Paranormal Feedback (Not the EVP kind) Please Contribute!!!!

Nevyn

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

6th wrote: »

Thats all grand but are we damaging/neglecting the Spirituality Forum?

Yes.

No I am not biased due to being the mod of that forum, hell I only agreed to do it to be a rescource for the two new mods who were going to run it.

The spirituality forum was set up because regulars of THIS wanted a place to talk about things they felt did not fit in christianity but they felt they did not fit in the paganism forum either.

To my mind the mediumship threads should be in spirituality but I am not going to get into an argument over it.

Whispered

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

Thaedydal wrote: »

To my mind the mediumship threads should be in spirituality but I am not going to get into an argument over it.

I agree - but to a lot of people mediumship is paranormal. Is paranormal a perception of things? Where do you draw the line? And I know that if the spiritual forum was to become a subforum of this one then people would be giving out saying that spirituality does not necessarily have anything to do with the paranormal (which is true!). So really you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

6th

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

When the spirituality Forum was suggested (see link below) Stevenmu (mod of both Paranormal & Spirituality Fora) said:

Spirituality could look after the 'belief' side of things and Paranormal could continue dealing with the weirder side of things

Now I am hardly against spiritual discussion, especially seeing as I use both forums and set up a development circle through the spirituality forum - I just dont agree that the paranormal forum should be used for spiritual topics just because its more popular. I'd argue that its only more popular because of the spiritual topics here.

Spirituality Forum suggestion thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=234525&highlight=Spirituality

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

Vis a vis mediumship. I think theres a very blurred line as to where it fits. Ideally spirituality, yes, but its used by many not so spiritual people. I dont think it really sits perfectly in either. If I had to pick one, I would say a sub forum of here, simply because a lot of the 'strange happenings' here can benefit from that angle, as well as the more investigative side that others here can offer. I get a lot of 'bump in the night' queries where people really want a psychic angle into whats going on.

I dont want to see paranormal become just a repository for psychic reader's contact information either, but I still think the forum needs to be kept loose in terms of the type of thing that can be posted here. If its too analytical, or too 'woo woo*' both extremes stifle discussion.

*Not trying to offend. I love that term.:)

El_mariachi

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

I've been reading here a while and I noticed a very unfair biased point of view towards skeptics and general non believers here.

I bring the very charter for this forum into question.

Skeptical debate and discussion is restricted solely and specifically to threads where the original poster has asked for explanation or discussion on phenomenological issues or events.

That is just silly, there should be always room for a both sides to get thier point of view across.

No demands for proof of paranormal validity.

Come on? So you can't question the validity of any claim?

So if I come in here claiming to be Jesus Christ and claim to be able to do miracles, No one can say "hold on now, He thinks he is Jesus. Any one think he is lying" or "mmm, Can you prove that".

These rules while they might be in place to protect us from trolls and general unfair treatment, but they make us look like a bunch of kids telling ghost stories and playing "what goes bump in the night". Its silly and in fairness , no Skeptic will take us paranormalist's seriously if we aren't willing to even debate our claims.

If you have a claim to make you should be ready to back it up or at least discuss it.

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

I am a long standing poster here, and I understand the need for that clause in the charter. The types of claim posted here, by their nature, cannot be proven in this environment. Calls for proof simply cause bad feeling, stifle discussion, and go nowhere.

This forum is not ISS. That is where debunking and skeptic argument is welcomed.

Reading through the posts here, you will see anyone claiming anything very outrageous or trolling will be questioned and asked to elaborate on where they are coming from. Its not about giving people an easy ride, but about allowing free discussion, without having to prove the unproveable.

El_mariachi

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

KtK wrote: »

Calls for proof simply cause bad feeling, stifle discussion, and go nowhere.

I agree some might go nowhere but don't think it should cause bad feelings. If something is provable it be nice to see some proof for once. I understand thing like dreams or Astral projection is next to impossible to prove. But surely some people have made provable claim here!?

KtK wrote: »

Reading through the posts here, you will see anyone claiming anything very outrageous or trolling will be questioned and asked to elaborate on where they are coming from. Its not about giving people an easy ride, but about allowing free discussion, without having to prove the unprovable.

I understand. Just think its very biased in here still.

6th

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

As KtK says the claims made in this forum are by their very nature can not be proven. If you look closely though you will see that the people are not telling other people to believe what they are saying but rather putting forward their experiences.

Not all threads here are about peoples experiences though and healthy debate of some topics is encouranged by the cmods and community alike.

El_mariachi

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

6th wrote: »

As KtK says the claims made in this forum are by their very nature can not be proven. If you look closely though you will see that the people are not telling other people to believe what they are saying but rather putting forward their experiences.

Not all threads here are about peoples experiences though and healthy debate of some topics is encouranged by the cmods and community alike.

Ah excellent to hear! A re-wording of that charter wouldn't kill though. Like I said, it casts us in a bad light in the eyes or non believers or skeptics.

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

El_mariachi wrote: »

Ah excellent to hear! A re-wording of that charter wouldn't kill though. Like I said, it casts us in a bad light in the eyes or non believers or skeptics.

Lets face it, we will always be in a bad light with non believers and skeptics. You cannot hope to convert people in a situation like this. All you can do, is discuss, as freely and openly as possible. That charter issue was the subject of heated debate at the time. Well do I remember it.

If you are a working psychic, you are only as good as your last reading, and you can only ever hope to convince the people you read for. There will always be skeptics. And hooray that that is the case.

El_mariachi

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

KtK wrote: »

Lets face it, we will always be in a bad light with non believers and skeptics. You cannot hope to convert people in a situation like this. All you can do, is discuss, as freely and openly as possible. That charter issue was the subject of heated debate at the time. Well do I remember it.

