A few years ago, I was working in town on a Saturday evening, when, as I was setting down a fare in the Brompton Road, I noticed a couple staggering towards me, each one holding the other one up. I was unable to pull away before the couple reached me, and the fellow put his head in the off side window, and said, his breath smelling strongly of alcohol, and with strong Irish accent, "Will you take us up to Harlesden." I politely refuse, and as i pulled away, the young lady shouted after me "I hope the devil rides in your taxi tonight." I thought no more of it, and carried on working. A few hours later, driving down Regent Street, I was hailed by a group of people, who asked if I would take them out to Hertfordshire. I said yes, but that I didn't know that area particularly well. One of the men said that's alright, drive up to Cockfosters, and I'll direct you from there,, which I did. We had driven some way into the country, when I was told to turn into a rather dark country lane, with a tall dark hedge down the righthand side. After a while, I was told there would be gap in the hedge coming up, drive through that, and there is a drive leading up to our house. I drove through the gap, and in front of me was a large stone archway, which could have come from one of those Hammer Horror films, passing under the arch I then drove up the driveway, and to my right I saw dozens of eyes reflected in my headlights. It was then that the words of that girl down in Knightsbridge, came to my mind, and, foolishly, my blood started to run cold. Finally the house came into view, itself could have come direct from a Hammer film set. Anyway, I was paid off well, and spinning my cab around, drove back down the drive. It was then I saw the cause of those mysterious eye, a flock of sheep were standing near the edge of the driveway, and my headlights had reflected off their eyes. I drove out of the entrance, and headed back to town, I was never more thankful than to get on to a well light main road again. No, fellow cab drivers, I did not trap one back into town, that's another story.
A few years ago, I was working in town on a Saturday evening, when, as I was setting down a fare in the Brompton Road, I noticed a couple staggering towards me, each one holding the other one up. I was unable to pull away before the couple reached me, and the fellow put his head in the off side window, and said, his breath smelling strongly of alcohol, and with strong Irish accent, "Will you take us up to Harlesden." I politely refuse, and as i pulled away, the young lady shouted after me "I hope the devil rides in your taxi tonight." I thought no more of it, and carried on working. A few hours later, driving down Regent Street, I was hailed by a group of people, who asked if I would take them out to Hertfordshire. I said yes, but that I didn't know that area particularly well. One of the men said that's alright, drive up to Cockfosters, and I'll direct you from there,, which I did. We had driven some way into the country, when I was told to turn into a rather dark country lane, with a tall dark hedge down the righthand side. After a while, I was told there would be gap in the hedge coming up, drive through that, and there is a drive leading up to our house. I drove through the gap, and in front of me was a large stone archway, which could have come from one of those Hammer Horror films, passing under the arch I then drove up the driveway, and to my right I saw dozens of eyes reflected in my headlights. It was then that the words of that girl down in Knightsbridge, came to my mind, and, foolishly, my blood started to run cold. Finally the house came into view, itself could have come direct from a Hammer film set. Anyway, I was paid off well, and spinning my cab around, drove back down the drive. It was then I saw the cause of those mysterious eye, a flock of sheep were standing near the edge of the driveway, and my headlights had reflected off their eyes. I drove out of the entrance, and headed back to town, I was never more thankful than to get on to a well light main road again. No, fellow cab drivers, I did not trap one back into town, that's another story.
I once picked up Richard Wagner in the Kings Road, who hailed me, but that’s another story!
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The strange thing is that people do publish photos with ghost like images some phoney, others not proven so. There are sites on this and I am sure you would deny any of these photos existed anyway.
It is not possible to say nobody photographs such images unless you see every photo ever taken. Just where did the figure of 4 billion cameras come from ?
