Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Doubting Didymus · 08-21-2002, 04:10 PM

This thread is the exact same thread as the other thread. I really think we should keep the discussion in one thread.

Cube, you cannot trust your own experiences. This kind of thing happens to a few prone individuals, such as yourself and myself also. I have experienced things at least as supernatural as the things you have listed, but these is always an explanation. The two biggies are sleep paralysis and memory fill-in, which I discuss in the other thread.

It's really annoying to have the same discussion in two threads. Can someone please fix this?

echidna · 08-21-2002, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CubicGate:
Believe me I understand why you would be skeptical, but have you looked at it from any other points of view?? What if it was real?? Why not "experiment" a little to find out? Think of all the wonderful things you'd be missing if it was real and you dismissed it without really looking into it.

Back in the 70�s the Australian government expended millions researching the existence of Santa Claus. It was pointed out that the nation�s children were unnecessarily missing out on their annual presents which then became a massive financial burden on their parents.

Tragically Santa could not be contacted.

CubicGate · 08-21-2002, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reverend Ruin:
During my teens I was avidly into supernatural phenomena, spiritualism, occult, etc., etc. I tinkered with Ouija boards, Tarot cards and the like.

My friends and I even formed a small group of "ghost hunters." Once we were old enough to drive we would take trips to famously haunted places. (Including the "most haunted" cemetary in Chicago. We camped overnight.) Nothing. We never found any evidence for ghosts. All the photos we took were a waste of film.

I tried astral projection, and even though my friend GUSHED about how he was flying over this building or that building, *I* could never do it. Years later my friend admitted he was lying to me because he wanted to believe so badly that it worked.

I tinkered with ESP "kits" and found that I could never really "tune into" extra-sensory perception. Other friends had pretty much the same luck with the ESP cards.

Years rolled by, and the lack of evidence piled up. From EXPERIENCE I started to doubt the existence of all things supernatural. (A precursor to my atheism, surely.)

I, too, experience hypnogogic hallucinations around bed time, or while in bed, or after just waking up. The most vivid one I can remember is a hideous scarecrow hanging on the back of my door. It lifted its head and looked at me. TERRIFYING. I have a very active imagination, so they're fairly frequent with me. Just last week after reading a bunch of H.P. Lovecraft stories I literally saw tentacles squirming from my closet. Before that, a few months back, I saw one of those metal claws you find at the carnival prize booths hanging over my bed.

That's really cool, Reverend Ruin! I especially like the part about the ghost hunters. I am gonna see if my friends want to do something like that!

I don't know why esp, astral projection and stuff didn't work out for you. Maybe the material you had wasn't right for you. Maybe you weren't meant to develop those abilities at that point in your life. Maybe it's something else that neither of us has an answer to.

What I wonder is, how long has it been since you tried experimenting with those things again. It sounds like you may have some kind of unfocused psychic ability � a lot like mine just a couple of years ago! :-) Have you considered getting those old books out and seeing if they work now? Just a thought. Thanks! :-)

Coragyps · 08-21-2002, 04:41 PM

This appears to be one of two very similar threads, so I'm closing this one. Try <a href="http://iidb.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=57&t=000456&p=" target="_blank">over there.</a>

[ August 21, 2002: Message edited by: Coragyps ]

08-21-2002, 04:41 PM	#24
Coragyps Veteran Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Snyder,Texas,USA Posts: 4,411	This appears to be one of two very similar threads, so I'm closing this one. Try <a href="http://iidb.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=57&t=000456&p=" target="_blank">over there.</a> [ August 21, 2002: Message edited by: Coragyps ]</p>

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08-21-2002, 04:10 PM	#21
Doubting Didymus Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: East Coast. Australia. Posts: 5,455	This thread is the exact same thread as the other thread. I really think we should keep the discussion in one thread. Cube, you cannot trust your own experiences. This kind of thing happens to a few prone individuals, such as yourself and myself also. I have experienced things at least as supernatural as the things you have listed, but these is always an explanation. The two biggies are sleep paralysis and memory fill-in, which I discuss in the other thread. It's really annoying to have the same discussion in two threads. Can someone please fix this?

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