04.27
Derren Brown, British magician and skeptic, takes on the faith healing ministry industry in his new special “Miracles for Sale.”
From Channel 4:
With the cameras in hot pursuit, Derren faces his toughest project yet, going in search of an unsuspecting member of the British public prepared to adopt the guise of a pastor and miracle worker.
His chosen one then has six months to learn the trade and flourish across the pond as a convincing pastor.
The final phase of the volunteer’s extraordinary challenge sees them attempt to perform faith healing miracles live in Texas, but will Derren’s new recruit be accepted as a faith healer or cast away as fake healer?
Check out Derren Brown’s other specials; you’ll find some of them on YouTube. He’s pulled of some impressive stunts, like converting a room full of atheists.
This is a good documentary on faith healing, but you have to be careful with Derren Brown.
Things don’t always happen as he says it does. Some of the tricks are the ones that he tells you about and shows, but some of the other tricks can be made by manipulating the camera, lying to the viewers, or using paid plants. Some people have accused him of exaggerating what can be accomplished with skeptical mentalism, but he isn’t exaggerating the level of deceit used by the people he is exposing – because faith healers can use lies, camera tricks, and plants just as easily. In this sense, Derren Brown’s shows mean exactly what he says they mean, but don’t think this magician explains all his tricks.
Agreed. And sometimes, Derren admits as much. I’ve heard him on a number of occasions say that he’s guilty of “showmanship”, which I take as a euphemism for exactly what you’re talking about.