Who believes in spooks- not talking about obama

[Chris_]

I believe it because I've spoken to a few sane people who've experienced it. I also watch Ghost shows on TV and I believe it. My Dad had surgery a couple of years before he died, and during that surgery he said he died on the table and saw the Doctors working on him, I worked at the Hospital at that time and I was working when he was on the Operating Room table and his PCP was paged stat to the OR, when my Dad woke-up in the Recovery Room he was terrified, he told us what happened but my Mom and I didn't believe it, at that time people never spoke about those things. My Father was sane, didn't believe in things like that at all but he believed it after his experience, and when he had to have a Hernia repaired about a year later he refused to go under General Anesthesia and would only have a local Anesthetic, the Surgeon agreed to it and was amazed that my father was able to handle that.

I've heard similar things from people.  About dying and being able to watch what the doctors are doing for you.  It's crazy.  I don't know who wouldn't be terrified after experiencing that.

[Reality vs DU]

I don't know really.  I mean, maybe you can be reincarnated to an animal and vice-versa. 

So I could have been a salmon at one point?  Then a wasp after that and now finally a human?  Maybe then when I die I could become a vulture and then a fire bellied toad and maybe some day back to human again?  Does it ever end?

I appreciate you replying but we need to dig into the details.

[Chris_]

I wouldn't personally know if you can go from insect, to rodent, to bird, to human, to whatever else.  It's just something I believe in.  Even if one was reincarnated, I don't think you will remember much of your past life/lives. 

I really hope you're not making fun of my beliefs in a cover up kind of way.

[Ballygrl]

I've heard similar things from people.  About dying and being able to watch what the doctors are doing for you.  It's crazy.  I don't know who wouldn't be terrified after experiencing that.

The weird thing is, in interviews I've read of people who experienced it? they said it was a beautiful feeling, no idea why my Father's reaction was so unlike theirs.

[terry]

I'm not sure it's something that can be explained.  I think you either experience it or you don't.  If you don't, I don't think any one can explain why you don't.

Can anyone explain what love is to someone who has never experienced it?  Do we deny that love exists?

I have experienced things that I could never explain or prove to someone who has not experienced them.  There's nothing I can do about that. 

I'm sure others have experienced things that I have not experienced and that cannot be 'proven' to me.  I don't deny that whatever they experienced is real. 

Many people say they have seen or experienced a connection with someone who has died.  The people who theorize that those experiences are hallucinations or the product of a grieving and possibly injured or damaged mind have no more evidence for their theory than those who theorize that the person who physically died still exists and is able to make a connection with those who have not died.

I have had many experiences that I can't explain.  There's alot we don't know and can't explain.

I know we're trying to stay away from religion but I'm going to go there anyway. 

I can no more deny the existence of God than I can the existence of my living breathing son.  It's someone I have a relationship with and experience every day.  Can I prove it to others? Nope.  Does that make a difference to me?  not really.

Can I prove that I love my family?  Not really.  I can provide evidence, but I can't really prove it.  There could always be other reasons for any evidence that I might offer.  Does it make a difference to me, that I can't prove it to someone who hasn't experienced it?  Not really.

I think it's rather closed minded to belittle or deny others' experiences.  I'm not saying anyone here is doing that, but there are many that do.

[soleil]

I have had several dreams that were so real that I had to convince myself they were not after I woke up. They all involved my dead brother. My mind is not so small to think that we can't have encounters like that.

[Chris_]

I swear I have ADHD, so my dreams are all sorts of wacky.  

But I did have a dream many years ago, I'd say maybe five years ago.  I was in Washington DC on a really hot day, some sort of big event was going on.  There were hundreds of thousands of people there.  There were a few of those canopy tents, blue ones, for the event where people could stay cool and out of the sun.

And then when I heard about 8/28 Restoring Honor event in Washington, it took me back to that dream that I had so long ago.  I don't know why that dream stuck out to me, but it always has.  It's like I am supposed to go there, but I can't because we're broke.

I tried to explain it to my husband, but he looked at me like I was weird and didn't really have a response.

You all can call me crazy too.

