• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

I'm seriously freaked out.

JP1283 said:
I haven't been trying to prove anything. I've been trying to find some help interpreting these things that have happened, because I have a brain that tells me that these things have some higher meaning. But I've been treated like crap by most of the posters in this thread, and I've realized that if they are what represents skepticism, then I don't want any part of it.
Click to expand...

Hey JP, just want to comment on this.

I think that coincidences don't mean much of anything. More than often, I think its just randomness, and of course in a universe such as large as ours with so many people who have many ideas in common about life, I guess I'm not surprised about the car coincidence.

I don't think that skepticism is the enemy here. Just like in anything, it always has to do with the people involved. I think it would help if you like kept a journal irl or online, wrote down your experiences, and kept track of these things. I think you'll see more often than not, that, our deepest fears do not come true.

I guess my experiences in religion have made me very skeptical. I do not believe in anything unless I see it with my own eyes. Even if there was a higher meaning, what purpose would there be to it? I just don't see how the supernatural could ordain anything as cruel as taking away friends in the most horrible ways, through car accidents. I mean really, that is just cruel. Like how could something supernatural allow a person to die through a car crash?!

I don't think that you're gullible, its normal to have fears especially when you've been religious in the past, sometimes its hard to let go of the fears that religion has instilled in you. I imagine that it can't be easy dealing with that and ocd. Anyway, you just have to recognize it for what it is and just say to yourself that you won't give in to them when the thoughts come.

At some point you have to start saying no to them. Like after leaving xtianity, I used to have certain fears about hell, but then I started to realize that I left xtianity for a reason, after a while it became easier once I started basing things on facts rather religious fears. Anyway, now hell is no longer something that I fear. It also takes time, it doesn't happen overnight. =)
 
JP1283 said:
I've been trying to find some help interpreting these things that have happened, because I have a brain that tells me that these things have some higher meaning.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem with that: your brain, like everyone else's, is hard-wired to look for "higher meanings," and thus will tend to find them even when they aren't really there. There are very good biological reasons for this. While seeing higher meanings or patterns that aren't really there will lead you to false conclusions (like, "My friend is psychic"), they usually won't be the kind of false conclusions that will get you killed. On the other hand, failing to see patterns that are there (like, "People who mess with tigers tend to get eaten, therefore maybe I should stay away from tigers") is much more likely to be fatal. Therefore evolution favors false positives far more strongly than false negatives, which is why we're more likely to commit them.

So try this: Now that you know your friend is out of the woods, don't forget this experience. Remember how freaked out you were, and how sensible that reaction seemed at the time. Specifically, remember it the next time you feel freaked out by something seemingly paranormal. And then ask yourself, "If I felt that strongly before (based on the same criteria), and I turned out to be wrong then, what makes me think this time is different?"
 
moxierain said:
Hey JP, just want to comment on this.

I think that coincidences don't mean much of anything. More than often, I think its just randomness, and of course in a universe such as large as ours with so many people who have many ideas in common about life, I guess I'm not surprised about the car coincidence.

I don't think that skepticism is the enemy here. Just like in anything, it always has to do with the people involved. I think it would help if you like kept a journal irl or online, wrote down your experiences, and kept track of these things. I think you'll see more often than not, that, our deepest fears do not come true.

I guess my experiences in religion have made me very skeptical. I do not believe in anything unless I see it with my own eyes. Even if there was a higher meaning, what purpose would there be to it? I just don't see how the supernatural could ordain anything as cruel as taking away friends in the most horrible ways, through car accidents. I mean really, that is just cruel. Like how could something supernatural allow a person to die through a car crash?!

I don't think that you're gullible, its normal to have fears especially when you've been religious in the past, sometimes its hard to let go of the fears that religion has instilled in you. I imagine that it can't be easy dealing with that and ocd. Anyway, you just have to recognize it for what it is and just say to yourself that you won't give in to them when the thoughts come.

At some point you have to start saying no to them. Like after leaving xtianity, I used to have certain fears about hell, but then I started to realize that I left xtianity for a reason, after a while it became easier once I started basing things on facts rather religious fears. Anyway, now hell is no longer something that I fear. It also takes time, it doesn't happen overnight. =)
Click to expand...

Hi Moxierain-

Between this post and your previous one, I can say that you are a truly good friend to JP and it would appear that he needs good folk like you in his life to help him out. (Don't we all?)

:th:
 
moxierain said:
JP is a friend of mine and he's not a troll. He suffers from ocd, takes coincidences a little too seriously, and he just needs to be assured like we all do. He's not one to cause chaos on purpose or to be rude to people, he's one of the nicest people that I know. I'm sure if you had been religious in the past, and had ocd, then certain things would make you more paranoid than it would with the average person.
Click to expand...


Ok, I'll take you at your word then and I offer my apology to JP for calling him a troll.

In the politest way possible, I suggest that you ask JP (he's ignoring me) to desist from posting his messages here. A person with OCD would be ill-advised to come to this type of forum and make bold predictions; particularly when those predictions relate to deaths of people. He is inviting ridicule and abuse from people, and I submit that that's probably the last thing an OCD sufferer needs.

JP needs professional help, although I suspect there may have been some if he is a known OCD sufferer? If he's looking for guidance and chat along his journey, there will be far more appropriate boards for him to attend; places where he will recieve the support he needs. Here, he may get advice and support, but as this is primarily a board of sceptical types - and this is posted in GS&P - that kind of posting will be in the minority.

