Skepticism. How many practice it?

[RandyWayne]

Some things were recently said on another thread (as well as others) about being "sober" in the sense of being discerning. I have also read many other statements about people feeling the holy spirit in their hands and other places and using that feeling as a basis for conviction.

Where has skepticism gone?

As an amateur magician for many years I see how easily people are influenced by what they expect to see or want to see. I see the power of suggestion and behaviors related to the crowd around them. I have seen people fake it rather then admit to not "feeling" anything. (Like the crowd who marveled at the emperors new cloths instead of speaking up that he had none.)
I have seen people overcome with the holy spirit but far FAR more often I have seen people SLAIN in the spirit (small "s") because that is what they were expecting to happen. I have seen this happen just as often at events where stage hypnotists were performing for the crowd, and for laughs.
Then there is the whole issue of the "word of knowledge". I have YET to hear one with any substance.

Where has skepticism gone?

I have done countless tricks for people in the church. But it always amazed me when I would pull out one of my more mystifying routines, there would be someone ready to rebuke me for performing witchcraft simply because they could not figure out how it was done. And if they could not figure it out and it seemed too impossible then it MUST be supernatural.

It PAINS me that if I had the desire I could become the next Benny Hinn or superstar evangelist performing miracles at will simply because I knew how to pull it off and people would be too afraid to question me. Others HAVE done this, such as Benny Hinn, Uri Geller, and James Poppof.

Here are some great examples of someone pulling the wool from the eyes of hucksters.
[YT="Astrology Experment"]3Dp2Zqk8vHw[/YT]

[YT="James Randi exposing a Medium"]DxvPJFv6X94[/YT]

[YT="James Randi exposes Uri Geller"]M9w7jHYriFo[/YT]