How To Be A Good Skeptic

Are you a Skeptic or Skeptical? As the Science Editor for Paranormal Daily News, I’m naturally skeptical, but with an open mind. I enjoy exploring controversial subjects, and I’ve learned a lot about how to approach them. While some of these subjects, such as flat Earth, aren’t worth any serious inquiry, many other non - political ones are.

People may see something that they think is paranormal, but has an ordinary explanation. They may listen to a guru and believe that person without question, or accept a spiritual explanation without any evidence to back it up. They need more skepticism to help them stay grounded in reality.

But you can also go too far in the other direction. While you can mistakenly see something that isn’t there, you can also miss something that is there. While there are certainly believers who veer into irrationality, there are also skeptics who do the same. A skeptic who refuses to even consider the more controversial explanation, no matter what, is no more grounded in reality than their more flighty New Age counterparts.

I’m going to use two controversial subjects to demonstrate this: Bigfoot and psychic ability.

Controversy Is There For A Reason

A lot of controversial subjects are perceived that way because there is some evidence to support them. People get curious, look into a controversial subject and decide that something is there that’s worth investigating. A subject with some substance will continually attract people. Subjects without any decent evidence don’t attract serious research, and either attract very few people or they just die off, like Kirlian photography, orgone energy or perpetual motion.

If a subject attracts a lot of people and holds their attention over the course of decades. There’s probably a good reason for that.

A general rule of thumb is that research endures if there’s something to a subject, and tends to fall off if nothing of substance is discovered. No one with a brain is investigating the flat earth theory. Bigfoot however, continues to attract researchers and psychic research spans many organizations including a scientific organization recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Research in several languages and thousands of studies dating back decades, also back up the claim that it’s legitimate.

Many Controversial Subjects Encounter Resistance - Enter The Skeptic

Controversial subjects encounter irrational resistance and scoffing. This is part of the reason subjects become controversial in the first place. This alone neither validates nor invalidates a subject, it’s just something that you have to take into consideration. Etzel Cardeña of Lund University outlined this problem as it relates to psychic research here.

In this paper, I describe various examples of blatant attempts to censor parapsychology research and those doing it. They include raising false accusations, suppressing papers and data, and ostracizing scientists interested in the topic. The intensity of fear and vituperation caused by parapsychology research is disproportionate even to the possibility that the psi hypothesis could be completely wrong, so I speculate on psychological reasons that may give rise to it. There are very few circumstances in which censorship might be appropriate, and the actions by parapsychology censors put them at odds not only with the history of science but with the history of modern liberal societies.

If you are not skeptical of skeptics, then you’ve effectively given them god status, and it is impossible for anyone to change your mind. If your requirement is that advocates for a controversial subject have to convince the skeptics, then you can never be convinced that the skeptics are wrong. You should avoid this trap because you will have to stop listening entirely to people you disagree with.

The Role of Belief

While belief and trust play a vital role in understanding the paranormal, these traits have to be delicately balanced against being clear-sighted about how that trust and belief measure up against what actually happens.

This isn’t to say that we should never have beliefs or trust, but we need to identify them in ourselves and distinguish them from facts. What we believe and what we can prove aren’t always the same. So if our Flower Moonchild says, “I believe that aliens are coming to lead us.” This is not a problematic statement because it’s correctly framed as a belief.

On the other hand, if Sam Skeptic says, “people are just deluding themselves about the paranormal” this is a belief framed as a fact and it is problematic. Although the New Age person is making a fantastical statement, it is internally consistent. The skeptic though, has an opinion, but has veered off into propaganda by asserting it as a fact. Sam should have prefaced his statement with: “I think” or “In my opinion”.

How to be a good skeptic

How Much Do I Really Know?

People often learn a little bit about a subject and go on to form conclusions without realizing that they know far less than they think they do. This is known as the Illusion of Explanatory Depth and I see people fall into this trap all the time.

If you asked one hundred people on the street if they understand how a refrigerator works, most would respond, yes, they do. But ask them to then produce a detailed, step-by-step explanation of how exactly a refrigerator works, and you would likely hear silence or stammering. This powerful but inaccurate feeling of knowing is what Leonid Rozenblit and Frank Keil in 2002 termed, the illusion of explanatory depth (IOED), stating, “Most people feel they understand the world with far greater detail, coherence and depth than they really do.”

. . . At present, the IOED is profoundly pervasive given that we have infinite access to information, but consume information in a largely superficial fashion. A 2014 survey found that approximately six in ten Americans read news headlines and nothing more. Major geopolitical issues from civil wars in the Middle East to the latest climate change research advances are distilled into tweets, viral videos, memes, “explainer” websites, soundbites on comedy news shows, and daily e-newsletters[.]

Good skepticism means honestly appraising how much you know about the subject you’re discussing. You should know enough about a subject you have opinions on to at least know the limits of your knowledge.

For example, while I endorse vaccinations, how much do I really know about them? Could I argue with an anti-vaxxer with an armful of medical studies? Nope. I understand the principles of vaccination, but my understanding is quite shallow. It feels like I know about vaccinations, but in reality, I don’t.

Avoid Assumptions

“If X were real, then we’d be seeing Y. Since we don’t see Y, X must not exist.”

