Do You Believe In Ghosts?

[odst26]

I believe... In July me and Derek are going to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virgina. We get to investigate the building with all 5 active TAPS members from the Sci-Fi show Ghost Hunters. It will be so cool and I can't wait to meet the Ghost Hunters team!

ghost hunters is awesome but i think some of it is just setted up, but i love it, i watch it every wednesday, my grandfathers old house was hunted, my moms says that the ghost there use to tuck her into bed sometimes at night, and i've been in that house i don't like the feeling that i get when i was there!! and one night at my house i as walking to my bed room to talk to my brother as i walked into the door a heard some one say something and i asked balmung if he said something, he was wondering the same thing i was like w......t......f !?!

 

[Deadguy]

I was a card-carrying member of the American Ghost Hunter Society for a few years.. in fact I was the area representative for Tampa Bay for two.

@jaxjags -That's something the AGHS beleives too. It's considered "separate" from the 'normal stuff", but they beleive it occassionally happens through what they call spirit vortexes. I've heard some great stories and suggestions regarding that stuff.

@Verona- I never got to see one of those, but I repeatedly got firsthand accounts from folks freaking out about them locally. Apparently there's a few colors they come in, and the colors can change in mid-flight. At first they were generally dismissed as Ball lightning, but I'll suggest that some of the accounts were pretty beleivable. Some mediums suggest that the colors indicate mood, but I'm kinda' "iffy" on my belief in SOME mediums, who claim it's the same thing as a person's aura. I've had them described as softball sized to bowling ball sized, though one old guy told me he'd encountered one that was a foot across. My own research led me to think these were pretty likely to be real, but of course not all reported sightings are real.. so it's hard (if not impossible) to make more than "broad" statements regarding them.

@BlacRose- Heh.. I NEVER managed to beleive in camera Orbs. I can give you a list of hundreds of reasons why they're "nothing" and can explain them away left and right.. All except for one, and it was my own photograph taken of a Roof of an old building at the bottom of a drained lake where bodies used to be dumped, rather than buried.. in Florida at the town that's full of Psychics, while on a ghost tour. The damn thing is perfect, HUGE, and had no reason to be there at all. I took the picture when I "felt something" and had felt kinda' silly as soon as I'd done it. It wasn't until I took the film to be developed that it showed up. Heh.. right after a big break-up with the guy that runs those tours.. go figure.

Hunters in general.. I dunno'.. some mean well but most have no kind of training, and as a result, are totally undisciplined and unaware of how their instruments work, and what's TRULY an "odd reading" and what's to be expected. There's also no consistency to reports, and typically nothing is documented properly, clear conditions aren't met, etc. I've had reports back from folks that drank during investigations to "open themselves to the spirit world" and left broken bottles and stuff all over the place. Heck, I've had folks claim up and down that they had evidence of spiritual activity based on (an admittedly odd) photgraphs of cigarette smoke.. from MY cigarette, and swear up and down that noone was smoking in the area the photo was taken.

The ones that claim to be psychic? I dunno'.. the folks I've had reason to beleive were psychic definately weren't ghosthunters.

Anyways.. maybe I'll do storytime later too.. I don't have a lot of personal experiences, but I have a few.. just nothing visual though.. oddly enough..

 

[odst26]

I was a card-carrying member of the American Ghost Hunter Society for a few years.. in fact I was the area representative for Tampa Bay for two.

@jaxjags -That's something the AGHS beleives too. It's considered "separate" from the 'normal stuff", but they beleive it occassionally happens through what they call spirit vortexes. I've heard some great stories and suggestions regarding that stuff.

@Verona- I never got to see one of those, but I repeatedly got firsthand accounts from folks freaking out about them locally. Apparently there's a few colors they come in, and the colors can change in mid-flight. At first they were generally dismissed as Ball lightning, but I'll suggest that some of the accounts were pretty beleivable. Some mediums suggest that the colors indicate mood, but I'm kinda' "iffy" on my belief in SOME mediums, who claim it's the same thing as a person's aura. I've had them described as softball sized to bowling ball sized, though one old guy told me he'd encountered one that was a foot across. My own research led me to think these were pretty likely to be real, but of course not all reported sightings are real.. so it's hard (if not impossible) to make more than "broad" statements regarding them.

