was this a ghost ?

Person_one

Tropez wrote: »

But I could argue there has been an equally disparaging and patronising tone towards those who do not believe.

Indeed, apparently we just need to experience something as definitive as a door blowing shut or BT testing the phone lines and we'll 'see the light', until then we can be dismissed out of hand!

aliasojo

Tropez wrote: »

But I could argue there has been an equally disparaging and patronising tone towards those who do not believe.

Needless to say I disagree.

Especially with regards to the word 'equally'.

meritaten

Tropez wrote: »

One or two sceptics may have been unnecessarily aggressive but certainly not the majority.

As for explaining things away, why not? If people's sensibilities are put so out of whack because somebody dare offer a scientific explanation for an experience then perhaps they should not be on a discussion forum talking about it?

People are always going to believe whatever they want to believe; if they change their minds because of something they read here then their belief wasn't very strong in the first place.

Are there not people here trying to disprove those who prefer to look to science for explanations? Those using the cliched "when it happens to you..." line, for example.

It goes both ways. No need to feel sorry for anybody.

Tropez - its not that believers in ghosts wont listen to a 'scientific' explanation, very often its a relief to know that there is one! Its the extremely patronising and indeed INSULTING tone of some of the posters!

skypie123_2

No-body on here is trying to make money from the bereaved.
A few people on here are sharing their experiences. Things that have happened to them.
I don't see any of those people needing to prove to those who don't believe. Like I said believe what you like. Not everything can be explained away with science.
But just because someone believes something that might be a little off the beaten track to some of you, it doesn't mean they need to justify themselves to you or prove what they know. Any more than you should need to prove to them that they are 'wrong'.
I don't care what you believe, just as I'm sure you don't care what I believe. No-one is trying to change anyones mind.

globetraveller

warehouse wrote: »

Wow, how arrogant.

I also have a story to tell of something that happened to me, something that terrified me so much that I still think about it regularly over 10 years later. I won't tell it here because of utter ****s like you.

Arrogant was the word I was thinking of too. Nobody can tell me I didn't see a ghost. I saw the same one several times. She was always watching over me. ( I was a teenager at the time). She was wearing a long white gown funnily enough. A little research later and we found a young girl died in our house at the beginning of the 20th century. I think I was in her bedroom and she was watching over me. I was never scared.
Not so nice, but I knew my gran was about to die. I had a sudden urge to visit her in the middle of the week. She died a couple of days later- and she hadn't been ill before that.
I took a lot of ribbing over my ghost but I knew what I'd seen.
I have to admit that if I hadnt seen a ghost I would probably have been sceptical if anyone said they had seen a ghost to me. I wouldn't have insisted though that they hadn't and that I knew better than them.

aliasojo

Person_one wrote: »

The thing is, most 'skeptics' would be more than happy to adjust their views if against all odds some compelling evidence was found for the existence of ghosts.

After all, what would be better than having a loved one visit and say "I'm fine, I'm in a good place and we'll see each other again one day." its an incredibly comforting thought, that's the appeal and that's how so many con artists make their money from the bereaved.

I understand your thoughts. I think maybe the difference between us lies in what we need as proof?

I'm of the belief that there is presently nothing that can firm my decision to believe or disbelieve so I choose to stay on the fence.

Others are happy to form a decision based on criteria that is acceptable to them.

I just think it's wrong for people to disparage (notice that's my word for tonight, lol) people or the beliefs they have, whatever side they fall on.

raven83

Person_one wrote: »

You have to wonder why the old house is so often the first port of call. I can think of about a million places I'd rather go if I was suddenly a supernatural being.

alot of people when they die the spirit goes to the place that has the most memoires for them thats why they often go back to houses they lived in for a long time etc, then once they gone back they are ready to leave and go wherever they want, people often get spirits and ghosts mixed up, a spirit is a soul that is not confinded to one place but may visit at different times and places, a ghost is a spirit that cannot move on and quite often dont realised they have passed on and need setting free thats what hauntings are. but anyway people are entitilted to there own opinions, ive always believed and always will but each to their own:)

Person_one

raven83 wrote: »

alot of people when they die the spirit goes to the place that has the most memoires for them thats why they often go back to houses they lived in for a long time etc, then once they gone back they are ready to leave and go wherever they want, people often get spirits and ghosts mixed up, a spirit is a soul that is not confinded to one place but may visit at different times and places, a ghost is a spirit that cannot move on and quite often dont realised they have passed on and need setting free thats what hauntings are.

How do you know all this?

globetraveller

jackieb wrote: »

I really wanted to put a bit in the local paper to ask if anyone else had experienced anything in the street that my sister and myself had - but i'm far too scared i'll be pointed and laughed at when i'm out. :rotfl:

I know what you mean. My childhood house is up for sale just now and I would really like to speak to the owners to see if they had seen anything. But I can't summon up the courage!

Tropez

meritaten wrote: »

Tropez - its not that believers in ghosts wont listen to a 'scientific' explanation, very often its a relief to know that there is one! Its the extremely patronising and indeed INSULTING tone of some of the posters!

And as I say, I think some of the believers have also been patronising and insulting as well.

People have been called narrow/closed minded several times, including on one occasion when they were stating historical, proven fact (that wasn't even related to ghosts!).

People have been told that "when [they] experience it" they will change their minds which is blatantly patronising and a way of saying "you're wrong" without providing any real evidence to back it up.

Being told that people "feel sorry" for us as if we're delusional.

There's been a patronising tone in several posts, including one poster who amongst his mish-mash of scientific misunderstanding said he "got to laugh" at people proposing scientific explanations, and another who accused us all of living in a "black and white" world.

I'll quite accept one or two people have been aggressive in the way that they have stated their opinions but no matter which side of the fence you sit on there's been patronising, disparaging and insulting behaviour from the other.