The assumption here is that you know enough about X to make a statement about Y. But do you really? A lot of topics require some expertise and you can’t be an expert in everything.

When people present their assumptions as valid arguments, it’s an advertisement that they don’t know very much. It’s an ignorant thing to do and a waste of everyone’s time. I see this most often coming from self described skeptics who have made no attempt to poke holes in their own argument.

Assumptions, however logical they might appear to the person using them for arguments, are not facts and no one is required to provide evidence to refute them, although many people will anyway. As an example: “If Bigfoot was real, then why don’t we see more photos and video with all the cell phone cameras out there?” If you are not going to try to answer questions like this through your own research, don’t ask it in the first place.

These assumptions are usually made in a kind of egotistical one-upsmanship way. My experience is that often if the assumption is a common one, it has already been addressed, but the skeptic has done so little research that they don’t know about it. It’s better to avoid all this and engage the brain before opening the mouth.

Real skeptics stay away from this nonsense. The object is to learn something, not find people to scoff at.

Be Careful When Assigning Credibility

Beware of painting the people you disagree with as fools, incompetent and charlatans. Once you go down that path, you’re in a situation where you’re one of those tiresome people who thinks they’re right all the time. No one can ever prove you wrong if you never listen or take people you disagree with seriously. You have to be both skeptical of skeptics and open to the idea that people you disagree with might just have a point.

You’ve entered the land of the blowhard when you refuse to give any credibility to sources you disagree with. I see this all the time. Bigfoot researchers become “enthusiasts.” Parapsychologists become “woo meisters” and so on. It’s not skepticism at that point because there is a total lack of objectivity. That kind of behavior is on the level of zealotry.

Image: Canva

Be Mindful of Your Claims

When you state something as a fact, you’re making a claim. This implies the existence of evidence. Incidentally, it’s also a claim when you say that something doesn’t exist and making that kind of claim also requires evidence. It’s possible for example, to show that the earth isn’t flat and that Kirlian photography has no paranormal aspects to it, but you can’t support the claim that bigfoot isn’t real or that psychic ability doesn’t exist without without handwaving away the existing evidence.

I’ve seen wannabe skeptics claim that this or that has no evidence. That’s usually a false statement. Evidence can be anecdotal; it can come from an investigation; it can be a one off or replicated. Evidence, in other words, is an all encompassing term and it comes in many forms. What often matters isn’t whether evidence exists or not, but how convincing it is to us. Evidence that isn’t very convincing is still evidence.

This is why I say “be mindful of your claims.” Once you claim that something “has no evidence”, you’ve probably strayed from skepticism and veered off into absolutism.

Acknowledge the Accumulation of Evidence

As people explore controversial subjects, their pool of evidence will either grow or remain stagnant. An accumulation of weak evidence becomes strong evidence if there is enough of it. A couple hundred bigfoot sighting reports over 10 years might not be very convincing, but Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has over 5,500 sightings and they correlate to certain areas where you would most expect bigfoot sightings.

Ghost sightings are common by comparison and occur all over the world in every culture and socioeconomic class and are documented as far back as we have enough written history to document these things.

Even if we can’t get clear, unambiguous documentation of either of these things, or in the case of ghosts, that is a topic of controversy. On the one hand, some perceive that we don’t even know what they are, and on the other, people believe they know what they are. The accumulation of evidence is meaningful. It is irresponsible and arrogant to summarily dismiss the experiences of thousands or even millions of people. It gets back to the problem of making assumptions. “They must be either frauds or fooling themselves” is not a valid argument when dealing with very large numbers of people.

What is the Rebuttal?

Advocates for controversial subjects generally know what the objections are and have rebuttals to them. Good skepticism requires knowing what those rebuttals are. It is necessary to get those rebuttals directly from the advocate, and not a second hand version created by another skeptic. They are often quite different.

When you start dealing with rebuttals, this is most often where you can no longer be just causally acquainted with a subject. To understand the arguments, you have to know more about the subject you’re investigating. This is why rebuttals often get ignored. But they are an important part of the process because it’s also where you find out just how good or bad the skepticism is.

Don’t Rely on Wikipedia

Wikipedia is not a valid source for either side. Its structure allows policing by anonymous people, meaning that topics can be captured and controlled by a small group of editors if they get people in the right positions. Rather than argue, they can simply ban people they disagree with. This problem is well documented.

Strengthen Your Spirit With Wisdom Codes

Mastering Our Own Destiny

In his latest book The Wisdom Codes, eminent science-meets-spirit-pioneer Gregg Braden guides us to a sacred world of ancient, intuitively encoded words that can literally rewire our brain and heal our hearts.

“In their presence, we are changed.” writes Braden. “When we speak the words either out loud or silently to ourselves, something shifts within us and that something is where the power of words, chemistry and neurons converge in a beautiful way. These timeless codes are designed to bring us the greatest strength and the deepest healing, in the quickest way possible.”

Braden further explains that the relationship between the words we use and the way our brains function, has been recognised by our most ancient spiritual traditions for over 5000 years. The conscious application of specific word patterns that are recited in prayers, mantras, hymns and chants, provides inspiration, safety, comfort and healing - a powerful ally when life’s inevitable challenges come our way. This, in turn, paves the way to becoming skilled masters of our own destiny instead of unwitting, hapless victims of circumstance. Take your pick.