[Reality vs DU]

I believe it because I've spoken to a few sane people who've experienced it. I also watch Ghost shows on TV and I believe it. My Dad had surgery a couple of years before he died, and during that surgery he said he died on the table and saw the Doctors working on him, I worked at the Hospital at that time and I was working when he was on the Operating Room table and his PCP was paged stat to the OR, when my Dad woke-up in the Recovery Room he was terrified, he told us what happened but my Mom and I didn't believe it, at that time people never spoke about those things. My Father was sane, didn't believe in things like that at all but he believed it after his experience, and when he had to have a Hernia repaired about a year later he refused to go under General Anesthesia and would only have a local Anesthetic, the Surgeon agreed to it and was amazed that my father was able to handle that.

Which ghost shows have you seen on TV?  I have seen many myself and I do not believe in ghosts.  What I do get from shows like that is that with the right editing and such, you can make almost anything believable. 

Remember there is no contrary opinion offered for the whole duration of such shows.  Example, you wouldn't see a skeptic after every compelling scene give his/her opinion of why what you just saw is bullshit in an episode of ghost hunters.  I would equate it to a magic show, Blaine, Copperfield, neither are superhuman, all of what they do can be explained with logic thus eliminating the mystery. 


Well your dad's story is a good one, its also quite common.  Many people have similar type experiences when near death.  Anyway,I don't think we are really talking apples to apples with the above story vs. the existence or possible existence of ghosts.

Do we all get to be ghosts when we die?   

[Reality vs DU]

I wouldn't personally know if you can go from insect, to rodent, to bird, to human, to whatever else.  It's just something I believe in.  Even if one was reincarnated, I don't think you will remember much of your past life/lives. 

I really hope you're not making fun of my beliefs in a cover up kind of way.

I am not trust me.  I am not disrespectful of someone else's beliefs.  However, as I said, I am surprised that adults believe in ghosts. 

Imagine if you had a 35 year old try to tell you that Santa is real? 

I'm simply pushing for details. I see these posts with generalities such as your statement above that you don't remember much of your past life.  Three questions immediately come to mind from that one sentence.

Hopefully I will get time tomorrow to continue with this, it is interesting.  I see with you and other posters, I have my work cut out for me.  Great, I like civil debate.  Goodnight.      
   

[Chris_]

I don't think you are supposed to remember your past life. 

Believing in Santa and spirits are two totally different things.  Santa is a fictional character for children.  Ghosts were once living beings who have passed. 

I stopped believing in Santa at an early age because he had the same handwriting as my mom.

[debk]

I am not trust me.  I am not disrespectful of someone else's beliefs.  However, as I said, I am surprised that adults believe in ghosts. 

Imagine if you had a 35 year old try to tell you that Santa is real? 

I'm simply pushing for details. I see these posts with generalities such as your statement above that you don't remember much of your past life.  Three questions immediately come to mind from that one sentence.

Hopefully I will get time tomorrow to continue with this, it is interesting.  I see with you and other posters, I have my work cut out for me.  Great, I like civil debate.  Goodnight.      
   

I'm almost 58 years old.

I believe in ghosts, I don't watch "ghost" shows, of any type.

I believe in re-incarnation, but I don't think we actually remember our past lives, except sometimes a memory may surface into our minds that make us think this has happened before or we already know the outcome.

I think mediums are scary. I have never gone to one, nor will ever go to one, nor do I watch them on tv or read books about them.

I think magic is creepy. I hate magic shows and won't go to them.

I believe in God. Why? because He was standing at the foot of my hospital bed sometime between 4 and 9 days  days after my 13th birthday, telling me He had come to get me. Oh and no, ...I was not "dead" at the time, but I did have The Last Rites 3 times within a 5 day period of time, before the doctors decided to put me back together, because I might live.  I know HE exists.

And, I do believe in Santa.


I also think that for you to say "you have your work cut out for you" is highly condescending.

[Reality vs DU]

I have had several dreams that were so real that I had to convince myself they were not after I woke up. They all involved my dead brother. My mind is not so small to think that we can't have encounters like that.

A dream is not an encounter.  A dream is just a dream.  Of course you will have dreams about your dead brother, you knew him!  Would you call it an "encounter" if you thought of him while you were awake?  What difference does it make if you are sleeping?

And what's with the small mind thing?

[Reality vs DU]

I don't think you are supposed to remember your past life. 

Believing in Santa and spirits are two totally different things.  Santa is a fictional character for children.  Ghosts were once living beings who have passed. 

I stopped believing in Santa at an early age because he had the same handwriting as my mom.

