Baba Vanga

{{psychic}}
'''Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova''' {{lived|1911|1996}} (Bulgarian: Вангелия Пандева Димитрова), also known as '''Baba Vanga''' (баба Ванга), was a supposed [[clairvoyant]] who was best known for making predictions about world events and the future. There is a lack of evidence that she made many of the claims attributed to her, and they are so [[vague]] that they can be [[Shoehorning|shoehorned]] to fit [[Texas_sharpshooter_fallacy|nearly any set of events]].<ref name='nine'/>

==Veracity==

It's difficult to determine the origin of her predictions, where Vanga made them, or even if she made them at all.<ref name='nine'/><ref name='wapo'/><ref name='24 Chasa'/> Written records of what she said are difficult to find.<ref name='aus skeptics'>Mendham, Tim. [https://web.archive.org/web/20151213065857/http://www.skeptics.com.au/2015/12/08/dead-seers-predictions-promoted-in-news-online Dead seer's predictions promoted in news online] ''Australian Skeptics''. December 8, 2015.</ref> Since Vanga was either illiterate or semi-literate and did not write any books herself, staff members financed by the Bulgarian government captured what she allegedly said.<ref name='aus skeptics'/> Vanga's supposed predictions found on blogs and message boards lack citations for where the predictions came from.<ref name='nine'/> Fake predictions credited to Vanga have appeared in tabloid media<ref name='aus skeptics'/> and likely originated on conspiracy websites and Russian social media.<ref name='nine'/>

Many of the people close to her have said she never made some of the prophecies attributed to her on the internet.<ref name='independent'>Osborne, Samuel. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/baba-vanga-who-is-the-blind-mystic-who-predicted-the-rise-of-isis-a6765071.html Baba Vanga: Who is the blind mystic who 'predicted the rise of Isis'?] ''The Independent''. December 8, 2015.</ref> Bulgarian newspaper ''24 Chasa'' interviewed Vanga's long-term neighbors and friends in the town of Petrich.<ref name='24 Chasa'>Maskruchka, Antoaneta. [https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=bg&u=https://www.24chasa.bg/Article/547281&prev=search Baba Vanga has not predicted the end of the world] ''24 Chasa''. July 17, 2010.</ref> They said she never made any predictions about a war, the end of the world, the 9/11 attacks, the sinking of ''Kursk'', and the election of a black president of the US.<ref name='24 Chasa'/> These uncorroborated predictions only began appearing after her death<ref name='24 Chasa'/> (''and'' after the events they supposedly predicted). Unsurprisingly, one neighbor believes that these fake predictions were attributed to Vanga after her death because Vanga can no longer deny that she made them.<ref name='24 Chasa'/>

==Predictions==

She has attracted a following in Russia.<ref name='wapo'/> According to the Baba Vanga folklore, her big breakthrough in the country came after a Russian nuclear submarine ''Kursk'' sank in 2000, claiming the lives of 118 sailors and allegedly fulfilling one of Vanga's prophecies.<ref name='wapo'/> Since then, Baba Vanga supporters in Russia have found "proof" that she foretold other world events such as the 9/11 attacks.<ref name='wapo'>Fisher, Max. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/11/08/fair-warning-bulgarian-prophet-says-obama-will-be-americas-last-president/?utm_term=.21106659391d Fair warning: Bulgarian prophet predicted Obama would be last U.S. president] ''Washington Post'', November 8, 2012</ref> She supposedly predicted the rise of the Islamic State, Princess Diana's death, global warming, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the Chernobyl disaster, [[Brexit]], and Barack Obama's presidency.<ref name="TheSun 062016">Roberts, Sophie. [https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/1350703/did-the-blind-mystic-who-predicted-911-also-predict-brexit-and-suggest-a-war-in-europe-would-follow/ Did the blind mystic who predicted 9/11 also predict Brexit… and suggest a WAR in Europe would follow?] ''The Sun UK''. June 27, 2016.</ref><ref name='IBTimes'>Pascaline, Mary. [http://www.ibtimes.com/will-trump-be-president-nostradamus-balkans-baba-vanga-said-obama-will-be-last-us-2467438 Will Trump Be President? 'Nostradamus From The Balkans' Baba Vanga Said Obama Will Be Last US Chief] ''International Business Times''. December 30, 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/baba-vanga-obama-last-us-president-prediction-what-does-it-mean/news-story/a108e14db6091679687f94a60e28311c Baba Vanga ‘Obama last US president’ prediction: What does it mean?] News.com.au. November 10, 2016.</ref><ref>Crabb, Kara. [https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/dp4xpw/baba-vangas-predictions-of-natural-disasters Baba Vanga’s Predictions of “Natural Disasters”] ''Vice''. June 29, 2012.</ref>

