I get mail, too

PZ isn’t the only one who gets mail. First, here’s what I sent to Moritz a couple of days ago.

I have no idea why you would listen to Maloney about contacting me. Had he not told you about the posts on Pharyngula about him? Were you honestly not aware of how much worse this was going to get for you? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

This was just after Christopher Maloney told PZ that he had advised Moritz to contact me. Of course, I would have quickly figured out who this quack friend of Maloney’s was; I had long ago looked up Moritz because of his poor writing skills, only to be impressed that he lived anywhere near any predominantly English speaking country. But quacks aren’t the brightest in the bunch. That might be why Moritz responded with this:

Oh, I am actually very grateful to you for spreading the word and creating a free publicity campaign for me. A lot of people who would never have heard about me, may now wonder and start to investigate. Eventually, they may want to know for themselves what this is about and buy some books of mine. I couldn’t have asked for a more effective advertising campaign. In fact, my stat counter shows that I had a 563% increase in genuine visitors yesterday and as of this early morning it is already double the number. So if it continues out be a huge success I may send you a check. I don’t mind the dozen swear emails, when my business is booming, thanks to your awareness campaign. I never had such a spike of interest in my work. Thanks again, you turned out to be a great blessing. And please, keep it going.

This was just silly. Moritz originally threatened me with a lawsuit because he claimed I had harmed his business and revenue. Honestly, I hope I destroy the man’s livelihood – that might mean saving a life. But whether I have or not apparently has been settled since Moritz just undermined his entire claim. Wanting to keep up the inanity, I didn’t note that specifically in my next email. However, I did respond with this:

Are you 5 years old? You’re seriously taking the “I wanted things like this!” tactic? That’s about as effective as your cancer ‘treatments’ – entirely useless and nothing more than quacking charlatanry.

You are a fraud, nothing more. You prey on the weak and sick when they are at their most vulnerable. You take money out of the pockets of cancer patients, promote the spread of HIV, and are a serious threat to the health of anyone stupid enough to listen to you. How have you literally not been arrested? You appear to be practicing woo medicine without any sort of license (and certainly no qualifications, but that has long been established).

This isn’t some sort of joke, Moritz. While I’m having an absolute blast watching you get blasted throughout the Interwebblings, I take no joy in knowing the real life harm you take pride in inflicting upon others. You need to stop taking advantage of the gullible. It’s unethical, immoral, illegal, dangerous, and inhumane. What the hell is wrong with you?

Before moving on to Moritz’s response, I want to note the far more interesting set of emails I received around the time of sending that. I won’t repost them here for the sake of not making this post longer than it needs to be, but I will say who sent them: Richard Dawkins, David Colquhoun, and Simon Singh. My atheist, science loving heart fluttered when I saw all that, I admit it.

Anyway. Moritz.

Honestly, I am not angry with you. As already mentioned, you are working to help spread the word about the fact that people can heal themselves without drugs or medical intervention. Although this wasn’t your intention, it’s happening. When I just checked the stat counter of my web site, today’s’ genuine visitor number rose by 786% compared to average.

Just so you know, I don’t practice medicine. I have no idea where you dreamed up that idea. I am not interested in practicing medicine, and never will be. I have never in my life treated an illness or tried stopping it like a medical doctor would. You must be smoking something. I have never taken any money from a cancer patient because I don’t treat cancer patients. I certainly don’t need a license to practice medicine when this is not what I do or want to do. I cannot be arrested for something I don’t do. I have helped millions of people understand how to live a healthy life so that their own body can heal itself. Since I don’t do any advertising, my work spreads word by mouth, only because people feel so much better because of that. Do you think millions of people can be deceived year after year, decade after decade by the same person? My books would have stopped selling 20 years ago. Quacks try to persuade people. I have no interested in doing so. I leave this up to the medical doctors and their patients who found value in what I write. Again, I don’t have a clue where you are coming from, except from some kind of hatred. Or are you hired by the pharmaceutical industry who funds such campaigns. Most likely.