How do you know ghosts were once living beings that have passed?  The way it's stated above is that it is fact.

I was told that I questioned Santa at a very early age as well.  For different reasons though, it made no frikkin sense.

[Reality vs DU]

I'm almost 58 years old.

I believe in ghosts, I don't watch "ghost" shows, of any type.

I believe in re-incarnation, but I don't think we actually remember our past lives, except sometimes a memory may surface into our minds that make us think this has happened before or we already know the outcome.

I think mediums are scary. I have never gone to one, nor will ever go to one, nor do I watch them on tv or read books about them.

I think magic is creepy. I hate magic shows and won't go to them.

I believe in God. Why? because He was standing at the foot of my hospital bed sometime between 4 and 9 days  days after my 13th birthday, telling me He had come to get me. Oh and no, ...I was not "dead" at the time, but I did have The Last Rites 3 times within a 5 day period of time, before the doctors decided to put me back together, because I might live.  I know HE exists.

And, I do believe in Santa.


I also think that for you to say "you have your work cut out for you" is highly condescending.

Deb,

My post was in no way condescending.  I said I have my work cut out for me because I am getting responses from a few different CCers at once. 

What evidence is there for re-incarnation or ghosts or Santa? 

What is scary about a medium other than the fact that they are frauds?

What is creepy about magic?  Magicians are simply masters of illusion and nothing more.   

[Ballygrl]

Which ghost shows have you seen on TV?  I have seen many myself and I do not believe in ghosts.  What I do get from shows like that is that with the right editing and such, you can make almost anything believable. 

Remember there is no contrary opinion offered for the whole duration of such shows.  Example, you wouldn't see a skeptic after every compelling scene give his/her opinion of why what you just saw is bullshit in an episode of ghost hunters.  I would equate it to a magic show, Blaine, Copperfield, neither are superhuman, all of what they do can be explained with logic thus eliminating the mystery. 


Well your dad's story is a good one, its also quite common.  Many people have similar type experiences when near death.  Anyway,I don't think we are really talking apples to apples with the above story vs. the existence or possible existence of ghosts.

Do we all get to be ghosts when we die?

I love Ghost Adventures and Paranormal State, I also love reading something called Weird NJ and Weird US. As far as Ghosts go? the most common thing I've heard people say is Ghosts don't realize they're gone, they're kind of stuck, and it seems to happen more to people who are killed rather then people who've had an illness.

[vesta111]

Most world  religious believers have some form of belief in a type of reincarnation.

Myself, I believe now and have since the early 70's that the reincarnation all faiths seem to believe in is the result of DNA that links people back to the stone age.

The very people that POO-POO reincarnation will be the first to point out a natural born talent of themselves or children and call it an inherited trait from some long dead family member.  What is the difference between an inherited ability and one from some form of reincarnation ?

EXAMPLE--

These kids are everywhere on earth, children at the age of 3  that see a piano for the first time and allowed to play with it for a month soon play better then those that studied it for 30 years.

When the Bible speaks of everlasting life, it may not mean literally but the DNA keeps that persons essence alive as long as there are future generations to pass on the DNA, Genes. whatever.    

Some people believe in Guarding Angles, Fate, Precognitions.  Ask them if they believe in Ghosts ,evil or good spirits  they look at you like you are crazy.  If you mention the hundreds of times the Bible mentions spirits both old and new Testaments, they just shrug, go to church and worship the Holy Ghost.

Please be aware that it was not that long ago that some scientists suggested that people did not become ill from evil spirits but from something that we could not see, could not feel but lived on everyones body,. This idea caused an uproar and plenty of fist fights among Doctors and world greatest Scientists of the time.

The out cry at the time  for this insane idea was  " Prove It" Then a decade later when the technology invented the microscope it took longer to convince people that refused to believe their lying eyes.

If you think this is a thing of the past next time you visit your doctor watch them, have they washed their hands before touching you,  When you get a blood test and have to lay your arm on a table to have your blood brawn, when was the last time that table was sanitized.---Off topic sorry my pet peeve about hospital infections.

It was just a few years ago that I went to Baptist healing service where the Pastor anointed the ill with olive oil, placed their hands on the area that was diseased and Demanded the Evil spirit to  " Come Out in the name of Jesus."

Ghosts, Spirits, good and bad, all have a Root in the Human Condition.

How do we humans work, be it dead or alive .?

