Editing Edgar Cayce (section)

==Reception and controversy==

===Pseudohistory===

Cayce advocated [[Pseudohistory|pseudohistorical]] ideas in his trance readings, such as the existence of lost continents [[Lemuria]], [[Mu (mythical lost continent)|Mu]] and [[Atlantis]]<ref>e.g. Edgar Cayce reading 1602-3</ref>  and the discredited theory of [[polygenism]].{{sfn|Orser|2004|page=68}} In many trance sessions, he reinterpreted the [[History of life|history of life on earth]]. One of Cayce's controversial theories was polygenism. According to Cayce, five races ([[White people|white]], [[Black people|black]], red, brown, and yellow) were created separately and simultaneously on different parts of Earth.{{sfn|Orser|2004|page=68}} He accepted the existence of [[Extraterrestrial life|aliens]] and Atlantis (saying that "the red race developed in Atlantis and its development was rapid"), and believed that "soul-entities" on Earth intermingled with animals to produce "things" such as [[Giants (esotericism)|giants]] which were as tall as {{convert|12|ft}}.{{sfn|Orser|2004|page=68}}
Cayce predicted "[[Earth Changes]]", a series of cataclysmic events including a polar shift that would lead Atlantis to rise from the sea.

In his 2003 book ''[[The Skeptic's Dictionary]]'', philosopher and skeptic [[Robert Todd Carroll]] wrote: "Cayce is one of the main people responsible for some of the sillier notions about Atlantis."{{sfn|Carroll|2003|page=69}}<ref name="Carroll"/> Carroll cited some of Cayce's discredited ideas, including his belief in a giant crystal (activated by the sun to harness energy and provide power on Atlantis) and his prediction that in 1958, the United States would rediscover a [[death ray]] which had been used on Atlantis.{{sfn|Carroll|2003|page=69}}<ref name="Carroll"/>

During the 1930s, Cayce incorrectly predicted that North America would experience existential chaos: "Los Angeles, San Francisco&nbsp;... will be among those that will be destroyed before New York".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/profecias/esp_profecia01h4.htm|title=American Prophecy – 4|website=www.bibliotecapleyades.net|access-date=November 7, 2016}}</ref> He also predicted that the [[Second Coming|Second Coming of Christ]] would occur in 1998.{{sfn|Gumerlock|2000|page=308}}

===Clairvoyance===

Science writers and [[Skepticism|skeptics]] say that Cayce's reported [[psychic]] abilities were faked or non-existent.<ref name="Carroll"/>{{sfn|Gardner|1957|page=[https://archive.org/details/fadsfallaciesint00gard/page/216 216–219]}}{{sfn|Randi|1982|page=195}}{{sfn|Shermer|Gould|2002}}<ref name="Shermer">{{cite journal |url=https://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/11-08-03/#feature |first1=Michael |last1=Shermer|authorlink1=Michael Shermer |title=Skeptical Investigation of Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) |journal=[[Skeptic (American magazine)|Skeptic magazine]] |volume=1 |number=3|publisher=[[Skeptic.com]] |date=August 3, 2011 |access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|Nickell|1992|page=159}}<ref name="Dope"/>

Evidence of Cayce's reported clairvoyance was derived from [[newspaper]] articles, [[affidavit]]s, [[anecdote]]s, [[testimonial]]s and books, rather than [[empirical evidence]] which can be independently evaluated. [[Martin Gardner]] wrote that the "verified" claims and descriptions from Cayce's trances can be traced to ideas in books he had been reading by authors such as [[Carl Jung]], [[P. D. Ouspensky]], and [[Helena Blavatsky]]. Gardner concluded that Cayce's trance readings contain "little bits of information gleaned from here and there in the occult literature, spiced with occasional novelties from Cayce's unconscious".{{sfn|Johnson|1998|page=23}}

[[Michael Shermer]] wrote in ''[[Why People Believe Weird Things]]'' (1997), "Uneducated beyond the ninth grade, Cayce acquired his broad knowledge through voracious reading and from this he wove elaborate tales."{{sfn|Shermer|Gould|2002}} According to Shermer, "Cayce was fantasy-prone from his youth, often talking with angels and receiving visions of his dead grandfather." Magician [[James Randi]] said, "Cayce was fond of expressions like 'I feel that' and 'perhaps'—qualifying words used to avoid positive declarations."{{efn-ua|"The matter of Edgar Cayce boils down to a vague mass of garbled data, interpreted by true believers who have a very heavy stake in the acceptance of the claims. Put to the test, Cayce is found to be bereft of powers. His reputation today rests on poor and deceptive reporting of the claims made by him and his followers, and such claims do not stand up to examination."<ref name="Carroll">[[Robert T. Carroll|Carroll, Robert T.]] (December 12, 2010) [http://skepdic.com/cayce.html Edgar Cayce] ''[[The Skeptic's Dictionary]]'' accessed January 7, 2021</ref>{{sfn|Randi|1982|page=195}}{{sfn|Nickell|1992|page=159}}<ref name="Dope">{{cite web|url=http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1874/whats-the-scoop-on-edgar-cayce-the-sleeping-prophet |title=What's the scoop on Edgar Cayce, the "Sleeping Prophet"?: A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD |author=Straight Dope Staff |date=January 16, 2001 |publisher=[[The Straight Dope]]}}</ref>}} According to investigator [[Joe Nickell]],

{{blockquote|Although Cayce was never subjected to proper testing, ESP pioneer [[Joseph Banks Rhine|Joseph B. Rhine]] of Duke University—who should have been sympathetic to Cayce's claims—was unimpressed. A reading that Cayce gave for Rhine's daughter was notably inaccurate. Frequently, Cayce was even wider off the mark, as when he provided diagnoses of subjects ''who had died'' since the letters requesting the readings were sent.{{sfn|Nickell|1993|page=159}}}}

Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment has also been criticized for promoting [[pseudoscience]].{{sfn|Shermer|Gould|2002}}

===Diet===

Health experts are critical of Cayce's unorthodox treatments, such as his promotion of [[Fad diet|pseudoscientific dieting]] and homeopathic remedies, which they consider [[quackery]].{{efn-ua|"Some quacks, such as Edgar Cayce, attributed their powers to God. Cayce, who made his diagnoses while in trance, claimed that his healing powers came from God. To treat patients he used spinal manipulation as well as Red Bug Juice and Oil of Smoke in his cures."{{sfn|Renner|1990|page=7}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Raso |first=Jack |url=http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/cayce.html |title=The Legacies of Edgar Cayce |website=[[Quackwatch]] |date=September 6, 1999 |access-date=January 18, 2017}}</ref>}} Science writer [[Karen Stollznow]] wrote,

{{blockquote|The reality is that his cures were hearsay and his treatments were folk remedies that were useless at best and dangerous at worse&nbsp;... Cayce wasn't able to cure his own cousin, or his own son who died as a baby. Many of Cayce's readings took place after the patient had already died.{{sfn|Stollznow|2014|page=103}}}}

Cayce advocated the pseudoscientific ideas of [[food combining]] and the [[alkaline diet]].{{sfn|Gratzer|2006|page=243}} He emphasized maintaining an acid-alkaline balance by eating a diet of 80% alkaline forming foods. He stated that certain foods should not be eaten together for example, milk cannot be consumed with citrus fruits, coffee must not be taken with cream or milk and sugary foods cannot be taken with starchy foods. Cayce also held the view that even nutritious foods can poison the body if the person is in a negative frame of mind.{{sfn|Gratzer|2006|page=243}}