21 April 2023

The secrets behind the Spiritualist Church Mediums


A few days ago I published an article in the hope that people could start to look at readings from Psychics/Mediums and by using some basic knowledge start to figure out what was really going.

If you haven't yet, please read that article by clicking the link below.
http://www.badpsychics.com/2018/03/a-start-in-how-to-expose-fake.html

That article made a few assumptions, the main one being that the medium had no prior knowledge on any person being read, and was not being fed any information either before or during the reading.

One of the problems I face is when someone emails me and they say they saw a medium in a spiritualist church, and they never asked for any money, yet they were incredibly accurate. How do I explain that?

Well firstly just because a medium does not charge, does not mean he or she is not making any money, many spiritualist churches will pay mediums to perform, and of course the bigger the name, the bigger the paycheck. All spiritualist churches will ask for donations, so even if you only have 20 people in some small room above a library in Dudley, that can quickly translate into some money, I've witnessed pensioners throw £20 notes into the collection tray before.

But often Spiritualist churches are just an easy way for a medium to drum up trade so they can sell private readings which is where the big bucks come in. It also gives them a way to appear more spiritual, more honest, after all we are told that all mediums are only in it for the money right? So a medium doing a gig in a spiritualist church whereby he might only get his travel expenses covered, he must be the real deal?

But like I said, it is all about selling those private readings, and what better way than in a spiritualist church whereby many of the readings are scarily accurate. So accurate that you simply cant put it down to cold reading. But how is this possible when then medium may never have even performed at that Spiritualist church before?

The answer? Something called "The Book", also known as "The Blue Book", "The Data", "The Info", "The Run Down", and many more names.

In Lemar Keenes book "The Psychic Mafia" he referred to "The Blue Book", this was where all the information was kept on the regular attendees.

In my investigations over the past 15+ years, one thing I have realised is that pretty much every Spiritualist Church will have this book. Now please understand, that the word "Book" will conjure a very specific image in your head, instead you need to see this as not just a book, but a collection of information, this could be a notepad with hand written notes on, a Rolodex with individual cards on, a USB stick files with info on. I even heard of a single document file being held on a google drive and that being "The Book" of that Spiritualist church. It varies from Church to Church.

One person at each Church will be in charge of the book, often it is not the official secretary, or treasurer, or even the President of the church, usually it is someone who they themselves claim psychic powers, but they will often lead proceedings in the Church, and often are in charge of booking the mediums to perform.

If you are a regular experienced medium, and you are to perform at a Church, you will be contacted by the booker, and given the date, and if everything is agreed, when you arrive at the Church, before the service, you will require some private time to do some meditation, this is usually when the medium is given the book, so they can prepare for the show.

If you are a newer medium, you will need to be introduced to the right people as you go along. This is why often young mediums will have a mentor, or seem to be hand picked, they are literally being groomed and told the secrets. But since these are secrets, everything is done very privately, and you need to earn your trust, and as such younger, newer mediums would not even be told of the existence of the book, and instead just be expected to go out there and cold read, to earn their stripes.

I know of people who worked very high up at the SNU, in administerial positions who were never let in on the gig, and they went their whole lives believing that mediumship was real. People who ran the Churches would not be in on it. This is why the SNU (Spiritualists' National Union) would always want to control and be in charge of any Spiritualist Church, they would literally confiscate the deeds to Churches, and ban any of their mediums from performing at any non SNU Churches. Of course I would never claim that any SNU Affiliated Church would ever use the Book, or use any means of prior research on their congregation.
Although I once attended a SNU Spiritualist Church and someone realised who I was, and the medium who was due to perform, mysteriously had to leave and the service was left without a medium. Very strange coincidence.

You thought Scientology was a secretive organisation, trust me Spiritualist Churches are way more secretive.

So you can understand that a medium can sit down for 30 minutes before a show, look at the book, and have enough information to go out there and have an incredibly accurate performance.

But how is this book collated I hear you ask?

Well first of all have you ever been to a Spiritualist Church? if the answer is no, then DON'T, stay away. Don't even go for a laugh or because a friend wants you to see what it is all about. Do not waste your time.