My friend who died of Covid, Matthew Seligmam, showed me a photo back in the early 80s that he’d just got back from the chemist. The photo showed him and his girlfriend standing on a little bridge over the stream that ran through his grandmother’s garden. They’re smiling at the camera, but behind them, almost as clear as day, walked an old woman dressed in black. I guess you could say she was a ‘spectral figure’ in that she was slightly transparent. There was no one else apart from them, and their friend who took the photo, in the garden. I looked at the negative to see if there was something wrong with it, but there didn’t seem to be.
Matthew explained that they had been visiting his grandmother who was dying, and had popped out to take the photo. By the time they returned to the house, his gran had died. Later, when they showed his mother the photo, she said the figure in the photo looked just like his great grandmother who had died many years before. About twenty years later I saw a full page article in a Sunday paper about the photo.
And about eleven years ago my wife and I, and our boys, were visiting my mum in Milverton, Somerset. We went for a walk, and Tommy, then aged three or four, detoured into the village 13th church. We just had a quick look for a couple of minutes. The church was empty, but as we left the churchyard Tom said, “dad, who was that little boy standing by the lady by the door?”
I said “I didn’t see anyone”, but he said “yes, just when we left the church. In the porch”. I looked round and there was no one there. I went back the next day, and there were no paintings or statues that he might have been referring to. It was creepy at the time, but I’ve been back a few times, and a less creepy church you’d be hard pressed to find.
Last story: a friend who was a senior producer at ITN bought a dream thatched cottage in the West Country. But there were all sorts of noises and sounds that creeped out her and her husband.
One night when the husband was on his own, he heard banging from the little room at the top of the house, and then footsteps down to his bedroom door. The door opened and a ‘figure’ sat on his chest making it hard to breathe.
He was so spooked by this experience that he moved out and refused to go back. They wanted to sell the house, but decided to tell the local vicar, as a last resort. An exorcism was performed, the sounds stopped, so they were able to move back in.
Despite these stories, I don’t really believe in ghosts, although I try to keep an open mind.
A few years ago, on Halloween, just a week after someone had died, not that I knew that at the time. I was chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop. The only thing that made me sure it was an actual ghost was that it was waving a black Victorian dress and it sounded like a herd of Roman soldiers (I know exactly what Roman footwear sounds like you see, it’s my speciality). Proof if ever it were needed I’d say....
A few years ago, on Halloween, just a week after someone had died, not that I knew that at the time. I was chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop. The only thing that made me sure it was an actual ghost was that it was waving a black Victorian dress and it sounded like a herd of Roman soldiers (I know exactly what Roman footwear sounds like you see, it’s my speciality). Proof if ever it were needed I’d say....
"chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop" Now you're being silly.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The strange thing is that people do publish photos with ghost like images some phoney, others not proven so. There are sites on this and I am sure you would deny any of these photos existed anyway.
It is not possible to say nobody photographs such images unless you see every photo ever taken. Just where did the figure of 4 billion cameras come from ?
My friend who died of Covid, Matthew Seligmam, showed me a photo back in the early 80s that he’d just got back from the chemist. The photo showed him and his girlfriend standing on a little bridge over the stream that ran through his grandmother’s garden. They’re smiling at the camera, but behind them, almost as clear as day, walked an old woman dressed in black. I guess you could say she was a ‘spectral figure’ in that she was slightly transparent. There was no one else apart from them, and their friend who took the photo, in the garden. I looked at the negative to see if there was something wrong with it, but there didn’t seem to be.
Matthew explained that they had been visiting his grandmother who was dying, and had popped out to take the photo. By the time they returned to the house, his gran had died. Later, when they showed his mother the photo, she said the figure in the photo looked just like his great grandmother who had died many years before. About twenty years later I saw a full page article in a Sunday paper about the photo.
And about eleven years ago my wife and I, and our boys, were visiting my mum in Milverton, Somerset. We went for a walk, and Tommy, then aged three or four, detoured into the village 13th church. We just had a quick look for a couple of minutes. The church was empty, but as we left the churchyard Tom said, “dad, who was that little boy standing by the lady by the door?”
