PT Barnum was right about suckers

Two men, one 40 years old and the other 38, died ten days ago while undergoing a so-called spiritual cleansing in what media called a “resort sweat lodge” in Sedona, Arizona. Nineteen other participants in the rite succumbed to various types of trauma and were rushed to area hospitals. Their ailments included respiratory arrest, kidney failure, burns and dehydration. Hours after hospitalization, one of the victims was listed in critical condition.

Authorities are investigating James Ray, whose company (James Ray International) had rented the Angel Valley Retreat Center to offer what its leaders termed a “Spiritual Warrior” retreat. The retreat was a five-day affair, reportedly costing US$10,000 a person.

Although mathematics was never my forte, I believe that comes out to 2,000 U.S. dollars a day.

While Mr. Ray led a group of 60 of his followers in this “sweat lodge” in a ceremony promising spiritual purity, assistants repeatedly hauled heated rocks into the sealed-off area. To use poker game parlance, I guess they wanted to up the ante. Officials said Ray encouraged but did not force the sweaters to stay in the overheated room for a full two hours.

Prior to the sweating rite, the participants had fasted for 36 hours and then eaten. The push to perspire began several hours later.

Loads of information about James Ray is available on the Internet. Most of it is promotional in nature, with many screens filled with super-sized words that promise astonishing results for folks hungry for it all - - financial prosperity, happiness, and spiritual peace.

On the same weekend you are reading this column, Mr. Ray will be leading a seminar in San Diego, California. His promotional pitch for that gathering would make Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and possibly even Kurt Vonnegut blush.

“Look,” he tells us on the Internet, “I've spent countless 100s of thousands of dollars to meet and network with these luminaries [who will lecture at the seminar] so that I can introduce them to you. So how much is it going to cost you? Not the three-or four-or five thousand dollars you'd expect - - although it should. You'll get all of this and so much more that I haven't even told you about, for only US$997 if you reserve your seat right away. ... The choice is yours. ... Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

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