Word-Brain Relationship Origins

As a lifelong lover of language and more recently, the art of linguistics, I was particularly interested in Braden’s reference to renowned American Linguist Benjamin Lee Whorf. He discovered our word-brain relationship in the late 1930s, as a graduate level instructor of Native American linguistics. This experience provided unique insights about the Hopi people’s paradigm-altering use of language; how they used words to describe the present moment, but not to directly describe the past or future.

For example, when the Hopi refer to lightning, they describe the experience as lightning-ing, indicating that the lightning is a state of being; or the wave is waving. Whorf believed that these word structures were responsible for the harmonious way of the Hopi and their relationship with the cosmos. Having previously traveled to the Hopi Lands in north-eastern Arizona, I appreciated the deeper understanding as to why the word ‘Hopi’, (a shortened version of Hopituh Shi-nu-mu), translates into ‘peaceful people’.

Whorf’s discovery of how our words influenced the chemistry in our bodies and the way our neurons connected, naturally sent shock waves through the scientific community but also inspired ongoing biological and neuroscientific studies about the structure of language.

Thankfully, more recent studies have since confirmed Whorf’s theory that: “Words of our everyday language directly influence the way our brain “wires” itself when it comes to how we think and even what we are capable of thinking about.”

A single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress. Andrew Newberg, M.D., neuroscientist and Mark Robert Waldman.

How We Empower Prayer Through Words

Braden’s mystical side-trip to a remote Tibetan monastery in the Himalayas made me feel like grabbing my backpack and heading for the mountains again. There he met with the abbot of the monastery, and asked: “When we see your prayers, what are you doing in your body? When we see you tone and chant mantras for fourteen to sixteen hours a day on the outside, what is happening to you on the inside?”

The abbot’s (condensed) translated reply reflected the discoveries reported in recent journals: “You have never seen our prayers because a prayer cannot be seen. What you have seen is what we do to create the feeling in our bodies. The feeling is the prayer and the words create the feeling.”

Put simply, words ignite the emotion that empowers our prayers. Allowing ourselves to fully embrace what our spoken words mean on the deepest possible level of awareness, triggers the neurological and biological responses that reflect the intent of the codes. This also mirrors the early translations of the biblical book of John (chapter 16, verse 24): “We are instructed to empower our prayers through the words that invite us to be surrounded by the feeling that our prayer is already answered. Ask without hidden motive and be surrounded by your answer. Be enveloped by what you desire so that your joy may be full.”

To say that the implications of the word-life relationship are profound, is almost an understatement.

Image: Canva

Wisdom Codes Reflect Common Life Issues

Akin to a trusty, inner-world travel guide, Braden’s meticulously researched book offers a core group of 17 deftly decoded Wisdom Codes and two bonus codes. His chosen codes include ancient Sanskrit Vedas, the Mahabharata, Buddha teachings, The Lord’s Prayer, “lost” texts of the Judeo-Christian Bible and sacred mysteries of indigenous traditions.

Reflecting some of our most commonly faced issues in life, such as protection, fear, loss, strength and love, the codes also come with captivating accounts of their ancient origins and easy to follow instructions about how to apply them.

Wisdom Code Sneak Peak

To give you an idea of how the Wisdom Codes are presented, I have chosen to share part of Wisdom Code 7 - Bhagavad Gita, a remedy for Fear. The introduction to each code includes a breakdown of the code’s use and source, followed by a succinct overview of the code’s origins, instructions on how to use the code and a handy blank notes page. For example:

---

Bhagavad Gita

Wisdom Code 7: The soul is never created, nor does it ever die. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.

Use: This code addresses the universal human fear of annihilation and the primal fear of nonexistence.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, chapter 2, verse 20

(Code origin)

How to Use Wisdom Code 7

The power of wisdom codes comes from their repetition and doing so in the affirmative. This imprints a code on the unconscious mind. When we create a heart/brain harmony, we open a ‘hotline’ to communicate directly with the subconscious.

From a place of heart/brain harmony, recite this code line by line, either silently in your mind out loud, until you sense a shift of fear. The key is to embrace this code with a focus of awareness, breath, and feeling in the heart rather than the mind:

The soul of never created, nor does it ever die

The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless

It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed

---

Use Your Newfound Power of Words With Care

The Wisdom Codes is a truly unique, compelling and nourishing reference book that has earned a place in my highly competitive Spiritual Armour Kit. Just the tonic for navigating our way through this profoundly strange yet wondrous time in world history.

Note to self: Given that words form the framework for the unity or separation that we consequently experience, live consciously and choose words with great care. Always.

Pest Control Professionals or Paranormal Experts: Who to Call?

The things you have arranged properly are now misplaced. The food you have left on your table goes missing. The noises you hear have you in fear. You wake up at night after hearing the scratching noises in your bedroom. With all these spooky things going on, you are convinced that a spirit or ghost is haunting you. You call in paranormal experts, but is that the right expert to call?

Is your home haunted by a poltergeist?

Disturbing occurrences in your home can make you feel terrified. You may immediately think that a poltergeist is haunting your home. It happens nightly and so you call in a team of paranormal experts to get rid of the foul spirit.

