Cyberweave - Mary Montgomery-Clifford

The $1 Million Challenge to Skeptics: Prove There is No Afterlife

Victor Zammit, a retired Australian High Court Solicitor, psychic researcher and author of A Lawyer Presents the Case for the Afterlife, recently launched a one million dollar challenge aimed at close-minded skeptics who consistently attack the possibility of an afterlife. According to Zammit's Web site (www.victorzammit.com), the reward is offered to "any skeptic anywhere in the world who can rebut and refute beyond absolute all the evidence for the existence of the afterlife."

I first heard of the challenge via the monthly e-mail newsletter from the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. The newsletter (free from www.nsac.org) is filled with information on healing and mediumship/afterlife issues.

Zammit counters skeptic James Randi's famous million-dollar offer to anyone to "prove the paranormal." Randi's challenge, states Zammit, has been used successfully as a propaganda ploy against psychics and universal truth. "It has been," he says, "a powerful tool for the dissemination of global darkness."

Zammit's own offer is guaranteed by himself and three other Sidney, Australia lawyers. "Put up or shut up!" declares Zammit who believes that we are "now winning the war with the skeptics."

The rest of Zammit's site is also interesting. It includes a draft of the new Internet version of his book. Chapter titles include "Respected Scientists Who Investigated," "Modern Mediums Who Confound the Skeptics," and "Answering the Closed Minded Skeptics."

Yogini.net

I received a review request from Heather-yogini dharmananda, creator of Distant Psychic Healing and Metaphysics (www.yogini.net). In her e-mail, Heather described her site format as "as almost boringly simple, so that those who are severely ill are able to utilize it easily."

Heather's description proved to be accurate. Someone who is used to graphically pleasing sites might, at first, be put off. Don't be. There is a wealth of wonderful information here. The site focuses on Heather's healing abilities, including her credentials and the types of services she offers. Web pilgrims can strike gold as they scroll down the long home page. There they'll find links to pages with in-depth information on topics like astrology, auras, charkas, energy wellness exercises and psychic healing. The information often includes technique and method suggestions. For example, a chakra balancing exercise is included on the chakra page.

Alternative Headlines

A rather unique feature of yogini.net, was the ZNN Alternative News Headlines box at the bottom of the home page. ZNN is run by Zenzibar (http://zenzibar.com), an alternative culture directory and portal site.

Even though I've visited hundreds of spiritually-oriented sites, I had never seen the ZNN box before. Because of all the recent shark attack headlines, I got hooked into checking out "Shark populations threatened worldwide." The link took me to Environmental News Network (http://enn.com/news). It was clear: the sharks might be maiming or killing a few of us, but we humans are decimating them. The reason: shark fin soup, a delicacy that costs about $100 U.S. dollars per bowl. In the past, only the wealthiest of Southeast Asians could afford it. Now it has become a status symbol that is routinely served at business dinners and parties. Talk about mutilation. The fins are cut off while the fish are still alive. The bodies are considered useless and are tossed over the side.

A link at the ENN site led me to WildAid (www.wildaid.org) where I learned that overfishing, government inaction, and raids on protected Marine reserves may spell the end of the line for some shark species. Ecology-minded folks should definitely surf on over to the WildAid site. They walk their talk and invite you to do likewise. Founded 30 years ago, WildAid provides direct protection for wildlife in danger in three ways: strengthening field protection for animals (the supply); combating illegal wildlife trafficking (the trade); convincing wildlife consumers to change their habits (the demand).

The "How You Can Help" page gives information on donations, in-kind giving, volunteerism and education.

I was so intrigued by the journey stimulated by the ZNN box that I went to the Zenzibar News Network site (http://zenzibar.com/news). There were headlines like "Report Shows Americans Have More "Labor Days"" and "Three die after putting faith in guru." The first article announced that Americans now work more hours than workers in any other industrialized nation including Japan. The second article focused on the growing controversy surrounding Sai Baba.

There was a link at the bottom of the ZNN page that said "spiritual." I clicked it and discovered a host of links to a wide range of spiritually-oriented sites. I'll save that pilgrimage for a future column.

Do you have a favorite spiritual or personal growth Web site that you'd like me to review? Please drop me an e-mail at Monty764@aol.com. And remember, I also want to hear your story about how the Internet and the World Wide Web have impacted your journey toward self-realization. A short e-mail questionnaire is available by contacting Monty764@aol.com. Just fill it out and e-mail it back. Your contribution will help me complete my Spirituality & the Internet Research Project and, in turn, will help others who are undertaking a similar pilgrimage.

Mary Montgomery-Clifford is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises ("Freelancing with Finesse!"), specializes in public relations, events, promotions, writing project and web authoring, development and publicity. Ms. Montgomery-Clifford is currently studying for a Master's Degree with an emphasis on inter-religious studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary and is in the process of completing the Morris Pratt Institute Course on Modern Spiritualism. Contact her via e-mail at Monty764@aol.com, by phone at 773-235-8821 or at her web site at www.montymedia.com

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