Do You Believe In Ghosts?

[karri0n]

One time I came home from work and my ceiling fan was on turbo. Weirded me the fuck out. There was no way I would have turned it on and forgot about it in the middle of winter. I live alone and there is no way someone could have come in and turned it on to fuck with me.

Another sory is my cousins wife's. Her widow grandma who lives all alone in her old farm house had welcome mat on the front porch that kept getting rotated around during the night. She would turn it around back to the correct way and sure enough the next morning it would be turned back around towards the door. I can't remember how long this went on before someone put up a trail cam and caught the image of a face that looked just like the womans dead husband. wish I could remember more of that story, but I know when my cousins wife was telling us about it brought tears to her eyes so I'm sure she wasn't fucking with us.

Could be the old woman messing with people or telling stories though.

 

[GoldenGanja13]

Sorry for the lost of such a loved one. I read your story and I must toss in my two cents. I call BS. Not on you, but the ones that are conducting this channeling through text and calls. The deceased can communicate with others, even regular people like yourself. Normally that is done through dreams or odd things in house. There are Spirit Guides and such, but I have never heard of nor experienced anything like your story, nor have any of my "Medium" friends. Some work through man made tools and such and some like myself just have a God given talent to see through the veil with ease. Your spouse can feel your love and I am sure at times may be next to you. When you dream of her and remember it, write it down in detail and see if there is a hint of really communicating with her.

here's my whole story...

http://www.itcbridge.com/forum/view_topic.php?id=1366&forum_id=26

 

[MixedMelodyMindBender]

I see dead people ......I think it all falls into that class of "most dont" until the see it for themselves. I spent the better part of my life a non believer but I have been converted. I have never seen a whole body aberration but I have certainly had interaction with the after life that has not been explained in any logic formula other than...ghost-spirits-afterlife energy --what ever it may be called.

 

[Heisenberg]

so this is what we have been reduced to? taking our machine's findings as gospel when they contradict human experience? saddening. and your belief that our technology is impervious to spiritual influence is utter folly and lays the groundwork for dire times ahead.

This is the same standard we apply to every science we practice, although not nearly as pretentious as you describe it in your attempts to poison the well. The scientific method controls for human imperfection. For you to attack the use of this control suggests you do not understand the scientific method. I took the time to explain why current technology does not detect ghosts. Your rebuttal is simply to call it folly without explanation? And I like that you finish with an appeal to final consequences, a well known invalid debate tactic.

and for the record, what has been accomplished in the EVP field is the very definition of pseudoscience. but so was electricty at one point. our ancestors were not idiots; but the knowledge of the field was incomplete just as EVP research is today.

Non sequitur. Aside from the fact that electricity had valid evidence, plausibility, and could be witnessed with each lightning strike, the working model of electricity has no bearing on if we should suspend doubt or bend our rules of evidence about ghosts. Explain to me how our findings on electricity justify making the jump in conclusion from unexplained to completely explained by ghosts. I am simply suggesting we should be consistent with our standards for conclusions. I gave you reasonable explanations and you gave me invalid debate tactics. Which do you think is a more genuine approach to reach the truth?

It seems that you have not given proper critical thought to the subject, and respond with hostility when others suggest doubt.


Colors blind; Sound deafens; Beauty beguiles; The enemy of stillness is desire. One must remove desire before finding the truth. - Kwai Chang Caine

 

[wangyunan]

I don't but this is what I heard from one of my best buddies.
His father died when he was only 7, his mother remarried a guy a year later. his stepfather is a alcoholic, he got beaten badly everytime after his stepfather got drunk, and he told me many many times that he sees a dim but glowing human shape on the wall of his bedroom at night everytime he got beaten. he was not afraid at all, he told me that was his real father and he showed up everytime just to comfort him.

