I've been watching the 'Paranormal Activity' movies and the 'Ghost Stories' on the Bio channel, which lead me to wonder. Are ghosts real? And what about demons? I mean, there's more "proof" of demons being real than actual angels, which is kinda of... scary.

 

I used to believe that I went trough an "ghosty" story as a kid with my school on an old park. But it all can be rusumed to be a silly story created by our imaginations back there. Nothing really weird happened, just on our minds.

 

Also, there's thousands of stories and videos around the web about this matter, but we can never be sure if they're real or not nowdays. 

 

I always wanted to try the Ouija Boards, but I'm too scared to do such thing.

 

I mean, NO ONE KNOWS what is there waiting for us after death! 

 

The Conjuring, one of the best movies of 2013, is 'based on a true story', like many others.

 

What do you think? Are they real? Are they bad, do they wish harm? Or they simply wish to contact the living to clear up some matter?

Edited April 9, 201411 yr by Marcomax

 I do believe bc I have seen some things in my life that are simply not explainable . However, this kind of stuff is hard to prove either way and it doesn't help when people pull many " supernatural" hoaxes which detract from the credibility of people who have seen or experienced real occurences. That and people fear what they do not understand.

 

Is that why Draco won't let me pass my inexplicably awesome genes into her tight little puss puss?

 

@Topic: I'd say there definitely does exist the paranormal. There are all these crazy stories that can't be explained like I read a story of an 18 month old who was just scribbling like babies do on his chalkboard while he was being babysat by his grandma and he somehow wrote "Save Mommy" so his grandma decided to call her daughter and as it turns out she had collapsed. Stuff like that ya know?

Is that why Draco won't let me pass my inexplicably awesome genes into her tight little puss puss?

 

@Topic: I'd say there definitely does exist the paranormal. There are all these crazy stories that can't be explained like I read a story of an 18 month old who was just scribbling like babies do on his chalkboard while he was being babysat by his grandma and he somehow wrote "Save Mommy" so his grandma decided to call her daughter and as it turns out she had collapsed. Stuff like that ya know?

Unfortunately, anecdotes don't actually count as evidence towards something.  It's a "My friend's friend said this!" sort of thing.

Unfortunately, anecdotes don't actually count as evidence towards something.  It's a "My friend's friend said this!" sort of thing.

 

They don't but at the same time not having strict evidence towards something doesn't mean that thing is non-existent. 

They don't but at the same time not having strict evidence towards something doesn't mean that thing is non-existent. 

By that logic, unicorns exist too.

By that logic, unicorns exist too.

 

And if we didn't use that logic we would never make scientific progress because people would never look in new places for the lack of strict evidence of something being there.

 

unicorns

Edited June 28, 201411 yr by Zola

And if we didn't use that logic we would never make scientific progress because people would never look in new places for the lack of strict evidence of something being there.

 

unicorns

Searching for something like Dark Matter and searching for Unicorns are two different things.  Scientists don't just randomly select their projects by throwing darts at a dart-board.

By that logic, unicorns exist too.

 

Not quite, the argument states that something can be real without having the 100% conclusive evidence. Can meaning it may or may not be true. While the unicorn lies in the latter category, should I not believe my brother is male because I haven't seen his parts to prove it? Should I believe that that a Kenyan-Japanese child doesn't exist out there because I don't have the proof? Should people not believe I'm a winner without the 'Proof' part of my username?

 

So by that logic unicorns, or anything else may or may not exist, regardless of whether we have solid proof of it. That's all. We're in a world full of possibilities.

Not quite, the argument states that something can be real without having the 100% conclusive evidence. Can meaning it may or may not be true. While the unicorn lies in the latter category, should I not believe my brother is male because I haven't seen his parts to prove it? Should I believe that that a Kenyan-Japanese child doesn't exist out there because I don't have the proof? Should people not believe I'm a winner without the 'Proof' part of my username?

 

So by that logic unicorns, or anything else may or may not exist, regardless of whether we have solid proof of it. That's all. We're in a world full of possibilities.

All of those things have evidence towards them being possibilities.  Your brother is male because he likely has male features, along with a larger adam's apple.  We know that both Kenyans and Japanese people not only exist, but are capable of breeding together.  

 

A closer analogy to the unicorn would be if your parents told you that you had a male brother, but you never saw him or any evidence of his existance despite your efforts to find any.  What reason would you have to believe them? 

All of those things have evidence towards them being possibilities.  Your brother is male because he likely has male features, along with a larger adam's apple.  We know that both Kenyans and Japanese people not only exist, but are capable of breeding together.  

