This list includes some interesting and sometimes intriguing experiments that have attempted to prove or disprove one of the most important questions ever faced by humanity: Is there life after death? I had no agenda either way as I was putting this list together. I hope if anyone that has information to add credibility (including some of your own experiences) or any evidence to debunk some of these experiments you will share it in your comments.
EVP (electronic voice phenomena) is a mysterious event in which human-sounding voices from an unknown source are heard on recording tape, in radio station noise and other electronic media. Most often, EVPs have been captured on audiotape. The mysterious voices are not heard at the time of recording; it is only when the tape is played back that the voices are heard. Some skeptics say interpreting random sounds into voices in their own language would sound like random noise to a foreign speaker. You can hear some samples of EVP here.
Interesting Fact: The 2005 film White Noise starring Michael Keaton focuses exclusively on the phenomenon of EVP as the main character attempts to contact his recently deceased wife.
This is not the official name of this experiment but I thought it had a nice ring to it. In 1907 Dr. Duncan MacDougall of Haverhill, MA placed six terminal patients on a specially designed bed built on a scale and weighed them as they took their last breath. Based on results from the experiment, the patients lost approximately 3/4 ounces which equals 21.3 grams. MacDougall also measured fifteen dogs in similar circumstances and reported the results as negative with no perceived change in weight. He took these results as confirmation that the human soul has weight and that dogs do not have souls. MacDougall’s experiments were published in the New York Times and some medical journals.
Interesting Fact: MacDougall’s complaints in his journal about not being able to find dogs dying of the natural causes led to the suspicion that he was poisoning dogs to conduct his experiments. Also: These experiments inspired a film called “21 Grams” starring Sean Penn.
The God Helmet refers to a controversial experiment in neurotheology (study of correlations of neural phenomena) by Michael Persinger. When a modified snowmobile helmet is placed on the subjects head, magnetic fields start stimulating the brain. Persinger claims that near death experiences such as bright lights, the presence of God and seeing dead relatives etc. are reproduced. Richard Dawkins, who is known for his atheistic views and criticism of religion volunteered to test Persinger’s device. Afterward, he admitted on BBC that he was very disappointed that he did not experience communion with the universe or some other spiritual sensation. It should also be noted the helmet was also tested by a person that previously experienced a near death experience and the results failed to duplicate the same sensation.
Interesting Fact: Persinger claims that at least 80 per cent of his participants experience a presence beside them in the room, which they variously say feels like God or someone they knew who had died. You can learn more about the God Helmet here.
The Phillip Experiment was conducted in the early 1970’s by The Toronto Society of Psychical Research. The purpose of the experiment was to see if a fictitious historical character could manifest itself through the group’s efforts of concentration. They named the ghost Phillip and gave the ghost a personality and a complete background, even drawing a portrait to make him seem more real. The 8 members in the group also memorized the fictional biography and studied the period in which Phillip was supposed to have lived. The séances proved nothing for many months until 1973 when Phillip began to communicate. He first came through as a solid rap on the table. In the months that followed, the group discovered that when they asked questions and using 1 knock as “yes” and 2 as “no”, they could actually have an intelligent conversation with their ghost.
Interesting Fact: The experiment came to a strange end when one member of the group broke ranks and stated aloud in a reply to Phillip that “we only made you up, you know.” All communications stopped. Once denied that Phillip was real, he ceased to exist.
Ghost Hunters is a reality television series that debuted in 2004. A team of investigators travel to locations that are reported to be haunted. To locate ghosts the team has experimented with Geiger counters, EMF (electromagnetic field) scanners, infrared and night vision cameras, handheld digital video cameras, digital audio recorders, and laptop computers. The ghost hunters claim to have several good recordings of strange mists, odd lights, moving objects, and shadowy figures that manifest before the camera and disappear quickly.
Interesting Fact: Critics and skeptics of the program point to a lack of scientific methodology and critical examination in their investigations as well as questionable production aspects including editing.
