Open Discussions About The Paranormal (page 5)

The wanderer

Dear FunkyDerek:

"...they demand respect for their beliefs no matter how insane..."-FunkyDerek (partial quote)

Explain why the possibility of the paranormal cannot exist or is an
"insane" notion as you imply or suggest?

This is my third request FunkyDerek
because you wanted to discuss the issue.

Try not to become too emotional in your response.

Richard

Terry

I grew up in the Flying Saucer era. My childhood was filled with speculations by everybody from newspapers, books, family, friends, movies, radio shows, etc.

Beyond that, an industry in the Paranormal developed with the basic concept: THEY (whomever) don't want you to know...(fill in the blank)..but, here is the TRUE story.....

Fortunes are made writing about the paranormal. I know, I work in a bookstore and the Metaphysics section is mine to stock with books!

I consider three things when discussing the Paranormal.

1. How does ____X____ actually "know" what he/she is saying isn't a made up story/report/sighting/experience?

2.What methodology of testing has been/can be applied?

3.How does this/could this change my life in any meaningful way?

I can't do anything about anything concerning Bigfoot or saucer kidnapping or any other outrageous metaphysical claims. But, I can decide if I want to spend my precious time listening or reading about it. I choose NOT to. Why? I grew up listening to it/reading about/discussing it. I'm sick of it!

People LOVE to tell me their dreams. I don't want to hear them. Why? THEY DON'T MEAN ANYTHING to me!

The Paranormal bores the hell out of me.

People who come into the metaphysics section of the bookstore and ask for these books are usually (not always) old hippies, people that smell like marijuana or who haven't bathed in a while. Many are disturbing to talk to because they act weird and dominate the conversation with "Did you know?"

I meet lots of straight haired, ungroomed witches who've never had a date or been laid, too.

I consider people who spend more than a casual moment or two on this subject to be eating junk food instead of a healthy meal.

What you feed your brain determines how you think!

Speculating, conjecturing, what-ifing and wild-story-repeating is great for campfires and dark nights around the fireplace. But, it is a considerable waste of my time otherwise.

There are some exceptionally smart people delving into these things as well---I JUST NEVER MEET THEM!

I won't attack somebody for saying anything ridiculous. But, if they try and convince me---there is going to be a response.

LtCmd.Lore

Dear FunkyDerek:

"...they demand respect for their beliefs no matter how insane..."-FunkyDerek (partial quote)

Explain why the possibility of the paranormal cannot exist or is an
"insane" notion as you imply or suggest?

Well I'm not FunkyDerek... or even FunkyLore But I'll take a stab at it: For one thing, having a belief and considering a possibility are two different things. People want us to respect their beliefs no matter how insane. Generally people tottally bypass the testing and proving phase and go right to the belief. There is NO evidence to support the idea that a small peice of mass produced cardboard will somehow allow you to talk to an entity (that has not been proven to exist) who lives in a spirit realm. (Which also hasn't been proven to exist.) And yet, even though there's no evidence that it works AT ALL, they make up all kinds of rules for how to make it work BEST. "Your knee's have to touch... It works best with one male and one female... It doesn't work around skeptics... (Which causes one to wonder how it ever got started to begin with.) NEVER use it alone, that's dangerous... It works best at night... You should light a candle..." That's like writing a user manual for a hypothetical time traveling device... So when someone ASSumes it works without proving it, that makes it irrational, and subject to critisism.

BUT you asked why the possibility of the paranormal is insane. Nobody said it was. Which would expain why FunkyDerrick may not have wanted to respond to you. You twisted his words. Being a sceptic I don't waste my time looking for UFOs or researching the most successfull ouija board techniques. But if it's something that I can easily test, like praying (Either to God or Satan, I've tried both multiple times and neither had any effect.) Or a divining rod, or something like that, then I sometimes try it. I have, I've tried several spells, I've tried a ouija board alone, (Which some people say is really dangerous, and others say it doesn't work. But once again, they are making up rules about something that hasn't even been confirmed.) I've tried calling down demons, I've tried divining rods, I've tried all kinds of crap. Most of us skeptics have studied this stuff, and tested it if neccesary, and we realize it's all a bunch of balogna. The idea that it may be possible is not insane, but the belief in them is. And yet people demand that we respect it? I think not. I can, and normally do, ignore it. But I won't respect it. Lore

hillary_step

Wanderer,

First of all I would like to commend you for the depth of your questions, the dignity of your formatting, the respectful way that you ignore things that are naughty, and the fact that you do not behave as others do. It shows a level of maturity missing in many others who post on this Board and say nasty things to one another, not realizing that to be respectful is the absolute pinnacle of debating achievment, second only to being a very, very nice, solid and wise person, such as yourself.

I think that I speak for the rest of the Board when I thank you for coming into our community and straightening us all out. Not only are your multi-font, multi color, slogan-like posts attractive to the eye but prove that you, like no other, understand the wisdom of being brief, to the point and always missing the point.

We love you Wanderer and enjoy very much being counselled by our betters, such as yourself. I know that you give Hillary Step the creeps, but what does he know about people who are genuine enough to continually commend us for our posting style. That you show little interest in the content of posts, but much more interest in their presentation shows that you have been gifted with a Board magic that very few could aspire to. It also makes us feel very safe when we post, as we realize that you grasp the marketing adage so well, 'An ounce of presentation is worth more than a pound of performance'

.....errrrr.....What was this thread about now?

Funky,

Excellent post. Well presented. Beautiful logic. You really are coming on my, boy! You have said all that needs saying about this subject. Now, if we can get you to format your paragraphs as if you were writing a Kellogs advert, and drop any emotional tone whatsover, you might even get the 'Wanderer Pat On The Pointy Head' award.

HS

The wanderer

Thank you gentlemen, but I am more interested
in hearing what FunkyDerek has to say.

Nothing personal.

Richard

Warlock

Wanderer,

I TOLD you they still think they are in a congregation where they can play "lord".

Warlock

White Dove

I am actively searching for the paranormal but haven't found it yet. I want it to be true, but you know how that kind of thinking can go. I'm still searching and open to all possibilities. The truth about anything will manifest itself eventually even if the answer is that I have searched long enough to become convinced it doesn't exist. I like exploring everything. I learn from discussions about everything, too.

BlackSwan of Memphis

Well hot damn, Mr Step (Mrs?) has beautifully illustrated exactly WHAT the topic was about!

The wanderer

Dear WhiteDove:

Dr Andrew Nichols is an investigator
regarding the paranormal. In addition,
he seems to be quite reputable.

If you click on the articles page
and then the Scandinavian castle
icon (picture) you will find
one of his cases that proves
to be quite interesting.

However, Dr. Nichols is a major
debunker concerning the paranormal
as well.

However, it is admitted in the word document
that the events in the castle are real.

If you have any questions feel free
to contact me.

Respectfully,

Richard

"...there never is any evidence, and the application of reason would damage their
worldview."-FunkyDerek (partial quote)

Warlock

Well hot damn, Mr Step (Mrs?) has beautifully illustrated exactly WHAT the topic was about!

So am I supposed to kiss his ring..............................or his ass?

Warlock

Open Discussions About The Paranormal

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