[Frocious]

Dude. The title of the video literally has the word "Paranormal" in it.
It's pretty clear he is claiming something a bit more than "focus".
It's this sort of thing Randi actively debunks so to cite him in defence of it is pretty audacious.

Ripping a coin in half with your bare hands is a seemingly paranormal thing. I'm not surprised that some people on Youtube would describe it as such. However, if you read his materials, he does say it's it power of focus of the mind. He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

I've seen similar feats attributed to the power of focus and clear/positive thinking. Its not really that offensive of an explanation. It probably does take a lot of focus and clear thinking to perform the feats seen in things like martial arts/object bending.

From his website: http://en.ufobr.com.br/urandir/urandir-his-adolescence

The power of the mind has been well researched. When used with balance is a source of security, existential sense of deep self-image and magnetizing. The mind is compared to a virgin forest: who dominates it penetrates it.

One day, at age thirteen, while having lunch, Urandir noticed that his fork was bent and bruised lips. Not satisfied, he threw it on the floor. Immediately thereafter, raking the fork, it continued to bend over and over, until it breaks. This happened at the exact moment when Uri Gueller appeared in a television program bending a fork. He was in action the power of positive thinking, acting on the fork. Amazed, the idea arose in a light that cranky boy did cry out for satisfaction:

Ah! That’s what I do! …

It was the moment when everything became clear to Urandir. Combining the facts, understand that through positive thinking, could manipulate matter and interact with something unusual. Everything became easier.

Positive thinking, clear mind, and focus makes difficult tasks become easier. Is that really so magical?

He doesn't say "this is magic!" He is providing a demonstration of a seemingly odd occurrence and giving an explanation -- the same explanation that martial artists use when they perform feats.

Are martial artists charlatans too?

Ripping a coin in half does not require focus. It is a trick.

[Tom Bishop]

If you are going to call this man a charlatan for bending forks and coins and attributing it to the power of focus of the mind and positive thinking, then you may as well call martial artists charlatans.

[StinkyOne]

Ripping a coin in half with your bare hands is a seemingly paranormal thing. I'm not surprised that some people on Youtube would describe it as such. However, if you read his materials, he does say it's it power of focus of the mind. He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

I've seen similar feats attributed to the power of focus and clear/positive thinking. Its not really that offensive of an explanation. It probably does take a lot of focus and clear thinking to perform the feats seen in things like martial arts/object bending.

Wait - you think these parlor tricks are real?? Uri Geller couldn't do shit with his mind other than think of ways to con people out of money. Yes, focus is highly important and some people can do seemingly amazing things, but none of it involves telekinesis or other paranormal bs. It is generally years of practice or a gimmick. Give me spoon made out of the right metal, and I'll melt that sucker with my bare hands. No skill or mental powers needed. Just a very basic knowledge of chemistry.

If you are going to call this man a charlatan for bending forks and coins and attributing it to the power of focus of the mind and positive thinking, then you may as well call martial artists charlatans.

Not even remotely the same thing. And, to be honest, there is a fair amount of trickery in martial arts.

[Tom Bishop]

The premise is that the demonstrator is using focus and positive thinking to make difficult tasks easier. Come on. That's not magic paranormal bs. That's exactly the mantra behind many martial arts and self-help philosophies. It's not a magical explanation.

Have you never used those tactics of focus and positive thinking to study in school or take a test?

The demonstrator does not use "this is magic" as the explanation. The philosophy behind his organization is, as you recall, to find explanations for what people think of as paranormal. He demonstrated and explained. I am satisfied.

[StinkyOne]

The premise is that the demonstrator is using focus and positive thinking to make difficult tasks easier. Come on. That's not magic paranormal bs. That's exactly the mantra behind many martial arts and self-help philosophies. It's not a magical explanation.

Have you never used those tactics of focus and positive thinking to study in school or take a test?

The demonstrator does not use "this is magic" as the explanation. The philosophy behind his organization is, as you recall, to find explanations for what people think of as paranormal. He demonstrated and explained. I am satisfied.

Of course you are satisfied. He was flat Earthy, so he was good to go from the start. Do me a favor Tom and twist a fork up like that with positive thinking. LOL, so ridiculous. Also, the guy is claiming he got these "powers" from the alien visits, not just being mentally focused.

Riddle me this, can positive thinking cause a glass plate to explode? It can if you're a fraud.

[Frocious]

If you are going to call this man a charlatan for bending forks and coins and attributing it to the power of focus of the mind and positive thinking, then you may as well call martial artists charlatans.