Once again, thank you so very much for accomplishing something I have not even tried do. You are helping over 780% more people to know about my work. That’s’ huge. I don’t know how you accomplished that, but it’s working. Maybe I can entice you doing this for a whole year. This will make you a hero. You are helping humanity become a lot healthier.

I must admit I did receive 32 emails that were hostile and negative, which might please you. But they were basically just repetitions of what you said before. They consisted mostly of swear words, like fuck you, snake oil, quack, quack, quack, and you favorite word “stupid.” In other words, they might just have been from a handful of people who used multiple email addresses. On the other hand, I received 385 emails that encourage me to continue enriching people’s life and not to be deterred “by jealous people haters like Michael Hawkins” who prefer they are being killed by a medical system that according to the FDA’s own admission kills over 300,000 people each year, and that is just a low estimate.

Enjoy your weekend. Mine will be great, thanks to you!

Ya know, I originally called Moritz “a stupid…man” because he has no understanding of basic science, but it should be known that the term is not limited to his scientific illiteracy. His legal illiteracy is just as profound. What a strong libel case he must have now, no?

We are one

Haven’t you all heard? You’re me.

michael hawkins is a pea-brained idiot. Moritz should stop talking to him and the other posters who are trying to draw him in to their obnoxious game. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone paid this guy to do it. The health information Mr. Moritz presents in all of his books is comprehensive, exhaustively researched and proven effective. What I am saying on this blog is pointless for the most part though, because Hawkins and the other negative posters (who are all probably the same guy!!),are all acting like little children with their fingers in their ears. Their numbed-out brains are looking for a fight because they don’t look within. So sad. But Mr. Moritz would do well to not play in to this fear-filled folly.

Michael: Well, Michael, what do you think of this?

Michael: I don’t know, Michael. It sounds rather paranoid.

Michael: The poster might be on to something, though, don’t you think, Michael?

Michael: Think? I’ve done that in my time. I’m just not so sure about the woo supporters, Michael.

Moritz really likes the attention!

So I guess keep giving him more, right? Here’s the email he sent me after I asked him if he was seriously unaware of the Streisand Effect.

Oh, I am actually very grateful to you for spreading the word and creating a free publicity campaign for me. A lot of people who would never have heard about me, may now wonder and start to investigate. Eventually, they may want to know for themselves what this is about and buy some books of mine. I couldn’t have asked for a more effective advertising campaign. In fact, my stat counter shows that I had a 563% increase in genuine visitors yesterday and as of this early morning it is already double the number. So if it continues out be a huge success I may send you a check. I don’t mind the dozen swear emails, when my business is booming, thanks to your awareness campaign. I never had such a spike of interest in my work. Thanks again, you turned out to be a great blessing. And please, keep it going.

You hear that? He’s got all sorts of new visitors. Business must be booming. There’s no way nearly all of these new visitors could actually be people who despise everything he does. Right?

Oh, and the first result on Google right now is Orac’s post.

All about Maloney and Moritz

The tremendous outpouring of support has been a tad overwhelming to say the least. I literally spent 4 straight hours reading posts after work yesterday, took a shower, then spent another several hours reading more. It seems like today there’s an even larger supply of material to read.

Given just how much is out there, I am going to do my best to list out all the links here. It isn’t possible for me to find them all, so any additions are welcome in the comment section. I’ll do my best to update this post accordingly.

PZ Myers:

Christopher Maloney is a quack.

Christopher Maloney: Still a quack

Do not harass the quacks!

Andreas Moritz is a cancer quack

Why quacks ought to lie low

Orac:

Andreas Moritz and trying to shut down valid scientific criticism: A sine qua non of a quack

RichardDawkins.net:

Andreas Moritz is a cancer quack

Steven Novella:

Naturopaths Can Silence Critics Too

I Speak of Dreams:

Repeating PZ Myers: Christopher Maloney Is A Quack (and cowardly, and WordPress is craven) But Andreas Moritz is Worse: A Dangerous Cancer Quack

Twitter:

Search for Christopher Maloney

Search for Andreas Moritz

Search for Michael Hawkins

Search for More legal threats from quacks. PZ Myers on Andreas Moritz. RT to help Michael Hawkins

(Might I recommend using “naturopathy” as a tag?)