Ghost lore describes a poltergeist as a spirit that makes loud noises and moves and destroys objects. Poltergeists are known to be loud. After all, poltergeists are scary than other types of spirits. They make their presence felt.

According to William G. Roll and Nandor Fodor who are both renowned parapsychologists, psychokinesis can explain poltergeist activity. Seeing broken objects or stuff at home without a logical explanation can easily convince you that you are being haunted by one.

Poltergeists are known to haunt an individual instead of a place. If you are aware of their existence, it is easy to conclude that poltergeists are the reason for all the loud noises and stuff that go awry whenever you’re not around.

Are pests to be blamed?

Pests not Ghosts

Before you book an appointment with a team of paranormal experts, consider checking if your home is infested with pests. What you thought are the sounds caused by poltergeists may be created by pests that lurk in your home especially at night.

The common pests that can mimic ghostly encounters would be;

• rats
• termites
• ants
• Bats
• Raccoons

Your home can easily be transformed into a haunted house if these pests continue to thrive inside your home environment. So it’s not so much a paranormal expert you need, its more a pest control company or pest control expert you need.

House pests don’t only cause damage to your home. They are known to be carriers of diseases so you are exposed to health risks. But the damage they do mimic the haunting noises that you would equate with haunted houses.

There are reasons why these unwanted visitors are attracted to your homes. Pests tend to go to places where they can hide and look for food. They flock to homes that are often left damp, dirty, and old. Does that sound familiar? Yes they are attracted to haunted type homes.

Paranormal Phenomena or Pest Phenomena?

Your home shows signs of deterioration as it ages. Rats and other rodents can make the signs even worse. They love to chew pipes and wires, and they have a knack for destroying your floors and insulation. These crack, break and cause paranormal type phenomena.

Termites will chew on rotten wood structures inside your home, and it isn’t easy to spot them. Eventually, all these pests can destroy your home whilst mimicking the sounds of the dead and the specters of the night.

Who you gonna call?

Paranormal Investigators will often come into your home, they will interview you and try to identify the ghostly phenomena, and most of them will settle on feeding the fear or their own ego. Eventually it will be announced that you have a demonic infestation or you have the spirits of the dead making communication with you. Very rarely do they consider that what you may have is a pest problem.

Instead of banishing spirits away from your home, what you need is pest control. There are some ways you can look into to make sure pests don’t invade your home.

Poltergeist Fire Starters — Could be rodents?

The sounds you hear at night may be caused by rodents so you need to check every corner of your home. Rats can easily get into your homes through small openings or get into your hvac system through the ducts by chewing their way through or badly fitted ducts.. They will then chew on wires and exposed power sources or if they get into those power sources they will nest in there.

Fire Starter

Photographer: Adam Wilson | Source: Unsplash

According to parapsychologists, there is a type of typical type phenomena where a poltergeist will start fires. This can be understood as a Pyrophillia type behavior where the spirit or specter gets its kicks from starting fires. It is also known as pyrokinesis, which is controlling fire with one's mind, and in this respect, it would be the mind of the disembodied spirit.

The reality is of course in most cases, that your fire starting ghost is nothing more than a rodent or animal of some description that has damaged or eaten through live wires and this exposure causes spontaneous fires to occur.

The only time that you could possibly consider something remotely paranormal is because of the other intelligent phenomena that is measured and has no basis of science behind it.

Check your crawl spaces for ghosts.

Termites enjoy feeding on rotten wood. The wooden structures in your crawl space can be a breeding ground for termites. Inspect your crawl space to ensure that there is no water damage. That alone can also cause certain paranormal phenomena coupled with the termites and termite damage, you have a possible ghostly infestation.

Tips For Your Home

Inspect holes and openings and cover them if necessary. You can also screen your chimneys and make sure that they are securely covered to avoid pests from entering your homes.

According to Missy Henriksen of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), you should use caulk to seal the gaps or cracks in your home and use weather strips on your windows as well.

Book professional pest control services before Paranormal Experts.

Before you call out your local paranormal team or paranormal investigator, you should perhaps call on your local pest control company first. Of course, that is only should your home be lived in, exhibiting the signs, and not an old abandoned home that has been left to the spirits of the dead. If the latter is true, then call on a paranormal expert.

The Watseka Wonder Possession

We’ve all heard tales of spiritual possession. Most of the time, the stories we hear are of malicious, demonic entities hell-bent on controlling the living. Frightening and ghastly visions come to mind when we think of them. But what if some spirits are only looking for a way to communicate. In the form of a living person, a vessel to help them find closure to a life cut short? Or, to help bring peace to their own family, whose grief is so deep, they’ve taken to rituals to communicate with the other side? So was the story in the historical, haunting case of the Watseka Wonder.

The Watseka Wonder is credited as the first well-documented case of possession in the United States. It has inspired a movie, and it was so profound that the physician, Dr. E. Winchester Stevens, who witnessed the phenomenon first hand, wrote a book documenting the case.

Photograph from newsbug.info

To understand this mysterious story, we must first visit the heartland of America, Watseka, Illinois. Here, an ominous-looking home stands. Built, in 1868, the long, narrow, arched windows and brick exterior give this Victorian, Italianate style home a Gothic mood. Known today as the Roff House, it was constructed by Asa Roff, a prominent member of the Watseka community in the mid-eighteen hundreds, and has remained a mystery in the paranormal world since the Roff’s occupied it.