Houdini’s training in magic allowed him to expose many mediums as frauds that had successfully fooled many scientists and academics. Fearing that spiritualists would exploit his legacy by pretending to contact him after his death, Houdini left his wife a secret code. Ten words were chosen at random from a letter written by Conan Doyle that he would use to contact her from the afterlife. After Houdini’s death on October 31, 1926 a friend of Doyle, Rev. Arthur Ford claimed to have contacted both Houdini and his deceased mother at a séance through his spirit guide. Ford stated that the message received was in the pre-arranged code worked out by Houdini and his wife before Houdini’s death. However most believe Ford conspired with Doyle and also talked Houdini’s wife (who was ill and self-medicating with alcohol) into conspiring to assist him in creating the impression he had contacted Houdini’s spirit.
Interesting Fact: Houdini’s wife Bess held yearly séances on Halloween for ten years after Houdini’s death, but Houdini never appeared. The photo above is Harry Houdini with his wife and mother
Gary Schwartz, a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona wrote a book in 2002 called “The Afterlife Experiments”. In the experiments he used mediums and sitters (someone who had had very close relationships with people now dead) to investigate whether or not there is life after death. The mediums consistently came up with specific facts and names about the sitters departed friends and relatives that the skeptics have been unable to explain away as fraud, cold reading, or lucky guesses. For the first sitter the results showed that the mediums had ranged from being 77 percent to 95 percent accurate. The average hit rate was 83 percent. The hit rate for the second sitter was similar to that of the first sitter. To rule out lucky guesses he set up a control group of sixty-eight students from the University of Arizona. The hit rate of the control group was just 36 percent.
Interesting Fact: When the 83 percent hit rate of the mediums was compared with the 36 percent of the control group, Schwartz claims the statistical probability of the control group difference occurring by chance is one in ten million.
Sir William Crookes was an English chemist and physicist and attended the Royal College of Chemistry in London. One of Crooks accomplishments was the “Crookes Tube” which would lead to the discovery of cathode rays, x-rays and the electron. Crookes had developed an interest in spiritualism possibly by the untimely death of his younger brother in 1867 at age 21. In 1870 Crookes decided that science had a duty to experiment with the phenomena associated with Spiritualism. The conditions he imposed on mediums were as follows: “It must be at my own house, and my own selection of friends and spectators, under my own conditions, and I may do whatever I like as regards apparatus”. Among the phenomena he said he witnessed were movement of bodies at a distance, changes in the weights of bodies, levitation, appearance of luminous objects, appearance of phantom figures and the appearance of writing without human circumstances which would point to the agency of an outside intelligence. His report on this research in 1874, concluded that these phenomena could not be explained and that further research would be useful.
Interesting Fact: Most scientists were convinced that Spiritualism was fraudulent, and Crookes’ final report so outraged the scientific establishment that there was talk of depriving him of his Fellowship of the Royal Society.
Australian Psychologist Peter Ramster made a documentary in 1983 called “The Reincarnation Experiments”. During the experiments he found very convincing evidence of past lives. One of the individuals featured in the film remembered a life during the French Revolution. When under trance she spoke in French without any trace of an accent, understood and answered questions put to her in French and knew the names of streets which had changed and were only discoverable on old maps.
Interesting Fact: General George S. Patton was a staunch believer in reincarnation and often claimed to have seen vivid, lifelike visions of his ancestors and also believed he was a reincarnation of Carthaginian General Hannibal.
In 1993 four psychic researchers and observers embarked on a series of experiments in the Norfolk village of Scole. For five years, more than 500 experiments were carried out. During some of the experiments objects materialized, lights danced, and solid beings appeared. Luminous spheres also flew around the room in apparently intelligent manner. The image above was received on 35mm films still in the light proof containers with no cameras used. Messages were also transmitted onto audio-tape. The experiments were repeated in the United States, Ireland and Spain. In the United States scientists from NASA, the Institute of Noetic Sciences and the University of Stanford also took part. You can learn more about The Scole Experiment here.
Interesting Fact: James Webster, a professional magician with 40 years of experience investigating paranormal phenomena came to the following conclusion: “I was unable to discover any sign of fraud, and it seems to me that fraud couldn’t have been possible, both because of the type of phenomena observed and by the conditions in which they came about”.
Contributor: Blogball
Cool list. EVP’s have always creeped me out. Must read more about the Scole Experiment.