If the answer is yes, have you ever noticed they have a big remembrance book that you can leave a message to your loved ones in spirit?

"I miss you Grandpa Joe, your Grandchildren all love you, and are happy you can now walk again in spirit. Lots of love from Peter, Lucy and Steve"

It is full of messages like that. So instantly you have a fair bit of information about Grandpa Joe and his family, right. Imagine how much information you could collect on a regular attendee who comes every single week!

Have you ever tried to sit in a chair right at the front? You will often be told these seats are reserved. They are reserved for the regulars, and yes they will sit in the same chair every week. And guess who often gets the readings. Yep the people at the front.

These people aren't plants, they are not in on the gig, they are just the most loyal followers of the Church. These will be the people who will have the most information recorded about them in the book. They will also be the most generous financially to the Church, and they will be the ones most addicted to the drug of mediumship, and getting that one final message.

An example of how information might be stored on someone.
Dora McMichaels, Seat 1C
Age 89, Widow to Bert McMichaels, died aged 74, Heart Attack. Liked toy trains. Irish Accent, scared of spiders, liked Whiskey and Cigar.
1 of 5 sisters, Gertrude (Gertie), Margaret (Margy), Susan, Elizabeth.
4 Children, 8 Grandchildren. Grandson Michael (Motorbike Accident, 24)
Irish/Scottish Backgroud. Singer in youth.

From just that, a medium could easily drag out a 20 minute reading, create stories, describe characters and so on. And as this reading goes on, someone is talking notes seeing if she gives any new info to add to the book.

In one Spiritualist Church I went to, I spotted hidden microphones, one in the middle of each line of chairs. And before the show started as people were all kept waiting, what were they doing? You guessed it, they were talking about who they hoped the medium would bring through from spirit.

So one security camera on the ceiling, hidden microphone, and someone sat in the office with a notepad and pen, and you suddenly have another level in information collection, this is especially useful if you have first time visitors.

In the old days they would have a stooge at each service, who would pretend to be one of the people attending, they would strike up conversations, listen in on what people were saying, and then make little notes when no one was looking.

So you don't need fancy technology, although it helps, just ask Simon Peters, he is still wearing that headset even after I exposed him. Oh well.

The point of all of this is that often when you go to a Spiritualist Church you are seeing hot reading, ever wondered why some mediums have such a high accuracy rate at their local Church, but as soon as they are away from that and doing hotel function room shows, their accuracy rate plummets and they are back to asking endless questions. Well now you know.

The Spiritualist Church is just another way for you to be fooled by people peddling promises of immortality, but at the end of the day you will just end up poorer.

Stay Away.

By Jon Donnis.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a total load of codswallop.
I am a sceptic of mediums but have had a few messages in Spiritualists churches some of which were very accurate, as I do not regularly attend any churches and do not sign the remembrance book and do not have conversations with anyone in the church either before or after sessions, getting any prior information about me would be impossible.
Besides I prefer investigating these matters from a purely scientific premise backed up by mathematics, much of which is still not penetrating the mainstream of society.

JD said...

You contradict yourself so many times that your claims of investigating from a scientific premise lacks all credibility.

You are clearly not a true skeptic.

Unknown said...

Jon Donnis can you help me out please? I was contacted by the other side (not by telepathic means) The spirits I speak with, urge me to do business. I am completely out of my comfort zone. I search for genuine folk to show me the ropes, but haven't found anyone so far. Just clowns believing they have the monopoly on the dead (so-called "dead") No such thing and I would love to be debunked, to the point now where I am to offer a large sum (to a chosen charity) to whoever can debunk my claims and powers.

JD said...

So you want me to debunk you?
Easy enough. Make a claim that you are 100% convinced you can do. Tell me that claim, I will then tell you the controls to put in place to prove you are not cheating, then do it. You will literally debunk yourself when you realise everything you think you can do is not real.

David Rawlin. said...

