No Sacred Cows

by David G. McAfee

  “This belief is supported and propagated by many pastors in the local churches,” Foxcroft added. “Stepping Stones Nigeria and CRARN strongly feel that the pastors who promote the belief in child ‘witches’ often do so to extract fees for ‘delivering’ the child(ren).”

  Foxcroft and others who protest the witch hunts in Africa say approximately 15,000 children have been labeled witches in the states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, and the problem is spreading to other areas such as Nepal. Additionally, researchers report that around 50,000 kids have been accused of witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of Congo.17 The majority of the adolescents accused have been completely abandoned and left to their own devices on the streets, according to child advocates in the region.18 In a study conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),19 which provides long-term humanitarian services to children, researchers found that young people accused of witchcraft in parts of Africa “may be killed, although more often they are abandoned by their parents and live on the street.”

  These children are more vulnerable to physical and sexual violence and to abuse by the authorities. In order to survive and to escape appalling living conditions, they use drugs and alcohol. Often victims of sexual exploitation, they are at increased risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection.

  The report from UNICEF’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa further states that the frequency of witchcraft accusations against children is growing and that the issue “deserves greater attention from governments.” The persecution of witches has become a “lucrative business” for revivalist, charismatic, or Pentecostal churches in many countries, according to the authors of the report.

  Their pastor-prophets fight against witchcraft in the name of God, identifying witches through visions and dreams, and then offering treatment—divine healing and exorcism—to the supposed witches. This “spiritual” work, often of a violent nature, reinforces beliefs in witchcraft and increases accusations.

  Witchcraft causes harm to more than just those who stand accused. In some regions, for instance, people with albinism have been hunted and killed due to the mistaken belief that their body parts are good luck. Approximately 56 albinos have been killed for their body parts in Tanzania and the eastern Burundian provinces on or near Tanzania’s border, according to a Red Cross advocacy report.20 Benjamin Radford, a research fellow and investigator with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, has pointed out numerous other examples of harm to albinos resulting from false beliefs in witchcraft.

  “Throughout Africa witch doctors are consulted not only for healing diseases, but also for placing (or removing) magic curses or bringing luck in love or business,” Radford wrote for Discovery News.21 “The belief and practice of using body parts for magical ritual or benefit is called muti. Muti murders are particularly brutal, with knives and machetes used to cut and hack off limbs, breasts, and other body parts from their living victims.”

  A STORY OF PSYCHIC DECEPTION

  Harm from false beliefs comes in many forms and there are a seemingly infinite number of examples. But when I think about the billions of dollars people have spent on false hope and faux remedies—and the wasted time and emotional energy spent pursuing these fruitless endeavors—one story sticks out as especially destructive to those who were duped. That is the tale of self-proclaimed psychic and medium Sylvia Browne, who died in November 2013 at age 77.22

  Prior to her death, Browne made headlines when she falsely predicted the death of Amanda Berry, who was kidnapped in 2003 and escaped from her captors early in May 2013,23 and reminded the world of the damages that can be caused by high-profile psychics who pretend to have a supernatural “gift.”

  Browne made the prediction in November 2004 on Montel Williams’ syndicated television show, where she was a weekly guest for many years. Browne reportedly told Louwana Miller, Berry’s late mother, that she could “see” Berry’s jacket in a dumpster with “DNA on it.”24

  “She’s not alive, honey,” Browne told Miller on The Montel Williams Show. “Your daughter’s not the kind who wouldn’t call.”

  Miller, who died in March 2006, said she believed Browne “98 percent.” Miller never saw her daughter again, and would never know that she was still alive. In 2013, Berry escaped the home where she had been held captive for nearly nine years and called the police, who rescued her and two other victims.

  But that wasn’t the first time one of Browne’s lies caught up to her. In fact, in 2003, also on Montel Williams’ show, Browne similarly told Pam and Craig Akers that their son Shawn Hornbeck, who had been missing since October 2002, was not alive.

  Browne told the Akers that their son was dead, near two jagged rocks, within a 20-mile radius of where he was taken. Hornbeck, by then 15 years old, was found alive in January 2007.25

  In 1999, in yet another instance of harmful psychic reporting, Browne told the grandmother of an abducted girl that she had been taken into slavery in Japan. The grandmother of Opal Jo Jennings was tortured with the idea that the girl could be suffering in that way, but it was eventually discovered that the girl had already been dead for a long period of time—and all of Browne’s so-called predictions about her were entirely made up.

  Browne hasn’t been the only alleged psychic peddling faulty information. Even today, tens of thousands of people claim they can predict the future, read others’ minds, or know otherwise inaccessible information, and charge money to tell people their ideas. The problem, of course, is that no psychic has ever scientifically proven his or her ability (see chapter 11).