I said “I didn’t see anyone”, but he said “yes, just when we left the church. In the porch”. I looked round and there was no one there. I went back the next day, and there were no paintings or statues that he might have been referring to. It was creepy at the time, but I’ve been back a few times, and a less creepy church you’d be hard pressed to find.
Last story: a friend who was a senior producer at ITN bought a dream thatched cottage in the West Country. But there were all sorts of noises and sounds that creeped out her and her husband.
One night when the husband was on his own, he heard banging from the little room at the top of the house, and then footsteps down to his bedroom door. The door opened and a ‘figure’ sat on his chest making it hard to breathe.
He was so spooked by this experience that he moved out and refused to go back. They wanted to sell the house, but decided to tell the local vicar, as a last resort. An exorcism was performed, the sounds stopped, so they were able to move back in.
Despite these stories, I don’t really believe in ghosts, although I try to keep an open mind.
Thank you for those stories James. I find I can't dismiss the idea of ghosts but find it hard to go the other way.
What I have seen one summers night in 1971 at St. Mary's Cray where I worked as a shift chemist was wierd. Around about 8.45 when it was getting a bit darker I and my co shift chemist were having a ciggie outside when we saw several lights on the horizon sky line buzzing along and back. They then split and went in opposite directions. The two formations then flew at each other. This happened 2 or 3 times. They then zoomed into the sky. At 11.00pm.my shiftvwnded and I went to my car. There was a big shadow above my car and me plus some of the Road etc. I looked up and saw a dark disc , not a cloud as it was about 60- 100ft or so above the ground . I froze . Then I ran inside. I found someone and told them . By the time we had 3 or 4 of us we creeped outside, anxiously. We saw nothing. I still wonder what it was plus what the objects earlier were. It worries me a bit nearly 50 years later.
A few years ago, on Halloween, just a week after someone had died, not that I knew that at the time. I was chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop. The only thing that made me sure it was an actual ghost was that it was waving a black Victorian dress and it sounded like a herd of Roman soldiers (I know exactly what Roman footwear sounds like you see, it’s my speciality). Proof if ever it were needed I’d say....
"chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop" Now you're being silly.
Yes you’re right. My post is the silly post on this thread
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
The reason why rational people accept the chemistry of the periodic table as opposed to the four classical elements and evolution over natural selection and any other scientific position versus a superstitious one is precisely because these things are observable. They can be seen, they can be tested and, as explanations, they work. No serious person of thought takes them as articles of faith; they are accepted because they are the simplest ways of explaining things in a manner which is consistently correct. Scientific ideas are constantly refined to take on board new observations and new data. The best theories are retained, those falling a little short are modified, those that are no longer the best explanations are rejected. Theories aren't king, scientific methodology is: observe, hypothesise, experiment, analyse. The skepticism that rejects the unfounded nonsense of ghosts, goblins and gods is the driving force behind the vast majority of human enquiry. Not because it is a dead end unwilling to investigate, observe or discuss, but because it is interested in engaging in those areas that will be most fruitful, rather than wasting its time on made-up clap-trap.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The strange thing is that people do publish photos with ghost like images some phoney, others not proven so. There are sites on this and I am sure you would deny any of these photos existed anyway.
It is not possible to say nobody photographs such images unless you see every photo ever taken. Just where did the figure of 4 billion cameras come from ?
My friend who died of Covid, Matthew Seligmam, showed me a photo back in the early 80s that he’d just got back from the chemist. The photo showed him and his girlfriend standing on a little bridge over the stream that ran through his grandmother’s garden. They’re smiling at the camera, but behind them, almost as clear as day, walked an old woman dressed in black. I guess you could say she was a ‘spectral figure’ in that she was slightly transparent. There was no one else apart from them, and their friend who took the photo, in the garden. I looked at the negative to see if there was something wrong with it, but there didn’t seem to be.
