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"Believer or Skeptic?"

I may have set up this thread before (would have been an age ago mind you) but are you a believer in the paranormal, an out-and-out-skeptic or sit somewhere in the middle (an open-minded skeptic...somewhere I believe myself would be situated).

Many of you know I am a part-time paranormal investigator for the Bristol Paranormal Research Group and I find it really interesting just talking to people about their thoughts and feelings on the matter. Have you had an experience that you cannot explain, seen and heard things that send shivers down your spine or just been spooked by something that has happened. Or, like some people I have met (and worked with) they think it's a complete load of excrement and a waste of time.

Machie insisted I post some sort of intelligent debate, so why not have one that combines people's views on science with a spiritualism touch.

It'll be interesting to hear what you guys have to say whilst I'm away scanning eyes at work - and I will pop back lunchtime-ish (if possible) to discuss what I really think.

Thats a fair point pb. I think I tend to think of skeptics as being the disbelievers, but looking at the word, if you think of "skeptical" it means you question something. I think I sit on the bench of just beliveing and just being skeptical. I want to believe but can't just do it without finding an answer for sure.

Where do you sit yourself pb?

Well, people seem to think that the word Skeptic seems to mean someone who rubbishes the paranormal, but it's actually someone who questions accepted belief without evidence, whether that be that ghosts don't exist or do exist.

pb wrote:
> What you need to do is be open the possibility of anything being
> possible, but back this upvia investigation and not taking
> everything at face value. A true Skeptic is someone who doesn't
> instantly either believe or dismiss something.

Do you mean a true open-minded skeptic or just skeptic? I've met so many people that instantly rubbish the idea of the paranormal (even some that have been coaxed onto our investigations).

I enjoy thinking I've experienced something paranormal, but my brain goes into overdrive trying to scientifically explain it. There is one photo in the Theatre album that I've explained away, but there is still something about it that makes me want to believe something made my camera do such a thing.

I guess thats why they call it an investigation, you have an aim and you want to explore the subject fully - and as you said, not take it at face-value!

hippyman wrote:
> pb wrote:
> hippyman wrote:
> Nice to see it's sparked some sort of debate.
>
> As I initially said, I'm an open-minded skeptic. It's probably
> the worst category to fall under as you believe but try to
> debunk
> what you have seen or found out.
>
> Any Fortean worth their salt would argue this was the best
> stance.
>
> It certainly fuels your interest, that's for certain. But the
> annoying thing is you keep switching from believing to not
> believing really often. I want to believe what I experience, but
> after I experience anything, I suddenly become skeptical :S
>
What you need to do is be open the possibility of anything being possible, but back this upvia investigation and not taking everything at face value. A true Skeptic is someone who doesn't instantly either believe or dismiss something.

No problems DL, I aim to publish most reports I write - even if the investigation turns up absolutely nothing. Hate those nights as you tend to be a gnat''s jiffy from losing your mind out of boredom!


Fingers crossed though, the small group that performed the residential trip are putting forward to the group leader an opportunity to perform more resiential investigations...and guess who is collaborating the pitch..?

hippyman wrote:
> @DL, we are performing a follow-up investigation within the next
> 2-3 weeks, with some other members of the team. I shall let you
> all know how it goes...

Thanks HM, after your Facebook report, I'll be very interested in receiving any further outcome.

pb wrote:
> hippyman wrote:
> Nice to see it's sparked some sort of debate.
>
> As I initially said, I'm an open-minded skeptic. It's probably
> the worst category to fall under as you believe but try to
> debunk
> what you have seen or found out.
>
> Any Fortean worth their salt would argue this was the best
> stance.

It certainly fuels your interest, that's for certain. But the annoying thing is you keep switching from believing to not believing really often. I want to believe what I experience, but after I experience anything, I suddenly become skeptical :S

@DL, we are performing a follow-up investigation within the next 2-3 weeks, with some other members of the team. I shall let you all know how it goes...

hippyman wrote:
> Nice to see it's sparked some sort of debate.
>
> As I initially said, I'm an open-minded skeptic. It's probably
> the worst category to fall under as you believe but try to debunk
> what you have seen or found out.

Any Fortean worth their salt would argue this was the best stance.

Have read your report HM and to be honest, I found it to be intriguing - very informative. Do you intend to 'follow' up your meeting with the 'spirits' again?

At the end of the day though, what conclusion does this 'meeting' provide regarding the other side? Can any direct questions be asked that would try to establish why it is possible to make contact? Where are they and how do they view us? I you see what I mean.

Nice to see it's sparked some sort of debate.

As I initially said, I'm an open-minded skeptic. It's probably the worst category to fall under as you believe but try to debunk what you have seen or found out.

I have been on several trips and recently went to a residential property (i.e. somebody's house rather than a residential home where the occupants are almost classed as dead...). Bit spooky, but not much happened. Not sure if I have said about this, but one of the oddest tools used in our field is the Ouija board and we used one on this particular investigation.

My full report on this is on my facebook page (Bristol Paranormal Research Group - the fan page rather than the group pages...) but the end story is we had a 2 hour discussion with 3 "entities". It was fairly dark and we could barely see the letters without actually moving a candle and it revealed some rather interesting information. I'm not overly keen on the boards as I think they could prove dangerous, so I am very careful the group sticks to procedure.

I have seen enough on my trips to be certain that there is "something else" out there, but whether or not it is spirits of the dead, invisible aliens, EMF irregularities that alter our brain and such I do not know. But I am certain that I want to be investigate them in the hope to find out.

EDIT: Derek Acorah is a fraud (for a laugh, YouTube "Mary loves Dick"). As is Most Haunted (lots of places we have visited have said that they forged stories and were very disrespectful).