Conversations with the dead

Death is one of the most mysterious things and at the top of many people’s "most feared" lists. The possibility of coming back from the dead or communicating with someone "in the beyond" has always been something that has intrigued mankind. Especially with those with loved ones that were recently lost. What has come of this, however, are people who prey on the hopes and fears of these people and proclaim that they can speak to your loved one in the beyond. Are these people for real or are we once again being fed lies and letting people profit off of our gullibility?

The question at issue here is if these psychics can actually communicate or get signs from a person's loved ones that have moved on from this life or if they are making it all up. If these people are actually communicating with past loved ones this is a wonderful thing and we have therefore established there being more after this life and establishing that the ones we love are somewhere...it only becomes a problem when these people can not actually talk to your loved ones and are not only taking your money, but feeding into false hopes and exploiting your dreams of "something better/more". 

The assumption is that these people can actually speak with the dead and therefore form a beyond between us an the beyond.  They are providing people with closure, a connection, or reassurance on different issues.

Some of the most interesting information that I have found on this issue came from the show "Penn & Teller's: Bullshit!" where they discussed and investigated a few very famous people who claim to "speak to the dead" and have different shows about it. The link below is part of that episode:

What I got from the episode and from discussions in class is that these people use a varity of different techniques in order to trick people into thinking they are speaking with a loved one and pretty much anyone can do it with enough practice. The first step is to do this when it involves a large group, the more people the more you are able to make a "hit". A "hit" meaning that one of the individuals in your groups connects with something you are saying.  After this, it is up to you to provide vague, loaded, ambiguous questions as possible. This could include:
"I'm getting the letter M...Mar...Mary...Margeret?" or "I'm getting the image of an old woman. Your mother or grandmother perhaps?"
Anyone can jump in and claim that their relative's name began with a "Mar" and surely everyone has a mother and grandmother...once they have their "hit" they attack.
My point of view is that this is exactly what Penn & Teller talk about in their show...bullsh*t. This is once the brain child of someone wanting to profit off of the suffering and hopes of another person.  People would do anything in order to hear from someone they lost again...whether it be for closure, just one more chat, or to establish their beliefs of something more being there after death.  I think it is extremly sad that people not only do this to one another but that people PAY FOR IT WITHOUT ANY REAL EVIDENCE! It's a very sad world that we live in.  Hopefully, there is another side and our loved ones are waiting for us there...but I think that will always remain a mystery for the living.  Penn & Teller: Talking to the dead