PJCNET

As a founder member of Birmingham Investigators of the Unknown (BirminghamIU), I recently received a forum entry from a member who is in my opinion a sceptic based on his opinion. I wrote an in depth reply that I think will interest many readers.

Original Forum Entry From A Sceptic:

How can you use the word scientific in the same sentence as paranormal? There is no scientific basis for this hogwash. Don’t you realise that perceiving agency where there is none is a misfiring of our over-active imaginations? It is the basis for all religions. This is exactly why we use the scientific method to explain the natural phenomena. You guys want to drag us back into the dark ages with your hocus-pocus.

I suggest you take a look at this video, it will explain it better than I can.

My reply and message to all sceptics:

ParanormalPete, we at BirminghamIU only ask people to remain open minded to other peoples opinions and ideas regarding the existence of the paranormal, mainly ghosts and spirits. It’s impossible for me to change the mind of a sceptic with just words, I only ask you to investigate, experience and find out for yourself.

One can be scientific when investigating the paranormal, that’s why one can study for a degree in parapsychology. The scientific method of investigating the paranormal uses only proven scientific instruments to attempt to find something that cannot be explained using today’s science. E.g. One might use a Gauss Meter (Electromagnetic Field Meter). One would eliminate background Electro Magnetic Field (E.M.F.) and if for instance one suddenly recorded a high level of E.M.F. with no explainable cause, then it’s not explainable, unknown or paranormal in cause. Science will never say it’s caused by a spirit or a ghost as this isn’t proven, to science you have only discovered some sort of anomaly that can’t be explained. Another example is if one captures what appears to be a human voice on a audio recording device in a locked off room under controlled conditions or perhaps unexplained light anomalies caught on camcorders that can be analysed. Every piece of scientific evidence is thoroughly scrutinised and most alleged evidence can be eventually explained or has a possible scientific explanation, but a small amount of evidence cannot be explained and falls under the category of “the unexplained”.

Throughout recent centuries, man has made new scientific discoveries. Many new discoveries or scientific theories where once laughed at. Imagine if you could go back 200 years and show someone an Infra-red remote control turning on an electric device such as a TV. They would think it was magical, but this is now explainable science and acceptable today. I could bring up numerous examples of discoveries that would once be seen as magical that are now accepted. In the same way, science still has lots to discover, if you could travel forward in time a few hundred years, you are likely to see things that you would think are impossible or magical that would simply be accepted then. It’s one main goal of most paranormal investigation and research groups like BirminghamIU to help towards proving the existence of life after death by capturing evidence of ghosts or spirits. The second main goal is to help people, including people that might have passed on.

A “religion” is defined as a group of people with the same beliefs, so yes, the belief in the paranormal is a type of religion and can be linked to spiritualism and sometimes other religions too including some ancient religions. Psychic investigation techniques are officially unproven methods for investigating the paranormal that are officially related to religion more than scientific fact, but I have discovered over time that many of these so called ‘unproven’ techniques really do work although to anyone who hasn’t experienced this first hand, it’s understandable that they’d be very sceptical. I will only advise that you find out more about psychic techniques and try to keep an open mind, discover and find out for yourself, that’s all I can say.

If a person chooses not investigate the paranormal using scientific or psychic techniques, but continues to insist that the paranormal doesn’t exist, they are in my opinion making an assumption without any personal experience to back it up. Investigate yourself, find out yourself.

In my opinion, what makes the belief in spirits or spiritualism different to many religions, is one can actually discover and see the proof for yourself rather than relying on faith. Buddhism is another religion that has spiritual traits and asks you to find out for yourself, they only provide you the techniques. I have been investigating paranormal activity since 1996 and I have most certainly seen masses of evidence that spirits most certainly do exist including scientific proof. I have also seen masses of evidence that psychic investigation techniques do exist and do work, although sadly I believe there are some scam artists around giving reputable people a bad name. In 1996 I was quite sceptical myself, but I’m so glad I kept an open mind. Incidentally one can believe in the paranormal and/or spiritualism and can still be part of other religions, for instance, Christianity, but you can believe in the paranormal and remain a atheist.

I agree with some of what Andy Thomson says in the video you linked to above, but in my opinion it is different where there is actual proof that proves a belief. I don’t rely on faith, I don’t just believe in something from other people, I believe what I have actually discovered, experienced and seen for myself. For instance I saw an apparition of a person disappear suddenly without explanation, this isn’t a faith or belief, this is an anomaly that I witnessed personally. I could write pages and pages of what I have personally witnessed. I have been given a new theory to investigate, but I won’t believe the theory until it’s been investigated and I have seen the proof myself, but it is important to stay open minded.

Disclaimer

This article includes a quote from a member of BirminghamIU’s public forum to which I’m a founder member and administrator, to see the full forum thread, please click here. The rest of this article is entirely my opinion and cannot be taken as definite fact, please see my full legal disclaimer which applies to this article and all other articles on this website.

We refer to religion and we have tried to take an unbiased approach, it is NOT the intention of PJCNET to offend anyone from any religious belief. We remain open minded and respect different people’s ideas and beliefs.

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