Do you believe Uri Geller?

Question

When I was a teenager Uri Geller was trying to convince the world his mind energy could do some not so conventional tricks. Do you actually believe he uses mind energy or magician tricks?

Answer 1

Geller is first and foremost a mentalist. He is mostly an entertainer. This is what you will normally see him doing. But he has another, less well-known side which brought him to early prominence back in the 1970s. He seems to have some actual psychokinetic abilities.

Before you jump up and down, you should know that I am in the magic community. I design illusions and routine magical acts. I have spent decades investigating claims of phenomenology and mediumship for example. So I am very careful when I substantiate a claim.

Geller was tested in many university labs back in the 70s and 80s. I have personal knowledge of one such series of tests. Geller was completely isolated and had no access to any of the test materials in advance. I believe sufficient controls were in place even back then, to prevent Geller from fraudulently bending some very exotic material to which he had would have not had prior access. The only alternative explanations for his success would have to be either extreme collusion or absolute misrepresentation by lab staff. Given the staff involved, and the fact that I know several of them personally, I feel comfortable saying that the latter is highly unlikely.

Answer 2

Yes, his magician tricks are legendary.

However, in the psychic department, I remain unconvinced he had much in the way of a talent. I will say, however, that performing under pressure does appear to have some detrimental effects on some kinds of phenomena. Pity that the trained psychics in the military don't want the JREF prize.

Answer 3

Uri Geller has never been anything more (or less) than a magician performing tricks. Some are even pretty good and convincing.  

Answer 4

He's either telling the truth but deluding himself, or he's a bare face liar who's attempting to delude the world.

I'm not sure which is worse.

Answer 5

Uri Gellar has been exposed so many times it's a wonder he's still around.Here's an early one,a comedian does it.

Answer 6

Red Heron: You have to have a book published or be world wide famous for Randi to consider you for testing, it says so  on his site. It's not very easy to get involved in it.

Answer 7

He is more of a trickster than anything else.  Utilising peoples' energies, still...

I think this site/information is worth taking note of...

http://www.futureofmankind.co.uk/Billy_M...

(also www.figu.org [English Discussion Board])

I have researched the Billy Meier UFO Contact information, about the Plejarens for the past 5 years --- and have taken an interest in UFOs, etc for the past 30 years...

I do think the Plejaren information is worth taking note of.

There is a DVD titled "The Silent Revolution of Truth" which presents the evidence for the Billy Meier contacts for the beginner to this information. This information is at various sites, etc around the internet - and it is simply all on the one DVD..

Uri does show up in the Questions and Answers to/from Billy Meier, I believe....

Answer 8

Uri Geller is a proven fraud.  But not for his "magic", but rather because he claims to have "special powers" that permit him do his tricks.  Real magicians make no such claims.

James Randi (I've met him a couple of times) showed me HOW Geller's spoon bending trick is done.  It has NOTHING to do with any special magical powers.  It's all trickery.  Clever and FUN to watch tricky, but trickery all the same.

Answer 9

Uri Geller has been proved to be a fraud, so I guess you'd call him a magician but not a particularly good one.