 

[Heisenberg]

I don't but this is what I heard from one of my best buddies.
His father died when he was only 7, his mother remarried a guy a year later. his stepfather is a alcoholic, he got beaten badly everytime after his stepfather got drunk, and he told me many many times that he sees a dim but glowing human shape on the wall of his bedroom at night everytime he got beaten. he was not afraid at all, he told me that was his real father and he showed up everytime just to comfort him.

Ghost stories are certainly enough reason to create interest. It is valid to want to explore this topic and find answers. It is not valid to lend this topic any sort of flexibility to the scientific method.

Anecdotal evidence is often unscientific or pseudoscientific because various forms of cognitive bias may affect the collection or presentation of evidence. For instance, someone who claims to have had an encounter with a supernatural being or alien may present a very vivid story, but this is not falsifiable. This phenomenon can also happen to large groups of people through subjective validation.
Anecdotal evidence is also frequently misinterpreted via the availability heuristic, which leads to an overestimation of prevalence. Where a cause can be easily linked to an effect, people overestimate the likelihood of the cause having that effect (availability). In particular, vivid, emotionally-charged anecdotes seem more plausible, and are given greater weight. A related issue is that it is usually impossible to assess for every piece of anecdotal evidence, the rate of people not reporting that anecdotal evidence in the population.
A common way anecdotal evidence becomes unscientific is through fallacious reasoning such as the Post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, the human tendency to assume that if one event happens after another, then the first must be the cause of the second. Another fallacy involves inductive reasoning. For instance, if an anecdote illustrates a desired conclusion rather than a logical conclusion, it is considered a faulty or hasty generalization.

 

[Heisenberg]

Yes "Ghost" exist. How do I know? Well being I am a practicing Psychic Medium, I communicate with "ghosts" (spirits) on a regular basis. I have talked to spirits from as as early as 20 mins after dieing, and as far back as 1800s . I once was even visited by a rock n roll celebratory .
I understand completely many of you will laugh and call me a fraud, or even worse ask me to "prove it" lol. None the less I have nothing but respect for all, knowing one day you too will die and know for your selfs that past life is only the beginning of being.

Well I'm not going to ask you to prove anything, but I wonder... For what reason do you put it in those terms? You consider being asked to defend your belief to be worse than ridicule or being called a fraud? Do you not require reasonable proof for yourself when choosing to believe something? If you can so easily and abundantly talk to spirits, can you not think of a test you could design that would provide at least a tiny bit of evidence?

I sometimes imagine how exciting it would be to have a genuine psychic (assuming they exist) sit down and be subjected to the scientific method, and have everything pan out. What a completely ground breaking and incredibly important discovery that would be. Sadly, despite many attempts, it has never happened.

 

[Derple]

Yup, I do, I just believe they can't affect us in any way because they belong to a separate dimension of being.

 

[mouthmeetsoap]

So many experiences, so little proof. Actually theres not even a little proof. All I've seen are reports by people who believe this stuff works but have yet to prove anything. Next time one of you connects with a spirit, record and share. It'd be so easy to prove me wrong if in fact ghosts were real. They're a figment of our imagination created by our cultures and perpetuated by fear and our inability to reason.

 

[GoldenGanja13]

It's very boring to hear people say "proof It". Many people know of my gift and never ask me to "read them" or channel a past loved one,etc. But they also know that if I see something in there future that they should know about, I tell them. Or if there is a spirit trying to contact them for a message or a simple hello, I have no issues telling them. I guess I want people to keep an open mind, but I prefer the natural way and not have a line formed in front of me with skeptics and the like.
Has forming a test that would proof my God given gifts, well thats not needed. I just come straight at the person that needs to be warned or prepared for future, or if there is a spirit or more around them I just tell them what I see / hear and it falls in place like easy. Just think if you where talking with a friend, then they say to you, "hey just to let you know, I am a Psychic Medium and there is a friend of yours feels like a brother but not blood related and they have a bunk left eye, young like 20-22 and they want to say they ~~~~~. Thats how easy it is. Come to find out this spirit was my friends step brother who shot himself under the chin and it came out his left eye. Now if you where her what would you think ? Oh and by the way, she has been telling me there was a ghost in her house for several months now.
Also I would like to add in truth that this only takes a single moment to communicate with or ssee into one's life from any distance. There is no prep work or burning of candles, etc etc needed. My friend (above) texted my wife and said "ask Golden if I know the ghost in my house" after my wife read that I felt a great sensation and I told her that we would deal with it later. 3 days later she comes over to my house and asked again and I just told her what I saw (above) and she told me about her step brother and how he killed himself and also about these dreams she has been having of him, like the same dream over and over. That we have not looked into. Goes to far back to her early childhood days, and I feel it is best to leave it there.