I apologize, skydiver, I should have been more specific.
I was was only referring to the extremists, because I get tired of and how often I read debates between people who will claim that fossils and evolution are fake vs. people who only come across as rude and hypocritical.
I read your posts, and found nothing close-minded or hypocritical in them.
Thanks for the comments Listversers!
As I mentioned in the intro I do not have strong feelings either way on this subject but I do keep an open mind. Many of these experiments were performed by respected doctors, professors and scientists so I think it’s a little close minded to pick and choose which scientists you want to go with because of your own personal feeling or beliefs. However having said that my gut tells me there is most likely logical non-super natural explanations that would explain most of these experiments. But to say lights out the parties over along with the debate and the fat lady is singing I think is a bit egotistical. The one that fascinated me the most as I was researching these experiments is the Scole Experiment (#1). The more I read about it the more I was intrigued.
Anyway thanks for posting the list Jamie. I knew there would be interesting intelligent and thoughtful comments from this list and as usual listversers came through. I really believe this site produces more intelligent comments than 99 % of the others out there which is why I learn so much here and try to contribute when ever I can.
I can’t really believe people believe this stuff.
47 and 51 raise a very good point. Why are most ghosts that we hear of from Medieval or Victorian ages? Evolution has taken us a long way, but perhaps an explanation could be that pre-evolved forms of the modern human had much more simpler and dissimilar minds than that of our own. As evolved humans we have much higher moral complexities than that of our instinctual ancestors, and perhaps our sixth sense ‘wavelengths’ (if anything like it exists) are fine tuned to more recent eras.
But obviously I’m not expert on the ‘reality’ of afterlife, and neither are any of you
. Jus’ sending that out there for all the preachers and deniers. The afterlife has been pondered by so many humans for so long, you gotta wonder if it’s ‘meant’ to be like that!
Webster may be a magician, but he is a seeker of paranormal, not a debunker.
Now if Penn Jillette were convinced there were no signs of fraud…
Thanks Skiffo, I understand your frustration. It’s very easy to be dragged into ad hominem arguments regarding this topic and they are exhausting not only to participate in, but to read and listen to. I try to stay as neutral as possible in these debates and limit replies to instances when I read oversimplifications, over-generalizations, fallacies, quote-mining, misinterpretations and just plain bald-faced lies.
Blogball, as the presenter of this list, and being the skeptic that I am, I have to call you on this statement:
“Many of these experiments were performed by respected doctors, professors and scientists so I think it’s a little close minded to pick and choose which scientists you want to go with because of your own personal feeling or beliefs.”
Could you provide a list of the respected doctors, professors and scientists -other than the ones that conducted the ‘experiments’- that actually promote the hypotheses and their findings as accepted theory? The ones in particular are The Afterlife Experiments and The Reincarnation Experiments. Anyone can perform experiments and come up with findings and promote their theory, however it must pass through the scientific method of research, hypothesis, testing, *****ysis and confirmed by peer review and repeated testing.
I’m aware of Dr. Duncan MacDougall’s theory but this was a theory passed in 1907, the findings certainly cannot still be taken seriously. I’m certain that the same can be said for Sir William Crookes Experiments as well as the reaction by the scientific establishment at the time, but if you have documentation that says otherwise, I’d gladly review it.
I’m also familiar with neuroscientist Michael Persinger’s “God Helmet” as the University where this helmet presides is within driving distance of me and I’m thinking of trying it out if it’s possible! If nothing else, it gives some evidence to explain supernatural phenomena as merely neurological effect. I don’t think it falls into the category of an “Afterlife Experiment”.
The Toronto Society of Psychical Research and Ghost Hunters are hardly in the same field as respected doctors, professors and scientists.
I’m reviewing the website and info on “The Scole Experiment”. I’ll form my own decision on that.
There is a very powerful hallucinogenic compound stored in the brain called dimethyltryptamine (DMT). We get a small dose of it when we sleep, and it’s been believed that we get a large dose of it when we die. That could account for near death experiences.
“65. sashley
47 and 51 raise a very good point. Why are most ghosts that we hear of from Medieval or Victorian ages?”