@BlacRose- Heh.. I NEVER managed to beleive in camera Orbs. I can give you a list of hundreds of reasons why they're "nothing" and can explain them away left and right.. All except for one, and it was my own photograph taken of a Roof of an old building at the bottom of a drained lake where bodies used to be dumped, rather than buried.. in Florida at the town that's full of Psychics, while on a ghost tour. The damn thing is perfect, HUGE, and had no reason to be there at all. I took the picture when I "felt something" and had felt kinda' silly as soon as I'd done it. It wasn't until I took the film to be developed that it showed up. Heh.. right after a big break-up with the guy that runs those tours.. go figure.

Hunters in general.. I dunno'.. some mean well but most have no kind of training, and as a result, are totally undisciplined and unaware of how their instruments work, and what's TRULY an "odd reading" and what's to be expected. There's also no consistency to reports, and typically nothing is documented properly, clear conditions aren't met, etc. I've had reports back from folks that drank during investigations to "open themselves to the spirit world" and left broken bottles and stuff all over the place. Heck, I've had folks claim up and down that they had evidence of spiritual activity based on (an admittedly odd) photgraphs of cigarette smoke.. from MY cigarette, and swear up and down that noone was smoking in the area the photo was taken.

The ones that claim to be psychic? I dunno'.. the folks I've had reason to beleive were psychic definately weren't ghosthunters.

Anyways.. maybe I'll do storytime later too.. I don't have a lot of personal experiences, but I have a few.. just nothing visual though.. oddly enough..

you said a mouth full

 

[mooseguy04]

Of course everything can be faked, but at least Ghost Hunters go into an investigation trying to disprove everything. They only accept evidence that they can't explain of re-create. This season has been especially good, but I don't see any of the clips on YouTube yet.

yeah, just saying its real and promising its real won't really cut it. Ghost hunters do try to disprove it scientifically, like Mythbusters, and that makes it seem more realistic. As for the video, a dude with tons of time can easily make that with sp'effects, i mean just look at all of the horror movies! Do you think they actually film all of the $#!T for real in them? No, they just digitally create and insert them, which is what I believe is in this video.

As for believing, I believe in spiritual apparitions, like demons and angels, but not ghosts.

 

[Sean Bradley]

@ Deadguy and Vexona: What you're both describing sounds an awful lot like meteorological plasma, or ball lightning. Heh.. I know thats what all the naysayers blame, but I've seen some video online of plasma balls dispersing from a supercell storm, and they behave and look almost exactly how you described the orb that Vex saw. They're known to pass through buildings without harming anything. Last year my wife saw one pass through the print shop she works at during a thunderstorm, right in front of her and 3 other witnesses.

Of course it isn't always attributed to storms, in Thailand they form and rise out of the Mekong river.

I'm trying to hunt down the video with no luck.. it's probably bookmarked at home. If I find it, I'll post it up here. It's pretty creepy.

Anyhow what you saw is just as rare and creepy, if in fact this is what it was.

 

[odst26]

yeah, just saying its real and promising its real won't really cut it. Ghost hunters do try to disprove it scientifically, like Mythbusters, and that makes it seem more realistic. As for the video, a dude with tons of time can easily make that with sp'effects, i mean just look at all of the horror movies! Do you think they actually film all of the $#!T for real in them? No, they just digitally create and insert them, which is what I believe is in this video.

As for believing, I believe in spiritual apparitions, like demons and angels, but not ghosts.

i agree

 

[leegrisham]

Is this plasma ball anything like st elmo's fire?

 

[Sean Bradley]

Yeah, St Elmo's Fire is another name for naturally occuring plasma.

It's strange that there really isn't more known about natural plasma, I suspecting because it's so rare. It's just strange to think that it's scientifically acknowledged, but if you look it up, you're likely to see more woodcuts than photos in the description.. like it's some kind of old myth.

 

[CPU64]

LoL.
That video is seriously a joke. I looked with hopes that you had provided something serious... Everyone of those are easily hoaxed given minor preparation.
I do not believe and will not believe until I experience. I do find this stuff interesting though - that's why I watched the video - but I was disappointed the effects weren't even good.
I agree with CPU on the human spirit and sure demons are real but they haven't interacted with humans "directly" since the days of Christ in my belief.
Neither this video nor any show/movie makes me believe anymore.

Edit: Added "directly"

I wouldn't be so sure about that... There are people still today that do extremely violent things to others. And these are people who friends and family would never expect out of them.
On our own, I don't think we would be capable of doing thins like killing someone, cutting them up into sections and drive to different places to scatter the parts.
I know I could NEVER do something like that.
It takes some external force for that to happen, and I'm sure demons, and multi-demons like Legion, which we see in the Bible, must be present around us trying their best to destroy people's lives.

