERY smart dog once, I'd say, "Sit up, or won't you..and he either sat up, or he didn't"

Jerry.." I have seen dramatic healings of health that defy explanation"...yep, me too...but to me, of course, it's just that there is no explanation easily found. I don't feel competent to provide one when the doctors can't.

and I do always wonder how to identify the 'lunatic Christians' properly on that enormous scale, Jerry...*grin*.. kinda like 'folk music'...either end of the line is clear, but it shore gets murky in the middle!