For the same reason there are no claims of alien abduction in the 18th or 19th century, at the very least none that make the claim of futuristic, metallic, supersonic ships with flashing lights, tractor beams and probing. It would seem that most claims of UFO sightings, alien abduction and the like exploded in the mid 20th century when sci-fi was becoming a cultural phenomenon.
Interesting that… no?
I think a lot of people are getting mad, saying “this list is crap!” because they assume that you’re implying that these experiments mean they’re true….
its just a list of experiments people, its not called “facts discovered about the afterlife” or anything “fact” at all, except that these were actual experiments done.
I’m pretty sure I recall most of these have been debunked, but it doesn’t make them any less interesting.
Thanks, by the way, for the interesting list. I was beginning to lose faith in this site…not trying to be rude or anything but cartoons and favorite music lists are relatively boooooring.
i think #10 is related to another list; the “10 bizarre sound illusions”
for #9 has anyone else been able to replicate the experiment?
i’d like to have one of #8!
#’s 1 -> 7 truly are bizarre…
Sorry kids, there’s no afterlife. Hold onto that belief though tigers!
For Ghosts to exist there would have to be a soul (or something that exists beyond the physical body). I don’t think that exists, but for a minute lets say it does. If the soul did exist then how would it remember who or even what it was. All the experiences of your life are memories stored in your brain that, when you die, rots. The soul would not remember who it was and would not therefore be able to answer any questions on its life. So no ghosts don’t exist and yes there is ALWAYS a rational explanation.
I guess there’s no hurt in believing with god. If there isn’t an afterlife, you have nothing to lose. If there is, there is everything to gain, right? That’s the age-old question.
“74. ReVeNg3
I guess there’s no hurt in believing with god. If there isn’t an afterlife, you have nothing to lose. If there is, there is everything to gain, right? That’s the age-old question.”
This is known as Pascal’s Wager; might as well be safe rather than sorry. Give it a Google, you may find some interesting paradox’s regarding this reasoning.
For instance, don’t you think an all-knowing god is going to see through your deception? Do you honestly think you can outsmart an omnipotent creator?
Skydiver, If you ever get to wear the God Helmet you have to promise and get a picture of the event and put on the forums.
I understand that it is very hard for some people to admit that they have no idea about how the universe actually works, and really, have no desire to learn or understand it. Science, as I have explained already, is the study of material objects – but the life-fore is NOT material, and therefore science will never be able to detect it. We can – by going into meditation and merging with it, and thats how we know. This practice far superceeds science in these matters, and has existed far longer.
On the subect of ‘ghosts’, I personally beleive that the life essence of the deceased simply has a lower and lower vibration of resonance over time. In other words, after a while, out eyes cannot detect them physically – although the human being can still detect them as Chills and smells. Knowledge of the real world of wandering souls has been set back a hundred years because of rigged and faked cash-in TV shows such as Most Haunted.
Ahh, thats better. I do feel good to get that off my chest. Great list Blogball, well thought out and researched.
Science has identified the Source energy – or rather, they have found a hole where it should be. They call it Dark Matter; they know it’s there, but as you say Lifeschool, it is not in this existence (I suppose you could say it doesn’t exist!). Science has also found the energy of the Source available everywhere, they call it Zero-point-energy; although people in high places want to keep this information off the streets or risk loosing billions. Luckily, I think the days of money and power are coming to a close.
Of course there is an afterlife, you are living in it right now.
hmm very interesting but most of the scientists are wrong
Whatever it is, I still believe afterlife does exists. Anyway, Ghost Hunters show is really cool!
When they say that the film used in the scope experiment was used without a camera and in light proof containers, is that supposed to mean a force besides light put the images on the film?….. Listverse, has let me down before in some really un-interesting lists, Im sorry, but it has, i appreciate the effort put into the lists though, I must say, this is the most interesting and well-though out lists i have read, i am a mystery lover, i adore learning about things that don’t have a solution, i am also a ghost-enthusiast. I will be looking forward to another one, Life and death are very controversial and interesting topics, and i crave to learn about them.
