strange experience

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

I maybe need to re-evaluate my understanding of the nature of ghosts (based as it is on sources such as Scooby Doo, the film Ghost etc), but would a ghost's 'hand' not go through a human being and therefore there would not be any possible way it could cause harm?

[tolman]

Well, the ghost in Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) can blow curtains and upset ornaments. That ghost also doesn't walk through walls, but that's probably more related to the different possibilities of cartoon and real-life action.

IIRC, I think you'll find that most of the 'ghosts' in Scooby Doo are people under sheets trying to scare people off the abandoned mine/funfair/whatever, and even in the story are no more genuine than the average fake medium.

[Mulder]

Hmmm,...i was just wondering how you all account for cases when people/groups have actually seen ghosts during the middle of the day when they are fully awake and are not under the influence of any type of drug. Also many people have actually been physically harmed my ghosts and have talked with them also.

People often quote 'known facts' about ghosts without having any specific case to support their proposition. I suspect most of these 'known facts' arise from authors who do no more than superficial research.

[Allo Allo]

I have a very boring day on at work with nothing to do – wonderful!

I thought I’d post this. We rented a house once that was haunted. At one end there was a guest room and a bathroom. The guest room became an embarrassment because people complained of tightness on their chests or of being short of breath when they slept there. We did not warn them of their possible future predicament – but they complained all the same. Next to this room was the only bathroom. And the bathroom was so “creepy” my husband and I used a chamber pot in the bedroom at night rather than go down the long passage to the bathroom! It sounds ridiculous in this modern day and age, but true. We are not ghost believers actually. The house used to be three tiny medieval houses that had been cleverly joined together in the 1950’s. The side that was haunted would have been a whole house in 1650.

When we left, I said nothing to the woman taking over the lease, but it wasn’t long before she phoned me and asked if I’d found the house somewhat creepy – specially the guest room and the bathroom. What could I say?!

This is hardly a dramatic anecdote – no one saw anything – we just got feelings. But I think it weird that we all got the same feelings without knowing about anyone else’s feelings.

The house I live in now was built in 1987 – and it is haunted by the central heating, the boiler and the creaking floors – oh – and the eerie wooo woooo of the north wind as it blows past the dog flap!

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Well, the ghost in Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) can blow curtains and upset ornaments. That ghost also doesn't walk through walls, but that's probably more related to the different possibilities of cartoon and real-life action.

IIRC, I think you'll find that most of the 'ghosts' in Scooby Doo are people under sheets trying to scare people off the abandoned mine/funfair/whatever, and even in the story are no more genuine than the average fake medium.

I always found it strange though, how when they pulled the sheet of the villain at the end of the programme to show that it wasn't really a ghost, and then explained how he (or she) pretended to be a ghost - that the explanation didn't quite always seem that plausible compared to the evidence. If you compare the earlier footage of the ghost in the programme to that at the end, there is a marked difference.

Do you think the makers of Scooby Doo are hiding something? Is it a conspiracy perhaps? A not-so-clever piece of propaganda to make us think that there are rational explanations for ghosts?

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

I have a very boring day on at work with nothing to do – wonderful!

I thought I’d post this. We rented a house once that was haunted. At one end there was a guest room and a bathroom. The guest room became an embarrassment because people complained of tightness on their chests or of being short of breath when they slept there. We did not warn them of their possible future predicament – but they complained all the same. Next to this room was the only bathroom. And the bathroom was so “creepy” my husband and I used a chamber pot in the bedroom at night rather than go down the long passage to the bathroom! It sounds ridiculous in this modern day and age, but true. We are not ghost believers actually. The house used to be three tiny medieval houses that had been cleverly joined together in the 1950’s. The side that was haunted would have been a whole house in 1650.

When we left, I said nothing to the woman taking over the lease, but it wasn’t long before she phoned me and asked if I’d found the house somewhat creepy – specially the guest room and the bathroom. What could I say?!

This is hardly a dramatic anecdote – no one saw anything – we just got feelings. But I think it weird that we all got the same feelings without knowing about anyone else’s feelings.

The house I live in now was built in 1987 – and it is haunted by the central heating, the boiler and the creaking floors – oh – and the eerie wooo woooo of the north wind as it blows past the dog flap!

This is definately where it gets interesting and worthwhile (for someone I guess) to carry out further research. What are the physical and psychological forces at work that make us think there is something creepy going on. And why do people need to jump to conclusions that aliens/ghosts/demons are involved.

[Matt]

Scooby Doo used to be Sceptical when I watch as a kid but more recently with Fred, Daphne and Wilma being replaced by the excreable Scrappy the ghost's and monster always turn out to be real. Well, cartoons imagined by the creative folks of Hanna Barbara but within that context, real.

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Even when I was a child, Scrappy was universally hated. I don't know why they ever kept him in it. Strange decision.

[Mulder]

We rented a house once that was haunted. At one end there was a guest room and a bathroom ... The house used to be three tiny medieval houses that had been cleverly joined together in the 1950’s. The side that was haunted would have been a whole house in 1650...

Buildings can gain a 'haunted' reputation simply by looking a feeling spooky. Any unusual experience will be attributed to a ghost when in another house it might just be ignored or investigated. Factors that contribute to a feeling of 'spookiness' include: high humidity, low temperature, poor lighting, old-looking, etc.

There was a rather spooky looking house near our school when I was a kid. We kids thought it was haunted on appearence alone! Looking at it as an adult it was completely unremarkable.

[Allo Allo]

[quote=Mulder;29960] Factors that contribute to a feeling of 'spookiness' include: high humidity, low temperature, poor lighting, old-looking, etc. [quote]

Yes - couldn't say this applied to the creepy wing of the house - well lighted, centrally heated and neatly maintained...mmmm...but I think you're on the right track maybe....I don't think it's visual only. I wondered if we, as animals were able to sense stuff - like happy or not happy places. I wondered if someone had been ill with some lung desease - or died in that room and had left an impression there - like a life footprint in time. What am I talking about! I really don't know actually.

We had no prior knowledge when we moved in there - so it had no reputation for us. I must say, that we were very happy there - creepy and all.