Matthew explained that they had been visiting his grandmother who was dying, and had popped out to take the photo. By the time they returned to the house, his gran had died. Later, when they showed his mother the photo, she said the figure in the photo looked just like his great grandmother who had died many years before. About twenty years later I saw a full page article in a Sunday paper about the photo.
And about eleven years ago my wife and I, and our boys, were visiting my mum in Milverton, Somerset. We went for a walk, and Tommy, then aged three or four, detoured into the village 13th church. We just had a quick look for a couple of minutes. The church was empty, but as we left the churchyard Tom said, “dad, who was that little boy standing by the lady by the door?”
I said “I didn’t see anyone”, but he said “yes, just when we left the church. In the porch”. I looked round and there was no one there. I went back the next day, and there were no paintings or statues that he might have been referring to. It was creepy at the time, but I’ve been back a few times, and a less creepy church you’d be hard pressed to find.
Last story: a friend who was a senior producer at ITN bought a dream thatched cottage in the West Country. But there were all sorts of noises and sounds that creeped out her and her husband.
One night when the husband was on his own, he heard banging from the little room at the top of the house, and then footsteps down to his bedroom door. The door opened and a ‘figure’ sat on his chest making it hard to breathe.
He was so spooked by this experience that he moved out and refused to go back. They wanted to sell the house, but decided to tell the local vicar, as a last resort. An exorcism was performed, the sounds stopped, so they were able to move back in.
Despite these stories, I don’t really believe in ghosts, although I try to keep an open mind.
Thank you for those stories James. I find I can't dismiss the idea of ghosts but find it hard to go the other way.
What I have seen one summers night in 1971 at St. Mary's Cray where I worked as a shift chemist was wierd. Around about 8.45 when it was getting a bit darker I and my co shift chemist were having a ciggie outside when we saw several lights on the horizon sky line buzzing along and back. They then split and went in opposite directions. The two formations then flew at each other. This happened 2 or 3 times. They then zoomed into the sky. At 11.00pm.my shiftvwnded and I went to my car. There was a big shadow above my car and me plus some of the Road etc. I looked up and saw a dark disc , not a cloud as it was about 60- 100ft or so above the ground . I froze . Then I ran inside. I found someone and told them . By the time we had 3 or 4 of us we creeped outside, anxiously. We saw nothing. I still wonder what it was plus what the objects earlier were. It worries me a bit nearly 50 years later.
In about 1991 I was stood in the back garden having.cig, when I saw some lights on the sky. I called out my gf as they seemed odd. We stood watching for about 1-2 minutes. The lights floated into view at some distance. I can only describe them moving slowly similar to Chinese lanterns. Around 6 of them came up to a point but then stopped, spread out almost like a constellation of stars. They didn't move again for about 30 seconds. Gradually each one moved very fast out of sight, in various directions. Weird is all I could think.
A few years ago, on Halloween, just a week after someone had died, not that I knew that at the time. I was chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop. The only thing that made me sure it was an actual ghost was that it was waving a black Victorian dress and it sounded like a herd of Roman soldiers (I know exactly what Roman footwear sounds like you see, it’s my speciality). Proof if ever it were needed I’d say....
"chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop" Now you're being silly.
Yes you’re right. My post is the silly post on this thread
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The strange thing is that people do publish photos with ghost like images some phoney, others not proven so. There are sites on this and I am sure you would deny any of these photos existed anyway.
It is not possible to say nobody photographs such images unless you see every photo ever taken. Just where did the figure of 4 billion cameras come from ?
My friend who died of Covid, Matthew Seligmam, showed me a photo back in the early 80s that he’d just got back from the chemist. The photo showed him and his girlfriend standing on a little bridge over the stream that ran through his grandmother’s garden. They’re smiling at the camera, but behind them, almost as clear as day, walked an old woman dressed in black. I guess you could say she was a ‘spectral figure’ in that she was slightly transparent. There was no one else apart from them, and their friend who took the photo, in the garden. I looked at the negative to see if there was something wrong with it, but there didn’t seem to be.