Well I'm not going to ask you to prove anything, but I wonder... For what reason do you put it in those terms? You consider being asked to defend your belief to be worse than ridicule or being called a fraud? Do you not require reasonable proof for yourself when choosing to believe something? If you can so easily and abundantly talk to spirits, can you not think of a test you could design that would provide at least a tiny bit of evidence?

I sometimes imagine how exciting it would be to have a genuine psychic (assuming they exist) sit down and be subjected to the scientific method, and have everything pan out. What a completely ground breaking and incredibly important discovery that would be. Sadly, despite many attempts, it has never happened.

 

[GoldenGanja13]

The beauty of living is that we can decided for ourself's if we belief in "ghosts" or not. The wonderful part of dieing is that we start to see the other side of the veil and we have no choice but to see and then be, still being (spirit) but not in a body. Basically I am saying that once we die, well the truth will shine. You have no choice in the matter.

So many experiences, so little proof. Actually theres not even a little proof. All I've seen are reports by people who believe this stuff works but have yet to prove anything. Next time one of you connects with a spirit, record and share. It'd be so easy to prove me wrong if in fact ghosts were real. They're a figment of our imagination created by our cultures and perpetuated by fear and our inability to reason.

 

[wangyunan]

I bet many of u have watched "ancient aliens" from History channel, the show is trying to convince people that "Gods" of every religion are actually living creatures from other planets. They don't have solid proof but what they said is somewhat convincing. So, let's think over base on this, gods and ghosts are always in the same systems and in most of time they are opposite to each other or even enemies, I'm not saying that ghosts are bad aliens, use your imagination maybe everyone can figure out a correct answer of your own. To me, ghosts are not some kinda invincible shadow or smoke or force field from someone's dead corpse. To me, ghosts are just living flesh creatures that mythologized by early human beings. so no I don't believe in "ghosts" and yes I do believe in ghosts(mythologized creatures)

 

[Enigma684]

i belive in ghost when i first moved into my current home it used to open my closet door

 

[Carne Seca]

There is a big difference between a skeptic and an asshole. Skeptics debunk and find alternate explanations. Assholes mock and ridicule.

 

[Jeffdt1966]

I'd like to believe in ghosts, but I don't.

ikr... it sounds so fun ... but alas ... rational thinking and all ........

 

[guy incognito]

It's very boring to hear people say "proof It". Many people know of my gift and never ask me to "read them" or channel a past loved one,etc. But they also know that if I see something in there future that they should know about, I tell them. Or if there is a spirit trying to contact them for a message or a simple hello, I have no issues telling them. I guess I want people to keep an open mind, but I prefer the natural way and not have a line formed in front of me with skeptics and the like.
Has forming a test that would proof my God given gifts, well thats not needed. I just come straight at the person that needs to be warned or prepared for future, or if there is a spirit or more around them I just tell them what I see / hear and it falls in place like easy. Just think if you where talking with a friend, then they say to you, "hey just to let you know, I am a Psychic Medium and there is a friend of yours feels like a brother but not blood related and they have a bunk left eye, young like 20-22 and they want to say they ~~~~~. Thats how easy it is. Come to find out this spirit was my friends step brother who shot himself under the chin and it came out his left eye. Now if you where her what would you think ? Oh and by the way, she has been telling me there was a ghost in her house for several months now.
Also I would like to add in truth that this only takes a single moment to communicate with or ssee into one's life from any distance. There is no prep work or burning of candles, etc etc needed. My friend (above) texted my wife and said "ask Golden if I know the ghost in my house" after my wife read that I felt a great sensation and I told her that we would deal with it later. 3 days later she comes over to my house and asked again and I just told her what I saw (above) and she told me about her step brother and how he killed himself and also about these dreams she has been having of him, like the same dream over and over. That we have not looked into. Goes to far back to her early childhood days, and I feel it is best to leave it there.