-Nick
I can only reply to lifeschool and alisca’s claims respectfully as delusional, misguided and woefully conspiratorial.
lifeschool, it’s presumptuous of you to imply that “I have no idea about how the universe actually works, and really, have no desire to learn or understand it”, you could not be more mistaken. In fact, I’m willing to learn and understand all there is to know, providing you can offer evidence. However, using classic pseudo-scientific terms like “life essence” and “lower vibration of resonance” are utter nonsense and offer no credibility to your claims, in fact, it defames them even further. Furthermore, the antiquity of a lie does not make it so; acupuncture has also been around a lot longer than modern science, and yet there’s no evidence to prove it works.
Truth be told, I probably know more about the Universe than you ever will because I rely on evidence and science to guide my learning. Science is something you rely on every day of your life, whether you care to admit that or not. Science does indeed study the material world, because that’s all there is to study. I’m sorry, but I cannot believe in any “Invisible Fire-breathing Dragon” until you can provide evidence to substantiate your claim; it’s how things work in this material world in which we live.
Tig, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you meant the scientists backing the experiments in this list are wrong, and not scientists in general.
I would like to share a quote from a friend who summarizes all this rather nicely:
“It seems obvious how we should respond to supernatural claims but the believers just won’t get it. They just WANT to believe there is something more mysterious to life when the real tragedy is that life itself is as fascinating, or more, as the supernatural claims. The difference is, we can actually accomplish things by understanding the truth of reality whereas the supernatural seems to offer us nothing until after we die.”
Jaz-
it’s 2:30 where i am, and im super creeped out too.
but very very cool list
Excellent list blogball thank you, people always fear not existing and therefore will be forever searching for something that means for them that death is not final.
83: Skydiver, I have proof that it does exist just as you have proof that it deosn’t. Funny that. The good news is that whether you believe one thing or another, we will all find out when we die.
Interesting. I personally dont believe in heaven or hell but I do believe in some sort of afterlife. Mediums are frauds. People who channel “voices” may or may not hear things but whatever they are “hearing” I am sure that it is a figment of their own imagination. If you want to paranormal activity to manifest itself in your presence bad enough, then it will probably do that.
It doesn’t necesarily mean you have made any kind of connection with another dimension. As far as heaven or hell. Doesn’t it seem just a little unfair that we are to be bestowed with eternal paradise or eternal damnation based on what we do with our short time on earth. How long do most people live 75-80 years? How long is eternity? A very long time apparently. It just doesn’t seem right.
Skydiver. Tread carefully; there are phenomena that can’t be proven by modern science. But it doesn’t mean that they are not real. “Do you love your parents?…. If you really do then prove it…” (quote from the movie Contact).
We can’t prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that gravity exists but we can see its effects, isn’t that as good as “real proof”. We can’t prove you love your family but you can see the effects of your love. You can’t technically prove God exists but his existence is evident in every facet of the universe.
Interesting list. I stand on the sidelines of this though, I’ll just find out when I die.
“86. alisca
83: Skydiver, I have proof that it does exist just as you have proof that it deosn’t. Funny that. The good news is that whether you believe one thing or another, we will all find out when we die.”
If you have proof of an afterlife, please present it to the scientific community as it would be the single most ground-breaking discovery in the history of mankind. What exactly are you waiting for? But remember, saying you have proof, and presenting it for testing and peer review are two different things. Until your proof passes this method, it is opinion, not proof.
Please refer back to the Carl Sagan segment I provided in post #60 for an example of the flaw in your logic. If you’re referring to a near-death experience, I can provide scientific study of that experience that is far more plausible than “faith” or simply “what you think”, not to mention experimentation that has mimicked the effects of NDE (see item #8 on this list “The God Helmet”).
“88. Rolo Tomasi
Skydiver. Tread carefully.”
I am treading carefully. I’m being incredulous and not leaping into a belief system that has no evidence to back it up.
The contradictions in your reasoning is startling. For instance, you stated in your previous post that you:
“dont believe in heaven or hell but I do believe in some sort of afterlife. Mediums are frauds. People who channel “voices” may or may not hear things but whatever they are “hearing” I am sure that it is a figment of their own imagination. If you want to paranormal activity to manifest itself in your presence bad enough, then it will probably do that.”
then follow that with:
“there are phenomena that can’t be proven by modern science. But it doesn’t mean that they are not real. “Do you love your parents?…. If you really do then prove it…” (quote from the movie Contact).
