The skeptics answer

When anything is reported, relating to any aspect of the paranormal,the stock ,often repeated, answer by the skeptics, is "the mind playing tricks" etc.What I find amazing is ,if the human brain is so prone to having these "imaginary" experiences,how come it serves us well 99.9% of the time,if as the skeptics would have us believe,i,ts pretty unreliable then surely day to day living would be a nightmare,- we,d be experiencing these surreal events all the time.I tend to think that most of the time people recount just what they,ve seen,this of course precludes hoaxes

Oh yeah, the human mind is good enough until it perceives something that threatens the skeptics worldview! And of course any study that purports to show something they don't like has to be ripped to shreds, while debunking studies are assumed to be correct from the start. To me skeptics are a bit like religious fundamentalists - they believe they know how the world is, period.

It is funny how when one experiences something, it blows the mind of logical thought right out the window, some people just can't rap their head around some things, they are skeptic until they experience it...this is so in many areas don't you think?

nightowl

[Kaere]

I think a healthy dose of skepticism is important actually - but I also think balance is key and so a healty dose of faith and open-mindedness is equally as important. If we want to find the truth to anything, we need all the information we can get, otherwise whatever conclusion we come to is limited in scope and understanding.

Sometimes, things just aren't explainable. The Platypus, for example.

Originally Posted by Kaere

I think a healthy dose of skepticism is important actually - but I also think balance is key and so a healty dose of faith and open-mindedness is equally as important. If we want to find the truth to anything, we need all the information we can get, otherwise whatever conclusion we come to is limited in scope and understanding.

Sometimes, things just aren't explainable. The Platypus, for example.

I wholeheartedly agree, if I experience something I tend to couple it with reason as well. There are those who are on both end of the scale, all experience no reason, all reason no experience... good point Kaere

nightowl

There are always naysayers. Don’t let these faze you or buy into their energies. It is an irony that the skeptics insist the mind is powerful enough to be a trickster, but not powerful enough to be used in other ways. This is the same group that still insisted that the planet was flat despite sailors successfully sailing around the whole thing!

I don’t know who said this, but it is useful in examining information, Be an open-minded skeptic. This is noting the value of using our discernment.

It is always useful to remember that many things that are heresy in spirituality or fantastical in science are valid 50 years later & mainstream thought 100 years later.

the human mind is quite easily tricked, and this has been proven in many scientific studies, but that doesnt mean it isnt also reliable enough to provide us an accurate portrayal of whats occuring around us, at least enough for us to comprehend it on a level that allows us to survive safely. ive seen things as a kid that scared the **** out of me, and to this day, i dont know if they were dreams or real. and i never will.
but to dismiss everything as "illusions" or "fantasies" is simply not fair, as we have no way of proving it either way. so to error on the side of science just because it sounds more reasonable, is just not a way to correctly answer the question. problem is, everything we create to test these theories is in physical form, and its being used to test non-physical qualities? how can that work...

Originally Posted by Kaere

I think a healthy dose of skepticism is important actually - but I also think balance is key and so a healty dose of faith and open-mindedness is equally as important. If we want to find the truth to anything, we need all the information we can get, otherwise whatever conclusion we come to is limited in scope and understanding.

Sometimes, things just aren't explainable. The Platypus, for example.

Dear Kaere-
When I was scrolling down answers to this person's question I couldn't go past your "avatar" (?) - reminds me soooo much of the colours and lights/figure I spoke about in "Welcome". You are obviously very open to all possibilities. And very wise I am guessing.
A long time ago, before I had my "epiphany"-shall we call it, I was told by an amazing clairvoyant that my aura indicated a great deal of spirituality, and that I was here to serve - I wish I knew in what capacity - have still not found my niche. She told me I needed to develop my 'spiritual" side more - be more open, read more books etc. I replied that I was afraid to be TOO open for fear of attracting the wrong sort of energy.
In reality however - I find that the more open I am with people, the more I gain back from them and like so many of your members find that night-time is my "spiritual" time - to think, reflect, wish I was with the light-or could at least experience the feelings it gave me again.
I have heard somewhere that:

It is an insult to God not to believe in his opposite

- I do not know where I read that but it has stuck with me. I don't like this thought. I do NOT like to believe in evil, and have only ever experienced a brush with it when I was extremely depressed and suicidal, in fact was lying in bed obsessing over it, and then it was like there was a train rushing towards me at full speed and was going to suck me into a vortex of malevolent spirits - I was petrified. I focused as hard as i could on my memory of the "Light", requested a higher being and told "them??" I did not belong with them and for them to leave me alone. I felt as if I had dodged a bullet - just can't explain it.
So yes - I try to be open to things, but cannot handle anything to do with horror movies anymore, or even an excess of awful news stories. I have also on one or two occasions felt what I would call "evil" emanating from a person -towards me - for no apparent reason - it is all in the eyes.
You are right - some things cannot be explained in "normal" terms - but I guess I want to know does evil actually exist??? In our world - are there really people who are beyond redemption or are they simply unwell? And in the world of spirit - are there really "evil" beings who can come at us in a vulnerable moment, or are they simply lower forms of intelligence? How can I explain the feeling of being "Hated" on sight by someone I have never met- a previous life????
I try to focus on the beauty that is in each of us and all around us but it is hard with all that is happening in the world at the moment( eg living in a city that has been totally decimated by natural disasters for almost a year now)- and realising how immune I had become to media coverage of natural disasters other countries had faced or are facing.
NOTHING and NO-ONE can prepare you for a battle with Mother Nature - who I don't think is evil at all - I think she is just the messenger. I DO however make a point of NEVER exposing myself to gory images etc if possible because I am afraid that "train" will come back at me. balancing openness and skepticism is very hard! I want only to believe in the good and the light,l but don't know if that is possible-any ideas? Do I have to believe in the bad to be able to fully see the good???

Originally Posted by nightowl

It is funny how when one experiences something, it blows the mind of logical thought right out the window, some people just can't rap their head around some things, they are skeptic until they experience it...this is so in many areas don't you think?

nightowl

hey cute wee owl - yes once your logical thought has been blown out the window - by seeing something, hearing something, or having deja-vu etc its very hard to see things in the same light ever again!!!
Much less try and explain it to others - wish I was a painter- think art shows how much we DON"T see- cos we're just not looking in the right place for it! and yes - time for my nighttime latte! Total addict!!! :-) xox