Ghosts

[Kodos]

Do ghosts exist? - Front Office Football Central

Some polls are so important, they need to be re-polled.

[lighthousekeeper]

eh I think the poll is poorly worded.

I don't believe in ghosts in the slightest, but to be precise, I made multiple selections:

Less than 50% chance that they exist [I would go with zero]
I'd like to believe, but .... no way.
They do not exist.
I don’t know and/or don’t really care.

[Lathum]

Up until moving into my current house I would have said no way.

Our house is a new construction, the old one was torn down. I have no idea of the history of the former occupants. The first day we were there my 2 year old was having a conversation with no one, when we asked him what he was doing he said he was talking to Grandpa Treebranch

For a while out living room TV would turn itself on in the middle of the night. I read that with that model, if you turn it off from the unit and not the remote that can happen, so we use the remote now and no issues.

Then the lamp/ ceiling fan light in out bedroom started going out, usually in about 20 minutes. I have tried using lower wattage bulbs to no avail. The same thing happens to one of the lights in the garage, it is a 2 car garage and the other light never has problems.Been happening a few months now. Our house is a new construction, about 2 years old.

Since the old house that was on the lot was torn down, and we sometimes joke that our house is haunted and that is whey that happens. So I finally had an electrition come look at them, that day they both worked going on 6hours. The electrition came and replaced the fixture in the garage, but couldn't find a thing wrong with the fan. 20 minutes after he left the light went off.

Last night we were watching TV, same TV that we hadn't had any issues with for a while now, and it just shuts off on its own.

Weird shit just seems to happen and makes me wonder if the former occupant died in his house and is pissed we tore it down.

[korme]

I believe I would have to believe in some sort of religion to truly believe in ghosts, so, no.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Five years ago, I would have obviously answered this question much differently. Probably would have considered myself interested, but no experiences to show me that it actually exists.

[stevew]

Where is option "I ain't afraid of no"

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by korme

I believe I would have to believe in some sort of religion to truly believe in ghosts, so, no.

Why? Ghosts could scientifically exist (in some fashion that is not easy for us to measure, but still exist nonetheless), and yet there not be some higher power/force/being in the universe.

Thinking outside of the box, I don't think it's impossible that there is a realm of existence tied to our own that could contain imprints of our living selves after we pass away, something that would not necessarily need to be defined by an existing religion.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Why? Ghosts could scientifically exist (in some fashion that is not easy for us to measure, but still exist nonetheless), and yet there not be some higher power/force/being in the universe.

Thinking outside of the box, I don't think it's impossible that there is a realm of existence tied to our own that could contain imprints of our living selves after we pass away, something that would not necessarily need to be defined by an existing religion.

Agreed. Most of the people in the paranormal community are NOT religious people. Most believe there has to be a scientific reason for what's happening.

When I see or hear things at the winery, the last thing I'm thinking about is what religion would tell me why that just happened. I'm thinking that was bat-shit crazy and there's no 'normal' reason why it occurred.

[timmae]

I have never experienced a ghost incident and I don't think they exist but others seem to think so. For that reason I chose "I don't know and/or really don't care." Some day I may change my opinion so I left it open ended so I don't come back here in 50 years and think what a moron I used to be

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by korme

I believe I would have to believe in some sort of religion to truly believe in ghosts, so, no.

It doesn't neccessarily have to involve religion.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Why? Ghosts could scientifically exist (in some fashion that is not easy for us to measure, but still exist nonetheless), and yet there not be some higher power/force/being in the universe.

Thinking outside of the box, I don't think it's impossible that there is a realm of existence tied to our own that could contain imprints of our living selves after we pass away, something that would not necessarily need to be defined by an existing religion.

+1

I think there is something more to who we are than just what is physically "here" and that something of who we are survives when we die. I don't believe that there is an Omnipotent being in the sky that created everything and is watching our every move to decide if we've been good enough to get into a special club after life ends.