[AllosaursRus]

Ever hear of the "God Helmet"?

Just saw a rerun on the Science channel. A respected prof in study of the brain has invented a helmet to stimulate certain parts of the brain not normally stimulated unless in some kind of dream state.

He basically putts you into a comfy chair or sofa, puts this helmet on you and leaves you alone without interfering stimulus. After a while, patients, read guinea pigs, swear they have a "God" moment much like a prophet I guess is the best way to explain it.

It is his theory with the right stimulus the brain will take us into some kind of awareness that the person experiencing it, equates it to experiencing a "religious" phenomenon.

Just sayin....... He believes it would explain guys like Moses or Noah or perhaps those that see ghosts, experience hypnotism, etc.

[terry]

Ever hear of the "God Helmet"?

Just saw a rerun on the Science channel. A respected prof in study of the brain has invented a helmet to stimulate certain parts of the brain not normally stimulated unless in some kind of dream state.

He basically putts you into a comfy chair or sofa, puts this helmet on you and leaves you alone without interfering stimulus. After a while, patients, read guinea pigs, swear they have a "God" moment much like a prophet I guess is the best way to explain it.

It is his theory with the right stimulus the brain will take us into some kind of awareness that the person experiencing it, equates it to experiencing a "religious" phenomenon.

Just sayin....... He believes it would explain guys like Moses or Noah or perhaps those that see ghosts, experience hypnotism, etc.

It's possible this guy may have found a part of the brain that get stimulated when someone is having a religious experience and maybe he can make someone think they are having a religious experience when they are not.  Some say chocolate stimulates the brain in a way similar to being in love.  Does that mean that love doesn't exist?  Is love only about chemical reactions in the brain?

Maybe this guy didn't find 'why' of Moses or Noah's experience, maybe he just found a method.

[Karin]

Reality, obviously you're not going to get a satisfactory answer about how the "ghost system" works.  There are things in this life we just don't know.  To think we know everything is pretty arrogant, don't you think? 

There have been too many encounters with the supernatural just to dismiss it out of hand.  My own ghost grabbed my stepdaughters arms and left hand marks (didn't approve of her dancing, I guess).  She kissed my husband full on the lips. 

[vesta111]

Ever hear of the "God Helmet"?

Just saw a rerun on the Science channel. A respected prof in study of the brain has invented a helmet to stimulate certain parts of the brain not normally stimulated unless in some kind of dream state.

He basically putts you into a comfy chair or sofa, puts this helmet on you and leaves you alone without interfering stimulus. After a while, patients, read guinea pigs, swear they have a "God" moment much like a prophet I guess is the best way to explain it.

It is his theory with the right stimulus the brain will take us into some kind of awareness that the person experiencing it, equates it to experiencing a "religious" phenomenon.

Just sayin....... He believes it would explain guys like Moses or Noah or perhaps those that see ghosts, experience hypnotism, etc.

Allo you do bring back memory's.

For years after the WW2 the scientists of Germany were absorbed into America.

As a kid I met one when I went with my Dad to the Sub base in New London Conn.

Dad was on shore duty at the time and somehow met this Ex U boat Captain that also happend to be a scientist of some sort.  The German told my Dad how he had laid off the harbor in Kittery Maine to watch through the parascope the goings on,  and all down the east coast at every harbor as far south as Charleston SC.

For some reason Dad got permission to bring me into this Lab they had at that time on the base, sometime in the 50's.     Perhaps Dad did not have permission and brought me in anyway.

 Anyway, I have one memory from that visit that stands out, We walked down a hall that naturally was painted gray until we came to an area that had young Chimps in them.    These monkeys 3 of them had glass bubbles on their heads and were just sitting there like zombies.

Someone came in and after talking to my dad asked me if I wanted to see something really fun.

This person then dropped food of some kind into the cage and the Chimps ignored it.  This man then flipped a few switches on the wall and the monkeys suddenly came alive, they fought for the food, another flip of the toggle switch and ---back they went sitting with eyes looking at nothing.

On the way home my Dad told me that had we not won the war these experiments would have gone on to the Jews in Germany.

Parents just do not know the capacity for their children to remember things as young a 2-3 years old if they are traumatic enough.

It was only as a teen that I brought all this back to my Dad.     Dad had retired after 22 years and was very protective of his retirement.

