SkipCaptcha, Automoderated users, edit
8,746
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − + − + − + − {{cquote|We find religion in so much of our history, our philosophy, our everyday lives, and our legal system. Miscegenation was banned based on Biblical rules, slavery was justified by the same book.}} Line 65:
Line 64: + + + + + + + + + Line 72:
Line 80: + + + + + + Line 85:
Line 99: +
→References
[[File:JAMES RANDI.jpg|thumbnail|170px|right|James Randi]]
[[File:JAMES RANDI.jpg|thumbnail|170px|right|James Randi]]
'''James Randi''' is a Canadian stage magician who is famous for investigating claims of paranormal, and for exposing pseudoscience. Among his notable exposes is that of Peter Popoff, who claimed to perform miraculous healings and to receive "words from God" about people (Randi exposed that Popoff had a hidden earpiece where he heard information from an associate).
'''James Randi''' (August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian stage magician who is famous for investigating claims of paranormal, and for exposing pseudoscience. Among his notable exposes is that of Peter Popoff, who claimed to perform miraculous healings and to receive "words from God" about people (Randi exposed that Popoff had a hidden earpiece where he heard information from an associate).
He founded the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) which investigates [[paranormal]] claims and [[pseudoscience]] and does related research. James Rani is an [[Atheism|atheist]].<ref>[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/deepak.chopra.offers.1.million.atheists.who.can.explain.thought.formed/38931.htm Deepak Chopra offers $1 million to atheists who can explain how a thought is formed], Christianity Today</ref>
He founded the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) which investigates [[paranormal]] claims and [[pseudoscience]] and does related research. James Randi is a [[Weak Atheism|weak atheist]].<ref>[https://ffrf.org/news/day/dayitems/item/14497-the-amazing-james-randi The Amazing James Randi]</ref> See also: [[Celebrity atheists]])
He received multiple awards including Joseph A. Burton Forum Award from American Physical Society and Philip J. Klass Award, and he was twice featured in the ''Guinness World Records''. The asteroid 3163 Randi discovered in 1981 by astronomer Charles T. Kowal is named in honor of James Randi.<ref>Patricia Orwen, The Amazing Randi, ''Toronto Star'', August 23, 1986</ref>
He received multiple awards including Joseph A. Burton Forum Award from American Physical Society and Philip J. Klass Award, and he was twice featured in the ''Guinness World Records''. The asteroid 3163 Randi discovered in 1981 by astronomer Charles T. Kowal is named in honor of James Randi.<ref>Patricia Orwen, The Amazing Randi, ''Toronto Star'', August 23, 1986</ref>
==View on religion==
==View on religion==
Although Randi is a scathing critic of the [[New age movement]], he is a prominent atheist and equally virulent critic of [[religion]]. In his essay ''Why I Deny Religion, How Silly and Fantastic It Is, and Why I'm a Dedicated and Vociferous Bright'', he critiqued religion and claimed religion is the cause behind many major tragedies of humanity.<ref name=Randi>[http://www.randi.org/jr/072503.html Why I Deny Religion, How Silly and Fantastic It Is, and Why I'm a Dedicated and Vociferous Bright.]</ref> He writes:<ref name=Randi/>
Although Randi is a scathing critic of the [[New age movement]], he is a prominent atheist and equally virulent critic of [[religion]]. In his essay ''Why I Deny Religion, How Silly and Fantastic It Is, and Why I'm a Dedicated and Vociferous Bright'', he critiqued religion and claimed religion is the cause behind many major tragedies of humanity.<ref name=Randi>[http://www.randi.org/jr/072503.html Why I Deny Religion, How Silly and Fantastic It Is, and Why I'm a Dedicated and Vociferous Bright.]</ref> He writes:<ref name=Randi/> "We find religion in so much of our history, our philosophy, our everyday lives, and our legal system. Miscegenation was banned based on Biblical rules, slavery was justified by the same book."