Random Thoughts:

Andreas Moritz is a Quack

Not a Potted Plant:

Christopher Maloney is a Cowardly Quack (UPDATED)

Newsvine:

iarnuocon: Christopher Maloney is a quack

A Hot Cup of Joe:

Christopher Maloney is a Quack

Jthewonderllama’s Totally Amazing Blog:

Christopher Maloney is a quack.

All Rocks go to Heaven:

Dear WordPress: You Suck

horsegoeswest:

When you got nothing, sue

Evening Person:

Blogger’s site taken down by quacks

The Digital Cuttlefish:

He’s a Maine-i-quack!

Thought of the day

As of this moment, the post Andreas Moritz is a stupid, dangerous man has exactly 4,000 hits. This is pleasing.

Pouring a coat of sugar

PZ Myers has a post on cancer and the quacks and filthy liars who try to take advantage of the disease.

Barbara Ehrenreich had breast cancer, and ugly and frightening as that disease is, she found something else that was almost as horrible: the ‘positive thinking’ approach to health care. People are stigmatized if they fail to regard their illness as anything other than an uplifting, positive life experience, an opportunity to examine their lives and identify what is most important to them…and also, most disturbingly, if they fail to appreciate that the attitude that they bring to the problem will determine whether they live or die. It’s the Oprah-zation of medicine.

I can’t help but think of the Andreas Moritz’s and naturopaths of the world who are genuinely dangerous to the well-being of people struggling with cancer and other diseases. Some of these people are sincere, I can grant that. But sincerity does not equate to qualified. It does not equate to safe. And in the case of someone specifically like Moritz, it’s pure charlatanry. That adds a loathsome level to the situation, but the effect is precisely the same as a naturopath or janitor or Deepak Chopra ‘treating’ the disease.

Besides, it takes effort to maintain the upbeat demeanor expected by others – effort that can no longer be justified as a contribution to long-term survival. Consider the woman who wrote to Deepak Chopra that her breast cancer had spread to the bones and lungs: “Even though I follow the treatments, have come a long way in unburdening myself of toxic feelings, have forgiven everyone, changed my lifestyle to include meditation, prayer, proper diet, exercise, and supplements, the cancer keeps coming back. Am I missing a lesson here that it keeps reoccurring? I am positive I am going to beat it, yet it does get harder with each diagnosis to keep a positive attitude.”

Chopra’s response: “As far as I can tell, you are doing all the right things to recover. You just have to continue doing them until the cancer is gone for good. I know it is discouraging to make great progress only to have it come back again, but sometimes cancer is simply very pernicious and requires the utmost diligence and persistence to eventually overcome it.”

It’s disgusting. The man is preying on vulnerable people and he knows it. There isn’t an honest bone in his body. To make matters worse, he isn’t doing a damn thing to help the cancer-ridden bones (and lungs and livers and breasts and…) of anyone. Anywhere. Ever.

I thoroughly despise these sugar-coating, money-grubbing scumbags.

A bigger snake oil salesman than Andreas Moritz

Naturopaths are dangerous quacks

Over at Terra Sig on scienceblogs.com there is an article about the current danger facing some people in Canada who may fall for the charlatan work of naturopaths. The Ontario legislature is considering passing a bill which will allow naturopathic quacks to give out prescriptions. It’s utter lunacy.

Naturopaths (I’m not sure if that’s the proper term, but they aren’t proper doctors, so fuck them) are not qualified to do anything substantial. These people run the risk of prescribing contra-indicated medicines, offering ‘treatments’ which actually ignore the real problem, and allowing them prescription rights will give them respect they have not earned. People may actually seek out these mountebanks thinking they are getting real help. They aren’t.