He isn't bending or ripping these objects through focus or the power of his mind. They are tricks that require naught but the proper setup and a gullible audience.

[Tom Bishop]

The premise is that the demonstrator is using focus and positive thinking to make difficult tasks easier. Come on. That's not magic paranormal bs. That's exactly the mantra behind many martial arts and self-help philosophies. It's not a magical explanation.

Have you never used those tactics of focus and positive thinking to study in school or take a test?

The demonstrator does not use "this is magic" as the explanation. The philosophy behind his organization is, as you recall, to find explanations for what people think of as paranormal. He demonstrated and explained. I am satisfied.

Of course you are satisfied. He was flat Earthy, so he was good to go from the start. Do me a favor Tom and twist a fork up like that with positive thinking. LOL, so ridiculous. Also, the guy is claiming he got these "powers" from the alien visits, not just being mentally focused.

Riddle me this, can positive thinking cause a glass plate to explode? It can if you're a fraud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80svWLa3es

What is the context of that video?

Should I post some videos of James Randi's tricks and snip out his explanations behind them? Is that what we are doing here?

[Frocious]

The premise is that the demonstrator is using focus and positive thinking to make difficult tasks easier. Come on. That's not magic paranormal bs. That's exactly the mantra behind many martial arts and self-help philosophies. It's not a magical explanation.

Have you never used those tactics of focus and positive thinking to study in school or take a test?

The demonstrator does not use "this is magic" as the explanation. The philosophy behind his organization is, as you recall, to find explanations for what people think of as paranormal. He demonstrated and explained. I am satisfied.

Of course you are satisfied. He was flat Earthy, so he was good to go from the start. Do me a favor Tom and twist a fork up like that with positive thinking. LOL, so ridiculous. Also, the guy is claiming he got these "powers" from the alien visits, not just being mentally focused.

Riddle me this, can positive thinking cause a glass plate to explode? It can if you're a fraud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80svWLa3es

What is the context of that video?

Should I post some videos of James Randi's tricks and snip out his explanations behind them? Is that what we are doing here?

I thought his explanation is that he was given powers by aliens?

Basically this is exactly the kind of fellow that James Randi works to disprove.

[Tom Bishop]

If this guy is really claiming to have paranormal or magical powers, then I agree. He is a charlatan.

However, that is not what he is claiming in some of his translated texts. He is claiming to be able to explain what many people attribute to paranormal and ufology. I don't know what the context is behind some of these videos, or their purpose. I don't know Portuguese.

[Frocious]

If this guy is really claiming to have paranormal or magical powers, then I agree. He is a charlatan.

However, that is not what he is claiming in some of his translated texts. He is claiming to be able to explain what many people attribute to paranormal and ufology. I don't know what the context is behind some of these videos, or their purpose. I don't know Portuguese.

I don't either, despite spending some time in Brazil. We are in the same boat there.

So -- how is it we are supposed to believe this guy as opposed to something like JAXA or someone like Neil deGrasse Tyson?

[StinkyOne]

If this guy is really claiming to have paranormal or magical powers, then I agree. He is a charlatan.

However, that is not what he is claiming in some of his translated texts. He is claiming to be able to explain what many people attribute to paranormal and ufology. I don't know what the context is behind some of these videos, or their purpose. I don't know Portuguese.

"Urandir shows how he works with his mental power affecting objects."

Seems pretty straightforward.

He thinks he has supernatural powers.

"From the age of eighteen I began to perform paranormal spectacles for people, but the beings in the form of light told me that this energy should not be used for exhibitionism and that I should find out what its purpose is. At twenty-three, another "chance", another discovery. I found in a street two people who had been run over and had broken bones. I felt an urge to touch them and so I did, the pains were diminishing until they ceased altogether. On this day I understood that I could and should use my energy for the benefit of others. "

Can we all finally agree he is a charlatan?

[Edgar Alan Hoe]

Gullible AND disingenuous in one package.

Still supporting this guy and ignoring all the evidence that runs contrary to what you already thought Tom?

This is really silly and your inability to simply admit to being wrong is actually starting to get a bit weird.

Our friend Urandir claims an extraterrestrial entity known as Bilu visits him and gives him his powers and insights. Bilu has come to him for years. Recently Bilu came to him and told him about the shape of the earth ( I wonder if Bilu used the words 'research flat earth bro').

These are Urandirs claims, no-one else's.


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[Tumeni]

Isn't it strange that the forthcoming documentary purports to relate to "convex earth", yet not a single flat-earther has stepped forward to say, unequivocally; "It can't be convex if it's flat" .....?

