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Why I think people post Haunted Stories


Sakari

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hi paul.

point taken about courage... but it may still be a big thing for someone to share an experience and know people will discredit it.. i know its a good thing for a persons experience to be radionalised, and i would love someone come into my house and tell me why we are experiencing this terror.. and thats what it is.. nobody can understand why so many people are experiencing what they are experiencing but it doesnt mean people can always find logic for it. what other solutions are there?

what would you say when there is more than one convinced?

A solution to a problem and the cause of a problem are two different things. Establishing a line of causation will not necessarily fix a problem. However it's a great place to start. As far as what's happening with your family, I couldn't begin to form a hypothesis without knowing what is going on and what has already been ruled out as a cause.

More than one person being convinced of a thing in no way establishes it's factuality. What I would say is that more than one person experiencing something would leave me to believe that the cause is more likely natural and explainable, as opposed to simply in the mind or a misperception of an individual. Statistically speaking, the more people that experience something, the odds of that thing being experienced again go up every time. That's a good thing when it comes to investigation of an odd occurence. Have you started a thread about your experiences?

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A solution to a problem and the cause of a problem are two different things. Establishing a line of causation will not necessarily fix a problem. However it's a great place to start. As far as what's happening with your family, I couldn't begin to form a hypothesis without knowing what is going on and what has already been ruled out as a cause.

More than one person being convinced of a thing in no way establishes it's factuality. What I would say is that more than one person experiencing something would leave me to believe that the cause is more likely natural and explainable, as opposed to simply in the mind or a misperception of an individual. Statistically speaking, the more people that experience something, the odds of that thing being experienced again go up every time. That's a good thing when it comes to investigation of an odd occurence. Have you started a thread about your experiences?

hi paul.

good point, regardless of it being paranormal or natural id just rather know at this stage what the cause and solution is...

yeah ive posted up a story a few days ago "my house is haunted".

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You can believe what you want and I'm sure some of the stories on here are lie's made up by kids wanting attention. However I am not a kid and I know I saw the ghost of my cat. Now I am positive there is life after death. Even before that I have seen things, not often, that I could not explain. My big reason for being on here is to talk to people like me that are not close minded and do not consider me a nut case.

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You can believe what you want and I'm sure some of the stories on here are lie's made up by kids wanting attention. However I am not a kid and I know I saw the ghost of my cat. Now I am positive there is life after death. Even before that I have seen things, not often, that I could not explain. My big reason for being on here is to talk to people like me that are not close minded and do not consider me a nut case.

This is a classic response. It has all the elements of someone subscribing to a philosphy with no way to back it up. It starts with the line "I don't care if you believe me or not, but I > (know what I saw) (heard what I heard) (know what I know) and it's the truth." It proceeds to insinuate that not only is the event you witnessed real, and not up for debate, but that the entire concept of the paranormal is real and not up for debate because you have "seen other things before". It's like it came out of a textbook. The coup de grace is the backhanded insult implying anyone who questions you is "close minded" and will judge you as "crazy", so there is no point in trying to engage you in discussion. It's classic.

It in no way acknowledges that in the end, there is not a single thing that backs up your claim. So what are we, those who did not see what you saw, left with. Simply a story. It may be true, may be false, but it doesn't really matter. It's just a story.

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For some reason the last few weeks especially, mainly from one certain topic, I have really lost interest in any " claim " of Hauntings.( Demons, Ghosts, Poltergeist,etc.)....

I now know why.....

3% of people who post "claims" are actually asking for answers, and are confused, and do find answers.

2% have Psychological issues.

10% are just kids.

85% are fabricated, made up stories......I am now convinced of what I am saying.

If someone is telling the truth about any kind of claim they are making ( people with kids know this, and fisherman ) and have no evidence, they do not get all upset when people do not believe them.They just go on with life, and drop the subject, no trying to convince anyone.

If someone is lying, and wants attention, they will fight, back stab, throw people under the bus, get defensive, keep fighting, and threaten.They do this because they are not getting the attention the " lie " was intended to get, so they get p***ed off and upset....

I am going to take some of what a friend just said some where else, because I believe he summed it up very well.....

[/b]I am pretty close to this myself when it comes to this...I am still seeing things I want to post in, but I am now taking a step back and considering it....I am going to try to stick to the Crypto and UFO side of this, because I do feel it can be a waste of time on many of the " Haunted" topics.....