If you are a working psychic, you are only as good as your last reading, and you can only ever hope to convince the people you read for. There will always be skeptics. And hooray that that is the case.

Haha I can see them now standing over us with their big books of science!

stevenmu

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

Merged with the feedback thread.

I definitely do take your point El_mariachi, at face value it does seem like a silly, even counter-productive rule, and in theory I think it would be better if we didn't have it. In practice though threads were being bogged down with demands for proof to the point that nothing was actually being discussed.

It's probably better to think of it as less of a rule and more of a guideline to enable discussion. In general it's kind of selectively enforced, where sceptical posts add value to a discussion they're very welcome but when they start to bog down a thread, they're not. I think it takes a little judgement as to the intentions of OP and where the subject is going.

I'd certainly be open to a rewording of the charter to try and make things clearer, or perhaps adding some sample threads/posts would help ?

GuanYin

I'm 30-35

All that said, wicknight doesn't post here anymore so maybe we can remove the rule

DANNY22XX

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

would like to see an epuipment section put up,,ie what you would use it for,,,etc,,,there are a lot of people here i know would be very intrested ,,i know those who go on open investigations would like to see what they can get ,,ie bargains and tips for investigating,,,
just my 2 cents,,ohhh yeah and less stickys,,lol

Dave!

I'm Female

Is a whole thread relating to the skeptical discussion of paranormal activity allowed? ie. If I started a thread saying that astrology is nonsense (more detail), would the discussion be allowed to develop, with supporters providing evidence and detracters arguing otherwise?

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

DaveMcG wrote: »

Is a whole thread relating to the skeptical discussion of paranormal activity allowed? ie. If I started a thread saying that astrology is nonsense (more detail), would the discussion be allowed to develop, with supporters providing evidence and detracters arguing otherwise?

Im not sure about the astrology aspect, not my thing, but in lots of other paranormal areas the problem becomes one of you saying X is the case and me saying Y, and as the sceptic your standpoint can become 'prove it then'. Which is impossible in this environment.

If there was a way of preventing that stalemate, yes Id be all for discussion threads.

stevenmu

I'm a member of a Paranormal Society/Organisation

DaveMcG wrote: »

Is a whole thread relating to the skeptical discussion of paranormal activity allowed? ie. If I started a thread saying that astrology is nonsense (more detail), would the discussion be allowed to develop, with supporters providing evidence and detracters arguing otherwise?

That certainly sounds worth a try to me. If it works out well and doesn't cause too much spillage into everything else it could be very good indeed. Does it have to be nonsense though? You might have just meant it in an off-hand way, but I'd suggest something like "astrology is wrong" or "astrology is mistaken" would be far more encouraging of debate.

KtK wrote: »

Im not sure about the astrology aspect, not my thing, but in lots of other paranormal areas the problem becomes one of you saying X is the case and me saying Y, and as the sceptic your standpoint can become 'prove it then'. Which is impossible in this environment.

If there was a way of preventing that stalemate, yes Id be all for discussion threads.

Since a true sceptic should really base any position they take on evidence, some turnabout could be fun

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

stevenmu wrote: »

Since a true sceptic should really base any position they take on evidence, some turnabout could be fun

It will be interesting to see if we can manage fair discussion without bloodshed.:)

Only problem I have with the evidence is I cant call down the deceased relatives of any posters here. Which poses a difficulty for me in illustrating my evidence.

Slow Motion

I'm Female

GuanYin wrote: »

Fortean times, while interesting, doesn't really serve anything a mega thread wouldn't or the forum in general, does it?

Obviously since I proposed the Boardean Times forum / sub-forum I disagree since the subject is far too broad for a single thread however mega as individual topics would get lost or be missed. Take a look at the fortean times website and see the range of subjects that are covered. Other than that I like this forum pretty much as it is but then I only read threads of interest to me, I don't know really if I post enough or involve myself enough in the topics here to have more of an opinion than that.

flash21

was wondering if there is any upcoming investigations happening. would love to be involved

Stoner

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

there is a convention on on Nov 7th in Dublin City Centre, later that night there will be an investigation in Wicklow Gaol.
http://www.dublinparacon.com/

If you come along on the day you can get a ticket, or meet other groups. there will be a significiant amount of the Irish paranormal groups there on the day so you can meet up with them.

Riamfada

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

But chosing a group is like chosing a Jedi Lightsaber colour. Never take it as a triviality

mysterious

Oryx wrote: »

If I am posting within the remit of any forum, that will not happen. As I said in my initial response, this is not the first time you have fallen foul of the off topic forum rules.


I apologise if my attitude offended you. It was meant to be succinct, rather than offensive.


Yes, we are all adults here. I hope then that you can bear that in mind and understand that I have no axe to grind against you, but I do need to keep all posters, including you, working within the rules here.

And yet again I must ask you to explain your warning comment, which I take offence to myself.

I respect your apology.

But you still have this error of judgment again.


I didn't break the rules. Nor was anything wrong with the thread. Please try and refrain making excuses.

Because everything was fine.


It's sometimes refreshing not to talk about catching ghost in a jar and whos going to see a pyschic. I'm still in odds as to why you locked it. It's not the first time you have behaved this way.

6th

I make a living/earn money/am employed in an aspect of the Paranormal/Spiritual

Mysterious, do YOU believe that what you are discussing is PARANORMAL?

Oryx

I've attended a Paranormal Forum Event

mysterious I realise your post above has overlapped with the move to helpdesk. Your points are noted but the discussion must continue there, not here.

6th, can you ask those type of questions by pm, or not here at least? Thanks.

humanji

Just thought I'd let you know about another Forums forum thread that involves this forum. It was an idea from a while ago that I never got around to fleshing out until now:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62822233#post62822233

Feedback would be welcome.