Clairvoyance Brought On By Illness?

Asa and Dorothy Roff’s daughter, Mary Roff, suffered from epilepsy and had frequent seizures. As she grew older, Mary claimed that spirits were around and spoke to her. These episodes became more violent as years passed. During one of her last and most violent spells, she became so fierce that it took several adults to restrain her while she calmed down. By this point, Mary was incredibly weak from a suicide attempt and blood loss, yet she exhibited a tremendous amount of strength.

She eventually settled down and remained delirious for five days and slept for many hours. When she awoke, it is said that Mary gained supernatural gifts. Her senses seemed to be heightened and, supposedly, could read while blindfolded.

Witnesses stated that she accurately read a letter in the pocket of A.J. Smith, editor of the Danville Times. The letter was supposedly sealed and in his pocket, but Mary read it aloud.

Because doctors could not find a cure or proper diagnosis of her strange symptoms, it was assumed she was afflicted with insanity. She was placed in an asylum for treatment in Peoria, Illinois, but died there in July 1865.

Séances And Secret Societies

After her death, The Roff family home was constructed in 1868. Being devout spiritualists and a common practice during the nineteenth century, the family immediately began holding séances inside the house. In addition to the family séances, Asa Roff was a known member of the Odd Fellows. A secret society who were known for partaking in mysterious rituals surrounding the dead during that time.

Some have speculated that the Roff’s involvement with the spiritual word may have been the catalyst that awoke the spirits which plagued Mary.

Watseka Wonder Under Spiritual Possession

Lurancy Vennum

In 1878, over a decade after Mary’s death, a young girl named Lurancy Vennum, who was thirteen years old at the time, lived in Watseka. One day, she suddenly became ill and began suffering epileptic seizures, stomach pains and said she saw angels around her. Her illness soon worsened; she spoke in different voices, taking on personalities not her own, and, at times, became violent.

This was during the height of the spiritual movement and gained rapid popularity amongst those practicing spiritualism. Instead of following doctors’ suggestions of placing Lurancy in an asylum, her parents sought help from local spiritualists to investigate.

Asa Roff was interested in Lurancy’s case because her symptoms so closely resembled his daughter, Mary’s. He had been convinced that Mary’s illness was not caused by insanity, as doctors tried to explain. But that she had been touched by the spiritual world, and he carried a tremendous amount of guilt over what happened to his daughter.

Good Spirits vs. Bad

Lurancy claimed evil spirits possessed her, and that was the cause of her violent outbursts. One of the doctors treating Lurancy asked her to seek a more pleasant spirit surrounding her to possess her body. When she stated that Mary Roff was present and wanted to help, the witnesses were astounded. Lurancy then invited Mary to take control of her physical body.

Immediately after the possession, Lurancy became calm and polite. A sharp contradiction to her previous behavior, and took on the personality of Mary Roff. Though Lurancy had never met Mary and had no knowledge of what Mary had gone through, she seemed to have intimate details of the Roff family. She was able to recognize them and knew the names of the Roff family relatives. She was even able to recall personal possessions that the family had owned.

Lurancy no longer recognized her own family and asked to be taken to the Roff home. Convinced that Lurancy was under the possession of his daughter, Asa asked if he could take Lurancy with him, believing that his daughter was asking from the spiritual world to be brought back to her family.

The Vennum’s agreed, and Lurancy accompanied Asa back to his home, where she lived for 15 weeks. At the end of that time, she bid the family goodbye in a tearful departure that she had prophesied and promised the return of Lurancy once she departed her body.

As promised, Lurancy returned. Seeming to be back to her old self and without any further episodes of spiritual possession, she went back to live with her parents. She eventually married, had a family of her own, and lived a normal, long life with no other illnesses.

Summoned Spirits Left Behind

Today, the Roff House still stands and is owned by John Whitman, who has worked to restore the home and turn it into a Bed & Breakfast. However, the Watseka Wonder possession story is not the only haunting tale attached to this property. Over the years, the owner and guests at the house have reported ghostly activity—some sinister.

Whispering is often heard from empty rooms. Black shadows have been spotted. Even reports of demons have been made. The owner stated in an interview that while staying the night, he awoke to a figure in his bedroom which appeared to have been burned, was wearing a black hooded cloak, and an evil grin curled its lips. Some visitors have also said that spirits have taken over their bodies, in a temporary possession.

Many believe that the ghostly sightings and dark presence that roam the property were invited through the portals opened during the many séances that the Roff family held. And that over the years, investigation groups who were inexperienced could have unknowingly exacerbated the haunted property by inviting more unfriendly spirits into the home.

Conclusion

As alluring as it is to make contact with the other side, one must always be cautious. Opening doors could very well let the person you are seeking to communicate with in, but there is no guarantee that others spirits, friendly or malicious, won’t follow them.

Image References:

https://www.newsbug.info/iroquois_countys_times-republic/roff-house-earns-preservation-award-from-landmarks-illinois/article_66084618-d77d-5464-94c6-f702b580178e.html

Should Parents Be Concerned About The Charlie Charlie Challenge?