 

A closer analogy to the unicorn would be if your parents told you that you had a male brother, but you never saw him or any evidence of his existance despite your efforts to find any.  What reason would you have to believe them? 

 

So there's a possibility I'm a winner? *sniff* Thank you!

 

But in all seriousness, that second paragraph of yours is the idea of my initial argument refers to. In your analogy I don't have proof whatsoever. That however, doesn't mean this "brother" of mine in that scenario doesn't exist. He either does or he doesn't and whether I have the proof or not has no effect on which one it is. Just like with the paranormal. I may not have strict evidence of that either but that doesn't mean it's not real. 

So there's a possibility I'm a winner? *sniff* Thank you!

 

But in all seriousness, that second paragraph of yours is the idea of my initial argument refers to. In your analogy I don't have proof whatsoever. That however, doesn't mean this "brother" of mine in that scenario doesn't exist. He either does or he doesn't and whether I have the proof or not has no effect on which one it is. Just like with the paranormal. I may not have strict evidence of that either but that doesn't mean it's not real. 

Actually, having proof one way or the other would effect which was true with your brother (obviously only one can be true)...if you can prove that he's male (or real), he obviously isn't female (or fake).

 

If a man is going to jump off a building because he sincerely believes he can fly, will he?  Technically he hasn't jumped yet so we can't 100% say he will fall, but all of our experience and evidence up to this point overwhelmingly suggests that he will end up as a mess on the pavement.  Just because it could happen doesn't mean it's even remotely likely.  It would be completely unreasonable to believe that anything other than falling will occur because of how much evidence and understanding we have in gravity, physics, and human anatomy.

 

Despite the jokes, I know you likely don't believe in unicorns, and it's for these very reasons.  It would be unreasonable and silly to believe these things just because they "could" happen, or "could" be true, despite the absence of evidence.

 

I could be a unicorn right now, trying to throw you off my track.  Can you prove me wrong? Not unless you come find me (please don't).  Is it likely true? No.

Edited June 28, 201411 yr by Hardrada

Actually, having proof one way or the other would effect which was true with your brother (obviously only one can be true)...if you can prove that he's male (or real), he obviously isn't female (or fake).

 

If a man is going to jump off a building because he sincerely believes he can fly, will he?  Technically he hasn't jumped yet so we can't 100% say he will fall, but all of our experience and evidence up to this point overwhelmingly suggests that he will end up as a mess on the pavement.  Just because it could happen doesn't mean it's even remotely likely.  It would be completely unreasonable to believe that anything other than falling will occur because of how much evidence and understanding we have in gravity, physics, and human anatomy.

 

Despite the jokes, I know you likely don't believe in unicorns, and it's for these very reasons.  It would be unreasonable and silly to believe these things just because they "could" happen, or "could" be true, despite the absence of evidence.

 

I could be a unicorn right now, trying to throw you off my track.  Can you prove me wrong? Not unless you come find me (please don't).  Is it likely true? No.

 

Proof doesn't have anything to do with truth.  If it's a fact, having proof of factuality will not change that it is fact.

 

We have no evidence that life can exist without the chnops elements, but does that mean we shouldn't keep searching, even after that whole botched arsenic based life form discovery?  In many cases, the possibility of something is what leads people to discover fact, to look in places that they would not have otherwise thought to look.  That is what people are trying to say.

 

By nature, fact and possibility can't be used to argue against each other because they are entirely different things.  Fact can't prove anything for or against possibility, and possibility may or may not lead to fact.  Arguing between the two is entirely pointless.

Edited June 28, 201411 yr by Zola

Proof doesn't have anything to do with truth. If it's a fact, having proof of factuality will not change that it is fact.We have no evidence that life can exist without the chnops elements, but does that mean we shouldn't keep searching, even after that whole botched arsenic based life form discovery? In many cases, the possibility of something is what leads people to discover fact, to look in places that they would not have otherwise thought to look. That is what people are trying to say.By nature, fact and possibility can't be used to argue against each other because they are entirely different things. Fact can't prove anything for or against possibility, and possibility may or may not lead to fact. Arguing between the two is entirely pointless.

The whole point of my posts is that possibility is a spectrum. Something like me eating a sandwich tomorrow is clearly more likely to happen than me encountering a unicorn tomorrow. The latter of which is so unlikely based on what we know, that it's pointless to consider. If people believed in everything that was possible regardless of how likely or unlikely it was, we would have no filter; no criteria for making decisions.If it happened, would you support tax dollars going to fund research into the existance of unicorns? Would that be a reasonable use of time and resources?