We can’t prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that gravity exists but we can see its effects, isn’t that as good as “real proof”. We can’t prove you love your family but you can see the effects of your love. You can’t technically prove God exists but his existence is evident in every facet of the universe.”
Well, which is it going to be? Why is it ok for you to dismiss mediums, paranormal activity and hell, because you’ve yet to see any proof, but it’s unreasonable for me to dismiss an afterlife or god for the very same reason?
hahaha…the God helmet!!! Christians and their money are so easily parted….
Skydiver:
Theres really no point in speaking to people who are easily manipulated or people who jump to conclusions without proper understanding.
“You can’t technically prove God exists but his existence is evident in every facet of the universe.”
Look we can’t prove god exist and we can’t prove god does not exists. But with all the sufferings in this world, I tend to believe the later. But of course if I can believe otherwise, I would.
Science can be proven wrong with advances in technology etc. But concerning the “Now”, I think science has a solid base and foundation than any other field in explaining what is and what is not.
91. bob
The God Helmet is actually a valid scientific experiment which may prove to be a groundbreaking achievement. It actually mimicks -as convincingly as if it were real- parapsychological events such as out of body experiences and seeing, or feeling the presence of ghosts by stimulating specific neurons in the brain. The experience is so convincingly real to some, that subjects are told in advance what to expect and warned to continually remind themselves that what they are experiencing is in their head, and not in the room. The experiment may eventually lead to a plausible explanation for many “unexplained” claims.
92. Tommy
Thank you and I appreciate what you’re saying, but there is a point. While my responses are directed at the author, they aren’t necessarily geared specifically towards them. My responses are more to clear up specious claims -made publicly- that may be read by someone who innocently takes them at face value. I believe it to be a public service to correct fallacies and misrepresentations that are presented as fact and/or common knowledge, in any forum. I encourage anyone to do the same for any incorrect points I may present. I am always willing to learn.
With that said, keep in mind that suffering in the world is no more proof that god doesn’t exist, than good is proof that he does.
Science is continually improving and updating. It is self-correcting and makes no bones about it working any other way. Advances in technology are a result of science, not the other way around, science is not affected by it. Furthermore, science is the ONLY foundation for explaining what is and what is not; there is no other field.
Skydiver….you’re incredibly long-winded.
Skydiver
Look, I believe everything you said with your earlier posts. I’am just saying your arguements against theirs is like “beating on a dead horse” (they have no substance).
“With that said, keep in mind that suffering in the world is no more proof that god doesn’t exist, than good is proof that he does.” I know, but sometimes you just wish a little
“Advances in technology are a result of science, not the other way around, science is not affected by it”.
Now this is false. Alot of examples, Hubble telescope and the newly built CERN atom smasher (didnt have the technology at the time, but the maths and science were there). To me they work in tandem, both effecting each other to further our understanding of the universe.
To say “ONLY” foundation is totally disrespecting other fields. But I would have to say I almost totally agree
94. HellcatHoney
Yes, I know. It’s a curse.
This is all very wierd. I just don`t understand. But interesting list.
skydiver. I believe mediums are frauds because they have been proven to be. Which is not the same as: mediums have not proven to be fake so they must be real.
As far as not believing in heaven or hell. I guess its a very relative concept and relatively speaking I just dont think that these are places that you frequent immediately after this existence.
Maybe they do exist and we will arrive there eventually. Shoot! Maybe reincarnation is real after all and we are at some sort of apex on the verge of eternal life.
You are right about the contradiction. I guess I beleive in an afterlife because I hate to think that this is the absolute end. Ceasing to exist is very frightening if you really think about it.
These are paradoxes that will one day be revealed to all of us. Hopefully not anytime soon.
When my youngest daughter was only around 2 1/2 yrs old, she claimed that her mother had killed her, and her eyes looked like “this” . Then she put her fingers on the corners of her eyes and pulled up so she looked Chinese. We came to find out that it was a common practice in China to kill female infants, so they could try again to have a boy since they were prohibited by law to have more than one child. She also claimed to have been a slave in Egypt who was killed by an arrow. She is now 10, and has no memory of any of this.