Supernatural games have always been popular with both young and old. Just think about games such as ‘Bloody Mary’ and the Ouija Board, which have been around for a very long time. When one wants to connect with the afterlife, you either go to a medium or you play a supernatural game, but at your own peril. One of the latest supernatural games to come forward is the Charlie-Charlie Challenge. But should parents be concerned about this new game and their children’s interest in it?

What Is The Charlie-Charlie Challenge?

The game could be described as a basic version of the Ouija Board, which works with pencils. It has been heavily featured on social media and so a large number of children have been exposed to it. To start the game, the phrase “Charlie, Charlie can we play” is uttered. Then, a question is asked and participants wait for the pencil to move towards “yes” or “no”.

Do Supernatural Games Have A Harmful Effect On Children?

Supernatural games have been around for a very long time and have always fascinated the younger generation. Yet, despite their popularity, there is little research into the effects of these supernatural games on children.

Despite the lack of research into the effects of supernatural games on children, we do know some of the numbers in terms of these game sales. While the Charlie Charlie Challenge is quite rudimentary, there are actual supernatural games for sale in stores such as Toys R Us. In 2014, a Ouija Board marketed for children and young adults saw a sale increase of a whopping 300%!

Researchers have looked into why people are so fascinated with supernatural games. To understand this, we need to look at three reasons why people are so fascinated by horror films. These three reasons are relevance, tension, and unreal ism. In other words, some part of the horror film is relevant for the watcher, yet the viewer will experience suspense and a situation that is far removed from their own reality despite the relevance. A similar explanation could be found for the Charlie Charlie Challenge. Another theory by Dr. Carl Jung claims that supernatural scary films actually go deep into our collective subconscious and connect to a so-called primordial archetype. However, this theory is subject to quite a lot of criticism within the psychological society.

So, since there is no research into the effects of these games on the psyche of children and adults, it is impossible to determine if they are from a psychological standpoint. Of course, it also opens the door to some interesting psychological research that would be well-worth exploring.

Religious Standpoint

Since children are attempting to contact demons during the Charlie Charlie Challenge, there has been a reaction from the Catholic Church. One priest called Father Stephen McCarthy gave the following warning to his students:

"There is a dangerous game going around on social media which openly encourages impressionable young people to summon demons. I want to remind you all there is no such thing as 'innocently playing with demons'. Please be sure to NOT participate and encourage others to avoid participation as well. The problem with opening yourself up to demonic activity is that it opens a window of possibilities which is not easily closed."

Conclusion

As I often think from a psychological perspective, there is no evidence that playing supernatural games could cause harm to children. That being said, there is such a thing as common sense. Even though there is no evidence to prove that harm is being caused, there is no proof that no harm is being caused either. So, this is very much a case reminiscent of schrodinger's cat. It could, or it could not.

At the end of the day, it is important to educate children on the dangers of playing with supernatural games and their implications. Information and education tends to be the right course of action, even though if children seem to dismiss any efforts made towards it. But at the end of the day, the message will be in the back of their mind.

Harry Houdini and the afterlife, proof at last?

Harry Houdini was a very prominent man during and after his passing. His passing is one of great interest because of his feats in proving or otherwise the one great thing that none of us escape.

He was SO well known during his life for many things, including his great stamina and fitness. His ability to even pick locks with his feet. Lock picking and the great ability to weave and to create magic. Performing all kinds of feats astounding one and all.

Houdini had a very scientific mind capable of working out the most baffling of tricks. Escapism was his forte. Houdini turned his great mind onto that other great mystery, the survival of death.

I believe that he wanted to personally help solve this mystery for mankind.

Does popularity breed contempt?

With the popularity of the afterlife, so few good mediums, money to be made, it was inevitable that such a rare gift” would, of course, be exploited. So many skeptics have so much to lose, reputations for one, for another it would show how little in fact we know.

I find it incredibly ironic that with scientists, skeptics, world leaders having so much to lose - control for instance, including their reputations, that they have ruined many a good reputation trying to save their own, which is as untrusted as ever. Sir William Crookes (the scientist) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Paine noted as the greatest Englishman ever and driven from England in fear of his life for his belief in the afterlife, and who became a great man and founding father of the USA, Even Abraham Lincoln, the list is considerable.Sir Arthur ConanDoyle, Thomas Paine noted as the greatest Englishman ever and driven from England in fear of his life for his belief in the afterlife, and who became a great man and founding father of the USA, Even Abraham Lincoln, the list is considerable.

Nettie Colburn and Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln himself had his own experiences, a prediction of his own passing for example. A Medium called Nettie Colburn wrote her book “Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist” for example.

So in this period of great hope, a wonderful discovery of the afterlife, many fraudsters made money in replicating simple party tricks for those who sought comfort. It was in this atmosphere that Houdini, a great magician himself of course, sought his own truth and perhaps wanted to bring this wonder to the world. He was ideally placed to do this. Perhaps this is why so much action from skeptics was concentrated on him and Beatrice his wife?

Regrettable, Houdini only found fraud after fraud and this, I suspect, also screened him from those who were genuine.

Uncovering fraudsters is to everyones benefit.