 

[Deadguy]

Yeah, St Elmo's Fire is another name for naturally occuring plasma.

It's strange that there really isn't more known about natural plasma, I suspecting because it's so rare. It's just strange to think that it's scientifically acknowledged, but if you look it up, you're likely to see more woodcuts than photos in the description.. like it's some kind of old myth.

Check out the sky in the Halo 3 level "Blackout"... I thought that's what "St. Elmo's Fire" was.. you know, the "Northern Lights" thingy with the name that I can't remember.. Aureola mm...mmMe,.. Meningitus? Borialis!

Aureola Borialius.. err.. I think.

 

[leegrisham]

I wouldn't be so sure about that... There are people still today that do extremely violent things to others. And these are people who friends and family would never expect out of them.
On our own, I don't think we would be capable of doing thins like killing someone, cutting them up into sections and drive to different places to scatter the parts.
I know I could NEVER do something like that.
It takes some external force for that to happen, and I'm sure demons, and multi-demons like Legion, which we see in the Bible, must be present around us trying their best to destroy people's lives.

I have to disagree with that.
I don't believe that people are controlled by some outwardly - specifically in this case supernatural or spiritual beings.
The battle is being fought over souls but not by forcing a person against their will to commit horrible acts. If it were true that you can loose control of yourself to another power then how can you have any hope to do the right thing?
Anytime you were faced with an opportunity a demon would just overpower you and send you on a path of evil.
No, sir, I believe that acts we commit are acts we intended to commit - aside from people who are not in sound mind. If someone kill someone or chops them up or whatever it's because they had the (insert proper word here) to commit that in the first place.
Could you or I do that - Yes it is possible - Would you or I do that - We say no because thinking about that act is sickening and deplorable to us. We see the horror and evil in that - however some people don't and that is obvious through actions of people throughout this world.
"must be present around us trying their best to destroy people's lives." Sure - providing you with temptation and allure to commit evil but not forcing it upon or controlling you to do so.
What causes people then to commit such things? I don't know nature, nurture, crazy (in the literal since), demented... I don't know but I do not agree that it is demons.

Sorry that is somewhat off topic but I wanted to respond with my belief as CPU posted his.
I don't mind discussion of this kind as long as it stays civil and respectable but rarely does this kind of stuff stay so.
Plus seeing as how this is a costuming forum I don't think it appropriate. I am unsure on how long this topic will be alive.

EDIT:
Deadguy just google st elmo's fire - tis not northern lights - it is weather phenomena just like mentioned

 

[Vexona]

@ Deadguy and Vexona: What you're both describing sounds an awful lot like meteorological plasma, or ball lightning. Heh.. I know thats what all the naysayers blame, but I've seen some video online of plasma balls dispersing from a supercell storm, and they behave and look almost exactly how you described the orb that Vex saw. They're known to pass through buildings without harming anything. Last year my wife saw one pass through the print shop she works at during a thunderstorm, right in front of her and 3 other witnesses.

Of course it isn't always attributed to storms, in Thailand they form and rise out of the Mekong river.

I'm trying to hunt down the video with no luck.. it's probably bookmarked at home. If I find it, I'll post it up here. It's pretty creepy.

Anyhow what you saw is just as rare and creepy, if in fact this is what it was.

Yeah I can see why it would be a good natural explanation. I've heard of ball lighting and plasma before. Those are strange phenomena and there are certainly likenesses to what I saw.

The thing that has lead me to think it wasn't lighting was that it had been incredibly good weather for the days surrounding the event. It was very sunny, complete w/ those puffy white cumulus clouds in the sky. Just a nice summer day really.

I first noticed the ball about midway through the living room and it bounced rather gingerly and passed through around where the front door was. As it passed, it came in rather close proximity to me. I was sitting on the couch so it was probably within 2-3 feet at it's closest. I would have expected some harm or sensation to come to me if it had been electrical. The orange glowed very brightly but it had a soft edge to it. It didn't seem to have any arcing or sparks. It held that soft ball shape the entire time.

Like you said, whatever it was, it stands to me as being very unique and rare to witness.

