Ghosts..........

[kenpo tiger]

I have worked in historic houses (over 100 years old each) for the past ten-plus years. Are there ghosts? You bet, but not Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost types.


To wit:
1) My office in the first house was in what used to be the servants' wing. I would know that the former owner of the house was in the room because of the smell of cigar smoke, along with a shift in the air currents. A very benevolent spirit, just checking to make sure I was raising enough money to keep his house intact.
2) The lady of that same house showed herself in various ways. One of my friends lived on the thrid floor in the wing which housed my office. She was responsible for security of the house -- checking windows, locks on doors, setting the alarms-- in lieu of paying rent. One year around Christmas time she went out to do some shopping, realized that she wasn't sure she'd set the alarm in the main area of the house, and got back there as soon as she could. When entering the front hallway to check the alarm, she felt a presence behind her, and turned to see the lady of the house standing there, shaking a finger at her.
3) That same lady manifested her presence late one evening to me and three other people. The right to have a dinner party in the house was won at auction by a young Yuppie couple, who invited five other couples to dine with them. They became a bit inebriated (good wine was included with dinner) and, as a result, felt good and demonstrated such by getting rather loud. They also stayed past the agreed-upon time. I went in to request that they wrap things up a couple of times, and we four decided to wait them out in the front hall (see above.) We were all in each other's view the entire time, during which the partiers turned on a boombox with some rather, er, raucous music. We asked them to please turn it down, the answer was "Why? Is Mrs. So-and-So going to object? (hahahahahaha)" I left the room they were in, came back and sat down with my security guard and two helpers -- all men, by the way. At that moment, the lights went out in the house and the music went off. They all left a few minutes later, quite shaken.

Old houses have old wiring. During warmer weather brown-outs occur.

None of the above applies in that situation.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[Gemini]

The closest thing to a ghost I've seen is Casper, but I do beleive they can exist. Why not?
I want to go to the Tower of London because I've heard it's the most haunted building in the world. I just don't want to see one in my own house.

 

[MA-Caver]

speaking of orbs....

digital cameras are supposed to be the best to capture them. just fyi...

Well umm, just FYI, the pic I posted was taken by a disposable 35mm camera. I've seen "orbs" appear in the pics of digitals and really it's just either dust motes in the air or moisture on the lens.
In one caving pic (trying to find it) I'm surrounded by dozens of these things. It's a dusty cave during the dry season. So it's not a supernatural phenomeon. Sigh.

 

[Simon Curran]

OK, it may just be the power of suggestion, but...

An ex girlfriend and I once took a "Haunted tour" of Edinburgh in Scotland, most of it was pretty inimpressive, until we went underground into the old city.
In there was a chamber, which is said to be haunted by the horned one himself, there are also various other stories about people having burned to death in the chamber, and some plague victims having died in there, and some other stuff I don't remember.
All I can say, is that even through my "I'm a big 'ard bugger, I'll go in" bravado, I could not bring myself to take more than one step into the chamber, and if I said that chills ran down my spine, that would probably be the understatement of all time.

 

[Bammx2]

Well umm, just FYI, the pic I posted was taken by a disposable 35mm camera. I've seen "orbs" appear in the pics of digitals and really it's just either dust motes in the air or moisture on the lens.
In one caving pic (trying to find it) I'm surrounded by dozens of these things. It's a dusty cave during the dry season. So it's not a supernatural phenomeon. Sigh.

I gotcha.
I was just saying that in a lot of camparisons,for some reason,digital seems to pick things like up a little better.
I do know that regular film cameras have picked unexplainable things such as orbs as well.
Heck...tin types have!
Personally,being an amateur photog buff.....I can't stand digital.
Its to easy for people to "cheat" and not really develop a decent eye for pictures.No real creativity.
But I am investing to see if I pick up anything at some these haunted places.

I have been told about the tower of london.
I had a friend who got me into Madame Tousauds wax museum after hours......
man,THAT was creepy at 3am!!!

 

[Simon Curran]

I have been told about the tower of london.
I had a friend who got me into Madame Tousauds wax museum after hours......
man,THAT was creepy at 3am!!!

The Tower isn't really all that creepy in my experience, I used to walk past it at all times of night on the way to see an ex girlfriend (she lived in Tower Hamlets, and I in the West End for those who are interested...) and didn't particularly notice anything except a profound sense of history.

 

[Bammx2]

The Tower isn't really all that creepy in my experience, I used to walk past it at all times of night on the way to see an ex girlfriend (she lived in Tower Hamlets, and I in the West End for those who are interested...) and didn't particularly notice anything except a profound sense of history.

I kinda thought so.
I'm one of those people who hate doing the "tourist" thing.
Hence the wax museum at 2 am.
If I was to go the tower...I'd have to go after hours when there was no one inside.
But since you have to be "connected" and I'm not....yet.....

I don't see that happening anytime soon!
I have been past there like you said,at night, and nothing.
It just looks kool!

 

[Simon Curran]

It just looks kool!

Most definately, and traitors gate is kind of sweet in a morbid sense...

 

[heretic888]

Given the actual nature of the "soul" (if you feel the need to call "it" that), I can't find myself believing in the existence of a disembodied personal ego that magically sustains one's memories, personalities, attachments, and (apparently) previous appearance. In fact, given what we now know concerning the impact of socio-cultural conditioning on the "self", as well as the influences of genetic and other biological factors, it seems pretty damn ridiculous.

