'starving Yogi' Goes Without Food Or Water, Astounds Scientist

[King's Rook's Pawn]

What do you make of this?

[url="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/starving-yogi-prahlad-jani-astounds-indian-scientists-after-two-week-surveillance-trial/story-fn3dxity-1225864840246"]'Starving yogi' Prahlad Jani astounds Indian scientists after two-week surveillance trial [/url]

[quote]AN 83-year-old Indian holy man who claimed he spent seven decades without food or water astounded a team of military doctors who studied him during a two-week observation period.

Prahlad Jani spent two weeks in a hospital in the western Indian state of Gujarat under constant surveillance from a team of 30 medical staff equipped with cameras and CCTV.

During the period, he did not eat, drink or go to the bathroom.

"We still do not know how he survives," neurologist Sudhir Shah said after the end of the experiment. "It is still a mystery what kind of phenomenon this is."[/quote]

Apparently, there have been examples of this sort of thing occurring to certain Catholic saints. It's called [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inedia"]inedia[/url]. But how is a Catholic to react to this Hindu mystic? Is it a fraud, despite evidence to the contrary? Are supernatural occurrences possible in other religions? Is it a heretofore unknown natural phenomenon and, if so, were similar occurrences in the lives of Catholic saints also mere natural phenomena?

[Vincent Vega]

He's survived for eight days in an impartial observation with impartial doctors. This most recent two week stint was with "researchers" who believed in his power (or mysticism or holiness or whatever) already, without allowing those third party doctors observation.

I call BS.

[King's Rook's Pawn]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='11 May 2010 - 05:34 PM' timestamp='1273613663' post='2108934']
He's survived for eight days in an impartial observation with impartial doctors. This most recent two week stint was with "researchers" who believed in his power (or mysticism or holiness or whatever) already, without allowing those third party doctors observation.
[/quote]

Okay. Do you have a source showing that this second group is biased?

[Vincent Vega]

Let me find it.

[CatholicCid]

I saw this article earlier, but it was a bit more skeptical.
[quote]
An 82-year-old man in India is claiming to have not had anything to eat or drink since 1940 - and doctors from the Indian military are allegedly studying him to learn his secret.

The man, Prahlad Jani, is being observed in a Gurjarat hospital. Jani claims to be a breatharian - someone who does not need to eat or drink, because he draws nourishment from the air and meditation.

...

This is not the first time that Jani has made this claim. He was examined in 2003 for about a week, during which time, he apparently did not eat or exercise - but he did lose weight. If Jani's abilities are real, it seems odd that he would lose weight during the time that his food intake was being monitored. If he truly gets all the sustenance he needs from air and meditation, there's no reason he would lose weight when he doesn't eat.
[/quote]
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100511/sc_livescience/indianmysticclaimsnottoeatfor70years

[Laudate_Dominum]

T'would be exciting if it turned out to be true, but, at the moment my response is, yeah right. And no, I don't have to defend this position. Such wacky claims that fly in the face of science and common sense demand serious evidence before they deserve to be taken seriously imo. Hindus have the best "miracles" though. Remember the whole milk miracle craze years back? Radical.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote]...There will be many who maintain that the latest tests prove nothing — and that Mr Jani’s survival is down to nothing more mysterious than trickery.
That’s the view held by the Indian Rationalist Association, an organisation which publicly campaigns against superstition and spiritual fraudsters.
It has attacked the Indian Ministry of Defence for even agreeing to take part in the tests, accusing them of being ‘taken in by the absurd claims of a village fraud’.
Sanal Edamaruku, the association’s secretary general, told the Mail: ‘I asked to be allowed to send an independent team to survey the room where this test is taking place, but I was repeatedly turned down.
'It is ridiculous to ask people to believe that any man can go 15 days, let alone 70 years, without food or water.
‘Dr Shah has been in charge of three similar investigations over the past ten years, and he has never allowed independent verification.
'In 2000, he was asking for funds to investigate a man he claimed got his energy from the sun, just like plants do.
‘In 2003, he even approached NASA for funds to investigate Mr Jani, claiming astronauts might benefit from the research. This particular hospital, led by this particular doctor, keeps on making these claims without ever producing evidence or publishing research.’
Mr Edamaruku is convinced that Mr Jani must have had access to food and water at the hospital, and does not believe that he was kept under strict supervision around the clock.
He says that whenever the Rationalist Association has investigated individuals making similar claims, all have been exposed as frauds.
In 1999, they investigated a woman who claimed that she was the reincarnation of another Hindu goddess. For five years, she had remained alone in a small closet where it was claimed she had not eaten nor passed any urine or faeces.
In co-operation with the police, investigators from the association searched the room, finding a toilet hidden behind a shelf and a disguised hole through which she received food. Blood tests revealed the presence of glucose, indicating the intake of food.
To further prove the case, a gas was released into the room that made the woman vomit. The contents of her stomach were found to include pieces of recently-eaten chapatti and potatoes.

