A Testimony Of Dowsing?

[Scott Lloyd]

It was only my attempt at humor, ERayR. Wouldn't be the first time I've fallen flat on my face in this forum. You (perhaps unknowingly) cited the title of a famous song (Lyin' Eyes) from a famous American rock band in the 1970's (The Eagles). And so I had a litte fun with it--I couldn't help myself. Forgive me if The Eagles were after your time (or before your time--although I suspect this unlikely as Gen X'er's & Milleannials tend to have a better sense of humor than the "Baby Boomers" and so-called "Silent Generation"--at least in my experience).

But I'm good with 1950's references too - should you choose to make one.

;0)

--Erik

I'm well aware of the Eagles. I link to one of their songs in my sig line below.

And I love fifties and sixties pop as well.

Though ERay and I agree on most matters that come up on the board, I guess this is one area where I have more in common with you than him.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Scott Lloyd

[TheSkepticChristian]

And who should I be impressed with, Michael Shermer or my lying eyes.

 

You believe in fortune telling too?

[ttribe]

Let's assume, for a moment, that Dowsing actually works* - where does it fit in an LDS doctrinal context, then?

 

Is it a "gift of the Spirit"?

 

Is it actually from God?

 

Is it something else?

 

 

*For the record, I don't believe in it.

[Scott Lloyd]

Let's assume, for a moment, that Dowsing actually works* - where does it fit in an LDS doctrinal context, then?

Is it a "gift of the Spirit"?

Is it actually from God?

Is it something else?

*For the record, I don't believe in it.

Does it have to fit in somewhere?

[ttribe]

Does it have to fit in somewhere?

 

Uhh, well, doesn't everything, to some extent?

[Robert F. Smith]

Give some respect to the old farmer who didn't have the aquifer maps and still got it right.  He was either good or lucky.

I probably didn't make it clear that the aquifer was merely an underground extension of the big and little Arkansas Rivers which run through Wichita.  It really didn't matter where the diviner did his witching.  The water was everywhere available in the region.

[TheSkepticChristian]

 I have seen well witching (dowsing) work.

 

and thousands have seen fortune telling work too. Do you believe in fortune telling?

 

bytheway, do they find water in a area that is full of ground water? 

[Garden Girl]

Okay... true story, based on my husband's experience, which he would tell me...

In his first job with the electric power company in the San Bernardino county area he was an "Agricultural Rep," and his main function was as a pump tester.  He would travel throughout the very large territory of the power company, testing the new wells/pumps for the various farms... some of which were large, commercial, crop producing operations with numerous wells... he would test the new wells/pumps and make a written summary report to the power company, and to the farmer, with the test results of such things as depth of well, acre feet of water produced per minute, and numerous other calculations.

Whenever a farmer/company wanted to drill an additional well, they would tell my husband and ask him to schedule a visit from a "water witcher" used by the power company.  My husband, representing the power company, and "Jerry" would then go out to the farm, and Jerry would conduct several "tests"... using "rods" of willow or sometimes wire... to determine the best location to drill for the new well.  Meeting with the farmer/company, Jerry would describe his findings, including predictions of water production, etc.  The new well would be dug where recommended, and the results would be just as Jerry predicted.  My husband witnessed this time and again during the actual "witching" and then when he would test the actual well/pump.  The farmers/companies were so confident in Jerry that most would not drill without his coming out and making his tests and recommendations. 

To my husband, Jerry's testing was just a normal part of the process... I knew Jerry and he was just an everyday person... very nice... not weird...

There are numerous skeptics regarding water "divining" but I'm not one because of my husband's experiences working with Jerry... 

 

GG

 

 

[sunstoned]

Were your eyes opened as you walked? Were you aware when you crossed the line? If so, even if unintended, if you muscles tightened up just a wee bit from excitement, nervousness, just intensity of paying attention...that could make wires move.

Now put a blindfold on all of you and everyone just talks normally, no drawn in breaths of anticipation, no raising or lowering of hill that might thrown one off...get results then...that could be interesting.

My eyes were open and I knew when I had crossed the line, but I don't think muscle contractions could have caused the thin wires to swing so quickly. It was not a small movement.  The rods swung in a 90 degree are.  This happened to me and the others that tried.  I am sure there is some logical explanation for this. 

[cinepro]

I don't understand what you are getting at.  I was countering Skeptics professional skeptics with an assertion that I have seen well witching (dowsing) work.

 

There isn't a skeptic alive that would deny that people find aquifers, running water, utilities, lost objects, metals, minerals, and dirt using dowsing techniques (including single pole, dual pole, and pendulum dowsing). 

 

That's the problem.  It's not that people don't find stuff and lie about it.  It's that they do find stuff but then attribute it to the motion of the objects they're holding in their hands.  It's simply an example of several very well known processes working together to fool people for thousands of years, the most basic of which is that we can't hold an object still, no matter how hard we try and even if we think we can:

 

Ideomotor Effect

 

What makes a Ouija board move?