Again, above is not by me, but I do feel resembles a lot of how I have felt the last few weeks.....

[/b]

I think I understand your frustration Sakari. Yeah, there's a lot of hokey in the ghosts forum. I think a lot of it is people who aren't sure what is going on, or has second hand information they are asking about for whatever reason.. I never think someone relating a story that way is lying or grabbing right off the bat. I figure they were told a story that they took in good faith.

I think part of the problem is probably lack of use of the search function.

I think another problem is a lot of people don't put forth a fully evolved tale. They give a short account, then have to go back again and again filling in basic details. Stuff they probably didn't think to think out, but those of us who have read a ton of accounts have thought about.

Something that might help would be a sticky for this segment telling about how to post stuff and sort of spooky glossary.

For example, if one is going to post a picture, please give detailed information about it. Like "I took this in X location. It was night/day. It was X atmosphere conditions. I used X to take it." Also include WHY you think the picture is weird. Like "I think I see a person in the upper window." Personally, I hate Wheres Waldo photo drops.

There are a bunch of threads that over and over again go down the checklist of ghost tracking and evidence display... like start a journal, check physical causes, don't crop or change footage, use timestamps.. What are common causes for spookiness too.. like pareidolia, dust, sound carries over water, bad electrical is bad, sleep paralysis..

I'm not saying to make them rules or anything.. But there have been some excellent threads that have been lost due to lack of sticky that could help people know some basic information before posting :)

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This is a classic response. It has all the elements of someone subscribing to a philosphy with no way to back it up. It starts with the line "I don't care if you believe me or not, but I > (know what I saw) (heard what I heard) (know what I know) and it's the truth." It proceeds to insinuate that not only is the event you witnessed real, and not up for debate, but that the entire concept of the paranormal is real and not up for debate because you have "seen other things before". It's like it came out of a textbook. The coup de grace is the backhanded insult implying anyone who questions you is "close minded" and will judge you as "crazy", so there is no point in trying to engage you in discussion. It's classic.

It in no way acknowledges that in the end, there is not a single thing that backs up your claim. So what are we, those who did not see what you saw, left with. Simply a story. It may be true, may be false, but it doesn't really matter. It's just a story.

And this (in my own opinion of course) is why many people use the closed response to a subject like this. How many times do we have to read posts that automatically attack another posters integrity? I'm sorry Paul but if you had of responded that way to a post I had made I would certainly struggle to respond with pleasantry's, again just an observation.

We shouldn't forget that once proof was presented for the existence of Big cats in the U.K. many many more people felt they could tell others about their experiences and sightings without being judged.

2% are telling the truth? and maybe 40% are too scared to speak up. But then again 72% of statistics are just made up.

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For some reason the last few weeks especially, mainly from one certain topic, I have really lost interest in any " claim " of Hauntings.( Demons, Ghosts, Poltergeist,etc.)....I now know why.....3% of people who post "claims" are actually asking for answers, and are confused, and do find answers.2% have Psychological issues.10% are just kids.85% are fabricated, made up stories......I am now convinced of what I am saying.If someone is telling the truth about any kind of claim they are making ( people with kids know this, and fisherman ) and have no evidence, they do not get all upset when people do not believe them.They just go on with life, and drop the subject, no trying to convince anyone.If someone is lying, and wants attention, they will fight, back stab, throw people under the bus, get defensive, keep fighting, and threaten.They do this because they are not getting the attention the " lie " was intended to get, so they get p***ed off and upset....I am going to take some of what a friend just said some where else, because I believe he summed it up very well.....[/b]I am pretty close to this myself when it comes to this...I am still seeing things I want to post in, but I am now taking a step back and considering it....I am going to try to stick to the Crypto and UFO side of this, because I do feel it can be a waste of time on many of the " Haunted" topics.....Again, above is not by me, but I do feel resembles a lot of how I have felt the last few weeks.....[/b]

Good post.

I would say it's way more than just 2% that have Psychological issues. :rolleyes:

You could be right, but I really think its mostly fabricated stories for whatever reasons.

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2% are telling the truth? and maybe 40% are too scared to speak up. But then again 72% of statistics are just made up.