There is no such book and mediums are not given anything to read or any information about anyone at the church or anywhere else. Sounds to me that you've got a vivid immigration, the BOOK ? Could this possibly be the booking secretary who has a book of all the mediums she books for the church , it'll have the medium's nams snd number and then they use a diary too.
Mediums rarely get readings out of a church service and the majority only get petrol money unless it's a special to raise funds for the church or a charity.
Your bias towards spiritualism has clouded your clairvoyance ��

David Rawlin. said...

I've served spiritualist chufor over 18 years . There is NO BOOK. Could it be that you've misheard about the healing book ? A list of people who are in need of healing , their names are read out at the beginning of a Sunday service and healing is sent to them. The only other book would be the booking secretary, she books the mediums and has their names and numbers to contact them for future services.
No book exists with people's details in and no book is given to the medium at church or any other time.
You are clutching at straws to come up with a theory on how mediums are so accurate in spiritualist churches and unfortunately you feel it best to make something up to fit your opinion instead of being honest and saying that you don't know. We have no knowledge of the congregation whatsoever and we have no connection to the people that run these centres and churches.

Amandas said...

What a load of nonsense..there is no book what planet are you on?? Of course it's real. When you go to churches you don't give your name or any details about you. Are you jealous because there are real mediums out there?? No one can know facts or details by looking at a person and unless you are a medium you will never understand it.. what a load of cobbles!!!

sixkitten said...

Jon, You don't seem to see the wood for the trees...

Jannie said...

I CAN NOT believe what I have just read!
Books? Microphones? Mediums earning large ammounts of money afterwards from private readings? Never have I read SUCH MIS INFORMATION! I know everyone is entitled to speak freely but THIS?! THIS is downright UNTRUE.
I don't know where to begin there is sooo much! I am profoundly saddened. I work as a Medium in the East Sussex area within both churches and halls. I have come to know many truly lovely people who work honestly truthfully with Love and for the care of others. Often we are paid between £10 and £30 maximum for an hour and a half work often travelling many miles and alongside our working lives. I am a nurse by profession.I simply could not survive on the payment recieved. Yes I have given private readings and the rate for those are £30 IF and when I am asked...possibly 3 A YEAR!FOR Goodness sake if anyone who visits church or any venue in the hope of hearing from thier loved ones please Don't believe what this man is saying. I COULD write so much mire but this web of deciept is complex and I don't want to get pulled into its lies and negative ridiculously outlandish propaganda.
One man trying to destroy the GOOD name of so many who GIVE to others NOT FOR self gain or financial reward but because they CARE about the bereaved and have the gift of being able to TRULY and HONESTLY join with ENERGY of those who LIVE ON outside of the physical body. Scientists are NOW PROVING this happens.I don't know where this man has been or how he comes by his views but REALLY???? IT'S TOTAL NONSENSE

Rose said...

£20 in collection boxes you jest! I've seen women boast about how much the paid some TV mediums/ psychics.adding they like to have regular readings done they will then either put a handful of 2 pence pieces in the collection bowl for themselves or the people they came with.I don't know about a book or microphone's or the person you alleged to have uncovered. A healing book however is in all churches it remains in sight of the congregation at all times so they can add to it. I've been attending Spiritualist churches since I was 11 I'm 66 now I seen the good the not so good and the deluded what I've learned and gained from the church has helped me enjoy my life through the friendships with like minded people.

JD said...

Funny how so many people comment, and it becomes clear they never actually read the article, they have instead just taken bullet points from a certain medium who I wont name who decided to attack me.

1. This medium claimed there is no rememberence books in Spiritualist Churches. I instantly gave him proof. His own followers admitted they had seen rememberence books in churches, suddenly he admits there are a few churches with such books.

Now these books themselves are NOT passed to the medium, these along with the healing books, and attendee records etc are used as information gathering tools, and this info is then recorded.

The "Blue Book" as I clearly state in the article which many people skimmed over

"Now please understand, that the word "Book" will conjure a very specific image in your head, instead you need to see this as not just a book, but a collection of information, this could be a notepad with hand written notes on, a Rolodex with individual cards on, a USB stick files with info on. I even heard of a single document file being held on a google drive and that being "The Book" of that Spiritualist church. It varies from Church to Church."

