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why do ghost hunters ...........


Lt_Ripley

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why do people who ghost hunt find it necessary to call on christianity ( or sometimes Native American beliefs ) to rid a place of ghosts ? what if that 'ghost ' was another belief or none at all ? ( what makes them think they have any athority anyway ? )

In the US, polls indicate that 80-95% of the population calls themselves Christian, so it's no surprise. That can be taken two ways: 1) the dead are more likely to be Christian, and so the ghosts will follow Christian commands, 2) expectations for the audience/witnesses, since they're likely to be Christian.

and what is it with some who hunt ghosts to think that by belittling a 'ghost' will make it appear ? I would think if you had a ghost from say 1940 or so playing some Benny Goodman or any other popular music of the time would work better. more flys with honey so to speak.

Simple provocation. You're trying to get a reaction. How can you do that with a living person? One way would be to poke and prod him, maybe lean on his shoulder the way you'd lean against a wall. That'd at least get him to react.

this seems logical so why isn't it done ?

To me, there's a whole host of things about ghosts that aren't logical. For instance, why can ghosts walk through walls, yet pick up objects? How do they talk if they have no vocal chords? If a haunting is just memories, as some suggest, and a house or location can trap and release these memories, why can't other objects, like my shirts? Using the memory logic, my shirts should be haunted because they should have the memories of my wearing them. Or if you like, and the person must be dead, I have my late father's coat and hat....so they should have memories embedded in them. Yet they just stay in the closet.

I've heard stories of battlefields being haunted, and other locations where someone died violently being haunted, but that seems to be selective. Lots of violence happens all over...so just about every place should be haunted, from driveby shootings to the places serial killers murdered their victims. How often do those places get reported? Has anyone seen the ghosts of the victims of Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, or BTK?

I don't believe ghosts exist, except in the minds and imaginations of the living.

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Fantastic post Nigel.

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In the US, polls indicate that 80-95% of the population calls themselves Christian, so it's no surprise. That can be taken two ways: 1) the dead are more likely to be Christian, and so the ghosts will follow Christian commands, 2) expectations for the audience/witnesses, since they're likely to be Christian.

Simple provocation. You're trying to get a reaction. How can you do that with a living person? One way would be to poke and prod him, maybe lean on his shoulder the way you'd lean against a wall. That'd at least get him to react.

To me, there's a whole host of things about ghosts that aren't logical. For instance, why can ghosts walk through walls, yet pick up objects? How do they talk if they have no vocal chords? If a haunting is just memories, as some suggest, and a house or location can trap and release these memories, why can't other objects, like my shirts? Using the memory logic, my shirts should be haunted because they should have the memories of my wearing them. Or if you like, and the person must be dead, I have my late father's coat and hat....so they should have memories embedded in them. Yet they just stay in the closet.

I've heard stories of battlefields being haunted, and other locations where someone died violently being haunted, but that seems to be selective. Lots of violence happens all over...so just about every place should be haunted, from driveby shootings to the places serial killers murdered their victims. How often do those places get reported? Has anyone seen the ghosts of the victims of Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, or BTK?

I don't believe ghosts exist, except in the minds and imaginations of the living.

Minds and imaginations - absolutely! I have to keep my mind open to this fact also - which may be why things like sage-ing a place seems to work - placebo effect?

But then I can't explain many other things that people, including myself have seen - and maybe those events have a different explanation other than ghosts...

- just throwing that out there and thinking out loud...

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why do people who ghost hunt find it necessary to call on christianity ( or sometimes Native American beliefs ) to rid a place of ghosts ? what if that 'ghost ' was another belief or none at all ? ( what makes them think they have any athority anyway ? )

and what is it with some who hunt ghosts to think that by belittling a 'ghost' will make it appear ? I would think if you had a ghost from say 1940 or so playing some Benny Goodman or any other popular music of the time would work better. more flys with honey so to speak.

this seems logical so why isn't it done ?