I recently wrote about Christopher Maloney, charlatan-extraordinaire. He wrote into the local paper implying that black elderberry has vaccination properties for H1N1. He completely misrepresented a small study (which wasn’t even directly on H1N1) and he has put people at risk. He’s a dangerous liar who is unqualified to be giving out medical advice in such a manner. The worst thing about him is that he isn’t an exception – he’s an example, an example of the sort of cherry-picking, misrepresenting, lying, dangerous people who populate the yellow pages under “naturopathic ‘medicine'”.

Here I am reposting a laundry list (originally by Steve Thomas) of why naturopaths should not be given the considerations we offer real doctors.

1) With 23,000 doctors in Ontario, and fewer then 1000 naturopaths, the argument that granting naturopaths prescription rights will ease the burden on the healthcare system is a bit silly.

2) The assertion that the body has the potential to heal itself is not a scientific one. When given “natural” support only, the body will die by the age of 45, probably of infectious diseases. Modern advances in medicine make long-life possible, not herbs and roots from a 2,000 year old playbook.

3) Saying “science” doesn’t make it so. The call of “the healing power of nature at work” to be not magic, but good science, is ridiculous on its face….the human body is really good at succumbing to pathogens and injury, and the “natural” world is really good at killing us.

4) Old and tradition do not a science make. Yes, herbal supplements have been around for centuries. So has prostitution. Old doesn’t mean effective. It means old. I want my medicine to be new, awesome, and if possible, administered by a robot from the future.

5) Regulation does not a science make, even if it was 85 years ago.

6) I wonder, what is the naturopathic remedy for a broken bone? For that matter, how effective is naturopathic birth control?

7) Why the natural fetish? If you’re dying from a disease, do you really care if your treatment is “natural” or not? Why take an herbal supplement that a person tells you *might* work, when you could take the most recent advances in medical technology that we know *will* work?

8) Natural doesn’t mean safe. It doesn’t mean effective. Arsenic, poisonous mushrooms, gravel and bird-crap are also natural and you don’t see me putting them into my body.

9) Lets not forget that many people see a naturopath because they’re dazzled by the word “Naturopathic Doctor, or ND”. Let’s be perfectly clear: Naturopaths are NOT doctors. The Naturopathy Act, 2007 allows them to be called “Naturopaths”, not “doctors.” You need to go to medical school to be called a doctor. Naturopaths just granted themselves that title as a subtle PR stunt.

10) What is the diagnostic method a naturopath uses to test if a body is “in balance”? What laboratory equipment can you use to check for “wellness”?

11) The calls that naturopaths aim to treat the root cause is nonsense, otherwise they wouldn’t be asking to prescribe pain-killers, and anti-inflammatories.

12) If naturopathy is just as effective as medicine, then why don’t these naturopaths just go to med school?

13) The medical community is constantly advocating good health, diet, nutrition and exercise…naturopaths don’t have a monopoly on knowing the merits of preventative health.

14) Naturopathic college of Ontario requires a 4-year Bachelor’s eduction, but does not require for a Bsc or any science pre-requisites. The historical GPA for entry to the CCNM is 3.3 (ranging from 2.8-3.7). Compare that to Med school, which is turning away people with 4.0 averages.

15) The length of time for training is meaningless if the education quality is so lackluster. I can study levitation for 20 years but it doesn’t mean that I could fly.

16) “Every review of our record has recognized the safety of the more natural approach of naturopathic care.” Every review? Really? Black Cohosh, anyone?

17) The authors conveniently left out the deaths attributed to naturopathic prescriptions in Washington and Oregon, showing once again their contempt for honest data-gathering and fondness for cherry-picking whatever information suits their pre-conceived narrative.

18) The CCNM is NOT associated with ANY Canadian university, and it’s dishonest to artificially conflate the two together, even if you’re being indirect about it.

19) “The need for NDs to have prescribing authority was accepted by every other regulated health profession” Not even close to accurate! The bill passed the first two readings because the relevant health care communities had approved of their OWN amendments, and was not reflective of the naturopathy amendments.

20) The CCNM also is also teaching homeopathy and colonic irrigation, neither of which do anything beyond a placebo effect….Back from your cherry-picking trip yet?

