Why do believers of the supernatural hate the million dollar Randi challenge so much?

Question

Why do the paranormal folks get so angry when Randi is mentioned?

They think his proposition is unfair, or what?

Answer 1

I think the challenge is a great idea. This is the million dollar proof challenge right? So if there is all of these people with so-say telekinesis powers (I know the name changed), then why not come forward? I know why, because anyone claiming this ability is a complete fraud. That is the point of the challenge and it serves its purpose!

Answer 2

Because the challenge gives them a target.The fact is after all these years it still stands.They can't beat it so it leaves two choices,neither very compelling.They can attack it,call it rigged or dismiss it not worth their time.It must be very frustrating for them.The million $ is the joke.If anyone of them could demonstrate any of their claims.Randi's million would be peanuts.Telekinesis,remote viewing,healing any of the many supernatural claims.Just one demonstration,even a simple one.They could write their own ticket.A million dollars would be pocket change.

Answer 3

The problem with Randi is that he doesn't want to believe, he's already made up his mind.  So why even bother?

Answer 4

thats a good question.  i always wondered why no one took him up on that...

Answer 5

It is not that they hate him. I forgot which psychic it was, that was ready to take him up on it. He wanted to see the account the money was in, Randi could not produce it. Randi turned out to be the fraud. All talk & no action.

Answer 6

Although the Challenge proves nothing positively, the fact that a fair, objective test of the paranormal has never been satisfied does lend some credibility to the criticism of some paranormal phenomena (i.e. psychics, diviners, aura reading, etc.)  Essentially, the MDC is a chance to put up or shut up.

Necessary reading for critics of the Million Dollar Challenge:

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/10/10...

EDIT: It's a list of 10 tips for dealing with Randi's MDC.  At least a couple of tips are violated in some of the answers I see.

Answer 7

To Gh0stly:  You are misinformed.  Here's the account:  http://www.randi.org/challenge/goldmansa...

Answer 8

I never get angry or upset in the slightest what when a guy named "Randi" is mentioned.  I just don't choose to believe the same as he does.

Answer 9

I think mostly we're sick of hearing his name...and skeptics using him as a lame excuse for not coming up with some  serious scientific answers for the paranormal ..unexplainable things that happen to us. I'd like some REAL answers...not just this "randi" thing over and over and over. If that's the best skeptics and scientists can come up with....then why bother answering at all? To me, it's like a 4th grade school kid's answer. It's their way of saying "Yo mama wears army boots!" Wish we could get down to some serious stuff on here and really try to find out what's happening.

Answer 10

I guess some people would rather not face reality.

As for Gh0stly above; Randi is not a fraud. The million $ challenge is actually managed by several skeptic organizations across the world. Randi is not going to get $1 million out of the bank just to prove some mystic fraud  that he does have the money, as it is pointless; the money is actually pledged by several reliable and financially secure contributors (see link) and a financial institution is mandated to offer proof the money is there. If someone had real power, actually, $1 million would be small potato; let's see a psychic win the lottery...

Answer 11

there are couple of powerful psychics but not on this part of the world and they don't have nothing to prove they keep it for them why they would make their lives miserable dilling with people somethings are just not meant to be proven

Answer 12

That would be like offering a million dollars to a preacher to prove that their "supernatural" god exists.

Answer 13

I suspect because they would rather be evaluated by scientist with educations and training in science rather than by a magician that has no qualifications to evaluate an experiment.

"But as a leading Fellow of CSICOP, Ray Hyman, has pointed out, this "prize" cannot be taken seriously from a scientific point of view: "Scientists don't settle issues with a single test, so even if someone does win a big cash prize in a demonstration, this isn't going to convince anyone. Proof in science happens through replication, not through single experiments."

(link below)

Or it could be because of Randi's acknowledged bias (the experimenter effect is a well established accepted effect in the social sciences) or maybe even they don't think they can trust him based on his proven dishonesty.

(link below)

Psi