Why You Became a Skeptic

[The Paranormal Skeptic]

And I wasnt talking about posted ones. I was talking about my private pics(only on my home pc)which I dont share or give permission for others to view. And so I believe if people were to steal those images from my private photos.. they would most likely assume my beliefs incorrectly. Debunkers especially.

Have you had this problem before? I can't say that it isnt possible, but I find it very unlikely that someone would just plug in a usb flash drive, take your private pictures that have you have given no stance on and say "look this weirdo believes this dust is ghost phenomenon."

[Rock-Star]

Fair enough. But I guess if most things are simple to debunk then that leaves ones that are not so simple to debunk.

I don't disagree with you, it is just that from personal experience I haven't found anything compelling, at least past a surface level. As I've said before, I personally would love to come across something that couldn't be debunked. The more I watch the "ghost hunting" shows, though, and see that even with all the possible tricks of TV at their disposal that they never discover anything concrete, it just seems more and more unlikely that anything is out there.

[The Paranormal Skeptic]

I personally would love to come across something that couldn't be debunked. there.

This is the biggest problem I have with the paranormal community (I am not saying you fall into this category) but why is it if someone can’t rationalize "debunk" it, it becomes paranormal? Just because something is unexplained does not me unexplainable. Someone asked once "what if I have exhausted every single rational claim?" the answer is simple, find more rational answers. It is arrogant to think because I can’t explain it, no one can or that it’s paranormal. It’s arrogant to think science has all the answers, but just because it can’t be debunked or explained doesn’t put it in the realm of the paranormal.

[Kazahel]

Have you had this problem before? I can't say that it isnt possible, but I find it very unlikely that someone would just plug in a usb flash drive, take your private pictures that have you have given no stance on and say "look this weirdo believes this dust is ghost phenomenon."

It can be hypothetical considering I said this.. "But I think if anyone was to steal my private pics"

I don't disagree with you, it is just that from personal experience I haven't found anything compelling, at least past a surface level. As I've said before, I personally would love to come across something that couldn't be debunked. The more I watch the "ghost hunting" shows, though, and see that even with all the possible tricks of TV at their disposal that they never discover anything concrete, it just seems more and more unlikely that anything is out there.

I've never seen that show. And I dont know what to think about ghosts. I have seen a pic an ex girlfriend took when I was in Port Arthur with her, which showed a strange white blob in the sky during the day(and not very high). It was odd, I wish I had a copy of the pic.

Edited January 11, 2011 by Kazahel

[The Paranormal Skeptic]

It can be hypothetical considering I said this.. "But I think if anyone was to steal my private pics"

Well I think it was an unfair hypothetical, it was said in a way to make it sound like this is what people who rationalize things are known for.

[Rock-Star]

This is the biggest problem I have with the paranormal community (I am not saying you fall into this category) but why is it if someone can’t rationalize "debunk" it, it becomes paranormal? Just because something is unexplained does not me unexplainable. Someone asked once "what if I have exhausted every single rational claim?" the answer is simple, find more rational answers. It is arrogant to think because I can’t explain it, no one can or that it’s paranormal. It’s arrogant to think science has all the answers, but just because it can’t be debunked or explained doesn’t put it in the realm of the paranormal.

Very good points...something unable to be debunked (in the present moment) is simply something for which we have not yet discovered the answer. Deep down I think everything has to have some sort of rational explanation.

[Kazahel]

Well I think it was an unfair hypothetical, it was said in a way to make it sound like this is what people who rationalize things are known for.

Nah.. I just think most people are typical from what I've seen and experienced.

[Its Mii]

Good post Rock Star, I love how all you sckeptics are so respectful in here.

Because I WANT to believe, I examine all logical explanations first. Yes, there are things I've encountered that I can't explain, except for the believer's definition, but for every wonderful thing that can't be explained, there has been a hundred things that COULD rationally be explained. So I take everything with a grain of salt, because it makes the believable experiences that much better when you've eliminated every practical explanation.

GREAT topic, seriously. It's important to be skeptical and hopeful at the same time - I hope everyone gets to experience both ends of the spectrum. Life is too dull completely on one side, you know

I have to say this is the exact opinion I have. I don't think anyone should ever jump to the conclusion that they have experienced something paranormal when they've heard a bump in the night. I swear the other night there was a squirl trying to dig it's way in my attatic, that's a pretty scary sound, but it's not paranormal. My baby brother use to think somthing was scratching the inside of his wall (squirrls in the attic).There is alot of things that can be mistaken or misinterpreted but that doesn't mean the paranormal doesn't excist. I don't think a bunk video or picture should ever disencourage you. I never bother to look at that stuff to tell you the truth, I know most of those things are a hoax.