If it's so boring why don't you just put up and prove it then? You would be exceedingly rich AND famous if you could offer real evidence, as you would be the first and only to ever do so.

 

[GoldenGanja13]

Rich and famous~ Many moons ago I used to frequent a Mystic shop and it was not long before the owner understood how gifted I was without all the man made tools. She gave me a number to call and said I could be rich doing readings over the phone. So I called the number she gave and the guy running the "psychic hotline" told me all I have to do is keep them talking and you will eventually know what they want to hear. I declined the job. Made me sick that this guy was trying to tell me how to fraud a reading over the phone. I decided from that point to never take a dime from reading/etc . I believe there are more frauds than truly gifted.
Prove it~ At one time in my life I was running a chat room and giving free readings and Medium channeling. I was doing 1-2 every 15 mins and as always I was very impressive and could not be debunked. I mean how can you when someone is talking to you and saying things that only you know or can see. I printed them out and showed some of my family. Well they though I was a "devil worshiper" so I tossed the idea of possibly putting it all in a book of some sorts. Speaking of books, well there are many true and fake stories out there, so I see no reason to add mine.
Evidence ~ Is what I give when I give a reading or channeling. When I know nothing but a first name, and some times no face (online) but can describe the person/s and place, well that would only be the beginning of evidence that I am no fraud and what I am saying is truth. Those things can not be written in a book or said in front of a large crowd, without someoneshouting out "fraud". I do not believe you can show evidence on a scale for all to see, just the one you are with.
One person at a time, while they are living. Once dead, well they need no more evidence, just a medium to channel for them

If it's so boring why don't you just put up and prove it then? You would be exceedingly rich AND famous if you could offer real evidence, as you would be the first and only to ever do so.

 

[Heisenberg]

Rich and famous~ Many moons ago I used to frequent a Mystic shop and it was not long before the owner understood how gifted I was without all the man made tools. She gave me a number to call and said I could be rich doing readings over the phone. So I called the number she gave and the guy running the "psychic hotline" told me all I have to do is keep them talking and you will eventually know what they want to hear. I declined the job. Made me sick that this guy was trying to tell me how to fraud a reading over the phone. I decided from that point to never take a dime from reading/etc . I believe there are more frauds than truly gifted.
Prove it~ At one time in my life I was running a chat room and giving free readings and Medium channeling. I was doing 1-2 every 15 mins and as always I was very impressive and could not be debunked. I mean how can you when someone is talking to you and saying things that only you know or can see. I printed them out and showed some of my family. Well they though I was a "devil worshiper" so I tossed the idea of possibly putting it all in a book of some sorts. Speaking of books, well there are many true and fake stories out there, so I see no reason to add mine.
Evidence ~ Is what I give when I give a reading or channeling. When I know nothing but a first name, and some times no face (online) but can describe the person/s and place, well that would only be the beginning of evidence that I am no fraud and what I am saying is truth. Those things can not be written in a book or said in front of a large crowd, without someoneshouting out "fraud". I do not believe you can show evidence on a scale for all to see, just the one you are with.
One person at a time, while they are living. Once dead, well they need no more evidence, just a medium to channel for them

So essentially what we have here is a genuine psychic who helps people. Hanging out in a chat giving free readings, and professing how much he/she enjoys helping out these desperate individuals and doing it for the most righteous reasons. This person is helping for the sake of helping and not angling to make a buck.