For the rest of his life anytime I asked about this experience he would pat me on the head and tell me I must have dreamed that.  He did admit he had known an ex-U-boat captain but until the day he died denied any of my memory's were real.

Interesting side note one thing he and a friend to back him up told of an experiment that took a dog, operated on it and gave the dog Gill's.  The dog lived in a tank of water like a fish for over a month.

At the end of the experiment the dog was to disposed of but Dads friend suggested  they attempt to find out if the operation could be reversed.  This was done successfully and the dog went home with dads friend and lived another 8 years as a family pet.

Allo I am off to do a search under that mans name to see if I can prove this story.

[soleil]

A dream is not an encounter.  A dream is just a dream.  Of course you will have dreams about your dead brother, you knew him!  Would you call it an "encounter" if you thought of him while you were awake?  What difference does it make if you are sleeping?

And what's with the small mind thing?

The small minds thing is not about you directly. There is so much we don't know. And so much can't be proven one way of the other.

And I believe it was and encounter even though it was a dream. God works through our dreams, and I believe God was letting me communicate with my brother.

[Tucker]

The small minds thing is not about you directly. There is so much we don't know. And so much can't be proven one way of the other.

And I believe it was and encounter even though it was a dream. God works through our dreams, and I believe God was letting me communicate with my brother.

I see why you didn't fit in at DU. They don't understand the concept of faith.

[AllosaursRus]

It's possible this guy may have found a part of the brain that get stimulated when someone is having a religious experience and maybe he can make someone think they are having a religious experience when they are not.  Some say chocolate stimulates the brain in a way similar to being in love.  Does that mean that love doesn't exist?  Is love only about chemical reactions in the brain?

Maybe this guy didn't find 'why' of Moses or Noah's experience, maybe he just found a method.

Actually, that is pretty much my take on it too. I find it fascinating this guy might have stumbled onto a method in order to talk or at least share an experience with the Creator!

Think about it! When God wishes to converse or communicate with us heathens, he stimulates the part of us this guy is tryin' to duplicate! Heavy stuff! Best way I know to 'splain it!

What's more, what if it works??????

[Randy]

[vesta111]

Actually, that is pretty much my take on it too. I find it fascinating this guy might have stumbled onto a method in order to talk or at least share an experience with the Creator!

Think about it! When God wishes to converse or communicate with us heathens, he stimulates the part of us this guy is tryin' to duplicate! Heavy stuff! Best way I know to 'splain it!

What's more, what if it works??????

Allo, we were given free will by our Creator, now if a way can be found to stimulate the human brain to remove that free will as was done to the monkeys I saw, does that mean  the humans that can do this are now more powerful then God.?

I have been thinking about this ever since my daughter spent almost 2 weeks in a coma.     Where the heck did she go in her mind while totally unresponsive to pain or the life around her.?    Why did the amount of ammonia in her system shut down all but her brain stem keeping her automatic life functions still working.?

We humans do so want to know God, want to believe we can communicate with God.  Allows us to place ourselves just one step from the power of God.

We Pray. Beg, and try to Barter with God, for our personal needs, fears or very life.

In order to get the attention of God we sing, dance give God sacrifices of animals and humans trying to Please God. As Cain found out, God is none too happy with being given a radish, better a dove or sheep, it is the Blood God wants.

Ever notice in a pet store that when looking at a tank of identical fish that one or 2 get our attention because they may have an odd spot different from the others.?

Humans have followed the idea of making themselves stand out to the Gods from all other humans.  Humans pierce their body's, get tattoos, wear talisman to draw Gods attention and on the reverse keep Evil away.

We also find ways to alter our conscious with drugs or actions as in the Dervishes that spun around until they fell down.   Self flagellation and all the pain is a cry to God to communicate that they are doing this to prove to God their devotion and stand by God, I may want to rewarded for my pain down the line, living or dead.

Some beat on drums, beat on Gongs, ring bells to get the attention of God.

There will come a time when mankind will take away the free will of the people, they will find ways to manipulate the brain to see, feel, hear things that are not there. This will be done under the guise of science, sound waves that affect even the deaf as the waves will reverberate through the body----As in breaking up gall stones or kidney stones using sound waves.  We know that some frequency's that we cannot hear do affect the brain, living near high tension electric lines or the problems people fought when the low frequency waves from the military grids were  built.

We know subliminal suggestion works, as does hypnoses and even the power of faith.