Me and my brother both experienced paranormal things since we were young (he doesn't anymore i think he chose to turn it off, he was alot more reseptive than I was) Maybe certain people are more keen to it, or more reseptive, maybe it's the person's energy that attracts the unknown. It might be a gift in children, or youth. It might have somthing to do with trauma or somthing like that, that makes you listen or more open to different things. All I know is that I would love to find a scientific explanation for the "6th sense" that would be amazing!!!

[The Paranormal Skeptic]

Nah.. I just think most people are typical from what I've seen and experienced.

Typical from what you experienced? Did you not just say your scenario never happened?

[Kazahel]

Typical from what you experienced? Did you not just say your scenario never happened?

Yes I've seen and experienced many things and mostly I see people jump to conclusions about others(I do it too). It seems to be human nature which is what my original post was about.

*And I didnt say my scenario never happened(and dont get your version confused with mine). I said it can be thought of as a hypothetical considering what I typed before. Which means if I think it did happen to me I am not going to get into details.

Edited January 11, 2011 by Kazahel

[gisbon]

Hello,

I remember when I first joined unexplained-mysteries, all I could think about was all the random paranormal stuff happening. But then some guy came onto the board with "pictures" of a haunting and laid down an analysis of what happened at an "exorcism" he performed. HE went on to talk about how the demon was throwing knives, and provided pictures of knives stuck in walls next to scared looking people, and just refused to allow us to interpret it. I remember at one point he had a picture of a pentagram with a china ( As in the tableware,) hand with a tarot card for death in the center. At first I sat back and thought "Oh wow! this could really be it, this could be proof!" But as he continued with his pictures the board startedto pick more at his stories, and eventually the community disproved everything he had said. I remember he was talking about how far a knife went into concrete when it was "thrown" by the demon, and It looked like he had just laid it in a nook that happened to be there.

After that I started questioning everything and wondering if that's what I sounded like when I talking about demons being real.

Also, If anyone can remember, I'd like a link to the post he did of that, though I believe it could be well over two years ago when he posted it.

I would like to dissect it and use it to explain to people how most "exorcisms" can be easily disproved.

[Rock-Star]

Hello,

I remember when I first joined unexplained-mysteries, all I could think about was all the random paranormal stuff happening. But then some guy came onto the board with "pictures" of a haunting and laid down an analysis of what happened at an "exorcism" he performed. HE went on to talk about how the demon was throwing knives, and provided pictures of knives stuck in walls next to scared looking people, and just refused to allow us to interpret it. I remember at one point he had a picture of a pentagram with a china ( As in the tableware,) hand with a tarot card for death in the center. At first I sat back and thought "Oh wow! this could really be it, this could be proof!" But as he continued with his pictures the board startedto pick more at his stories, and eventually the community disproved everything he had said. I remember he was talking about how far a knife went into concrete when it was "thrown" by the demon, and It looked like he had just laid it in a nook that happened to be there.

After that I started questioning everything and wondering if that's what I sounded like when I talking about demons being real.

Also, If anyone can remember, I'd like a link to the post he did of that, though I believe it could be well over two years ago when he posted it.

I would like to dissect it and use it to explain to people how most "exorcisms" can be easily disproved.

The movie "The Last Exorcism" did a great job of showing how all this stuff can be faked. Until it made the giant leap of logic into the demonic baby crap at the end, I thought it was a very respectable representation of how exorcisms could be credibly faked and why people could believe that others are really "possessed".

[The Skeptic Eric Raven]

The movie "The Last Exorcism" did a great job of showing how all this stuff can be faked. Until it made the giant leap of logic into the demonic baby crap at the end, I thought it was a very respectable representation of how exorcisms could be credibly faked and why people could believe that others are really "possessed".

Didn't it just jump the shark at the end? I was enjoying the movie until that stupid last scene. It ruined the whole thing.

Edited January 13, 2011 by The Skeptic Eric Raven

[Rock-Star]

Didn't it just jump the shark at the end? I was enjoying the movie until that stupid last scene. It ruined the whole thing.

Absolutely! I was thoroughly enjoying it, then after that ending happened I literally sat in my seat for a few minutes thinking "Did I seriously just see that???!!!". Talk about a couple minutes of garbage ruining an otherwise excellently produced and thought out film.