I ask and think the same thing.

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I agree with the sentiment expressed in the OP. I don't see the point in bringing a religious ritual of any kind into a ghost hunt unless it is done with the specific purpose of making the person who has to live with the spirit feel better.

Belief in an afterlife does not necessarily equate to a belief in a god. I have seen a ghost, but I have never seen evidence of a god. When it comes right down to it, we don't really know what a ghost is anyway. It could be a residual energy, a conscious entity, or something else entirely.

exactly !! couldn't have said it any better.

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I find it stupid also, and I really don't think it works (I don't believe in Christianity).

Heck, holy water is just normal water, no matter what they say about it.

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Minds and imaginations - absolutely! I have to keep my mind open to this fact also - which may be why things like sage-ing a place seems to work - placebo effect?

But then I can't explain many other things that people, including myself have seen - and maybe those events have a different explanation other than ghosts...

- just throwing that out there and thinking out loud...

It's just my opinion; I have nothing to back it up from a scientific POV, but I'd say yes, it's the placebo effect.

My argument about the existence of ghosts is much the same as that about the existence of ET (I post primarily in the UFO subforum here): after thousands of years, we still have no definitive, incontrovertible, undeniable proof that ghosts exist. We can prove objectively that a particular computer exists, or a Ford truck, or that Pablo Picasso existed, or that the pepper shaker I keep on my desk exists. But never in history have ghosts been shown beyond doubt to exist.

Nor can they be disproved, of course. :)

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It's just my opinion; I have nothing to back it up from a scientific POV, but I'd say yes, it's the placebo effect.

My argument about the existence of ghosts is much the same as that about the existence of ET (I post primarily in the UFO subforum here): after thousands of years, we still have no definitive, incontrovertible, undeniable proof that ghosts exist. We can prove objectively that a particular computer exists, or a Ford truck, or that Pablo Picasso existed, or that the pepper shaker I keep on my desk exists. But never in history have ghosts been shown beyond doubt to exist.

Nor can they be disproved, of course. :)

Uh... why do you keep a pepper shaker on your desk?

... not that I don't believe you, mind... :P

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Well it is not Rocket Science…It is about Faith…

If one has faith, then they call upon that Faith and if these belief is in the Power of the Trinity, then why wouldn't call upon Odin or Pan, and if their Belief is in their Family Beliefs and happen to be of North American Tribal cultures and their Faith is within their Shaman Powers, they so do because they believe in them, why dis their beliefs if they themselves believe and other can’t or won’t and thus fall short in their own Faith or Lack of…

Pavot

I agree , what ever gives you the inner strength is what people can or will rely on.

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Uh... why do you keep a pepper shaker on your desk?

... not that I don't believe you, mind... :P

I could take a picture of it, but I might be accused of photoshopping it. :lol:

Actually, it's crushed red pepper, and I brought it from home, because I like to sprinkle it on my food (for instance I'll bring in a baked egg dish for breakfast, and eat it at work because I don't have time to eat at home....yaddah yaddah). It comes in handy.

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I could take a picture of it, but I might be accused of photoshopping it. :lol:

Actually, it's crushed red pepper, and I brought it from home, because I like to sprinkle it on my food (for instance I'll bring in a baked egg dish for breakfast, and eat it at work because I don't have time to eat at home....yaddah yaddah). It comes in handy.

And do you cook this "egg dish" yourself? Sorry, but I'm sceptical of a man who cooks. :P

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And do you cook this "egg dish" yourself? Sorry, but I'm sceptical of a man who cooks. :P

At the risk of derailing the thread beyond all hope of recovery, I'll just say yes.

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exorcisms are done in Sri Lanka regulary. To my knowledge they just call on other bigger scarier demons to shoo off the demon doing the haunting

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exorcisms are done in Sri Lanka regulary. To my knowledge they just call on other bigger scarier demons to shoo off the demon doing the haunting

that's like letting rats loose in your home to catch the mice :)

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I find it stupid also, and I really don't think it works (I don't believe in Christianity).