  Many people have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in schemes perpetrated by psychic con artists, with a great number even losing their homes and families. Some, as in the cases referenced here, were tormented with faulty information about their missing loved ones. It’s indisputable that some so-called seers have caused immeasurable harm to their victims.

  HARM IN ALL ITS FLAVORS

  I advocate for rational skepticism toward all types of claims because every superstition, as well as every supernatural and irrational belief and lapse in critical thinking, has the potential to harm the believer or society in one way or another. By being consistent in our application of skepticism across the board, and encouraging others to do the same, we can make sure there are fewer false beliefs in the world. In turn, we will make the world a better place.

  While there are a lot of big problems to which religion and superstition contribute, harm can even come from something as benign as a symbol or omen that causes a person to behave differently than they would under normal circumstances, thereby altering events and outcomes. When I see people going out of their way and potentially causing harm to themselves to avoid things that they believe cause bad luck, for instance, I can’t help but see a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instances like this remind me of a quote by Chrysler Corp. founder Walter Chrysler, who said, “The reason so many people never get anywhere in life is because when opportunity knocks, they are out in the backyard looking for four-leaf clovers.” A believer might be inconvenienced in any number of ways in his or her attempts to avoid negative repercussions that only exist in the mind, and this is true with many faulty beliefs. We see this phenomenon any time a person makes bad decisions in the world based on a piece of flawed information. Unsubstantiated beliefs can also be harmful because they inherently lead to other similarly incorrect ideas—once you’ve accepted one notion on dubious sources or blind faith, others come easier, too. That said, as long as you are careful not to impose your beliefs on other people—and you’re intellectually honest in your approach—you can limit the harm you cause to others through your delusions.

  Even an idea as simple as water dowsing (divining) can cause real harm and false hope. In early 2014, with California facing one of the most severe water shortfalls in the state’s history, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency, calling on Californians to conserve water in every way possible. In such desperate times
, many dowsers for hire—who practice a pseudoscientific craft that has never been established scientifically—reported that requests for their services were more popular than ever.26 However, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (and scientific consensus), so-called “successful” water dowsing ventures are reported because “in many areas underground water is so prevalent close to the land surface that it would be hard to drill a well and not find water.”27 Other forms of dowsing, including those used in the search for oil, buried metals, and explosives, have also been adopted by governments and law enforcement agencies, forcing taxpayers to foot the bill despite the fact that their success rate is “no better than random chance.”28

  It isn’t just dowsers taking advantage of droughts who exploit the public’s fear—it’s a common tactic for charlatans who knowingly try to promote their brand of superstition. In March 2014, for instance, when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared mid-flight, people who claimed to be psychics came out of the woodwork. A number of purported seers said they knew what happened to the plane, but their answers were extremely diverse and often contradictory. The responses ranged from “The plane was hijacked by several onboard”29 to “The plane went down somewhere with its passengers still alive,”30 and everywhere in between. As expected, however, none of these prophecies yielded any useful information that proved to be helpful for investigators involved.

  HARM TO ANIMALS

  Humans aren’t the only beings negatively influenced or affected by our superstitious tendencies. One example of interspecies harm stems from demand for rhino horns—often used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and as a status symbol to portray success—based on unfounded ideas that they can treat fever, rheumatism, gout, snakebites, hallucinations, typhoid, headaches, and even “devil possession.” Rhino poaching hasn’t been curtailed by the prevalence of data in the information age, which makes scientific evidence showing the inefficacy of rhino horn readily available. In fact, in 2012, a record number of 668 rhinos were killed across South Africa.31 There is a thriving illegal market for rhino horn despite the fact that claims made about it—including all “medicinal” uses and the assertion that the horn is an aphrodisiac—are completely and demonstrably false. This is primarily because not enough people value the scientific findings involved. The information is there, but it’s not being absorbed.

  Tigers in India and China are also killed due to the fictitious belief that their bones can treat rheumatism, arthritis, and impotence, despite the fact that these alleged cures have never been shown scientifically.32 Rhinos and tigers are just two of the many nonhuman animals harmed by our false beliefs, and we see incredibly similar situations when it comes to use of antelope and buffalo horns, deer antlers, and other items in TCM.33 Another example of our tendency to harm animals through our own false beliefs is the endangered bird trade in Hyderabad, India, where many people believe releasing certain types of birds will bring luck and ward off evil. Traders at the Murgi Chowk (literally “chicken corner”) market openly sell endangered owls, kestrels, parrots, and more.34 These aren’t isolated incidents, either. In November 2014, about 5,000 buffaloes were slaughtered in one day to appease the Hindu goddess Gadhimai in a barbaric ritual that takes place every five years.35

  Even black cats, which in some areas represent the coming of bad luck, can suffer and die as a result of human superstitions. In fact, black cats and dogs are often less likely to be adopted from shelters than differently colored felines for a variety of reasons, including cultural perceptions. This is often referred to as “black dog syndrome.”36 A study published in the Open Veterinary Science Journal in 2013 further revealed that black cats require the longest time to adopt in part because they “continue to be plagued by a negative association with superstition, specifically—magic and witches.”37

  This connection with magic and witches may lead some people to select cats of other colors. To help mitigate the negative ramifications of poor photogenic properties and an association with superstition, it is suggested that shelter staff pay more attention to the naming of black cats, refraining from “classic” black animal names (e.g., Blackie, Gypsy, Midnight, etc.). It is possible that “cute” or “human” names might help black cats.