At the same time this person finds it too 'boring' to help provide insight and evidence into this psychic world, an action that would end up helping millions if it panned out. It seems even though providing proof would be keeping in step with the reported goal of helping people, it's still avoided. This person claims to be able to do something that will change everything we know about the Universe, something that could help more people than any other discovery we have made, and they want to keep it to themselves? That seems to be extraordinarily selfish, and in the context of someone who claims to want to help, hypocritical.

When I know nothing but a first name, and some times no face (online) but can describe the person/s and place, well that would only be the beginning of evidence that I am no fraud and what I am saying is truth.

This can not be counted as evidence because the possibility of cold reading has not been controlled for.

Cold reading - is a series of techniques used by mentalists, illusionists, and con artists to determine or express details about another person, often in order to convince them that the reader knows much more about a subject than they actually do. Without prior knowledge of a person, a practiced cold reader can still quickly obtain a great deal of information about the subject by analyzing the person's body language, age, clothing or fashion, hairstyle, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race or ethnicity, level of education, manner of speech, place of origin, etc. Cold readers commonly employ high probability guesses about the subject, quickly picking up on signals from their subjects as to whether their guesses are in the right direction or not, and then emphasizing and reinforcing any chance connections the subjects acknowledge while quickly moving on from missed guesses.

So cold reading describes exactly what you are describing, which doesn't mean anything other than the need for a control. Cold reading does not necessarily suggest deceitful intent. You could be cold reading without realizing it. Just because your description sounds exactly like a cold reading does not mean that is what's happening, but unless cold reading has been controlled for, the experience can not be counted as evidence, and no 'debunking' has been achieved.

I do not believe you can show evidence on a scale for all to see, just the one you are with.

Then you do not understand evidence, how it's gathered or how it's classified. And that's fine, no one is expecting you to be a scientist. I am simply pointing out that you could, quite easily, provide proof for more than just the individual you are reading. To claim otherwise is avoidance.

Finally lets not forget the million dollar prize. You have professed how easy and abundantly you can talk to spirits. You would be a shoe-in for the million dollar prize awarded to anyone who can demonstrate psychic ability. You have also professed your desire to help others and not to personally gain from the experience. I seriously doubt you would be motivated by a million dollars, as righteous as you are. In that case why not give the million dollars to charity? I mean after all, you have told us what a simple matter it is to demonstrate this, it seems it would be a simple matter and take little time to win the prize, and thus do a great deal to help the world.

If boredom was holding you back before, don't you find a million dollars to be enough motivation? For charity, for the advancement of knowledge, for the potential help that would be provided to millions; and all just for doing something you claim to do every day.

 

[bobbypyn]

Heisy... you're kinda missing the point here; they do not want to provide us with proof of their existence, for it would negate the element of faith that is so crucial to facilitating contact with the other side, so the Million Dollar Prize will never be claimed. Metascience Foundation produced the closest thing to proof we will ever get and all they received was derision and mockery. I feel their frustration.... there are rules of engagement that prevent the "proof" you seek from manifesting. all i can do is offer to meet you in person and then i can show you, for it is all situation specific. I would offer to introduce you to some "dead" people, but your lack of faith prevents this. Pity... I'd like to see you try to explain my experiences with "cold reading" claims.

 

[guy incognito]

Heisy... you're kinda missing the point here; they do not want to provide us with proof of their existence, for it would negate the element of faith that is so crucial to facilitating contact with the other side, so the Million Dollar Prize will never be claimed. Metascience Foundation produced the closest thing to proof we will ever get and all they received was derision and mockery. I feel their frustration.... there are rules of engagement that prevent the "proof" you seek from manifesting. all i can do is offer to meet you in person and then i can show you, for it is all situation specific. I would offer to introduce you to some "dead" people, but your lack of faith prevents this. Pity... I'd like to see you try to explain my experiences with "cold reading" claims.

How convenient.