 

[grntpwnr89]

ya its creepy but me and my brother and some friends go ghost huting everyonce in a while and man its creepy
we have heard stuff and seen it i remember once we were in a grave yard and it went from 50 degrees down to 30
in about 2-3 seconds and there was no wind and then we trook a recoding and we heard talking otherthan our own so its a very real but you kindof have to be sympathetical for them honestly they are trapped in a rotting world and cant leave their domain and i just feel sorry for them

 

[odst26]

ya its creepy but me and my brother and some friends go ghost huting everyonce in a while and man its creepy
we have heard stuff and seen it i remember once we were in a grave yard and it went from 50 degrees down to 30
in about 2-3 seconds and there was no wind and then we trook a recoding and we heard talking otherthan our own so its a very real but you kindof have to be sympathetical for them honestly they are trapped in a rotting world and cant leave their domain and i just feel sorry for them

i feel sorry for them until they start throwing things, and try to harm people then im like screw it im not getting near them

 

[SPARTAN430]

I have an encounter. Ok, after watching the movie "White Noise" It tells you how you can communicate with ghosts in areas you think presently have a presence. Ok, well, at work, we use walkie talkies to communicate, well I noticed in one apartments laundry room (and only this one) my walkie talkie went haywire, so I thought maybe the energy from a spirit is interfering with my radio. So me and a friend went to the room with a voice recorder, and a button on my radio made like a *shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh* noise (we needed a back noise) so we started recording, and I pressed that button to make the noise, and my friend asked "If there is a presence here, please state your name" {The video said, wait 2-5 minutes for a response} We physically heard nothing after about 4 mins, so we stopped recording, but while playing it back, after about two mins after the question we heard a faint female voice say "my name is maggie" and we shat ourselves, and my friend hopped on the washing machine and asked to himself "I wonder how she died..." and I replied with "I dont know.." and when we asked what her age was..and our response sounded like "Black Ice" we were confused... Age + Black Ice = ? but then I was like "Dude! You asked how she died, so she answered" and at that point we got soooo freaked out, we stopped.

But this is where I'm confused, as a Christian, I was told that when dead, you were to be put in Heaven or Hell depending on your behavior on Earth. Well, whats the deal with ghosts? Are they spirits yet to be decided? Why are they trapped on Earth and not in Heaven or Hell?

 

[AoBfrost]

Anything on camera can be faked. Any interviewed people could be easily paid to say whatever they say on camera. This is just like UFO's real or not. People can fake a UFO video, have it on the news a week later, then years later they find out it truly was fake because of some clever video effect or trick.

For years people video taped "UFOs" which moved quickly in a odd pattern, turned out it's a old camera pointed at the full moon, and the camera is shaken. The colors get all distorted and it looks like a flying saucer. Same tricks or edits on PC can be done to a video about ghost too.

 

[Nicktendo]

I've skimmed through this thread, but stories typed online aren't very convincing. And as everyone is pointing out, videos and pictures are easily faked.

I've never had a personal experience, but I have been told by people I trust undoubtedly that they have seen and heard things that are unexplainable. So to me, that's what they are. Unexplainable. It's creepy, and scary, but it's still unexplainable. Unless the voice specifically explains what they are and why they're there, it'll remain unexplainable. I turn to logic to explain things, and if logic can't do it, I don't make assumptions. Assumptions are just as soon proven false as true.

TL;DR, "I dunno"

 

[mooseguy04]

Anything on camera can be faked. Any interviewed people could be easily paid to say whatever they say on camera. This is just like UFO's real or not. People can fake a UFO video, have it on the news a week later, then years later they find out it truly was fake because of some clever video effect or trick.

For years people video taped "UFOs" which moved quickly in a odd pattern, turned out it's a old camera pointed at the full moon, and the camera is shaken. The colors get all distorted and it looks like a flying saucer. Same tricks or edits on PC can be done to a video about ghost too.

exactly what i was saying

 

[thechoochman528]

I was pushed by something that i could not see... my friends house is haunted and i spent the night there a few times. I never really believed him.

It was the strangest feeling in my entire life, it paralyzed my lungs as well, which ment i couldn't force any air out to yell for help. Not like anyone could do anything.

Felt like i was pushed from within like repulsion when you take to like poles of magnets and try and put them togethor.

After that happend i just stayed there up against the wall taking in the whole situation...then i said ...eh that's that i wasn't hurt or anything so i went about my business.

 

[mooseguy04]

I was pushed by something that i could not see... my friends house is haunted and i spent the night there a few times. I never really believed him.

It was the strangest feeling in my entire life, it paralyzed my lungs as well, which ment i couldn't force any air out to yell for help. Not like anyone could do anything.

Felt like i was pushed from within like repulsion when you take to like poles of magnets and try and put them togethor.

After that happend i just stayed there up against the wall taking in the whole situation...then i said ...eh that's that i wasn't hurt or anything so i went about my business.

maybe you got the wind kicked out of you?