  These are just a few examples of the many times humans have killed or tortured other animals based on our own false beliefs, and we will likely never stop this behavior, but that’s no reason to give up. It’s a reason to fight harder to promote an evidence-based worldview. If even one healthy, loving animal is passed over for adoption (and likely euthanized as a result) because of superstitious thinking, that’s a life that could have been saved through nothing more than the application of skeptical scrutiny.

  WHERE IS THE LINE?

  The potential for superstitions to harm seems to come most often when they are taken too seriously by believers, which can cause them to rely solely on magical thinking to solve their or others’ problems—even after experiencing consistent failure with that approach. The problems begin when people consider their faith-based notions to be more valuable than facts, and they are made much worse when those believers attempt to force others to comply with (and therefore give credence to) their supernatural ideas. This regularly occurs when superstitious or religious people in power legislate around their particular beliefs, but, as Danish journalist Flemming Rose said in his piece on free expression and cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad,38 “if a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission. And that is incompatible with a secular democracy.”

  Superstition in politics is arguably its most harmful incarnation, but granting special treatment to even the most minor religious and other supernatural claims makes it easier for myths to spread in place of reality. So, when you allow “good” supernatural beliefs—or what you deem positive aspects of those beliefs—to affect you or the population in general, you might unintentionally make it more acceptable to believe in and legislate the harmful ones. If you argue that faith is always valuable and must be respected at all costs, you make it seem virtuous to believe that rocks have healing powers and give credence to the false notion that rhino horn magically cures a number of medical problems or improves the user’s sex life.

  Even within the natural realm, false beliefs and failures in the process of thinking and evaluating ideas are likely to cause harm by creating distracting mysteries where none actually exist. Alternative theorists, for instance, regularly “cry wolf” when there are potentially real conspiracies to uncover through investigative journalism—and not wild conjecture and imagination (see chapter 15). Not only do these speculation-based conspiracy theories distract from real problems and dull critical thinking skills, but they can also cost lives in a number of ways, including through denial of vaccines.

  ANTI-VAX MOVEMENT

  Those who fight against immunizations exist on a spectrum. Some anti-vaccination advocates merely assert, despite scientific consensus stating otherwise, that pharmaceutical vaccines are dangerous and should be avoided. They continue to make this claim even though a review of 166 independent studies found that serious adverse events associated with vaccines “are extremely rare and must be weighed against the protective benefits” that they provide.39 Others, however, have more far-fetched claims, such as that vaccines do not work at all, or that they are part of a government-sanctioned plan to kill people and decrease the world population. Somewhere on this scale, you’ll find those who claim that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism—an idea put forth in a 1998 paper by a then-doctor named Andrew Wakefield. Despite the fact that this claimed vaccine-autism link has so been extensively debunked—including through a scientific review by the U.S. Institute of Medicine, which found that “the evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal–containing vaccines and autism”40—that Wakefield’s copublishers retracted their work,41 and that Wakefield was barred from practic
ing medicine for “serious misconduct” related to his discredited study,42 the myth is still widely believed. This particular false claim continues to be accepted by many people for a number of reasons, including the existence of high-profile anti-vax activists like former Playboy centerfold Jenny McCarthy,43 who has admitted to receiving her degree from “The University of Google.”44 Even President Donald Trump, prior to taking office, made statements promoting the fraudulent link between the MMR vaccine and autism to his millions of followers on Twitter. He repeated that concern as president, as well.45 Fortunately, McCarthy, Trump, and others who spread similar ideas are not unopposed. There are a number of vaccination advocates, such as Dr. Paul A. Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,46 who work to counteract the misinformation disseminated about vaccines. Danielle McBurnett Stringer, a pediatric nurse practitioner who runs the “Kid Nurse” blog covering health issues, even encourages people with anti-vaccine tendencies to “follow the money!”

  “Yes please! Let’s look at that. I DO NOT vaccinate children because it is profitable to me. My office, as well as all the other pediatric offices I know of, fronts thousands of dollars every month to pay for vaccines,” Stringer wrote.47 “We are lucky if we break even. We order vaccines, and then we pray that insurance companies or the Vaccines For Children Program pay us back for them. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”