Matthew explained that they had been visiting his grandmother who was dying, and had popped out to take the photo. By the time they returned to the house, his gran had died. Later, when they showed his mother the photo, she said the figure in the photo looked just like his great grandmother who had died many years before. About twenty years later I saw a full page article in a Sunday paper about the photo.
And about eleven years ago my wife and I, and our boys, were visiting my mum in Milverton, Somerset. We went for a walk, and Tommy, then aged three or four, detoured into the village 13th church. We just had a quick look for a couple of minutes. The church was empty, but as we left the churchyard Tom said, “dad, who was that little boy standing by the lady by the door?”
I said “I didn’t see anyone”, but he said “yes, just when we left the church. In the porch”. I looked round and there was no one there. I went back the next day, and there were no paintings or statues that he might have been referring to. It was creepy at the time, but I’ve been back a few times, and a less creepy church you’d be hard pressed to find.
Last story: a friend who was a senior producer at ITN bought a dream thatched cottage in the West Country. But there were all sorts of noises and sounds that creeped out her and her husband.
One night when the husband was on his own, he heard banging from the little room at the top of the house, and then footsteps down to his bedroom door. The door opened and a ‘figure’ sat on his chest making it hard to breathe.
He was so spooked by this experience that he moved out and refused to go back. They wanted to sell the house, but decided to tell the local vicar, as a last resort. An exorcism was performed, the sounds stopped, so they were able to move back in.
Despite these stories, I don’t really believe in ghosts, although I try to keep an open mind.
Thank you for those stories James. I find I can't dismiss the idea of ghosts but find it hard to go the other way.
What I have seen one summers night in 1971 at St. Mary's Cray where I worked as a shift chemist was wierd. Around about 8.45 when it was getting a bit darker I and my co shift chemist were having a ciggie outside when we saw several lights on the horizon sky line buzzing along and back. They then split and went in opposite directions. The two formations then flew at each other. This happened 2 or 3 times. They then zoomed into the sky. At 11.00pm.my shiftvwnded and I went to my car. There was a big shadow above my car and me plus some of the Road etc. I looked up and saw a dark disc , not a cloud as it was about 60- 100ft or so above the ground . I froze . Then I ran inside. I found someone and told them . By the time we had 3 or 4 of us we creeped outside, anxiously. We saw nothing. I still wonder what it was plus what the objects earlier were. It worries me a bit nearly 50 years later.
In about 1991 I was stood in the back garden having.cig, when I saw some lights on the sky. I called out my gf as they seemed odd. We stood watching for about 1-2 minutes. The lights floated into view at some distance. I can only describe them moving slowly similar to Chinese lanterns. Around 6 of them came up to a point but then stopped, spread out almost like a constellation of stars. They didn't move again for about 30 seconds. Gradually each one moved very fast out of sight, in various directions. Weird is all I could think.
Can we keep these stories to the UFO sighting thread and stick to ghosts on this one please? Thanks.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
The reason why rational people accept the chemistry of the periodic table as opposed to the four classical elements and evolution over natural selection and any other scientific position versus a superstitious one is precisely because these things are observable. They can be seen, they can be tested and, as explanations, they work. No serious person of thought takes them as articles of faith; they are accepted because they are the simplest ways of explaining things in a manner which is consistently correct. Scientific ideas are constantly refined to take on board new observations and new data. The best theories are retained, those falling a little short are modified, those that are longer the best explanations are rejected. Theories aren't king, scientific methodology is: observe, hypothesise, experiment, analyse. The skepticism that rejects the unfounded nonsense of ghosts, goblins and gods is the driving force behind the vast majority of human enquiry. Not because it is a dead end unwilling to investigate, observe or discuss, but because it is interested in engaging in those areas that will be most fruitful, rather than wasting its time on made-up clap-trap.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
The reason why rational people accept the chemistry of the periodic table as opposed to the four classical elements and evolution over natural selection and any other scientific position versus a superstitious one is precisely because these things are observable. They can be seen, they can be tested and, as explanations, they work. No serious person of thought takes them as articles of faith; they are accepted because they are the simplest ways of explaining things in a manner which is consistently correct. Scientific ideas are constantly refined to take on board new observations and new data. The best theories are retained, those falling a little short are modified, those that are longer the best explanations are rejected. Theories aren't king, scientific methodology is: observe, hypothesise, experiment, analyse. The skepticism that rejects the unfounded nonsense of ghosts, goblins and gods is the driving force behind the vast majority of human enquiry. Not because it is a dead end unwilling to investigate, observe or discuss, but because it is interested in engaging in those areas that will be most fruitful, rather than wasting its time on made-up clap-trap.
