AIDS Patient Feels Duped By $18K Promise To Cure

[megasept]

While I find the it hard to believe the "victim" was foolish enough to fall for such a ruse in this day and age, I find it even harder to believe the faith charlatan perpetrator was found to have committed no crime. Isn't misrepresenting services and charging money for such services a form of fraud? Isn't obtaining money by deception a crime? Sounds more like they can't be bothered to prosecute.

Ann

well, Ann, and i doubt you'll disagree with me, one man's religion is another man's fraud.

whole kingdoms are built on false faith.

as for the "healer", i don't really believe in Karma (another faith) but there's always hope! lol.

-Steven (aka  megasept)

[tednlou2]

Who knows the state of mind someone with AIDS has.  I was just talking to my former partner who has AIDS.  He had been down to just a CD4 of 7.  When I talked to him yesterday, I figured I'd hear his CD4 was at least back over 200.  He said it was only 93.  He said he had a hard time remember to take his meds and had resistance issues.  I wanted to say, WTF.  However, I think his mind is not all there.  He doesn't seem the same in conversations.  He has also turned mega religious, pretending to be straight, and got married to a woman. 

I don't get into people's religious issues, but he was trying to convert me.  Telling me all these scriptures and that I should go straight.  I think AIDS has harmed his brain/personality.  So, I'm trying to understand why he wouldn't take meds and is acting the way he is.  I think the man who paid out all the money was probably not in his right mind.  I can't believe someone with all their faculties would fall for that.  It is something that happens to the elderly usually.

[megasept]

I think the man who paid out all the money was probably not in his right mind.  I can't believe someone with all their faculties would fall for that.  It is something that happens to the elderly usually.

hey! this discussion has gone a bit beyond characterization of the dupe who lost $18k, though we haven't discussed Bernie's Ponzi victims just yet.

hang out (for hours, i guess---might get boring) in front of a "Psychic" office and you will see people ("scores") of all ages, some very ill, some lovelorn, some ignorant, some desperate, enter with $5 or $10 bucks, but spending hundreds or thousands before week's end. they are nearly all "religious", often Catholic (not sure why). hey, it's a nasty business. I like "The Grifters" and "Criminal" btw. Good fuel for fiction. the "Psychics" don't believe a word of what they say or they wouldn't engage in trickery. their "scores" are kept in a precious Black Book. They're 2 rungs below any other kind of huckster, because they pray on the sick more than the greedy or lazy.

i have an intelligent friend who had his (unpaid) Santero priest make a prayer to keep his annoying landlord off his back (some dispute other than rent $). He reports "it worked". lol.

one man's superstition is another man's religion. same in politics (ideology). It might be a cop-out to say millions or billions of people are crazy because they act irrationally or hysterically (Wilhelm Reich might have disagreed, labeling Fascism "mass hysteria").  we have brains. we don't tax them quite enough. whatever our bad tendencies, they seem to grow worse with illness, stress, social repression, and different levels of dementia. "acting out" often takes a narrow-minded political or religious bent.

-steven (aka   megasept)

[mecch]

10 buck santeria amusements in your local brooklyn botanica are one thing. I used to do that once and a while   - loved lighting the candles and putting in that sweet smelling oil at home, who knows if it works but my thinking on it certainly did something.  Also, helped my profile in the neighborhood and met nice people.
But that is a far cry from hundreds or thousands to hucksters.
And by the way, no botanica EVER tried to hustle me to pay more or buy more.
I don't think we should through out creole practices with the bathwater because a few people are crooks.

[Miss Philicia]

I used to know of a delightful Santeria botanica at the Fulton Mall in downtown Brooklyn that sold aerosol anti-hex spray and I'd give it to people for their birthdays. Coyote skulls earn extra credit.

edit: oh lovely, I found some! http://originalprodcorp.com/product.php?productid=1927&cat=8&page=1



I've long thought that one of my Santeria ex-bf's put a curse on me.  In fact a couple of them probably have, so it's all double-trouble.