Aren't the two mutually exclusive?

[AATW]

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

[Frocious]

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

Geller was Randi's main target for much of his career. I believe he wrote a book about him, actually

[Tom Bishop]

Gullible AND disingenuous in one package.

Still supporting this guy and ignoring all the evidence that runs contrary to what you already thought Tom?

This is really silly and your inability to simply admit to being wrong is actually starting to get a bit weird.

Our friend Urandir claims an extraterrestrial entity known as Bilu visits him and gives him his powers and insights. Bilu has come to him for years. Recently Bilu came to him and told him about the shape of the earth ( I wonder if Bilu used the words 'research flat earth bro').

These are Urandirs claims, no-one else's.

It doesn't sound much different than my local preacher who believes that he was spoken to by angels.

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

Randi claimed for many years that what he was doing was "magic". His former career was a professional magician, remember?

[Frocious]

Gullible AND disingenuous in one package.

Still supporting this guy and ignoring all the evidence that runs contrary to what you already thought Tom?

This is really silly and your inability to simply admit to being wrong is actually starting to get a bit weird.

Our friend Urandir claims an extraterrestrial entity known as Bilu visits him and gives him his powers and insights. Bilu has come to him for years. Recently Bilu came to him and told him about the shape of the earth ( I wonder if Bilu used the words 'research flat earth bro').

These are Urandirs claims, no-one else's.

It doesn't sound much different than my local preacher who believes that he was spoken to by angels.

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

Randi claimed for many years that what he was doing was "magic". His former career was a professional magician, remember?

Randi never claimed that he had "powers" or anything of the sort. In fact, he was routinely accused of having "psychic powers" despite him being extremely clear that everything he does is through trickery.

[Curious Squirrel]

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

Randi claimed for many years that what he was doing was "magic". His former career was a professional magician, remember?

Here's one of those moments where I wonder if you understand what a social construct/agreement is. Everyone knows/understands that stage magicians are not actually doing what they appear to be doing. That there is some trickery involved, that you may or may not be able to see or notice. But does this necessitate not being amazed at what they can do? Does this make it impossible to allow one to suspend disbelief for an evening, to allow yourself to pretend magic really does exist and these guys are doing it? The stage magician says he's doing magic for many reasons, in part as a way to allow people to engage their suspension of disbelief, in part to lend an air of mystery to such shows. But the people buying tickets still understand what he's doing isn't supernatural. It's skill and practice, trickery and misdirection. This is not the same thing as proclaiming you're supernaturally gifted and doing things to prove your gifts. There is no social contract here where the audience is intuitively informed they're watching tricks. These are attempts to prey upon the gullible. The fact that you either don't seem to understand the difference, or are purposely ignoring it to attempt to peddle your own ideas portrays you as a charlatan as well. You have not once appeared to even entertain the idea you may have made a mistake with this 'evidence' you've presented. I have no doubt that if this man were talking about the Earth being round you would have long ago dismissed him based on what's been presented. You've dismissed other sources for far less.

[Tom Bishop]

Ohh, I get it.

If I pay The Amazing Randi to perform some feats for me, which he explains with as "magic", its a social contract. But if I pay one of the people he doesn't like all that much to perform some feats, which they describe as "magic", they are frauds. Got it!

[Edgar Alan Hoe]

Gullible AND disingenuous in one package.

Still supporting this guy and ignoring all the evidence that runs contrary to what you already thought Tom?

This is really silly and your inability to simply admit to being wrong is actually starting to get a bit weird.

Our friend Urandir claims an extraterrestrial entity known as Bilu visits him and gives him his powers and insights. Bilu has come to him for years. Recently Bilu came to him and told him about the shape of the earth ( I wonder if Bilu used the words 'research flat earth bro').

These are Urandirs claims, no-one else's.

It doesn't sound much different than my local preacher who believes that he was spoken to by angels.

He says that he was inspired by Uri Geller, who bent forks on television and attributed the effect to positive thinking.

Yes, Uri Geller is another person who Randi seeks to debunk.
He claims to do things using "the power of the mind" when actually he is a TV magician.
The only difference between Uri Geller and this bloke and Randi is that Randi admits he is a magician, Geller pretends to be able to do these things because he has "powers".

If David Copperfield wasn't a stage magician and claimed to have "powers" you'd probably believe he could really fly...

Randi claimed for many years that what he was doing was "magic". His former career was a professional magician, remember?

Let's all just go join Scientology why don't we... If I'm going to pick a recently made up pile of BS to believe it may as well be one that's celebrity endorsed.