[revrew]

I voted greater than 50%, but I would also suggest that we have some serious misconceptions about what "ghosts" are (should they exist). Should they exist, for example, are they:

a. independent, sentient entities separate from human existence (ala "Casper")
b. a non-sentient energy source only perceived as sentient
c. some spiritual form of those who have died (perhaps the most common popular definition)
d. a spiritual being masquerading as those who have died (possibly demonic).

I find the last of the options the most likely, and that which I find more than 50% likely.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by revrew

I voted greater than 50%, but I would also suggest that we have some serious misconceptions about what "ghosts" are (should they exist). Should they exist, for example, are they:

a. independent, sentient entities separate from human existence (ala "Casper")
b. a non-sentient energy source only perceived as sentient
c. some spiritual form of those who have died (perhaps the most common popular definition)
d. a spiritual being masquerading as those who have died (possibly demonic).

I find the last of the options the most likely, and that which I find more than 50% likely.

Option D is the shared belief of those in the Catholic church (both priests and the members of the community that performs the exorcisms). They believe there are two basic 'entities':

1. Entity looking to go to the other side. Will usually just say 'Help Me' and nothing else. They usually assist those situations with nothing more than a prayer asking God to accept them.

2. Entity who engages in any conversation outside of #1. They believe that is a demonic entity trying to befriend a person.

The only reason that I know all this is because we had one of four demonologists in the world who trains Catholic Priests on how to perform an exorcism attend one of our events. He was on-site at the actual 'Exorcism of Emily Rose' that the movie is based upon. His name is Adam Blai. Amazing stuff on his site if anyone is interested.

[lighthousekeeper]

We should have an "I'm obliged to believe due to business interests" option for MBBF.

[Kodos]

I think there is a demon in my fridge.

[tarcone]

My wife and I visited the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, AR. They have a ghost tour. It has a real cool historic story to it.
We were on the last leg of the tour. the part that goes to the basement. This is where a "Doctor" that "cured" cancer performed autopsies on not quite dead yet patients.
My wife felt a sudden coldness in the air and felt something on the back of her leg. It was moving up.
To this day, she says we have a little girl ghost in our house.

Also, at the Hotel, there is a polaroid picture at the front desk. Someone was taking a picture of the TV set. On the screen, with the set off, is apicture of a little girl upside down.

So, yes I believe in ghosts.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Then the lamp/ ceiling fan light in out bedroom started going out, usually in about 20 minutes. I have tried using lower wattage bulbs to no avail. The same thing happens to one of the lights in the garage, it is a 2 car garage and the other light never has problems.Been happening a few months now. Our house is a new construction, about 2 years old.

Is it more or less common based on temperature?

Either way Id be checking your neutral connections everywhere, and if all those check out I'd ask them to "meg the wires"...very, very common problem in new residnetial construction. Romex insulation has gotten thinner and shittier in recent years. Drive the staple secuirng the wires a little too tight and you can breach the insulation. Next step is to dump a little current into the structure (wood) then we start a heating process, as heat builds copper expands and softens, connection fails, light goes out. Current disappears from circuit. We cool back down and he cycle repeats.

Dont want to scare you but this scenario can lead to a fire.

Get it checked by an electrician. If he cant find anything in the panel, in the switch box, ask him to check for j-boces in the attic/crawl/basement and ask for a megger test.

[Kodos]

When he comes through your door, unless you just a want some more...

