Chaos Magic

[AkuManiMani]

But how in the world would she be able to do something like that? If it was that easy to do freaky **** like that I would think that many more skeptics and influential people would be thrown in to this sort of chaos.

Also, stories like that sound like they would be easily verifiable if we could see that the people called and gave details about a currently occurring episode of paralysis and being pulled in to some vortex...

Meh...Whats the point in trying to convince people? Especially if the individuals in question are strongly invested in believing that what you're saying isn't true? -_-

 

[Zanders]

I've had sleep paralysis. It's quite common.

I meant the part where she called during it and described what he was seeing.

AkuManiMani, was she in to some sort of strange mystical stuff?

 

[Mister Earl]

I've had sleep paralysis. It's quite common.

I've had it happen, too. The first time it happens, it's scary as hell, especially if you're having very vivid imagery associated with it. The second time it happens, it's "This again? Meh."

 

[AkuManiMani]

Hey, Pixy. I haven't forgotten that you've yet to tell what the contents of your hallucinations were

 

[Nonpareil]

Well, if millions of people have strikingly similar encounters with them, that should mean a little something.

As PixyMisa has said, they don't. Many of the experiences are tied together only by the barest threads. In many cases where the connection is seemingly stronger, it still isn't strong enough to suggest any real connection. And many cases are from people who already believe in the paranormal, and who thus have preconceived ideas about whether or not their experiences are paranormal or not. In addition, they usually already have some idea of what this experience would be like, and have heard stories of what others' were like. These factors mean that their memories of the experience are subject to very heavy alteration due to confirmation bias.

And when people that don't beleive in anything "paranormal" have experiences, that should make it even more worth researching.

Not really. Let's say that there's someone out there with absolutely no preconceived notions about what this kind of experience would be like. He doesn't believe in the paranormal, but one day he hears voices anyway. He reports his experience. Do we investigate?

Most likely, no. This man's account is no more evidence of the paranormal than a believer's. All it means is that he had an experience that he couldn't explain. Even if it is strikingly similar to another's, it could still be coincidence - or, since we're dealing with the brain here, they could both have had the same type of neurological event, resulting in similar experiences.

Until we have some evidence beyond "I can't explain what happened here", there's no reason to think that it's paranormal.

Most of this information is just shrugged off, though.

It's not shrugged off. It's just deemed to be largely irrelevant, as it has no supporting evidence.

 

[dlorde]

How do you even know I wasn't just making up the whole story to begin with?

We don't. You reported an anecdotal experience. We gave you some plausible explanations. You became defensive, evasive, accusatory, and puerile. Why?

 

[PixyMisa]

I meant the part where she called during it and described what he was seeing.

That's why I said sleep paralysis and confabulation.

Or perhaps just confirmation bias.

 

[Nonpareil]

Hey, Pixy. I haven't forgotten that you've yet to tell what the contents of your hallucinations were

Because she doesn't have to. It's irrelevant.

 

[Zanders]

Meh...Whats the point in trying to convince people? Especially if the individuals in question are strongly invested in believing that what you're saying isn't true? -_-

But there are people who have investigated such stories who want to believe and don't come up with evidence that should be easily recordable beyond anecdotes. Unless I am missing the recorded evidence.

But contact with non-human entities and other such spontaneous occurrences seem much more mysterious and harder to get around. These are the stories that I find more interesting, like the first one you mentioned in this thread.

 

[PixyMisa]

I've had it happen, too. The first time it happens, it's scary as hell, especially if you're having very vivid imagery associated with it. The second time it happens, it's "This again? Meh."

The first time it happened to me as a kid, I remember being terrified for a couple of seconds, and then realising I was in some sort of half-awake state and still dreaming. I didn't find out what it was called for another decade or so.

 

[PixyMisa]

But there are people who have investigated such stories who want to believe and don't come up with evidence that should be easily recordable beyond anecdotes. Unless I am missing the recorded evidence.

No, you're entirely correct. Neither believers nor skeptics have turned up any verifiable evidence.

But contact with non-human entities and other such spontaneous occurrences seem much more mysterious and harder to get around.

They would be, if they happened. Again, no evidence.

 

[AkuManiMani]

I meant the part where she called during it and described what he was seeing.

AkuManiMani, was she in to some sort of strange mystical stuff?

Erm...I've known her since we were teenagers. She used to tell me about how, as a small child, she would "bow to spirits". Like the girls in that 20/20 video, she said she talked to such entities and she even showed me a very distrbing drawing she'd made when she was little [it was one of the few her mother hadn't destroyed]. She also enjoys deceiving/manipulating people and, from an early age, has harbored dreams of forming her own cult. As a matter of fact mass murderers, demagogues, and cult leaders are counted amongst her personal heroes. Shes just an overall creepy evil person </shrug>

 

[PixyMisa]

Hey, Pixy. I haven't forgotten that you've yet to tell what the contents of your hallucinations were

Do you understand yet that your senses and your memories are unreliable, AkuManiMani?

Because until you do, there's nothing else to discuss.

 

[Zanders]

Erm...I've known her since we were teenagers. She used to tell me about how, as a small child, she would "bow to spirits". Like the girls in that 20/20 video, she said she talked to such entities and she even showed me a very distrbing drawing she'd made when she was little [it was one of the few her mother hadn't destroyed]. She also enjoys deceiving/manipulating people and, from an early age, has harbored dreams of forming her own cult. As a matter of fact mass murderers, demagogues, and cult leaders are counted amongst her personal heroes. Shes just an overall creepy evil person </shrug>

Is she related to you getting mixed in with all of this?

 

[AkuManiMani]

They would be, if they happened. Again, no evidence.

Yes, how could I have forgotten that you can directly channel "The Entirety of Science". You've attained virtual omniscience without having to leave your keyboard -- it must be amazing!

 

[dafydd]

If you don't care why have you even bothered participating in the discussion?

What discussion? Your campfire stories?

 

[AkuManiMani]

Hey, Pixy. I haven't forgotten that you've yet to tell what the contents of your hallucinations were

Do you understand yet that your senses and your memories are unreliable, AkuManiMani?

Because until you do, there's nothing else to discuss.

Your auditory hallucinations told you that? Fascinating...

 

[AkuManiMani]

What discussion? Your campfire stories?

You could aleast bring marshmallows since you apparenly care enough to chime in

 

[dafydd]

That doesn't make resorting to insults right.

If you have no valid points or facts to present,then insults are a last resort.

 

[dlorde]

Meh...Whats the point in trying to convince people? Especially if the individuals in question are strongly invested in believing that what you're saying isn't true? -_-

Dude, this is a sceptic forum. If you want people to be convinced that your unverifiable anecdotal experience is evidence of something extraordinary, there are, as Pixy said, plenty of sites full of people who'll lap it up.