My son refused to sleep in the top bunk, because he believed he had died in a fire because the smoke killed him, he was only around 4 at the time.
I’m not sure what I believe, but when little kids come up with that kind of stuff, it’s freaky!
Blogball: Excellent list!
I was reading up on the reincarnation experiments and found that there are two psychiatrists from the University of Virginia who have published papers regarding past life memories in children between the ages of 3 and 7. Apparently, some children were able to recall very specific details about the life of some unknow person: manner of death, people, places, etc. He also compared brith marks and defects to wounds and scars on the deceased (from autopsy pictures) and found some interesting corralations. Granted that mst of these cases were in the Orient where there is a strong belief in reincarnation but it still makes you think… Could it be possible?
99. 667TheNeighborofTheBeast
Freaky that you posted that just as I was writing about the study published by UofV.
In fact, one of the things you mentioned is in keeping with what they found: usually, children will begin talking about these “memories” when they are about 3 and forget all about them by the time they turn 7.
That’s a great list. How about this?
http://www.undeadreport.com/category/reanimation/
It’s really bizarre!
Death – I feel the pain thinking about everyone I have known that has lost somebody. They all hurt so much inside but the most hurt I have ever seen felt is by the parent(s) of a child that had died. There is no words to describe that kind of pain. It is never an easy thing to see never mind to bear that pain as a parent. I pray that all those who have felt pain such as this have comfort and peace come to them through their faith in God and Jesus Christ.
A word about human belief and science.
Never, never, never speak of the two as aspects of the same or similar thing.
Belief in the super-natural is comlpletely within the human mind. Belief is 100% subjective and that makes it philosophical by nature. There are no tests, experiments, no technology to prove or disprove anything.
Science is based on objective thought, theory, experimentation, documentation, and most importantly – unrestrained peer review. It exists independently of any individual or group of individuals.
Philosophy and science are completely different disciplines and never the twain shall meet.
The woman in the reincarnation video DOES have an accent. Maybe the fact that she’s mumbling is a ruse to hide it. Fake.
What it is about The List Universe that attracts so many atheists? I’m curious. Maybe it’s a new found faith in counting things?
TEX,
I agree with you (apart from calling it philosophical),
But at the same time… what is now called supernatural may be part of science in the future (just like how what some ancient people called ‘magic’ is now chemistry, etc.).
So don’t discount it as yet… we may not have the means to scientifically figure it out at present, but who knows in the future. These things might actually be explainable as real occurences.
Steelman, it’s the never-ending search for knowledge. Most atheists and skeptics constantly read and search out answers for all sides. It’s often more than most theists will do. As well as being entertaining, I’ve found this site to have some very valuable info on a myriad of topics, not just in the lists, but in the comments.
An addition to the answer is that there are a lot more atheists out there than you may realize.
archangel, chemistry may have been considered “magic” at one time, but it was because people in the middle ages were credulous, superstitious and the scientific method did not exist. Despite what people called it at the time, it was still chemistry (at least legitimate chemistry), just like electricity was electricity before it was discovered. It was tangible, it always existed and was testable. Supernatural claims will never be testable by science because they simply don’t exist and you cannot test that which does not exist, all you can do is believe in it using faith (or gullibility), or dismiss it due to the lack (or non-existence) of evidence to support it.
108. Skydiver
I hope I dont sound like an insufferable nitpicker but while it is true that chemistry and electricity were always there, we called it magic because we did not understand them. Today, we might not call it magic but we do call it unknown. Maybe some baffling phenomenon of today will be explained tomorrow by an experiment that states without a doubt that it was a ghost (or some other supernatural phenomenon)? Using the example someone above posted, maybe tomorrow we will find proof of that invisible fire-breathing dragon in the garage!
Basically, you cant say “they simply dont exist”. You can, however, say that as of right now, there is no solid evidence to prove their existance.
(I apologize in advance, I´m having a horrible day at work and this somewhat captious argument has lightened up my mood somewhat!
Feel the love though!)