Edited June 29, 201411 yr by Hardrada

I don't personally believe that the human eye and senses are necessarily the barometer by which the existence of things are dictated.

I don't personally believe that the human eye and senses are necessarily the barometer by which the existence of things are dictated.

Exactly. People act as if the human senses or the current understanding of science is enough to determine whether something exists or doesn't. There could be a million things that exist in this universe that we may never know anything about, especially not with the "oh we don't have perfect, undeniable evidence being placed into our hands" attitude.

I'm a little uncertain? I'm 99% sure these things don't exist but some really weird stuff has happened to me and idk I guess ghosts are that 1% possibility. Ever since my grandma died weird shit has been happening at my grandpa's house. It's really cold and uncomfortable in some rooms. No matter how many times we shut the door to my grandpa's bedroom is always keeps opening, even though neither of us have been in there. It also gets really steamy in the bathroom for some reason? Like the shower isn't on, nothing's on. You just walk in and the mirror is all fogged up, and this didn't happen before. So I'm gonna go with overall, no, I don't think they exist, but I guess I can't completely rule out the possibility. Definitely not demons or anything because that implies hell exists and I definitely don't believe that, but I think maybe ghosts are possible? Like left over energy? I have no idea tbh, but I'll acknowledge there's a possibility. 

I'm a little uncertain? I'm 99% sure these things don't exist but some really weird stuff has happened to me and idk I guess ghosts are that 1% possibility. Ever since my grandma died weird shit has been happening at my grandpa's house. It's really cold and uncomfortable in some rooms. No matter how many times we shut the door to my grandpa's bedroom is always keeps opening, even though neither of us have been in there. It also gets really steamy in the bathroom for some reason? Like the shower isn't on, nothing's on. You just walk in and the mirror is all fogged up, and this didn't happen before. So I'm gonna go with overall, no, I don't think they exist, but I guess I can't completely rule out the possibility. Definitely not demons or anything because that implies hell exists and I definitely don't believe that, but I think maybe ghosts are possible? Like left over energy? I have no idea tbh, but I'll acknowledge there's a possibility. 

I am not saying it isn't a ghost, but there quite possibly is a logical explanation for why those things started happening after she died.Cold and/or uncomfortable spots: She could have been doing various things with windows, doors, candles, cleaning, that would have been keeping the atmosphere of the room one way. So if she isn't there anymore the atmosphere in the room will decay into a worse state. But who knows.The bedroom door could be old and doesn't latch properly anymore, and neither of you noticed it yet.As for the steam in the bathroom, there could be some sort of leak in a really unnoticeable spot, and somehow it is causing the steamy feel from leaking out.Those last two were stretches, but who knows?As for there having to be a hell for demons. Maybe for demons as Christians see them, but it is quite possible for the concept of no heaven or hell and still have beings akin to angels and demons.At least from my point of view they aren't mutually exclusive things. Why must there be a place for "souls" to go to when their physical body dies, just for spiritual beings of "good and "evil" to exist? Who knows if humans even need to have a "soul" for there to be Angels and Demons?For me personally I see it is just as likely if not more so that there are beings from a different plane that can interact with our environment, than there is that humans can leave behind residual energy when they die. (becoming a ghost)If people could leave residual energy when they die that actually resembles a ghost, I would be surprised if all their items used everyday, things they can't stop thinking about, and their prized possessions didn't have residual energy from them even when they are still alive.Edit: I am just stating my thoughts to share my point of view, I am not trying to say any part of your message is good or bad.

Edited June 29, 201411 yr by Tigerruss

I am a person who believes in God, and I don't discard the fact that ghosts probably exist.  If there's one thing about this world that I'm sure of, it's that it is home to many mysteries and enigmas.  It's like that famous saying goes: "There are sometimes things that are better left not discovered."  The nature of ghosts and demons is something we as humans aren't entirely sure of, because these types of paranormal entities exist in a plain parallel to our world, think of it like limbo.  For all we know, they could be walking alongside us and we don't notice it.  They are invisible to the naked eye, but some choose to show themselves to people.  I'm not really into paranormal stuff, but of this much I can be sure.  And I'm pretty sure angels also exist.  Not everything in this world can be explained by mere science or logic.  Sometimes some of the greatest things in this world defy logical and/or any explanation.  I think it's something that makes our world that much more exciting.  Heh, this is an interesting topic.