The Bell Witch Ghost was real?

[LostSouls7]

How can people still deny the extenience of ghosts?

General Andrew Jackson saw and felt it and left that haunted house.

Here is the documentary.

It's pretty scary. I had never heard of this ghost until now.

enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI-3aW8oKko

[Matt121]

I've heard of the Bell Witch many times there have been movies based on the legend. But I don't believe in ghosts or the Bell Witch just legends

[Skep B]

Andrew Jackson was certifiable, so I don't think he's exactly the best case for evidence.

Admittedly I havent watched the video yet, im at work and can't but i will once im free to provide more feedback.

[freetoroam]

As a slave owner and what with his policies on the removal of several Indian tribes, it would only be natural that this man be haunted, but these were not ghosts he saw and felt, it was his own brain playing tricks on what was already a very sick brain..

[LostSouls7]

Andrew Jackson was certifiable, so I don't think he's exactly the best case for evidence.

Admittedly I havent watched the video yet, im at work and can't but i will once im free to provide more feedback.

Yes but the whole family felt the ghost...

and so did Andrew Jackson?

do you think they were all sick with the same mental illness ?

[freetoroam]

Yes but the whole family felt the ghost...

and so did Andrew Jackson?

do you think they were all sick with the same mental illness ?

Its like with most things, when you are among a certain kind of "style" of people, you tend to grow up or follow that "style" too, take religion, fashion and languages as examples.....and in this case, beliefs in ghosts.

When the whole family believe in it, it is not neccasarily mental illness, just indoctrinisation over the years. Families were a lot tightly knitted in those days and so where communities, so you probably find that the whole area, if they did not see it or felt it themselves..all believed in it.

But he was a crazy racist too though and personally the more he was tormented by his "ghosts" in his head, the better.

Edited November 27, 2013 by freetoroam

[DecoNoir]

Yes but the whole family felt the ghost...

and so did Andrew Jackson?

do you think they were all sick with the same mental illness ?

Wouldn't be the only case. They didn't just pull the term "mass hysteria" out of a hat.

[Skep B]

do you think they were all sick with the same mental illness ?

If by mental illness you mean "not wanting to tell the president who was notorious for shooting people that hes crazy" then yes

[kiddglock]

As a slave owner and what with his policies on the removal of several Indian tribes, it would only be natural that this man be haunted, but these were not ghosts he saw and felt, it was his own brain playing tricks on what was already a very sick brain..

I guess it's only natural to be bitter about a man who kicked your country's ass every time he went up against them in battle. Unlike King George, there is no evidence General Jackson was mentally ill. You may not like the times he lived in or his actions therein, but he wasn't nuts unlike the Monarchy we defeated.

[kiddglock]

Andrew Jackson was certifiable, so I don't think he's exactly the best case for evidence.

Admittedly I havent watched the video yet, im at work and can't but i will once im free to provide more feedback.

Please provide some info backing up your claim that President Jackson was mentally ill. Loose talk is cause for slander and libel lawsuits in this day and age. Back then it would get you challenged to a duel when folks were more proactive about their reputations and the people who disparaged them.

[kiddglock]

How can people still deny the extenience of ghosts?

General Andrew Jackson saw and felt it and left that haunted house.

Here is the documentary.

It's pretty scary. I had never heard of this ghost until now.

enjoy

President Jackson was a product of his times which were arguably less skeptical ones than today. Just his belief that the Bell Witch was real proves very little. IMO it backs up a lot of other's opinion that something was going on. Taken with Jackson's good reputation and formerly high positions in government and the military, it certainly adds a lot to anecdotal type proof. In the end though, the times were much more attuned to subjective "proofs" than today. IMO it is likely something was going on that involved the supernatural, but then again lots of folks believe in the tooth fairy too.

[Rafterman]

The entire Bell Witch story falls apart under even basic scrutiny.

For one, the whole story is based on a book written in 1894 by newspaper publisher Martin Van Buren Ingram which was allegedly based on the handwritten diary (which was never seen by anyone other than Ingram) of one of the Bell children who would have been around 6 when the incident allegedly happened and written in 1846 - roughly 30 years after the incident. By the time Ingram wrote his book, everyone with first and even second hand knowledge of the alleged incident was dead.

Now if that scenario doesn't raise your skeptical antenna, I don't know what will.

There are also a number of claims in Ingrams book that simply don't add up. Since Andrew Jackson was mentioned, I'll address that one. Jacksons whereabouts during that time are well known and documented by historians, press accounts, his own writings, and though his many biographies. There is ZERO evidence that he wa anywhere near Robertson County, TN, during that time.

For those interested, here are a couple of good podcasts that details the events of the Bell Witch and highlight the inconsistencies in the story:

http://www.skeptic.c...rtalk/13/01/23/

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4118

The Skeptoid episode is especially good as it breaks it all down in about 10 minutes. The Monstertalk podcast is a bit more in depth.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Rafterman

[rashore]

I didn't realize Jackson had an encounter with the Bell Witch...

[Rafterman]

I didn't realize Jackson had an encounter with the Bell Witch...

He didn't.

[rashore]

He didn't.

Lol Rafter... Let me rephrase... I didn't realize that part of the Bell Witch lore included Jackson purportedly having an encounter.