I do, however, have an abundant reserve of belief in both the existence and power of the human unconscious.

:supcool:

 

[kenpo tiger]

Given the actual nature of the "soul" (if you feel the need to call "it" that), I can't find myself believing in the existence of a disembodied personal ego that magically sustains one's memories, personalities, attachments, and (apparently) previous appearance. In fact, given what we now know concerning the impact of socio-cultural conditioning on the "self", as well as the influences of genetic and other biological factors, it seems pretty damn ridiculous.

I do, however, have an abundant reserve of belief in both the existence and power of the human unconscious.

:supcool:

Spoilsport.

So, if you ever get out this way, I'll take you to the places I referred to in my post and we'll see. Some things can't be explained away logically Herrie.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Spoilsport.

So, if you ever get out this way, I'll take you to the places I referred to in my post and we'll see. Some things can't be explained away logically Herrie.

Which doesn't even suggest the existence of gods, spirits, demons, or whatever other supernatural fantasies people impose on anomolous observations. Because that's all that most of these anecdotal stories are, unexplained observations.

I am curious, though, why those who jump to supernatural conclusions always accuse those who posit logical possibilities of trying to "explain things away"...

 

[tshadowchaser]

I belive in gosts. Been in more than a few places where I belive gosts als where. SOme good stories to teel but only in person.

 

[Bammx2]

Which doesn't even suggest the existence of gods, spirits, demons, or whatever other supernatural fantasies people impose on anomolous observations. Because that's all that most of these anecdotal stories are, unexplained observations.

I am curious, though, why those who jump to supernatural conclusions always accuse those who posit logical possibilities of trying to "explain things away"...

This is changing the subject.
BUT.....
Why can't these people accept the fact that there are things they can't "explain away"?
Why does there always have to be a "loigcal" explaination for eveything?
I posted earlier about 2 ghosts I have ssen first hand.
I don't drink alcohol of anykind,I don't do drugs.I have no brain diseases.
There was no "atmosphereic" conditions to make any effect...no one was trying to "control my brain with a micro wave oven"....
I saw what I saw.....GHOSTS!
And another reason I have seen ghosts.....
I have gone and searched them out first hand.
Not sit back and go..."aw...I can explain that locically".
There will ALWAYS be things science will never be able to explain.

 

[Adept]

But I am still waiting to the genius explaination of me actualy seeing,with my own eyes, a man dressed in 17th century attire who was looking eye to eye with me.

The brain can do a lot of crazy things without actual sensory input.

 

[Bammx2]

The brain can do a lot of crazy things without actual sensory input.

yep.it sure can.
I saw ghosts.
Why?
Because I search them out...
not explain them away.
I LIKE being scared...

 

[Shodan]

Interesting thread here. I believe ghosts exist. Here's my thing......how could multiple people reportedly see the same ghostly figure at the same location without having heard of that particular being elsewhere......a description, etc. If two un-related sightings happen and the same description is given by different people of the being....how could one deny there indeed is something there? It eliminates the power of suggestion, funky lighting, atmospheric conditions, etc theories I think....does this make any sense? :idunno:

 

[heretic888]

Spoilsport.

You're welcome.

Some things can't be explained away logically Herrie.

If by "explained away logically" you actually mean "not all phenomena are disclosed by formal-rational thought processes", then sure.

Unfortunately, parsimony demands that the ghost hypothesis is the least probable explanation for these phenomena. Projection, animistic indissociation, daydreaming, biochemical agents affecting mental processes, or mass hallucinations --- all of which have been supported by actual evidence and research --- are far more likely culprits. Hell, there's even the possibility that some people are just downright making this crap up. I dunno.

Once again, I wouldn't underestimate the power of the human unconscious. Many people report experiences of "Satanic child abuse" --- often involving the ritualistic murder of other children --- during the early years, yet the FBI still has not a shred of evidence concerning such events.

Personally, I think all these "ghost sightings" are unconscious projections of Ego Immortality, but that's just me...

 

[redfang]

When I was a child I lived in an older house (Early 1900's) that was haunted. My mother, my brother and me all saw, heard and felt a number of things in the six years we lived there. Among them were actual sightings of two old woman who were often together and a young girl in a nightgown. My brother who is 5 years my junior and doesn't remember some of this, would come downstairs and complain of that the old women were in his room when he was trying to play. We also had more instances of heavy thuds, footsteps and the sounds of things being dragged in parts of the house where no one was than I can count. When we had been in the house for about 5 years. The granddaughter of the builder of the house showed up. We had never met her and she had been living in Minnesota (We were in Ohio) and had been having persistant dreams about the house, sufficient to make her fly out and see it. She told us about her two great aunts that had lived in my brothers room and her young cousin that had lived in my room and died at 10. There was more, this is a brief summary. I tend to be a rational, skeptical person, but I've never been able to convince myself that of anything other than that the house still contained echos or some kind remnant of it's former inhabitants.

 

[hemi]

Well it’s late and I have a stripe test tomorrow night but when I saw this post I had to respond. Do I believe in ghosts YES? Do I believe in supernatural yes, having grown up 10 miles from anything, many, many strange things have happened? My Dad was one the biggest skeptics in the world until he witnessed a few things himself.



I really need to hit the sack but would love to talk more about some of the things I have experienced and things others have seen.