:wub: l Iove it! :lol:
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You could be right' date=' but I really[/size'] think its mostly fabricated stories for whatever reasons.
but you can't proove they are fabricated. You merely think they are?

I'm not saying I believe all of the stories on here. Oh dear gawds no, I do not. However we have many members who automatically come in head on demanding proof or assuming mental illness.

And I do believe in spirit, have I experienced it, yes I have.Would I discuss it on here, not a chance. Why would I, so that others can boost their own egos by trying to make me look like I am lying or I have a mental illness.Honestly it amazes me when we can't see how rude we are to others sometimes.

Edited by Kismit
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but you can't proove they are fabricated. You merely think they are?

I'm not saying I believe all of the stories on here. Oh dear gawds no, I do not. However we have many members who automatically come in head on demanding proof or assuming mental illness.

And I do believe in spirit, have I experienced it, yes I have.Would I discuss it on here, not a chance. Why would I, so that others can boost their own egos by trying to make me look like I am lying or I have a mental illness.Honestly it amazes me when we can't see how rude we are to others sometimes.

This. In spades.

No it doesn't help that kids come here saying they can throw blue "psi balls" around or that they're a vampire.. but given this thread alone.. this is why people with actual stories don't feel a shred comfortable sharing their experiences here anymore. And it's kind of sad. I remember when Hammy used to post these stories on haunted places she was collecting. But people got so rude and condescending to her when she shared them she gave up and left and we lost one of the greatest members.

*shakes her head*

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but you can't proove they are fabricated. You merely think they are?

I'm not saying I believe all of the stories on here. Oh dear gawds no, I do not. However we have many members who automatically come in head on demanding proof or assuming mental illness.

And I do believe in spirit, have I experienced it, yes I have.Would I discuss it on here, not a chance. Why would I, so that others can boost their own egos by trying to make me look like I am lying or I have a mental illness.Honestly it amazes me when we can't see how rude we are to others sometimes.

Cant prove it, but they sure as heck have not a shred of proof. The stories generally just don't add up.

Also, Kismit, in case you didn't know I believe in god now. It wouldn't bother me at all if someone called me on it.

FYI. I have seen mental illness up close. It sucks.

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Absolutely, Silver and Kizzy...Hammy's stories are what got me hooked on UM.

It is sad to see people attacked for simply coming in here and confessing something has happened that they can't explain logically. Sometimes they just want someone to bounce it off of and try to work through it. They mistakingly think they can do it here and it doesn't take long for them to find out.

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The way i see it. If somebody comes here to tell a story as if it's legit, it is their job on here to prove that. If they come here saying "my house is haunted. How do i make them go away?" of course we'll want evidence. But if they said "I THINK my house is haunted. Can this be explained?" That's a different story. Atleast they're willing to see a more mundane explanation for it. Which, lets face it, is most likely the case.

The biggest thing is that everyone needs to chill out when it comes to this. The bottom line is that a majority of the stories can be debunked. That's the truth and there's no way around that.

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The way i see it. If somebody comes here to tell a story as if it's legit, it is their job on here to prove that. If they come here saying "my house is haunted. How do i make them go away?" of course we'll want evidence. But if they said "I THINK my house is haunted. Can this be explained?" That's a different story. Atleast they're willing to see a more mundane explanation for it. Which, lets face it, is most likely the case.

The biggest thing is that everyone needs to chill out when it comes to this. The bottom line is that a majority of the stories can be debunked. That's the truth and there's no way around that.

People explain away EVP's, video and pictures even if they are available...what evidence would you consider legitimate?

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People explain away EVP's, video and pictures even if they are available...what evidence would you consider legitimate?

Well, that's just it. If it can very easily be debunked, chances are they are fakes, mistakes, illusions, etc. It has to truely be unexplained for it to even go to the next step of being considered paranormal. I admit, there are people on here who will just outright dismiss evidence. But, if the vast majority can truely not find an explanation for the evidence being handed to them, then there is a chance that it could be considered paranormal (though that still doesn't mean that is the case).

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Well, that's just it. If it can very easily be debunked, chances are they are fakes, mistakes, illusions, etc. It has to truely be unexplained for it to even go to the next step of being considered paranormal. I admit, there are people on here who will just outright dismiss evidence. But, if the vast majority can truely not find an explanation for the evidence being handed to them, then there is a chance that it could be considered paranormal (though that still doesn't mean that is the case).