It is good that fraudsters were uncovered it is still a problem today. Eventually Houdini made the famous statement (I paraphrase here) That “If anyone could escape death and come back to prove it, then the greater escapologist ever would”

It has been of great satisfaction of skeptics when Houdini did come back to the complete satisfaction of his wife Beatrice, that she was hounded unmercifully until she had cracked and signed a statement to the contrary.

It is, and should be, to the great shame of those who have such ego and craving for power who performed such an act.

Beatrice Houdini’s statement.

In the end, Beatrice made the following sworn statement below. Testifying to the greatest truth we shall ever learn... that we, as a form of energy go on to much greater worlds. That the truth of this is and should be world changing, it should be of great comfort. It is to man’s shame of course that it is not announced from the rooftops so that we can all truly be free. Understanding the key fundamentals of this would stop many wars and attrition that this world faces.

A question to ask world leaders.

So many world leaders are religious and I would ask them one question solely. “If you truly believe in a God, do you think he would endorse your actions and moral stance in what you do?”

I know that so many would. I know that so many would not be stating the truth.

This is a signed statement from Beatrice Houdini. It is confirmation that Harry Houdini did come through as he promised, to prove that there is life after death.

Because of its prominence of Harry Houdini’s public promise and the promise kept by skeptics to suppress the truth and have often said that this never existed or that it was retracted which would play in the skeptics hands.

Why would Beatrice would ever write this conclusive confirmation, as stated, as witnessed and given in secret by Harry, and repeated by the medium, as solemnly promised, would ever be denied?

Beatrice Houdini Sworn Statement

Are Spirits the Font of All Knowledge?

Great Expectations?

Do you find it strange that when people call for a mediumship reading, they expect that “spirits” are the fonts of all knowledge; that they can access all information, that your grandparents, however illiterate they may have been, suddenly have an expansive knowledge of your life and countless other things. (I went to school with those, who, because of continual “bunking off” or skipping school, never learned to read or write.)

Asking Questions Can Give Lots of Information Away

In a client's mind (not all, of course), knowledge can be infinitely tapped for all sorts of answers and by asking all kinds of questions, the client can give lots of information away. In some cases, this can effectively abort a reading. For those of us who are honest in our work, the last thing we need is to be fed with information. It is VERY frustrating.

Giving Misleading Information to Test a Medium

For the readers amongst us who do not mind being fed, I have to say this. People are not as stupid as you may think. There are those who will also give false information, despite needing proper, good and valuable information and confirmations.

Correcting a Client May Prove You're Genuine

I have occasionally had to contradict clients who deliberately "get facts wrong" in an attempt to see if I am genuine. I can assure you that in picking up or being given contradictory information from spirit, the client is often greatly relieved to know that whilst their mind may be at fault – who doesn't suffer at times? - spirit does not tend to make mistakes.

At the time of writing this article, I have been contacted by a possible client pointing out that “all of the mediums she has been to, ask questions”!

Image: Gerd Altmann, Pixabay

A Medium Should Only Question Those in Spirit

Anyone who knows me can verify that one of my pet hates is “mediums” asking questions. Any question a “medium” has, should only be addressed to the spirit or spirits communicating to get answers, not the client.

Incorrect Teaching?

It is, I'm afraid, endemic in the way people are taught mediumship. I can never understand why those who have been taught to ask the client questions, and their teachers, cannot see the wrong in this. People come for information and confirmation. How can you ever get a confirmation on a specific thing when the person you are asking has just asked you for the answer?

One Way to Damage Your Reputation

When questioning is noticed by the client or a group of clients, your reputation is damaged, more so after you have been found out. With that comes a loss of custom, and as any advertiser will tell you “word of mouth is the best form of advertising.” But give an excellent reading and they will probably tell few people – sometimes this is because having found a “gem,” people tend to want to keep it a secret. Having found someone who isn't, “they tell everybody”.

Whatever Their Supposed Standard, Don't Feed the Medium

I would urge everyone to have the mindset of “not giving information” and demand a more spiritual and evidence-based reading whether in public (at a demonstration) or private. Please disregard that a reader is “famous” and must know what they are doing, They, like myself, are “just a reader”- just a medium. We do not have Godlike powers and we should not be held in awe. We are just people exhibiting a gift that everyone has. We are not “special people” - we are those who have developed our gift a little more.

Do not be afraid to press a point with a medium. I urge you to do so. How can you be convinced of the communicator and/or the evidence that is given, if you do not? Your time is valuable. Do make the most of it.

A Medium Should Acknowledge a Person in an Audience Who is Known to Them

Without naming names (of course), I know of one well-known medium giving a demonstration and going to a friend. In an effort to “amaze” the crowd, this medium stated that she would give that person's mobile number, which they did. Amazing trick huh? The "trick" being the operative word. (Incidentally, if I am drawn to someone I know, I do make mention of it. When mediums regularly visit the same churches, some people do, of course, become familiar, but not friends.)

Image: Canva

A Medium of Standing is Honest

Obviously, there is a huge amount of ego with this person. We have to ask ourselves why the medium's “accomplice” (because that's what they become), went along with this. When others find out that they are good friends, which they eventually do, what does that do to the medium's reputation? And so much worse, what does a “medium of that standing” do for the reputations of everyone else, especially those who are trying to honestly learn how to communicate with spirit?

We all need to question these things. If communication is real, and it is, why do so-called “mediums” play games?

