Ghosts, Poltergeists & Apparitions > Ghost hunters

Ghost Hunters,please tell me

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SleepyHollow:
First off,i'd like to tell you about something that has happened to me,and what people kind of responses that i've gotten to this.A few years ago,while my brother-in-law was in the hospital,i was watching an episode of Ghost Hunters in my bedroom.I was sitting on the floor,watching the show.When show had ended and the credits started to roll,my tv went to blue screen.A minute after that it turned off.When my t.v turned off,a man's voice filled my room.I couldn't make out what he was saying.After a minute or two of listening to him speak,i freaked out and ran out of my house.Now,i've had people who call themselves athiests tell me that i was hallucinating.One in a chatroom told me that my tv went off because of the cable company,saying that they were updating mt tv or whatever.Another athiest on a messageboard told me that because no one else was in the room when this happened,that my brain made it all up and some how turned off my tv.Isn't that like saying that if i go into a public bathroom,and i just so happen to be the only one in there,and no one else was there to see me pee,then i was never in the public bathroom?Then he asked me if i had a remote...and i know for a fact that i wasn't.Anways....my question for you guys.If you are realy ghost hunters,and you've seen things,then do you guys believe there's an afterlife?What are your views on athiesim?

Jake:

--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---...while my brother-in-law was in the hospital

--- End quote ---

So it was during a time of considerable emotional duress?


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---...i was watching an episode of Ghost Hunters in my bedroom

--- End quote ---

In other words you were being deliberately overstimulated to accept the existence of the supernatural by a show that needs to place the viewer in a heightened state of suggestibility?


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---...my tv went to blue screen.A minute after that it turned off

--- End quote ---

This in itself is not so unusual. Electrical appliances often glitch. Because this usually happens when we are not overstimulated and under duress, we give 'em a thump or reboot them or flick the power switch or whatever... And then either get them fixed or forget about it.


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---When my t.v turned off,a man's voice filled my room.I couldn't make out what he was saying.After a minute or two of listening to him speak,i freaked out and ran out of my house.

--- End quote ---

You reject the possibility that this was not real. But I don't believe you fully understand auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH): they are widely studied and quite well understood by psychologists, and they are known to manifest as a result of intense stress or even just tiredness. Researchers from La Trobe University, Australia, have also demonstrated the effect of caffeine and stress - as little as five coffees per day can trigger this type of hallucination (Crowe, et al: "The effect of caffeine and stress on auditory hallucinations in a non-clinical sample.")

AVH can be terrifying and seem very, very real. A woman who experienced prolonged AVH describes them here (if you get a plain green screen, just refresh the page - I'm awkwardly linking to just the video that is usually embedded in a whole other web page):

http://www.healthtalkonline.org/myflv.swf?myFlv=SCZ08_BLO.flv


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---Now,i've had people who call themselves athiests tell me... Another athiest on a messageboard told me that...

--- End quote ---

I don't fully understand your point. Are you saying that because they are atheists they cannot be believed or trusted or correct?


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---Isn't that like saying that if i go into a public bathroom,and i just so happen to be the only one in there,and no one else was there to see me pee,then i was never in the public bathroom?

--- End quote ---

No, not at all. It is like saying that if you go into a public bathroom, and you just so happen to be the only one in there, and then you pee magic rainbow pee with little pixies swimming in it and no one else was there to see it, then the most likely cause that other people will suggest is hallucination.


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---If you are really ghost hunters,and you've seen things,then do you guys believe there's an afterlife?

--- End quote ---

Real "ghost hunters" never "believe" what they see, except on TV shows where the bottom line is ratings and $$$. Serious researchers attempt to find rational explanations or disprove what they "see." They seek information not confirmation... You only move closer to the truth by seeking evidence to the contrary.


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 23, 2012, 06:55:41 PM ---What are your views on athiesim?

--- End quote ---

What are yours?