21) If passed, the committee to decide which drugs would be prescribed would be made up of naturopaths! Unelected naturopaths deciding what they can prescribe!

22) Since naturopaths *are unqualified* to prescribe medication, granting them these powers will create needless risk of drug contra-indications.

23) This is not about freedom of choice for the patient, and it never has been. This is about granting naturopathy legislative and legal legitimacy because it can’t do so under the rules of science and evidence.

The scientific community is crystal clear on medicine, yet these people would have our very modern system degenerate with some very 19th century modalities.

Oh, and this is actually a rather important post beyond trying to save the health of people. Whereas I had created a category specifically for Andreas Moritz, King Snake Oil Salesman, I think I can expand it to naturopathic ‘medicine’: all naturopathy posts shall go under Pure Bullshit from now on.

Andreas Moritz is a clever snake oil salesman

I’m proud to say that a search of “Andreas Moritz” in Google will yield this post as its second result, right after his personal website. “Dangerous man cancer” will bring that post up as the number 1 result. That’s all fine and dandy – quacks who give out quacky ‘medical’ advice in search of a quick buck deserve to be dressed down as the charlatans they really are. But Moritz, being the snake oil salesman he is, took it a step further (and, really, was just begging for me to make another post by doing so).

In the comment section on the aforementioned post, I linked to Moritz’s FAQ on his website. I made the point that the majority of his FAQs are about how people can pay him for his books. Moritz’s response was to spam the comment section with a nearly 10,000 word post that he cut-and-paste from somewhere (perhaps one of his dangerous books). It took forever just to scroll past that junk. Other than that, he did not bother to defend himself. What response could he have had? He’s a snake oil salesman who only wants to make a buck off the sick and susceptible.

About a month later, an alert reader pointed out that Moritz had changed the link to his FAQ slightly.

Mr. Moritz changed his faq page address from /faq.php to faq.htm so the above link would be broken. Just change the .php to .htm.

I thank the reader, Chris, for pointing this out. I’ve since changed the link in my comment section post. UPDATE January 12, 2012: I’ll give the snake oil salesman a break on this one. It looks like he redesigned his site a little. At any rate, here is the new FAQ and fleecing link.

But what’s to say Moritz isn’t going to just keep changing his links? Nothing. He’s a snake oil salesman. As someone who actually cares about science, I feel it a duty, then, to post his money-grubbing FAQs.

Q. Does Andreas still answer personal e-mail questions?

A. Given the heavy workload (12hours/7days) Andreas is currently experiencing, he can no longer respond to individual e-mail questions. If you would like to set up a personal telephone consultation with him, please visit the consultation page of this website and follow the directions for making an appointment.

Q. I would like to set up a phone consultation with Andreas Moritz. How can I contact him?

A. Please email him at andreas@ener-chi.com or call his personal number 1-864-895-6295. For payment options, please visit the consultation page of this website.

Q. If I don’t have a credit card, can I pay with electronic check?

A. Yes, you can. Choose the option “ELECTRONIC CHECK PAYMENT” at the time of payment during checkout. You will need the name of your bank, check number, routing number, and the bank account number.

Q. Are there any training seminars or speaking events by Andreas Moritz that one can attend?

A. Currently, Andreas’s daily workload is at maximum level, and he is not able to organize any workshops or seminars in the near future, at least for the time being.

Q. Is there a brochure that explains and shows the Ener-chi Art pictures and other products by Andreas Moritz?

A. Unfortunately, at this time, any information about Andreas’ products is only available through this website. Ener-Chi Art pictures can be viewed here as well.

Q. Do the Ener-Chi Ionized Stones lose their charge or energy over time?

A. No, nothing that you do diminishes the charge and effect of the stones.

Q. How often should I view the Ener-Chi Art pictures to receive the full benefits?

A. The benefits occur within 30 seconds of viewing a picture and last for several weeks. However, the benefits increase with repeated viewing. You may view each picture every day or every couple of days, from half a minute to any length of time you choose. There are no negative side-effects.