There is no comfort in messages that leave us feeling duped. Those who work as mediums should know better.

Allen Kardec

Quote From Allan Kardec

I would like to quote from Allan Kardec's 'The Spirits' Book'. (The Netflix film of the same name is excellent.)

QUESTION: Will mediums who misuse their faculty suffer in consequence?

THE VERY CLEAR ANSWER FROM SPIRIT: "They will be punished doubly because they possess, beyond others, the means of enlightenment. He who, having the use of his eyes, fails to follow the right road, is judged otherwise than the blind man who falls into a ditch."

It could not be clearer.

Mislead and You Have to Pay for it

I have always stated that if I should mislead anyone, and there can be consequences for generations down the line for this, that I will personally have to make recompense when I pass over. That is absolutely clear from what was given to Allan Kardec, the Codifier of Spiritism/Spiritualism.

A Fundamental Spiritual Law

This is an unending and unbending spiritual rule. I personally think that it should be the first thing taught to every student who considers the path of mediumship. It is fundamental. Why don't organizations teach this? Perhaps, their integrity should be questioned?

Truth and Integrity

After all, if the tutoring is true, if integrity is intact, what is there to be afraid of? This spiritual rule is one that is written in stone.

The Hanover Haunting Podcast With Tom And DeAnna

Sometimes in our life, things happen that we never expected to happen. These experiences create lasting wounds that will follow you for the rest of your life. It's easy to dismiss the idea of ghosts until you become a victim. The same thing occurred to a lovely couple who wanted to live their life to the fullest but fell victim to a haunted home that ruined their lives, albeit — temporarily. Let's dive into the famous Hanover haunting.

Tom and DeAnna

This is the narrative of Tom, Deanna, and their children. After they got married, the small apartment was not adequate for this big family. They chose to move into a large house to live their dreams and create lasting memories. They finally discovered the house of their dreams after a long and difficult search. Deanna became increasingly drawn to the house as she recalled childhood memories. Tom wasn't a big fan of the house, but he couldn't say no to Deanna, the love of his life. She pleaded with Tom to finalize the purchase of the home, and Tom eventually agreed. Finally, the day arrived when they moved into the house, but no one knew what was in store for them.

Moving Into the Haunted Home

Not wanting to waste time, they moved into the new house the following Monday. Sometimes the things that bring you happiness, can be a terrible omen. The couple noticed something was off on the first day. While DeAnna was unpacking, she felt as if something was watching her from the shadows. She looked around, in vain, and then went back to work. Everything appeared to be normal, but their sixth sense warned them that something was wrong. It is a natural rule that haunted locations gradually reveal themselves. On a typical day, Tom was in the kitchen when he saw a large scar on his palm that was not there a second before. It caused him to view everyday happenings with increased skepticism. Strange things were happening to both of them, but they felt it was an illusion and were hesitant to tell each other about it.

A Fateful Night

Tom and Dee were both watching TV in the living room one night. Dee became exhausted and needed to relax, so she began heading to her bedroom. Neither of them was prepared for what occurred next. On her way to the bedroom, Dee felt as if someone was following her, and the next thing she knew, she was being dragged onto the kitchen floor, and smashed her head on the kitchen table. She began weeping because she felt so defenseless. Tom dashed into the kitchen and discovered Dee sobbing on the floor. He attempted to question her, but she couldn't say anything. She shook with dread, sweating profusely. There were no words to convey what had happened; all he could do was console her. Dee clutched Tom like a scared kid and they both sat on the floor, struggling to process what had happened.

The Deer Sounds Off During The Hanover Haunting

The number of hauntings grew by the day. There were constantly new catastrophes to deal with. Amber, DeAnna's daughter, also complained of strange voices. She told her mother that she frequently heard the chattering of glasses in the kitchen and that the most astounding thing she heard was someone calling her name. But when she went to investigate, she found nothing.

One night, Tom and Dee were out, and Amber was busy reading a novel. Somewhere around 3 a.m., she became terrified after hearing sounds coming from Tom's room, which was locked. When Dee and Tom arrived home, they opened the room to check. Nobody was prepared for what they witnessed; the stag head was on the floor in the middle of the room. The previously mounted head had been pulled off the wall and placed on the floor by someone or something. But the room was locked, so how was that even possible?

Wavy Dreams

It is said that lost spirits communicate with you in your dreams. Dee was visiting her neighbor's house one day when she stumbled upon a photograph of two men. She froze as a chilly wave ran down her spine. She stated the names of the men, even though she had never met in her life. Dee’s neighbor was perplexed as to how she knew them. Dee told her that she had seen them in her nightmares and that they had advised her to leave her house. When Tom and DeAnna looked into it, they discovered that the house belonged to those abusive guys who had died a long time ago. It became clear that these two restless souls were haunting their home.

The Hanover Haunting Continued

Normally, people get frightened when they see a shadow of something strange or they might experience horrible things when they are alone on a scary night. But Tom, DeAnna and their children had terrifying experiences at their home during the day. They were even assaulted physically, which is unusual. When people are tormented to such an extent, their world is turned upside down. These kinds of tragedies must be examined to the point where victims can relate their stories in a safe atmosphere. Listen to Tom and Dee share their narrative if you want to experience the depth of their story.