[bulletsponge]

ive never told anyone this, but i think theres a ghost kitty at my house. dont laugh i am serious.
this all happens when im in bed trying to sleep (about to fall asleep or in the morning half awake)
anyone who owns a cat and has had one jump up on his bed and walk on it while your there sleeping know that feeling of a cat walking on your bed. you can feel each time he moves his foot to a new spot while walking. well ghost kitty has done that to me dozens of time (that ive known) over the years. the very first time i noticed it i thought it was a real cat he had me fooled, i rose up from my bed and was about to say "shoo kitty" only to realize there was no cat in my room. kind of spooked me knowing how sure i was it was the cat doing the walking.

i can now tell the difference between ghost kittey and my own cat, GK puts about half as much weight into his walk, he also walks from side to side on my bed and up and down it before dissapearing. ive got up and looked many times, reaching out to pet it (thinking its my cat) only to see nothing.

no ive never seen a ghost, only the feeling of a cat walking on my bed where there is no cat

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by bulletsponge

ive never told anyone this, but i think theres a ghost kitty at my house. dont laugh i am serious.
this all happens when im in bed trying to sleep (about to fall asleep or in the morning half awake)
anyone who owns a cat and has had one jump up on his bed and walk on it while your there sleeping know that feeling of a cat walking on your bed. you can feel each time he moves his foot to a new spot while walking. well ghost kitty has done that to me dozens of time (that ive known) over the years. the very first time i noticed it i thought it was a real cat he had me fooled, i rose up from my bed and was about to say "shoo kitty" only to realize there was no cat in my room. kind of spooked me knowing how sure i was it was the cat doing the walking.

i can now tell the difference between ghost kittey and my own cat, GK puts about half as much weight into his walk, he also walks from side to side on my bed and up and down it before dissapearing. ive got up and looked many times, reaching out to pet it (thinking its my cat) only to see nothing.

no ive never seen a ghost, only the feeling of a cat walking on my bed where there is no cat

a guy I work with tells me he has the same thing

[Kodos]

Does your real kitty ever seem to notice ghost kitty?

My wife told me she saw a ghost of our cat Raoul once out of the corner of her eye in our bathroom. I, of course, mocked her for this. That'd be just like him though. He was a pain in the ass when he was alive too.

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by Lathum

a guy I work with tells me he has the same thing

not that ive noticed. GK showed up about 13 years ago when we moved into our home. before any of our cats at that time died. current kitty i havnt noticed her noticing ghost kittey. GK has never jumped on my bed when real kittey has been in my room i just realized

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

We should have an "I'm obliged to believe due to business interests" option for MBBF.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

We should have an "I'm obliged to believe due to business interests" option for MBBF.

Which is a ridiculous assertion and very insulting.

[Dodgerchick]

They absolutely exist. Antmeister and I had a couple of friends over when we lived in San Diego County. We had some nail clippers inside a glass bowl on top of the tv. Our friends were arguing when all of a sudden the bowl fucking flips and the clippers shoot right at me!! No freaking joke, that's the truth. We all just sat there and looked at each other like... WTF?!

Yes, they exist.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Which is a ridiculous assertion and very insulting.

Interestingly, that also describes the bulk of your posts on the board.

[SegRat]

If they do exist then I saw one. However I really don't believe they do exist and I was probably tired at the time and my eyes played some kind of trick on me.

[PilotMan]

I think so.

I had an encounter with one in a hotel in Miami. About 2 am I'm awakened by beeping. The safe was hanging on the wall across the room and the door was open. Numbers were lighting up across it randomly like a child was playing with it. This goes on for a couple minutes. I walked over to it. It's hard wired to the wall, no battery. No power surge or outage. I worked the safe and it worked fine for me. As soon as I stopped the numbers started up again.

I have never had anything like that nor heard of anything like that. I put a blanket and pillow over it, laughed and said "have fun" and went back to sleep.

Also, the daughter of a neighbor of mine has been able to see them since she was very small. She didn't really tell anyone outside her families close circle about it because it freaked her out. She said the ghosts want to talk to her and follow her around when they realize she can see them. As far as I know she has only talked to one. A little girl that used to follow her around. She somehow avoided a serious car accident and asked the girl if she had anything to do with it and the girl told her she had. She just graduated from college last year, no idea if she still has the ability as we aren't really friends with her parents anymore.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The only reason that I know all this is because we had one of four demonologists in the world who trains Catholic Priests on how to perform an exorcism attend one of our events. He was on-site at the actual 'Exorcism of Emily Rose' that the movie is based upon. His name is Adam Blai. Amazing stuff on his site if anyone is interested.

