If you’ve ever spent time researching the paranormal, you’ve probably noticed that much of the discussion surrounding the topic can be summarized as nothing more than opinions being debated among believers and non-believers alike. While this statement might not sit well with those of us who dedicate our time to the field of paranormal research, the truth we must admit to ourselves is that nearly every premise we operate under is unproven; they are merely surmises generated by a collective of individual perception and personal belief.

For those who have never been involved in a lively debate on, for example, the types of paranormal activity, this concept might not make sense at first glance, but you’ve probably seen at least one television show peppered with the term ‘personal experience’. This term is the key to the entire field of paranormal research. Everything we do is affected by our personal experiences, and those experiences are all based on our individual perception of the world around us. This long-standing situation has allowed those outside the field to target our research as pseudoscience.

All of this begs the question: Should the ‘data’ collected through paranormal research—photographs of orbs, video of strange shadows, audio recordings of what most interpret as a voice—which relies on individual perceptions be considered evidence? Its a difficult question to answer. The collection of data might seem to be science-based as it makes use of technology, yet even with modern recording devices, it all begins in the mind.

Read the full article: http://hubpages.com/hub/is_it_really_paranormal_activity_or_my_mind_playing_tricks

According to most sources, the term paranormal found popularity in common use relatively recently; they claim that the designation dates back only to the 1920s. In order to uncover the true roots of the word, we have to first examine it’s separate parts.

The word is formed by combining the Greek prefix para-, which means “alongside, beyond, altered, contrary,” with the word norma, a Latin word meaning “rule or pattern”. By understanding that the word is created through the combination of these two parts, we can draw a simple conclusion: whoever coined the term was educated enough to have at least a passing acquaintance with both Latin and Greek. While it might not seem like a major clue, it eliminates a large portion of the population at the time.

Read the entire article here: http://hubpages.com/hub/themeaningofparanormal

I was just reading this article about a ghost tour group that had to shut down because one of the major locations they visit has been declared off limits by the owners.

When I read the headline, I assumed it was some narrow minded zealot that had over reacted, but after reading the whole story I can see both sides to this.

The church is completely within their rights to ask the tour group not to come onto the property. The church is responsible for maintaining the property and the safety of the graves there. I can also understand the church asking for liability insurance from the tour company. Let’s face it, when someone trips and falls in the dark, they will sue the deepest pockets. It’s just the way it is these days. That being said, it would have been nice if they would have given a little more notice.

The ghost tour company is trying to make a living. Most of the ghost tours rely on public access to places of interest. Rarely, do they actually own the property they guide people through. While most ghost tour operators are very conscious of being respectful of the neighboring houses and businesses, it is nearly impossible to guarantee the behavior of every person on every tour. People will be people.

Take a read of this article, I’d love to know your opinion.

Grim

Morpeth church bans ghost tours!