what about Father Christmas though?
Well, when I was five I believed in Father Christmas because it seemed to make sense and that's what the adults told me and, most of all, I wanted it to be true. Then, when I was thirty I found that it it was me doing all the work whilst some mythical character as getting the plaudits. I'm putting him in the same category as the easter bunny, the Loch Ness monster and fairies at the bottom of the garden; absolute bunkum.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The strange thing is that people do publish photos with ghost like images some phoney, others not proven so. There are sites on this and I am sure you would deny any of these photos existed anyway.
It is not possible to say nobody photographs such images unless you see every photo ever taken. Just where did the figure of 4 billion cameras come from ?
They don't need to be proven phoney, they need to be proven true.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and a few fuzzy photos are not sufficient.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
i went after my mum died. I recorded it and found and listened to the tape about a year ago. Half was complete b******s, but half turned out to be accurate.
i bought a new car just after she died. The medium mentioned the car in detail, she could have looked out of the window but from memory I went in the evening during winter and parked around the corner.
I’m still very 50/50 on this but do find some of the other stories fascinating
Did the medium charge you for his/her services?
After my friend died a medium insisted he was communicating from beyon the grave.
She was as 70-something woman, living in a mobile home on the same park as my friend’s nan. His family all went to see her, as did one of my mates. They knew I’d be cynical, yet despite that they wanted me to go see her and keep an open mind about what she said.
So I went along and met her. She seemed very nice, offered me a tea and sat me down at one end of her surprisingly long abode. She sat nearby and focused. Explained that the spirits would reach out across the length of the caravan. Eventually my friend - Simon - pushed through. He had a few messages for me. The first was that my car was in major need of attention, that it would break down soon. The second thing was that I would have trouble at work soon, the third was a poem he wanted me to understand.
When she said poem, that’s when I cracked. Simon left school at 15. He liked a drink. A smoke. A party. He was a funny, caring bloke with a wild streak. If there’s one thing he wasn’t, it was a fucking poet.
The woman was cold reading. And doing it badly. She was trying to use broad strokes to paint a picture, hoping that, in my desperation, I would fill in the colour. She knew I had a 15 year old car, she knew that I had a busy job. There’s a decent chance I’d have problems with both.
I told her if she was as a half-decent fraud then she’d realise my car was Japanese. That I was off work for a while. And mostly, that Simon would tell me I’m a dick and laugh.
She didn’t do it for money. She did it for attention. To feel important. Either way, mediums are scum. They live off the pain of people too sad or bored to think clearly. I wish there was such a thing as ghosts, I really do. But any remotely plausible explanation is the one you should go with.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
Not really as a hypothesis and belief blue at the edges. Take what an element was believed to be I the middle ages. Earth, Air , Fire and Water. They all existed, were not beliefs but the hypothesis for them being elements was entirely wrong.
Who is to say in the case of ghosts and extra terrestrial life whether exist or not...it is a matter of proof. Saying there is no proof doesn't make it just a belief. It could mean the proof has just not been found.
Karl Popper’s theory of falsification. If a theory can prove to be falsified, then it is valid in the advancement of science. Anything open ended that could be interpreted as true or not true doesn’t really help advance thinking. I can’t remember the name of the philosopher, or if I get this the right way round, but if you were to say ‘black swans exist’, I can’t really prove or disprove it either way, therefore it won’t stand up to scrutiny. If I say ‘black swans don’t exist’, I can disprove it as a theory by finding a black swan.