109. GTT
You don’t sound like a nitpicker, just someone who is basing science on belief. It’s an honest mistake. For whatever reason, supernatural events and psychic ability are more acceptable as possible, likely and even fact by a large number of people. However, in the realm of science, they are none of these.
Consider this, suppose we replace “supernatural phenomenon” with “fairies”. Do you believe in fairies? Probably not. But *why* not? Can you prove that they don’t exist? Of course not, but this doesn’t automatically default them to existence. If someone were to say to you that perhaps one day science will be able to prove the existence of fairies, would it hold as much value as saying it will one day be able to prove the existence of supernatural phenomenon? So far, there is absolutely no evidence to even support the possibility of their existence. So from a scientific view, I can say “they simply don’t exist” as confidently as I can say that fairies don’t exist.
Just because a larger number of people believe a lie, it doesn’t validate it. Even people who present scenarios that are deemed “unexplainable” (seeing a ghost, a psychic reader getting a unlikely “hit”) doesn’t mean they are supernatural events. In fact, if science is going to do anything, it will likely explain why our brains realistically create episodes like ghosts, alien abduction or out of body experiences. Experiments like The God Helmet may be a key to that discovery somewhere down the road.
As for psychics knowing things they shouldn’t, I’ve watched Cris Angel walk on water and pass through walls; can I explain how he did it? No. But I’m certainly not going to jump to the conclusion that he has supernatural powers. Some do. However, it’s far more likely that it’s a trick. Just because you can’t figure out how the trick is done, does not make it supernatural, it makes it a damn good trick.
Skydiver:
LOL…
I actually completely agree with your last post! I really do! I guess I was just having a horrible day and got some sort of perverse, wicked pleasure in picking a fight…
Sorry for that, I´m having a better day today!
That said, I think your post 110 was actually very well stated and I think it should clear up any questions if they remain.
9# is real bull*****. ther is no soul in the body!. the last breath take out all the air in the boby away. air weight
A couple of quotes from the Bible about the condition of the dead: “For dust you are and dust you will return” Genesis 3:19 Man and beast have the same outcome. “As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all but have one spirit, so that (in death)there is no superiority of the man over beast…They have all come to be from dust, and they are all returning to dust.”Ecclesiastes 3; 19,20 Solomon further explained what death means, saying: “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” Yes, the dead know absolutely nothing. In view of this, Solomon urged: “All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) Where do the dead go? To Sheol (Hebrew, she’ohl′), the common grave of mankind. Our dead loved ones are not conscious of anything. They are not suffering, and they cannot affect us in any way.
I don’t have anything to say about this list, but I kind of look like the pic of the girl @ number four. Weiird.
Anyone else notice that in the Ghost Hunters show, the camera never seems to catch any of the events – it is always looking in the wrong direction, or a few seconds too late in responding.
You cannot catch a ghost or spirit on camera. Ghosts are not stupid enough to show themselves to a group of prying idiots, who do things like that just for publicity. If they do show themselves, it is in private, not when you are expecting it with a load of cameras waiting. I should know. I have plenty of experience.
#
19. Mrs Polidori – January 31st, 2009 at 6:24 am
There is an after-life. I have my own proof.
~well, what is it?
Well, if I told you in detail, you wouldn’t believe me, but let’s just say, it involves a relationship between a living person and a ghost. Oh, and the ghost knew the person before they had even heard the name of the ghost.
Similarly to Houdini, the Beatles had a pact that when one of them died, they would do their best to get in contact with the others. Stu Sutcliffe (an early bass player) was the first to die, then Lennon and Harrison. Paul has explained about the pact and said that he’s never had any contact with Stu, John or George since their deaths. Ringo has said in interview that he sensed John near him when he was in a bad mood once, but he did used to drink tremendous amounts of brandy!
i was watching a TV program (i know it may be easily tore apart but thats my refernce point) that UFO sightings only happened more often after the bomb was dropped. Coincidence?
maybe, or it may be that they were thinkin ‘Oh no, the Kids have found the matchs’, and were curious that we are who we are now. who knows how long ‘they’ may have known about us, if theyve survived for that long in our universe, or whatever, il leave up to you to decide