[freetoroam]

I guess it's only natural to be bitter about a man who kicked your country's ass every time he went up against them in battle. Unlike King George, there is no evidence General Jackson was mentally ill. You may not like the times he lived in or his actions therein, but he wasn't nuts unlike the Monarchy we defeated.

What?

I see Andrew Jacksons great grandson has arrived.

[Skep B]

Please provide some info backing up your claim that President Jackson was mentally ill. Loose talk is cause for slander and libel lawsuits in this day and age. Back then it would get you challenged to a duel when folks were more proactive about their reputations and the people who disparaged them.

K, he took part in over 13 deuls that we know of, he once beat a senator bloody w/ a stick in a debate, he in a duel had the other man shoot first with no attempt to do likewise.

given that psychological evaluations wrent prominent then, we have only his actions to go upon, and going from those he showcased overly aggressive, emotionally unstable behavior.

Going from his actions we can look back into his life

Where in he never knew his father, lost his mother at 14, joined the American revolution at 13 and in that, he was captured, held prisoner and slashed w/ a sword leaving him visibly scarred, and was then forced to march 40 miles with no shoes, food, or water while being infected w/ smallpox, which killed his brother. After all this he still reenlisted in the war of 1812 and the First Seminole war.

This is would be a traumatic event, just...any one of these. All of these happening before the age of 15 and his behavior in the rest of his life, leads to the conclusion that he was msot likely quite mentally ill

[Simbi Laveau]

Wasn't there a movie about this. The only ghost to ever inflict bodily harm on a human?

About five years ago maybe.

[Simbi Laveau]

Its like with most things, when you are among a certain kind of "style" of people, you tend to grow up or follow that "style" too, take religion, fashion and languages as examples.....and in this case, beliefs in ghosts.

When the whole family believe in it, it is not neccasarily mental illness, just indoctrinisation over the years. Families were a lot tightly knitted in those days and so where communities, so you probably find that the whole area, if they did not see it or felt it themselves..all believed in it.

But he was a crazy racist too though and personally the more he was tormented by his "ghosts" in his head, the better.

Well my parents didn't believe in anything supernatural. How does one explain my beliefs.

My parents were church going Catholics.

No one ever told me about ghosts of creepy things, and yet I was fascinated from the time I was very small.

And funny thing is, the first ghost I ever saw, was my dad. I ran form the house and wouldn't go back in until my mom came home.

I was about 16.

So it's not necessarily even taught as a thing within families. It's who experiences what, that makes them a believer.

Oops, my mistake. Jackson, not Jefferson.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Simbi Laveau

[freetoroam]

Well my parents didn't believe in anything supernatural. How does one explain my beliefs.

My parents were church going Catholics.

No one ever told me about ghosts of creepy things, and yet I was fascinated from the time I was very small.

And funny thing is, the first ghost I ever saw, was my dad. I ran form the house and wouldn't go back in until my mom came home.

I was about 16.

So it's not necessarily even taught as a thing within families. It's who experiences what, that makes them a believer.

Oops, my mistake. Jackson, not Jefferson.

Hence why I said tend to.

No its not necesarily something taught within the family, but unless a person has discovered something completely new to mankind, then their experience is not the first, their decision to follow a particular faith or religion is not unique, they are one of many..

What you experience may be new to you, but the way you choose to follow it up is generally a taking of a certain route which many others have already taken.

People are not that unique, when we look at cults, they follow each other in how they believe according to how they are told to do it by their predecesors, there is no uniqueness in that.

People take different paths in life to their parents much more now than they used to, we live in a much more open and free society, but can you honestly say that your belief in the supernatural is entirely unique to anyone elses and can you honestly say that you have never been "encouraged" in your beliefs by reading or listening to others experiences?

Sorry, would like to add to the parent bit, this part really worked among close knited communities, it does not mean the children where in awe of their parents or families, but it does explain how over the years "cultures" grew within communities.

Edited November 27, 2013 by freetoroam

[Skep B]

Wasn't there a movie about this. The only ghost to ever inflict bodily harm on a human?

About five years ago maybe.

Thats weird, I vaguely remember that too

An american haunting...or haunting in conneticut, something like that.

[DecoNoir]

Thats weird, I vaguely remember that too

An american haunting...or haunting in conneticut, something like that.

An American Haunting. I believe Haunting in Connecticut was the next years typical "based on a true story" cash cow. Godawful movies either way.

[sinewave]

Yes but the whole family felt the ghost...

and so did Andrew Jackson?

do you think they were all sick with the same mental illness ?

Bear in mind that the story may have been embellished over the years. An industry seems to have sprung up around it. That is rarely a good thing if you are interested in the truth.

Edited November 29, 2013 by sinewave

[sinewave]

I guess it's only natural to be bitter about a man who kicked your country's ass every time he went up against them in battle. Unlike King George, there is no evidence General Jackson was mentally ill. You may not like the times he lived in or his actions therein, but he wasn't nuts unlike the Monarchy we defeated.

I admire Jackson's courage and leadership skills but the man was far from emotionally stable.

[Davros of Skaro]

The Bell Witch must be true, because Mercyful Fate did a song about it.