Heck, holy water is just normal water, no matter what they say about it.

it has to do with the beliefs of the afflicted more than the water itself being considered a paranormal panacea to be used in every scenario ;)

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it has to do with the beliefs of the afflicted more than the water itself being considered a paranormal panacea to be used in every scenario ;)

True the belief of the subject plays a part but the water when properly blessed is charged.

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I find it stupid also, and I really don't think it works (I don't believe in Christianity).

Heck, holy water is just normal water, no matter what they say about it.

But how do you really feel about it? :D

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Super question - it's on my list of questions.

1. Why religion? What if the ghosthunters choice of religion just annoys the ghost? What if it is an atheist? Or worse, the ghost is an animal? (Ghost dogs come to mind.)

2. Why English? GHI is all over the world and still speaks to the ghosts in English. Yeah, I've seen an episode or two when they use the language native to that area but it isn't often.

3. Why does it have to be dark?

Just a few, I have many more. :)

HN

yes language !!!

and the dark .. why ?? people who claim to see things also see them in the daytime , with the lights on... I think it's all showmanship.

short note - When I was in England I saw and heard a horse and rider wearing a full brim hat in a field during the day no more than 200 ft or so from me ( I turned and saw it. It was in silouette because of it's angle to the sun shine but looked very solid) . I was with friends who were a step in front of me . I exclaimed ' Hey , I didn't know they had horseback riding here'. then turned back to view the rider not more than 3 seconds later ---- gone. gone with no where to go. and no .... there are no horses or riding in the area ( it was private property) .

Edited by Lt_Ripley
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True the belief of the subject plays a part but the water when properly blessed is charged.

bull. it holds no more a charge than burning sage. it's all psychological. wave a stick in the air with dog crap on it and call it sacred and blessed - same difference.

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bull. it holds no more a charge than burning sage. it's all psychological. wave a stick in the air with dog crap on it and call it sacred and blessed - same difference.

that depends on if you believe in the "power of the poo stick" or not :yes:

linked-image

edit: I want that sig! :rofl:

linked-image

Edited by BorisTheSpider2
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IMHO, "ghost hunters" do not have any right to even think they can rid a home of ghosts. Then they are not "ghost hunters". Then they become something that I figure they should have a license for and a written guarantee or warranty in place. These people can not and do not have the proper licensing in place to purport to do this for people. Its unethical, IMO.

what sort of licensing is issued?

When I get an email from someone (which I actually had two of in the last month) who really WANTS to rid their home of the bothersome ghosts who poke, whisper at the kids, and do things to frighten and disrupt the family, I do tell them that WE DO NOT CLEANSE OR CLEAR GHOSTS. I suggest they talk to a member of their clergy or do some research if they are spiritual. I tell them examples of other people who have used sage. (I suggest the sage because it HAS worked for our nondenominational witnesses in the past - I do not know how or why - perhaps it is simply the act of being able to do something to reclaim their home.) I give suggestions, but never EVER have I offered to cleanse a home.

I see :)

I do tend to see typical "ghost hunters" as those who hang out in cemeteries trying to capture EVP and orbs. I cannot and do not take them seriously.

Ghost researchers are here to observe, record and report. That is what we strive to do.

Do yo have a web site for your "Ghost Researcher" organization? :)

most do that wish to be taken seriously ;)

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bull. it holds no more a charge than burning sage. it's all psychological. wave a stick in the air with dog crap on it and call it sacred and blessed - same difference.

I totally agree. The "power" lies within the mind of the person that believes in the blessed substance or object. It goes a long way toward personal comfort, and has more of a placebo effect.

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I totally agree. The "power" lies within the mind of the person that believes in the blessed substance or object. It goes a long way toward personal comfort, and has more of a placebo effect.

does this mean that you believe in ghosts but not Christianity? :)

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