Please, just stop. The "Exorcism of Emily Rose" was based on an event that happened in Germany in the 1970s. And since two of the priests involved in the actual event were convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to prison, I don't think that someone that was there would be trumpeting their involvement. He might have been involved with the movie, but there is no way he was involved in the event on which the movie was loosely based.

[Dutch]

Sorry MBBF, a quick search on Adam Blai and the dude has only being doing this stuff for 10 years and is a graduate of Penn State. Sounds like a bullshit artist if he's telling you that kind of crap.

[molson]

I don't believe in ghosts in the way that concept has been defined in modern Western culture, but I'm with Chief Rum in thinking I'm just one guy in 2014, I can't possibly know all the secrets of the universe. So it'd be pretty arrogant, I think, to just completely rule out the possibility that there's some kind of currently-unexplainable scientific connection between people and the environment, or even between the living and the past-living, and that some people have occasionally gotten the slightest vague hints of those kinds of connections - and perhaps even that religion is the human species' completely primitive attempt to try to make sense of these connections that we just can't explain yet.

[molson]

Dola, as for more traditional spooky-type ghosts, I did once stay at this "haunted" bed and breakfast in Montana called the Ghost Rails Inn. During the night, my girlfriend's dog was sleeping next to the door. At some point we heard a sound like a big piece of furniture being dropped outside the door, over and over again. It was pretty loud. The next morning we told the owner, and he said that the there's a ghost of an old hotel maid that often goes through that room and makes it up while people are sleeping (people feel the sheets being tucked in on top of them, etc.), and that maybe she was trying to get in there with all her stuff, but she was somehow blocked by the dog sitting there. So, Siberian Huskies may repel ghosts. Or more likely, the owner of the B&B was quite skilled at turning any guest report about a weird noise into an entertaining ghost story. I wanted to go back there last summer, but the place burned down.

[Kodos]

Probably the ghost maid got frustrated and torched the place.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Sorry MBBF, a quick search on Adam Blai and the dude has only being doing this stuff for 10 years and is a graduate of Penn State. Sounds like a bullshit artist if he's telling you that kind of crap.

No, he's very well known within the paranormal community. He's currently working for the Vatican. No pay involved. It's crazy in that he lives much like a monk (no wife, no children, family gone, etc.), but he travels all over the place to assist with exorcisms. Gets money for travel, but nothing else. He also wrote the latest exorcism 'textbook' for the Catholic Church. He worked as a psychologist in the PA penitentiary system before being recruited by the Church based on his work.

He did a fascinating talk at the latest event we had. Spoke about demonology and the increasing trend of possessions where people who hunt ghosts are getting in more and more trouble inviting otherworldly things into their lives by 'investigating ghosts'. He told the people in the event to be very careful what they do during investigating.

I will say that I run into a lot of 'interesting' people at our events and just people coming in to the winery. 80-90% of the stuff mentioned by others I don't believe. But there is the occasional stuff that does peak my interest along with my personal experiences. It certainly makes everyday life a bit more interesting.

[Kodos]

[BlackJack]

Usually pretty interesting, intelligent conversations on this board. Thought this was a joke at first, but it seems that some of you are serious. Guess I have to reevaluate my opinion of this place.

[molson]

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Usually pretty interesting, intelligent conversations on this board. Thought this was a joke at first, but it seems that some of you are serious. Guess I have to reevaluate my opinion of this place.

It would be devastating to lose your epic contributions to this board, so I hope you reconsider.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Kodos

That scared the shit out of me as a kid. That movie didn't age too well though.

[Kodos]

YOU ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES!

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Usually pretty interesting, intelligent conversations on this board. Thought this was a joke at first, but it seems that some of you are serious. Guess I have to reevaluate my opinion of this place.