JREF is a leading atheist activist organisaztion and is behind the annual atheist TAM conferences held around the world. Although JREF has lost some of its prestige in the atheist community over the last couple of years, Randi himself is universally admired and respected by the likes of [[Richard Dawkins]], [[PZ Myers]] and [[Penn Jillette]]
JREF is a leading atheist activist organisaztion and is behind the annual atheist TAM conferences held around the world. Although JREF has lost some of its prestige in the atheist community over the last couple of years, Randi himself is universally admired and respected by the likes of [[Richard Dawkins]], [[PZ Myers]] and [[Penn Jillette]]
Thompson also indicated that heard a report that Randi acted in a sexually inappropriate manner in a car and then Randi said "he would be 'presidentially displeased' if [redacted] didn’t give my old boss a kiss."<ref name="When will this situation improve">[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/03/31/when-will-this-situation-improve/ When will this situation improve?]</ref>
Thompson also indicated that heard a report that Randi acted in a sexually inappropriate manner in a car and then Randi said "he would be 'presidentially displeased' if [redacted] didn’t give my old boss a kiss."<ref name="When will this situation improve">[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/03/31/when-will-this-situation-improve/ When will this situation improve?]</ref>
== James Randi on Michael Shermer and sexual harassment allegations ==
''See also:'' [[Michael Shermer and sexual harassment allegations]] and [[Atheism and the Me Too Movement]] and [[Sexual harassment at atheist conferences]]
[[File:Michael Shermer wiki portrait4.jpg|thumbnail|left|176px|[[Michael Shermer]] ]]
Buzzfeed quotes James Randi concerning [[Michael Shermer]] and sexual harassment allegations:
{{Cquote|“Shermer has been a bad boy on occasion — I do know that,” Randi told me. “I have told him that if I get many more complaints from people I have reason to believe, that I am going to have to limit his attendance at the conference.
“His reply,” Randi continued, “is he had a bit too much to drink and he doesn’t remember. I don’t know — I’ve never been drunk in my life. It’s an unfortunate thing … I haven’t seen him doing that. But I get the word from people in the organization that he has to be under better control. If he had gotten violent, I’d have him out of there immediately. I’ve just heard that he misbehaved himself with the women, which I guess is what men do when they are drunk.”<ref>[https://www.buzzfeed.com/markoppenheimer/will-misogyny-bring-down-the-atheist-movement Will Misogyny Bring Down The Atheist Movement?] by Mark Oppenheimer, Buzzfeed 2014</ref>}}
== The Daily Telegraph on the James Randi Foundation ==
== The Daily Telegraph on the James Randi Foundation ==
There are some e-books, videos and lesson plans on subjects such as fairies on their website. They organise an annual fan convention. James Randi, over that period, has been paid an average annual salary of $195,000. My requests for details of the educational foundation’s educational activities, over the last 12 months, were dodged and then ignored.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11270453/James-Randi-debunking-the-king-of-the-debunkers.html James Randi: debunking the king of the debunkers], ''The Telegraph''</ref>}}
There are some e-books, videos and lesson plans on subjects such as fairies on their website. They organise an annual fan convention. James Randi, over that period, has been paid an average annual salary of $195,000. My requests for details of the educational foundation’s educational activities, over the last 12 months, were dodged and then ignored.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11270453/James-Randi-debunking-the-king-of-the-debunkers.html James Randi: debunking the king of the debunkers], ''The Telegraph''</ref>}}
== James Randi: Google trends data from 2004 to 2020 ==
''See also:'' [[Internet atheism]] and [[Google trends - Atheism and agnosticism terms]]
[[File:James Randi Google Trends 2004 to 2020.png|800px|thumbnail|center|According to Google Trends from 2004 to 2020 there has been a significant decline in web searches for the term "James Randi" in the United States.]]
{{Clear}}
==References==
==References==
[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Canadians]]