Can you give me a link to one single picture, that has been widely considered unaltered, of anything paranormal on the internet?

The fact is...the majority of experiences have no physical evidence whatsoever, besides what people claim to have been moved in their home, so they don't make it past the first inquisition.

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Can you give me a link to one single picture, that has been widely considered unaltered, of anything paranormal on the internet?

The fact is...the majority of experiences have no physical evidence whatsoever, besides what people claim to have been moved in their home, so they don't make it past the first inquisition.

Just my point. :tu:

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Then why waste time demanding proof and harassing someone for not having it when you know you wouldn't accept it? :huh:

Edited by Michelle
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Then why waste time demanding proof and harassing someone for not having it when you know you wouldn't accept it? :huh:

Because that's what they do. Kinda like forum bullies.

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Then why waste time demanding proof and harassing someone for not having it when you know you wouldn't accept it? :huh:

Because they are saying their house IS haunted. There basically is no real evidence of the supernatural. Evidence is anything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. It is the currency by which one fulfills the burden of proof. The burden of proof is the burden of providing sufficient evidence to shift a conclusion from an oppositional opinion. It is this persons job to prove that their house is haunted, and if it's impossible to prove a haunting, they can't make that assertion.

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Because they are saying their house IS haunted. There basically is no real evidence of the supernatural. Evidence is anything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. It is the currency by which one fulfills the burden of proof. The burden of proof is the burden of providing sufficient evidence to shift a conclusion from an oppositional opinion. It is this persons job to prove that their house is haunted, and if it's impossible to prove a haunting, they can't make that assertion.

And it's not up to you to lay judgement on them. It's not up to you to call them mentally ill when they share their experience.

I must be as well because I had experiences when I was growing up, right? I can't prove them.. so I must have a mental disease!

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And it's not up to you to lay judgement on them. It's not up to you to call them mentally ill when they share their experience.

I must be as well because I had experiences when I was growing up, right? I can't prove them.. so I must have a mental disease!

I never said that. :huh:

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No it doesn't help that kids come here saying they can throw blue "psi balls" around or that they're a vampire.. but given this thread alone.. this is why people with actual stories don't feel a shred comfortable sharing their experiences here anymore. And it's kind of sad. I remember when Hammy used to post these stories on haunted places she was collecting. But people got so rude and condescending to her when she shared them she gave up and left and we lost one of the greatest members.

*shakes her head*

Agreed. As anyone who frequents this forum knows, there have been some very ridiculous claims and threads made about them. So in that respect, there's nothing wrong with being skeptical and wanting evidence. I think though, that people should be more patient and respectful to those who do seem sincere. Yes, debunking can go a long way in helping someone who's having "paranormal" experiences. At the same time though, if someone comes to this forum specifically looking for advice from people who have also had experiences, then that should be that. People don't need to come in, guns blazin', accusing them of lying or being mentally ill and not realizing it.

I feel bad for new posters, or ones that haven't been on in a long time and came back. I remember some of the stuff I posted back when I first joined would definitely not get the same response it did back then. As I said, nothing wrong with wanting evidence but of course no one can prove their house is haunted. Some people really are just looking for answers though, no need to make them feel stupid because of that.

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I think most of you are missing the whole point of shared experience: to gather information on a subject that you can test against whatever truth made you interested in the first place. Skepticism in the original sense is to withhold judgement, and never to accuse people of lying unless you can prove it. There is no defensiveness against the paranormal in true skepticism, only inquiry.

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Cant prove it, but they sure as heck have not a shred of proof. The stories generally just don't add up.

Also, Kismit, in case you didn't know I believe in god now. It wouldn't bother me at all if someone called me on it.

FYI. I have seen mental illness up close. It sucks.

I've seen mental illness close up. My husband has three members in his family with schizophrenia. But that is a different topic to hauntings and it is unfortunate that some people(and I do not necisarily mean you or anyone else in this thread) can not distinguish between the two.

A qualified psychologist would take several one on one face to face sessions with detailed and specific testing before diagnosing mental illness and yet we do it on here all the time without any qualification at all.

It saddened me when people started jumping on the so called sceptic band wagon, they stopped asking questions and really just let their egos take hold. Someone wise described it as superman lifting the train because people said Ohhhh rather than lifting it because someone needed rescued.

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