Obviously, we know black swans don’t exist, this is just the example used to falsify the theory
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
Not really as a hypothesis and belief blue at the edges. Take what an element was believed to be I the middle ages. Earth, Air , Fire and Water. They all existed, were not beliefs but the hypothesis for them being elements was entirely wrong.
Who is to say in the case of ghosts and extra terrestrial life whether exist or not...it is a matter of proof. Saying there is no proof doesn't make it just a belief. It could mean the proof has just not been found.
We're basically in agreement, but for some reason you're now using "belief" as a noun, but we were discussing it as a verb.
I'm not saying that lack of proof (or sufficient evidence) disproves something, just that it's better to not believe a proposition until there is enough credible evidence to show that the proposition is true.
I'll admit that "sufficient" and "credible" are slightly vague. subjective terms, but the evidence should be proportional to the claim, and IMO the evidence for ghosts is severely lacking so I will suspend belief until better evidence is presented.
Many years ago on a GAA tour of Ireland at Easter we were down in Dingle, Kerry. After playing a game and spending the early evening and night in the pub, drinking until I couldn’t take anymore, I decided it was time to walk the mile or so along the dark country road back to the b&b. Said my goodbyes and headed off down the road, as I was walking down the road, I could see something white in the middle of the road. The only light was from the moon and the stars, as there wasn’t any street lights and all I could hear was the sea.
This white thing was just flowing in the air and was probably about 20-30 yards away, I wasn’t too sure what it was and was in two minds what to do. Either carry on or return to the pub and tell them I couldn’t get back to the b&b due to this thing in the road. So being full of Dutch courage and I decided to carry on. The nearer I got, it was becoming clearer it was human shape and not an cow or something. Then I could hear wailing and moaning, I was beginning to rethink my decision to carry out and I really should go back to the pub. Thinking to myself, be brave carry on, then I got the shock of my life.
This white thing was a shirt, the thing wearing the white shirt was out football team manger who had left the pub sometime before me and had got lost and decided to stay where he was until someone came along.
Considering this day and age with the amount of video footage being taken by various devices, which lead to people catching the most random events on camera - if ghosts existed, we would have inconclusive proof by now.
That being said, it is still always interesting to me to listen to people's experiences.
Assuming that they were picked up on the recording. It is proof one way or the other and I have not watched enough film on the subject to make an objective decision.
Surely you don't need to make an objective decision. IMO the default position is to not believe something unless there is sufficient evidence to do so.
If someone were to capture a verified sighting of a ghost (or anything supernatural) on film, it would no doubt go viral and we would all be aware of it.
With over 4 billion people carrying a camera around with them, the lack of sufficient evidence for the supernatural is telling.
The default position you argue is the one argued on many topics.
Genealogy. DNA building blocks
Chemistry . Fire ,earth air and water we the elements??
Biological evolution. Darwin v religion.
Need I go on ?
The default position of don't believe is the one that stops investigation, observation and discussion.
That path of thought is a dead end.
The reason why rational people accept the chemistry of the periodic table as opposed to the four classical elements and evolution over natural selection and any other scientific position versus a superstitious one is precisely because these things are observable. They can be seen, they can be tested and, as explanations, they work. No serious person of thought takes them as articles of faith; they are accepted because they are the simplest ways of explaining things in a manner which is consistently correct. Scientific ideas are constantly refined to take on board new observations and new data. The best theories are retained, those falling a little short are modified, those that are no longer the best explanations are rejected. Theories aren't king, scientific methodology is: observe, hypothesise, experiment, analyse. The skepticism that rejects the unfounded nonsense of ghosts, goblins and gods is the driving force behind the vast majority of human enquiry. Not because it is a dead end unwilling to investigate, observe or discuss, but because it is interested in engaging in those areas that will be most fruitful, rather than wasting its time on made-up clap-trap.