Mr Edamaruku is concerned that by publicising the activities of individuals such as Mr Jani, others will be encouraged to copy.
‘The Hindu religion is a belief system that’s all about magical thinking, about great things happening that are not understandable to the ordinary person,’ he explained.
‘These claims are very dangerous, because people try to follow these holy men and can end up hurting themselves.
‘In any other religion there’s a priest who requires a lot of training and there’s a structure which means people can’t just make up their qualifications.
'In Hinduism, anyone can become a guru overnight. You just decide that’s what you are, dress the part and become it.’
[/quote]
From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1274779/The-man-says-eaten-drunk-70-years-Why-eminent-doctors-taking-seriously.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Edited May 11, 2010 by USAirwaysIHS

[Tridenteen]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='11 May 2010 - 04:34 PM' timestamp='1273613663' post='2108934']
He's survived for eight days in an impartial observation with impartial doctors. This most recent two week stint was with "researchers" who believed in his power (or mysticism or holiness or whatever) already, without allowing those third party doctors observation.

I call BS.
[/quote]


JMJ
Amen.

[Pluie]

This is an odd thread to have my first post on. Oh well.

Q: How many ways are their to lose weight? Especially if waste isn't a contender for this guy.

Sweat.
Amputation.
Dandruff.
Haircut. (counts as amputation?)

[Pluie]

Oops, typo. Is it non-possible to edit posts?

[Bennn]

I don't really believe that our Lord would grant such graces (surviving without food or drink) to non Christians, as it would further confirm them and others in their erring ways. In general such graces are given only to Saints. Is that not partly what miracles are for? To confirm someone in the path he is walking. If God would grant them such a confirmation, they would be encouraged not to convert to Christ, but continue on their own ways.

Pax Domini,
Ben

[King's Rook's Pawn]

Seeing the articles posted by CatholicCid and USAirways, I'm now more skeptical about the story. It seems that there would need to be much more verification, by independent authorities and for a longer span of time, to make such an incredible claim convincing. On the other hand, the most prominent skeptical voice appears to be that of a professional skeptic from the "Rationalist Association." He's hardly an unbiased observer himself. I try to keep an open mind about things. I think there's a lot more to the world than meets the eye.

Does anyone know if there have been any studies regarding inedia in Catholic saints? I find claimed miraculous occurrences very intriguing, but this is the first time I've heard of this particular occurrence.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='King's Rook's Pawn' date='11 May 2010 - 08:38 PM' timestamp='1273624687' post='2109075']On the other hand, the most prominent skeptical voice appears to be that of a professional skeptic from the "Rationalist Association." He's hardly an unbiased observer himself.
[/quote]
Perhaps so, but I'm of the "if you have nothing to hide, why hide it?" school of thought.

[Semper Catholic]

[quote name='Bennn' date='11 May 2010 - 05:56 PM' timestamp='1273618583' post='2109014']
I don't really believe that our Lord would grant such graces (surviving without food or drink) to non Christians, as it would further confirm them and others in their erring ways. In general such graces are given only to Saints. Is that not partly what miracles are for? To confirm someone in the path he is walking. If God would grant them such a confirmation, they would be encouraged not to convert to Christ, but continue on their own ways.

Pax Domini,
Ben
[/quote]

Does God not give graces to Jews, or Muslims or peoples of any other religious order?

There are plenty of people who survive miraculously, or have exceedingly special abilities that may not be Christians. Kind of silly to believe that God does not bless all of his children regardless of what religious path they follow.

Just my opinion.

[Sternhauser]

The guy must have been dying for his Big Mac fix at the end of this study.

~Sternhauser