Q. Are Andreas’ books available at a discount (wholesale price)?

A. Yes. The best way to sign up for the wholesale discount is to log on the wholesale page of this website. A minimum order of 10 copies of any kind is required to qualify for the wholesaler’s discount. There is a further 10% discount when you order 50 or more books.

Q. Is it possible to get a discount if I order just a few books?

A. No. To receive the wholesaler’s discount, you need to order a total of 10 books or more.

Q. Besides his books, are the Ener-Chi Art pictures and Ionized Stones available at a wholesale discount?

A. To request the wholesaler’s discount for these items, please contact Andreas Moritz directly at support@ener-chi.com. This website is not yet set up to automate this service.

Q. Are Andreas books available in Spanish?

A. At this time, only The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush is available in Spanish on this website. However, several other of Andreas’ books are available in Spanish through the Spanish website Ediciones Obelisco. For the most current information regarding which books are available in Spanish, please see the book ordering section of this Ener-Chi website. Or you may contact “Ediciones Obelisco” by e-mail at: obelisco@edicionesobelisco.com or by telephone in Barcelona at: 93 309 8525.

Q. Are any of Andreas’ books available in Russian?

A. Yes, The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush and Cancer Is Not a Disease are already available in Russian. And, Heart Disease No More, as well as parts of Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation, will be available soon. Please contact Julia at Popuri Publishing (Minsk, Belarus), email: popuri@mail.ru, or visit http://www.popuri.ru.

Q. In what other languages are Andreas’ books available?

A. The ordering section under the description of each book shows in which languages the book is available. Note: some translations are only available in E-book format.

I’ve highlighted 9 out of 14 FAQs that are about how one can give Moritz money. Oh, and those “Ener-Chi Art pictures”? Each one is $22.95. There’s a “special painting” for $34.95.

This man is a complete and utter hack. The only defense he has to offer for this dangerous lunacy is feigned niceness. He wants your money. That’s all he wants. Okay, maybe he wants to harm your health, too. He wrote this about AIDS.

Despite common belief, there is no scientific evidence to this day that AIDS is a contagious disease.

On the other hand, published research actually proves that HIV only extremely rarely spreads heterosexually and cannot be responsible for an epidemic that involves millions of AIDS victims around the world. Furthermore, it is an established fact that the retrovirus HIV, which is composed of human gene fragments, is incapable of destroying human cells. However, cell destruction is the main characteristic of every AIDS disease.

Dozens of prominent scientists working at the forefront of the AIDS research are now openly questioning the virus hypothesis of AIDS.

Yeah, just like all those scientists question evolution. Scoff.

Footnote: I actually have no good category in which to put this, so I’ve created a new one just for Moritz’s dangerous, greedy agenda: Pure Bullshit.

Attending an anti-porn event

Jen over at Blag Hag recently attended an anti-porn event held by some Christian groups. Her post is fairly long, but it’s well worth reading. Here’s one of the parts that I’m really glad she said.

And with the people who did have bad experiences with porn, those were all caused BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION. People feel guilty/scared and hide porn from loved ones, and it ruins their marriage because of bad communication. People feel guilty for being sexual beings or need to turn to porn for their sexual curiosity. You know where this guilt comes from? RELIGION. If conservative Christians didn’t beat over your head that sex was so evil to begin with, people wouldn’t be having these problems. We’d have comprehensive sex education and open dialog about human sexuality so little kids wouldn’t have to turn to the internet for information. We wouldn’t feel guilty for engaging in normal sexual activity. We’d be able to talk about sex with our loved ones before marrying them and finding out they have incompatible viewpoints.

The Christian view on sexuality has long been one of immaturity. It’s all shame, guilt, and denial. Hell, I’m surprised snake oil salesman Andreas Moritz isn’t out and about claiming that Christianity causes cancer. Actually, scratch that. It’d be hard for him to sucker people make money in his line of work if he attacked a religion in that way, so I guess I’m not surprised at all.