Hmmmmmm, well spoken Harvey. My criterion has always been: If someone has a 'gift' or belief, and no apparent alterior motive, I'll listen very carefully to what they have to say. The moment that either finances or "duty to convince" enter the picture, I become like you, very skeptical.

Strictly from a secular point of view (safer that way)...many thousands of people believed that Uri Geller was an actual psychic even AFTER he'd been thoroughly exposed as a fraud (along with his little accomplice Shippi)

I, on the other hand believe that playing a six string F chord is the ONLY way to true happiness!

Cheers

Rick