I was an industrial chemist and spent a career lifetime in that field. I think that qualifies me as being rational
As far as what an element is, this depends where one is in history when testing which are elements. In medieval times the periodic table and the prediction of elements was unknown. However they believed that they could test for the 4 elements they believed existed. The people of the time did not conceive it as clap trap. They merely lacked sufficient evidence to believe otherwise. I can't tell you if ghosts exist or not ...nor extra terrestrial life.
It maybe that proof for both will or will not be found . Trying to prove it maybe fruitful or may not be. Who is to say what is a waste of time and what is not. One professor told me , the more one learns about science the more you realise how little you know.
My Gran used to say the same to me about life.
She would say "To reject something that cannot be proven or disproven is futile. The means to prove or disprove that thing may not have been invented yet." or something similar. She was a very successful & intelligent woman, stubborn and headstrong but she always sat on the fence when it came to matters of ghosts, gods and beyond.
She also taught me that life is full of choices, every one can affect you positively or negatively. When you make positive choices, people will call it good luck, when you make bad choices people will call it bad luck. It's neither. It just is what it is. You made a good decision or a mistake.
She's the reason I choose to remain agnostic on such things that I can not find stone cold evidence either proving or disproving.
I played an amazingly successful trick on my family several years ago. Here’s what you do. Set the timer on your TV to turn off in 30 minutes. 29 minutes later, suddenly look aghast and say that you can see a ghost behind the telly. Then, say how the ghost is walking round the telly. Everyone thinks you are mad and questions you further. Then as it gets to the 30th minute, say that the ghost is fiddling with the TV controls or power supply. Then, woomf, the TV goes off and your family are convinced there is a ghost.
Oh Gawd, 21 LOLs already. I didn't expect that. I would add that if your Grandad or old Gran has a dodgy ticker, please don't play this prank on them. (Heads off to check personal liability insurance policy)
Comments
I looked at the negative to see if there was something wrong with it, but there didn’t seem to be.
About twenty years later I saw a full page article in a Sunday paper about the photo.
I was chased down a lane by a ghostly fish and chip shop. The only thing that made me sure it was an actual ghost was that it was waving a black Victorian dress and it sounded like a herd of Roman soldiers (I know exactly what Roman footwear sounds like you see, it’s my speciality).
Proof if ever it were needed I’d say....
My post is the silly post on this thread
They don't need to be proven phoney, they need to be proven true.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and a few fuzzy photos are not sufficient.
https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-world
You're confusing an hypothesis with belief. It's possible to form an idea on how reality behaves and then carry out experiments to find out if it's true or not, but you only believe it once there's sufficient evidence to do so.
We're basically in agreement, but for some reason you're now using "belief" as a noun, but we were discussing it as a verb.
I'm not saying that lack of proof (or sufficient evidence) disproves something, just that it's better to not believe a proposition until there is enough credible evidence to show that the proposition is true.
I'll admit that "sufficient" and "credible" are slightly vague. subjective terms, but the evidence should be proportional to the claim, and IMO the evidence for ghosts is severely lacking so I will suspend belief until better evidence is presented.
This white thing was a shirt, the thing wearing the white shirt was out football team manger who had left the pub sometime before me and had got lost and decided to stay where he was until someone came along.
She would say "To reject something that cannot be proven or disproven is futile. The means to prove or disprove that thing may not have been invented yet." or something similar. She was a very successful & intelligent woman, stubborn and headstrong but she always sat on the fence when it came to matters of ghosts, gods and beyond.
She also taught me that life is full of choices, every one can affect you positively or negatively. When you make positive choices, people will call it good luck, when you make bad choices people will call it bad luck. It's neither. It just is what it is. You made a good decision or a mistake.
She's the reason I choose to remain agnostic on such things that I can not find stone cold evidence either proving or disproving.
😉