[themagicwand]

In my time I've seen several ghosts, at least one UFO, have dabbled in seances and the like, and have experienced one very haunted house. Therefore I believe that there are "things" out there that 21st century man does not fully understand as yet.

However I'm not daft enough to think that everyone shares my open-minded opinion. So a very serious question to all the skeptics out there - what would you have to see to convince you that there may be something to all this ghosty/ufo/spooky malarky afer all???

And just a thought: Many skeptics would have you believe that ghost sightings (to take one example) are merely tricks of the mind/light/overactive imagination etc. However the same accusation can be levelled back at the skeptic who sees something odd but convinces himself that it was just a trick of the mind/light/overactive imagination etc.

Comments?

[Jabberwocky]

In my time Ive worked in many haunted places, I used to ask to be placed there so I could see a ghost and I saw nothing. I moved to Leicestershire, to this house and Ive seen several things that I cant explain rationally, as have several visitors and my other half.

Ive found that its almost bred into people to extract the Micheal as soon as anything paranormal is mentioned, its as if society has drilled it into people-- until they see something for themselves, then they become one of the people who get made fun of.

I personally believe that we have LOTS to learn about the cosmos, we may think we`re full of knowledge, but so did the alchemists in distant history, I imagine that in a few hundred years time, the people will look back at us and laugh at how ignorant of the world we actually are.

[King Rat]

I personally think there is something like ghosts or spirits but not exactly sure what?
The problem with ghosts & UFO sightings is even though there are thousands of testimonials there is no proof or reliable evidence of their existence, so proving or disproving the existence of ghosts as true paranormal is extremely difficult.

[Thunzi]

I don’t believe in ghosts at all, I have no reason to believe they exist and any ‘evidence’ I’ve been shown is suspect at best. To start to believe in ghosts I would need one to appear right in front of me.

I don’t need to see a little green man however to believe that there are other life forms on other planets. The universe is simply too big for another planet not to have developed life. I wouldn’t have thought they appear anything like us though. I also don’t think they would fly out on ships and kidnap thousands of middle state Americans.

[blueaura]

"What Would You Have To See To Convince You?" It with my own eyes or irrefutable scientific evidence

I am however fairly open minded about aliens. It's highly probable that in a universe of almost infinite size there are other environments such as earth which can and do sustain some form of life.

[B133L3]

i believe in them and iv seen a few
i also think that them that don't believe wont see

[mojo1]

I've seen many posts by Jabberwocky and I'm still not convinced he exists.
I believe in many different things and always have. I think too many people have had supernatural experiences to completely discount the possibilities and besides, where would be the fun in a world without mysteries?

[fr8neck]

I've never had any experience of which the causality isn't within what is known of the laws of the physical universe.

I hope though that I've sense enough to see that what we know of the 'electromagnetic spectrum' (which, mostly, we cannot see, hear, taste, smell, or touch) is largely dependant upon that energy's interaction with metals.

There could easily be an entire universe of energy around us that we have no gadgets to recognize: if it doesn't interact with our common materials.

To answer the question: I'd need to interact with a ghost or similar under conditions that left no room in my mind for the possibility of self-delusion; chemically or magnetically induced hallucination; or misinterpretation of mundane phenomena.

[redrobbo]

I'm a sceptic. I do not believe in ghosts, poltergeists, fairies, leprechauns, Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, god, transubstantiation, life after death, reincarnation,or the paranormal - although I do sometimes wonder what did happen on the Marie Celeste?

[Ant]

Personally, I think I'd soil my pants if I saw this fella appear next to me in the queue for the chippy.

[mikey10]

i was once in bed. had a strange feeling there was someone behind me, turned, nobody there. turned over again then a woman whispered in my ear. made me almost jump to the ceiling. my young son was in bed with me. i got out and fainted, what a fairy!, then i came round and went down stairs, i fainted again. now that was spooky!

[StarSparkle]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

In my time Ive worked in many haunted places, I used to ask to be placed there so I could see a ghost and I saw nothing. I moved to Leicestershire, to this house and Ive seen several things that I cant explain rationally, as have several visitors and my other half.

Ive found that its almost bred into people to extract the Micheal as soon as anything paranormal is mentioned, its as if society has drilled it into people-- until they see something for themselves, then they become one of the people who get made fun of.

I personally believe that we have LOTS to learn about the cosmos, we may think we`re full of knowledge, but so did the alchemists in distant history, I imagine that in a few hundred years time, the people will look back at us and laugh at how ignorant of the world we actually are.

That's exactly what I was going to say. Most people won't believe unusual things unless/until they see them with their own eyes.

Excellent post, Jabbers. Incidentally, I'm reading a lot about alchemy at the moment - it's a fascinating, absorbing subject.

StarSparkle

[Sierra]

I would never have believed that the seemingly sweet old lady on the corner was doing the awful things her next door neighbor said she was. Until I was emptying the trash early one morning, and happened to look up just in time to see her splashing pool chemicals on her neighbor's grass.

Besides being extremely harsh, pool chemicals are meant to be dissolved in water. They cause brown spots on lawns, which the unsuspecting homeowner naturally waters, thereby spreading the brown spots..and the chemicals. They ended up having to tear out their entire front yard and re-sod.

There were other incidents, and it actually went to court. (the old lady sued her neighbor) I was called as a witness, and felt obliged to tell what I'd seen. Needless to say, the old lady lost.

Sierra

[carmencarter]

Whenever I've watched most haunted the best they've ever come up with was some faint shape moiving in a ray of light.
If I was a ghost i'd make myself a lot more obvious than that.

[Pooch_1]

Is This the truth? or, A camera trick?

[StarSparkle]

Originally Posted by carmencarter

Whenever I've watched most haunted the best they've ever come up with was some faint shape moiving in a ray of light.
If I was a ghost i'd make myself a lot more obvious than that.

Most Haunted is just an entertainment programme - it's certainly not to be taken seriously as an investigation into the paranormal now, if it ever was.

StarSparkle

[Greybeard]

Originally Posted by StarSparkle

Most people won't believe unusual things unless/until they see them with their own eyes.

If I saw something 'supernatural/paranormal' I doubt I would believe my own eyes anyway

There was a good scientific documentary on TV a couple of years ago about how our visual perception actually works. It proved that we don't see all we think we do and often see things that aren't really there

[Nigel Womersle]

Originally Posted by carmencarter

Whenever I've watched most haunted the best they've ever come up with was some faint shape moiving in a ray of light.
If I was a ghost i'd make myself a lot more obvious than that.

Sorry, duplicated this. See below.

[Nigel Womersle]

Originally Posted by carmencarter

Whenever I've watched most haunted the best they've ever come up with was some faint shape moiving in a ray of light.
If I was a ghost i'd make myself a lot more obvious than that.

Most Haunted is famous for just one thing. It has/had the United Kingdom's finest comedian - Derek Acorah.