Again if people perhaps read the article instead of repeating points made to them by someone who themselves never read the article properly, then perhaps they wouldn't leave comments which expose their ignorance.

Unknown said...

Jon Dennis may god be with you as you are deluded in your unjust claims. You are not clever nor have any investigative experience or knowledge. I suggest you get a job.

JD said...

I don't believe in God.
I'm incredibly clever.
I've investigated psychics and mediums for nearly 20 years and been published around the world.
I have a job and never made a penny investigating psychics.

Sophie Wilde said...

I basically take ' life' with a pinch of salt these days and as someone with an incurable illness/ disability have in the last been pretty desperate through be I g in chronic pain to see a few healers( did nothing) accupuncturists ( I ended up in hospital) and even Indian head massage ( all just cost me a fortune..did nothing)..I DO though regularly meditate and it works well for me!..I find your article pretty inaccurate be sure in the last when I.was first unwell I regularly visited a psychic church and there was no book whatsoever as you adamantly describe is in ' all'centres.I have also visited one in my old hometown in East Sussex and again there was no book and nobody was putting £20 in the box either.People could in all 3 places do 45 miles s one to one faith healing for a fiver£5 and folks could do one to one tarot card ready g for £10 and all proceeds went into th i g the centre.In my time I only met two men who I genuinely feel had so.e ' abi!key's but an awful lot of rather p!hmm middle aged women who have themselves ridiculous names like ' Skye..Serenity and Raven' when they were really called Pauline !..I keep an open mind and do t suffer fools gladly ,but I too truly believed in nothing apart from ' s scientific cat's til I moved into a Victorian house in leafy South Liverpool 20 years ago and from night one experienced what I know now is called ' poltergheist'activity and I even tried to do a flat swap.with a lady who was I to ' spiritual matters' as she called it and she went running from my flat never to be heard of again ...The funny thing is that I have this lady absolutely no indication as to what was happening g in the flat...in fact total opposite to try and get rid of if.!..I am btw a non drinking,non drug taking rational 53 yr old woman and not taken in by anything!

Sophie Wilde said...

PS..another thing your comment about all the readings are for the folks in the front row is not anything I've witnessed either.I probably because I keep myself to myself and be I g partially sighted to d ' audience participation ' in theatres etc daunting will always sit at the very back.I also make a point of folding my walking stick up into my shoulder bag so nobody can cold read me on that...I guarantee doesn't matter where I sit they ' target's me ...I for everything including going to college as a mature student sit at the back..Your opinions are very strange and you generalise far too much too.

JD said...

Sophie, there is a reason it is called the "secrets behind the spiritualist church" people like yourself aren't supposed to know.

And the moment you arrive at the Church, the moment you get out of the car they are watching you. So hiding your walking stick when you get inside really achieves nothing, you will have already been chosen by then, as they will plenty about you without you ever realising, and none of it comes from psychic powers.

My opinions will seem strange because they are based on 20+ years of investigation, the kind of insider knowledge that the average person will never have access to.

Unknown said...

Whst a load of rubbish. I have personal friends who are mediums and their ficus certainly isnt money and they get more info from people theyve never met...and very accurate. There is a prayer book but this is to send prayers put...and many people inclyded are living and it is not used in this way. Everything youve written is a load if rubbish.....and can say that from first hand experience.

Anon said...

So because you say it is rubbish, then it's rubbish, just like that. Have you thought about what you actually wrote?

You admit there is a "Prayer book". A literal place where IF someone wanted to gather info they could. You admit that people write about the living in that book too. Which is even better.

"They are telling me that there is someone in your family dealing with cancer right now, would that mean something to you?"

That this the EXACT point of these books in spiritualist churches.

And how on earth would you know it was not used in this way? Do you have eyes on that book 24/7/365?

Of course not.

The fact that a way to cheat exists, is right there in the open, easy to access, then that should be all you need to know.

By not eliminating the chance to cheat, you cannot say with any certainty that the people you believe in are not cheating.

You say you have first hand experience, but your experience is only of that as a client, as someone who sits in the crowd, you have never been behind that curtain, you have never been where I have.