Sources have claimed she predicted that Earth will die in 3797<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/nuclear-war-will-ignite-in-may-2017-mystic-horacio-villegas-says/news-story/83bd9f07f1a6ed912842370b81225c6d Nuclear war will ignite in May 2017, mystic Horacio Villegas says] News.com.au. April 21, 2017.</ref> and the universe will end in 5079.<ref name='HP'>Barrell, Ryan [http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/01/blind-mystic-baba-vanga-predicts-isis-invasion-of-europe_n_8903050.html Blind Bulgarian Mystic Baba Vanga, Who ‘Predicted’ The Rise Of Isis, Says They’ll Invade Europe In 2016] ''HuffPost''. January 1, 2016.</ref> However, Vanga's own neighbors and friends deny she ever made such predictions.<ref name='24 Chasa'/> Shortly before her death, she allegedly said a ten-year-old blind girl living in France would inherit her gift.<ref name='independent'/>

Some of her inaccurate predictions include, but are not limited to, the following: 
*According to conspiracy websites, she foretold a nuclear world war from 2010 to 2014.<ref name='nine'/><ref name='wapo'/><ref name='24 Chasa'/><ref name='HP'/><ref name='forbes'>Mack, Eric. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2016/12/31/7-dumb-predictions-for-2016-that-didnt-happen/ 7 Dumb Predictions For 2016 That Didn't Happen] ''Forbes''. December 31, 2016.</ref> Obviously, that didn't happen. {{efn|Since her prediction was false, Vanga's supporters claim [[Moving the goalposts|she ''actually'' foretold the Arab Spring]]. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160623035732/http://pickle.nine.com.au/2015/12/09/11/40/baba-vanga</ref>}}
*The 1994 FIFA World Cup final would be played between two teams beginning with the letter B (the actual final was between Brazil and Italy).<ref name='nine'/><ref name='NY Times'/><ref name='Unilad'/>
*She failed to predict that Bulgaria's royal family and the ruling Communist elite of Eastern Europe would both be deposed, even though she was a consultant to both.<ref name='nine'>Downing, Sam. [https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/viral/baba-vanga/9fcffb4f-6546-4632-9957-4c2f8f3508dc No, a blind Bulgarian psychic didn't predict Muslim extremists will start WWIII in 2016] Nine.com.au. December 9, 2015.</ref><ref name='NY Times'>Kinder, Stephen. [http://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/05/world/rupite-journal-for-a-revered-mystic-a-shrine-now-of-her-own.html Rupite Journal; For a Revered Mystic, a Shrine Now of Her Own] ''New York Times''. April 5, 1995.</ref> 
*According to ''[[The Sun]]'', she said that Europe would cease to exist by the end of 2016. Vanga's fans [[Moving the goalposts|claim that she was referring to]] [[Brexit]].<ref name="TheSun 062016"/> This is false either way, since both Europe and the [[European Union]] did not cease to exist by the end of 2016.

Another disproven prediction attributed to her is that the 44th US president (Barack Obama) would be the country's last commander-in-chief.<ref name='independent'/><ref name='IBTimes'/><ref name='forbes'/> After Trump's inauguration in 2017 debunked this prediction, Vanga's supporters [[PIDOOMA|pulled a new prediction straight out of their ass]], claiming that the 45th president will be a "messianic personality" who will be faced with a crisis that will "bring the country down".<ref name='Unilad'>Donovan, Francesca. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190829173359/https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/blind-mystic-baba-vanga-made-scary-ww3-prediction/ Blind Mystic Baba Vanga Made Scary WW3 Prediction] ''UNILAD''. April 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Willis, Amy. [http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/20/baba-vanga-was-right-about-trump-but-will-the-45th-president-be-peacemaker-6380439/ Baba Vanga was right about Trump. But will the 45th president be ‘peacemaker’?] ''Metro UK''. January 20, 2017.</ref><ref>Dawson, James. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170424060708/http://www.ladbible.com/now/weird-psychic-baba-vanga-had-some-pretty-grim-to-say-about-world-war-iii-20170421 Psychic Baba Vanga Had Some Pretty Grim Stuff To Say About World War III] ''LADbible''. April 21, 2017.</ref> Since the USA still exists after Trump’s presidency, even their PIDOOMA failed.

==See also==
*[[Failed biblical prophecies]]
*[[Nostradamus]]
*[[Precognition]]
*[[List of predictions of the end of the world]]

==External links==
*{{wpa|Baba Vanga}}
*[http://fondacia-vanga.com/ За Фондация „Ванга“] — Vanga Foundation (In Bulgarian)
*[https://www.quora.com/q/debunkingdoomsday/Debunked-Baba-Vanga-from-the-Balkans-predicted-xyz-e-g-that-President-Obama-would-be-the-last-US-president Debunked: Baba Vanga from the Balkans predicted xyz, e.g. that President Obama would be the last US president]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:European history]]
[[Category:Prophecies]]
[[Category:Woo]]
[[Category:Fake news]]

Categories: European history, Prophecies, Woo, Fake news