Ep 12. Signs From Heaven

Penn and Teller Bullshit is a television show that approaches different topics from a skeptical point of view. In season 3, episode 12, they tackle the topic of signs from heaven.

The concept of receiving signs from heaven has been present in many cultures for centuries. People often claim to have received a message from a loved one who has passed away or from a higher power through a specific event or symbol. Penn and Teller decide to investigate this phenomenon and find out if there is any truth behind it.

The episode begins with Penn and Teller discussing their own experiences with signs from heaven. They both agree that they have never received anything that they consider a sign. However, they acknowledge that many people believe in this concept, and that it brings comfort to those who have lost someone they love.

The first expert that Penn and Teller talk to is Susan Clancy, a psychologist who has studied the phenomenon of signs from heaven. She explains that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that signs can come from heaven. Clancy believes that people often see what they want to see and interpret events in a way that confirms their beliefs.

Next, Penn and Teller visit a psychic medium who claims to be able to communicate with the dead. They attend a group reading session, where the medium delivers messages from spirits to the audience members. Penn and Teller are skeptical of the medium’s abilities and believe that she is using cold reading techniques to make general statements that can apply to anyone.

The duo then meets with a woman who claims that a statue of the Virgin Mary in her home has been crying tears of blood for the past two years. She explains that she believes this is a sign from heaven and that it brings her peace. Penn and Teller investigate the statue and find that the tears are not blood, but rather a mixture of oil and pigment. They also point out that there is no logical explanation for how the tears could be coming from the statue, as the materials used to create it should not produce any kind of fluid.

Next, Penn and Teller interview a man who claims to have found a potato that bears a resemblance to Jesus Christ. The man believes that this is a sign from heaven and has built a shrine in his backyard to honor the potato. Penn and Teller explain that the potato simply has a natural resemblance to a human face and that this is not a sign from heaven.

Finally, Penn and Teller meet with a man who claims to have received a message from his deceased wife through a license plate. The man explains that he was driving on the highway when he saw a car with a license plate that read, “HI BABE”. He believes that this was a message from his wife, who used to call him “babe”. Penn and Teller investigate and discover that the license plate was a personalized plate that the owner had purchased years before.

In conclusion, Penn and Teller’s investigation into signs from heaven leads them to believe that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea. They conclude that people often interpret events in a way that confirms their beliefs and that this can be comforting, but it does not necessarily mean that the events themselves are supernatural in origin.