SleepyHollow:
Well,no,i i don't believe i was under any stress.I also sometimes get the feeling like someone is standing next to me when i'm in bed.I realy don't know what to make of athiests.It's just that the more i think about complete non-existence it depresses me.I've been watching a lot of youtube debates on evolution and creationisim that it's sort of made me feel real gloomy.I don't know,maybe it's best for me mentally to just stay away from these types of topics.When my dad past away,as i was cleaning the house where he lived,i was suddenly hit with his scent.But athiests have told me that could also be a hallucination.But,yeah,my nephew has also claimed that he's seen something in the stairway next to the downstairs bathroom.All i say about athiestim is that it scares me...and if what they say turns out to be true,then it's not like when i die i can say,"oh,they were right"or even say to anyone who's right.That's the scary thng about death,no one comes back to tell you the answer.I guess with this being a forum for the paranormal,i was just looking for a paranormal investigator's and  others point of view on athiestim.

Jake:

--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 25, 2012, 07:02:36 AM ---It's just that the more i think about complete non-existence it depresses me.I've been watching a lot of youtube debates on evolution and creationisim that it's sort of made me feel real gloomy.I don't know,maybe it's best for me mentally to just stay away from these types of topics.

--- End quote ---

That's probably a good idea. If something distresses you that way, don't torment yourself with it. There are a million other things you could be doing instead which wouldn't upset you. Afterlife or no afterlife, life is too short and precious to fritter away deliberately depressing yourself.


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 25, 2012, 07:02:36 AM ---When my dad past away,as i was cleaning the house where he lived,i was suddenly hit with his scent.But athiests have told me that could also be a hallucination.

--- End quote ---

Condolences. Sounds like you've had some stressful times going on. As for the scent, well, it was his house, it could just easily have been real - our sense of smell and our memories are closely linked. We all know how a certain smell - one of mine is the smell of grass and soil after a summer rain shower - can bring very vivid memories rushing back. And a person's scent gets into their possessions and surroundings - see how many grieving parents and spouses sleep with an item of clothing that belonged to their loved one, or a favourite object they handled frequently. It is well within the limits of possibility that you absolutely did really smell his scent.


--- Quote from: SleepyHollow on April 25, 2012, 07:02:36 AM ---All i say about athiestim is that it scares me...and if what they say turns out to be true,then it's not like when i die i can say,"oh,they were right"or even say to anyone who's right.That's the scary thng about death,no one comes back to tell you the answer.

--- End quote ---

It is perfectly natural to fear death and the unknown. And one way or another it is something that is going to happen to all of us. Just like it happened to the billions and billions who came before us and are now no longer. We're all born and we all die - the secret of life is to try to do our best with the bit in between those, the only part of the cycle we have any control over.

Angelus:
We have hit a hell of a cross section here. We can all discuss your experiences scientifically and see if we are left with anything truly paranormal as you have done, but you have also asked about personal belief In the afterlife and personal views on atheism. It's difficult to do both. As personal belief clouds scientific study. I personally believe in an afterlife but as a paranormal investigator I can't look at a possible paranormal event and say "Hey, everyone, look! GHOSTS DID IT!", that makes me no better than ignorant fundamentalist religious groups who look at a mentally ill person and yell "DEMONS!". I need to sit my personal beliefs to the side and look at the evidence. So do we want to talk about the scientific side of your experience and maybe give some experiment suggestions to test the origins of such experiences or shall we just discuss personal beliefs and folklore? We could do both and just be sure to state which part of our comment is a scientific theory and suggestion for experimentation and which is our personal beliefs and folklore on the matter. I for one love to scientifically explore and experiment with folklore. Try for evp recordings at sceances and look for strong abnormalities in photos of fairy rings and such. (ignore orbs though. Contrary to what tv tells you, it's dust or bugs!) So maybe we could try to recreate the events before your experience and test for similar results, but make sure to record the outcome. Of course the loss of a loved one is not something to recreate but a similar mindset could be achieved. Anyone got any ideas?

Modified. I just realise my last comment came across as unsensitive and callus. I am sorry for your loss and it's not something for anyone to take lightly.

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