Lighten up Francis.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Usually pretty interesting, intelligent conversations on this board. Thought this was a joke at first, but it seems that some of you are serious. Guess I have to reevaluate my opinion of this place.

Is it unintelligent to admit there are things in the universe that one is unsure about?

...the most elementary and valuable statement in science, the beginning of wisdom, is I do not know.

I don't know where that phrase originates from, I got it from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Where Silence Has Lease" and believe it.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Usually pretty interesting, intelligent conversations on this board. Thought this was a joke at first, but it seems that some of you are serious. Guess I have to reevaluate my opinion of this place.

I am amazed that this is the thread that brough on this response. Have you visited the Lego thread?

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Kodos

YOU ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES!

Haha, I probably facepalmed and yelled "You asshole!" at the screen when that revelation was made.

[molson]

I thought of this thread when I read this article. Scientists believe there may be a mechanism for passing down memories through DNA, and specifically, phobias.

Phobias may be memories passed down in genes from ancestors - Telegraph

This basically scratches the surface of what I was talking about before - imagine if memories beyond phobias could somehow be inherited genetically? This could explain a lot of the connections we feel through prayer, or being somewhere that was significant to a dead relative, maybe even the perception of what we characterize as ghosts.

The universe and the human species are so complex and wacky and we haven't come close to figuring everything out. But when you talk about these mysteries and connections in terms of say - spirituality - there are people who will assume you're talking about god and religion and will be quick to shoot you down. But it's really so much heavier than even that. Spirituality to me is just that area of existence we can't yet understand, but that we may be able to experience if we open our minds enough. I think the outright dismissal of that concept is pretty arrogant.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by molson

The universe and the human species are so complex and wacky and we haven't come close to figuring everything out. But when you talk about these mysteries and connections in terms of say - spirituality - there are people who will assume you're talking about god and religion and will be quick to shoot you down. But it's really so much heavier than even that. Spirituality to me is just that area of existence we can't yet understand, but that we may be able to experience if we open our minds enough. I think the outright dismissal of that concept is pretty arrogant.

+1

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by molson

I thought of this thread when I read this article. Scientists believe there may be a mechanism for passing down memories through DNA, and specifically, phobias.

Phobias may be memories passed down in genes from ancestors - Telegraph

This basically scratches the surface of what I was talking about before - imagine if memories beyond phobias could somehow be inherited genetically? This could explain a lot of the connections we feel through prayer, or being somewhere that was significant to a dead relative, maybe even the perception of what we characterize as ghosts.

The universe and the human species are so complex and wacky and we haven't come close to figuring everything out. But when you talk about these mysteries and connections in terms of say - spirituality - there are people who will assume you're talking about god and religion and will be quick to shoot you down. But it's really so much heavier than even that. Spirituality to me is just that area of existence we can't yet understand, but that we may be able to experience if we open our minds enough. I think the outright dismissal of that concept is pretty arrogant.

It would also explain the confusing trend of how some people experience things pretty often in a location while others don't have any experiences.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I think there is a demon in my fridge.

My fridge sounds like it is haunted by a dolphin. It's the only way I can describe the noises it makes.... "dolphin-like."

[Kodos]

Do you eat a lot of "tuna"?

[Suburban Rhythm]

I never believed before. But 4 years ago I experienced something I shared here that led me to be more open to the idea.

Throughout this thread.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=79404

[sterlingice]

Thread necromancy:
Americans Say They’re Fired Up To Vote — Especially Democrats | FiveThirtyEight

BOO! Twenty percent of American adults say that ghosts definitely exist, according to a YouGov poll conducted last week. About a quarter say they probably exist, 39 percent say they probably or definitely do not exist, and 16 percent said they don’t know.

Looks like I didn't vote in this one originally but I'm inclined to believe they don't exist but I can't prove that. And if they do exist, I don't think they are the souls of dead people but instead, something more science fictiony- beings from another dimension, that sort of thing. But I have no proof of any of this so I think there's a small but non-zero chance that I'm wrong on all of this.


SI