If you watch a magic show from the audience, is that first hand experience that a magician really did levitate because you cant figure out how it is done?

Please continue to read the articles on my site. And if you truly have confidence in these mediums that they are not lying to you, why don't you make something up and write it in that prayer book, a total lie, write it down, even repeat it a few times to others. See if the medium on platform repeats it.

Easy way to see if they are getting access to it.

Or are you too scared to find out?

Adrian Heath said...

Are your "personal friends" also psychotherapists or grief councillors? Because if not then they have absolutely no business messing around inside the mind of anyone who is bereaved or vulnerable. Altering the genuine memories people have of their loved ones and halting the grieving process,possibly causing life long dependance on consulting individuals who often don't even have GCSE's to their name let alone valid and relevant qualifications is almost psychopathically despicable regardless of intent. If these people really genuinely want to help the bereaved then they should immediately stop giving readings and go back to college/university and train as a psychotherapist or grief councillor, that's something that would make a real genuine and lasting difference.

Only came to post one comment said...

I only came to post one comment.

Your site should be called bad sceptic (which is a shame, given such great work you have done!).

Now, do I doubt that there are fraudulent psychics and mediums out there? Oh, absolutely not. There are fraudulent everything's out there basically. I am grateful, having perused this site for many years for the articles that do contain evidence. I remove this publishers self indulgence and congratulatory tones for doing so because the facts you are left with are indeed helpful to help identify those simply who knowingly, or indeed unknowingly - with heartfelt good intent - are not performing feats that they believe to be.

I am a sceptic, I hold doubt, and enjoy the research and find my belief switching to various degrees! This is a field it is very wise indeed to retain one's sense of proportion during deeply emotional times.

I have been to churches, and had quite remarkable experiences, with never having been there before. I have heard recordings of readings that were utterly extraordinary. I have seen obvious fakes exposed, and not so obvious - some by this website itself.

This article however was like reading a conspiracy website. There is, inevitably, some extreme version of truth in certain circumstances. And I applaud work you have done in exposing genuine fakery.

But to tarnish an entire element of spiritual connection that people have had long before you were around, and will be long long after this broadly bitter article is left to the confines of a web time machine, speaks of an arrogance only befitting of someone who is not open to potential - and is a closed minded so as they minds to be welded shut.

There stories myriad, nurses who have seen people visiting patients before they pass. The inner knowings of things and acting upon them.

What a cold world yours must be, bereft of any richness of genuine connection.

And, I am not writing this for you.

I am writing it for those who are seeking to find truth and may stop at such writings as this, and I would say continue your own journey. Take with you the knowledge of fakery that this person has donated kindly to the world (with genuine thanks), but balance this with the knowledge that the likelihood of a richness of human experience to be known at this point, compared to that we may come to know, is an adventure in true human spirit.

Let me see this man debunk the placebo affect, for example. Of course, something is much easier to reference but until when was this truly testable?

There may come a time when we look back at the frauds and debunkers with equal disgruntlement, or perhaps even humour, and wonder how we allowed ourselves to be taken in so greatly by either.

Or, perhaps, we will simply celebrate our progress as we gain further understanding of the true depths of what it means to be human.

And, after seeing and experiencing much strangeness, and using scepticism and debunking (in its truest sense) to be left with things that do indeed appear quite peculiar, I feel it may become a little bit "Project Blue Book".

Where the huge majority of things can be explained away by unusual weather, or perhaps website, phenomena - but there will remain a few cases for which those true inquisitors of the nature of what it is to truly be, will seek out with interest.

And, in defiance of this absolutist article - if you should receive such an instinct as to call someone for no good reason, don't let articles like this stop you.

I would also be willing, should I be a gambler which I am not, to opine that whilst seeking to rightly discredit fakes, he has used his own "instinct" to gain the information needed to publish this website.

Now, wouldn't that be the most intriguing of ironies.

I would look forward to him responding say he has never once followed a hunch he had...

Whatever brought you to this website, particularly if it was through pain, I do hope you find peace.

From someone who used to eating people for breakfast, who claim to eat people for breakfast. ;)

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