I'm sure that it all feels perfectly real to JP, but his excuse of seeking independent opinion isn't borne out by his longtime posting record.
 
im happy your friend is ok jp and im glad you learned from this experience.

im sorry people gave you so much crap about posting here, i would just like to say that it is not the norm. if you ever want to talk about anxiety/ocd stuff just pm me, i am familiar with it personally.
 
Thank you all for the well-wishes. I am very glad that she is alright. I'm sorry for seemingly paying too much attention those who were posting rude things and not enough to those that were actually trying to help. I really appreciate the positive responses.
 
moxierain said:
JP is a friend of mine and he's not a troll. He suffers from ocd, takes coincidences a little too seriously, and he just needs to be assured like we all do. He's not one to cause chaos on purpose or to be rude to people, he's one of the nicest people that I know. I'm sure if you had been religious in the past, and had ocd, then certain things would make you more paranoid than it would with the average person.
Click to expand...

I think that part of the problem is that JP comes here seeking assurances -- that's fine, no problem with that -- but then doesn't actually seem to process the information we provide. We spend a great deal of time explaining things like "confirmation bias", and it doesn't seem like JP is actually picking up on it. Instead, JP comes back the next time something "weird" happens, saying "something weird happened! I don't believe in the paranormal, but I'm weirded out!" So please understand that that's part of the reason why some of the people on this forum are getting a little bit impatient. How annoyed would you be if, say, you had a co-worker who kept coming to you day after day with the exact same question?

That's why I worded my previous post the way I did: that it would be better for JP to carefully process what's been said, and the next time something weird happens, comes back and presents it in the framework of what he/she has learned here previously. Such as "my friend had this dream, so I thought about it, and I thought that perhaps there might be a bit of confirmation bias going on. I also thought that maybe, perhaps, she might be cueing off of unsafe behaviours she's observed in people. So I talked with Shannon, and she agreed to keep off the cellphone and drive only during the day, and I expect everything will turn out just fine. But I'll keep you all in touch, because it certainly would be interesting (though incredibly devastating) if this turned out to be a "hit". Otherwise, it'd be another great example of unconscious cueing/confirmation bias, etc." Rather than coming here and saying "I'm freaked out! Should I slash her tires"? See where I'm going with this?
 
knot said:
I'll let you in on a little secret: The EMPHASIS is condescending
Click to expand...

You just can't accept the notion that you're wrong, can you. I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's more than one reasonable, logical interpretation. The fact that you can't seem to think it was anything but condescending says more about you than it does about me.

knot said:
How old are you? edit - never mind. I'm not going to go for the immaturity of an age insult as you so publicly have. That speaks volumes about you. Good going. (no doubt you will act innocent about that too)
Click to expand...

Old enough not to get too riled up by an insulting little snot like you.

I'm not acting innocent, I fully admit that my patience with you is at an end. The sad fact of the matter is you ARE acting like a teenager, and an offensive one at that.

I may be a lot of things, but dishonest isn't one of them. Rather than admit you're just full of *****, you have called me a liar, and I take considerable offense to that.

Grow up.
 
I am guessing knot has had some experience that was similar to this one and is taking it out on jp. Its not right, but I can understand it. Ive flipped out on people based on past experiences, I appologize when i realize i was wrong though...

conclusion: dont take it too personally jp. i like reading your posts, they come off as very geniune, like how regular people talk to each other. good luck with everything!!!
 
insulting little snot like you
Click to expand...

Lol, calling me, "snot" - the epitome of maturity right there.


I'm tired of playing tit for tat with you osmosis. You can do some growing up as well. Have a good day.

nails3jesus0, I have little patience for tire slashers (or justifiers/extremists), thieves, and people that won't or are incapable of listening to reason.
 
Last edited:
You heard right, thieves of the internet! Knot is out there - and he's mighty impatient with you!

What a bizarre, idiotic thing to get so worked up over. This whole thread crossed over into silly town a loooooong time ago.
 
JP1283 said:
I can post what I would consider a "hit" here. If she does in fact, perish in an auto accident within the next two weeks, while she is out of town (I mentioned in detail to Soapy Sam that in Sara's dream, she felt that it wasn't local as she got the news of Shannon's death late), I would take that as a hit. (Shannon will be driving to Idaho within the next two weeks; I will be getting the exact dates later tonight when I call her.) Anything less than that, such as a close-call, a fender-bender, or a flat tire, would not count as a hit for me.

Hi, Joe...I don't particularly believe in my friend's (or others') psychic abilities...I fear they are real. When I hear of a strange coincidence, such as Shannon telling me a long time ago about how she thought she would die in a car wreck, and then someone else telling me they have dreams about people dying and then they do, and that they had one about Shannon dying the same way that Shannon thought she would...it gets under my skin and freaks me out. No, I don't believe in it, per se, but I fear it to be true. If after the next two weeks nothing happens (which I hope is the case, obviously) I think it will help me to overcome these feelings of fear that occur when I hear of things like this.

ETA: I am not interested in any prizes at all. I am not trying to bet that this will happen. I don't want it to happen. If in fact the premonition comes true, I would never want to collect money or anything else for it; it would be reprehensible for me to do so.
Click to expand...

Bump.... two weeks are up. I assume Shannon is still alive?
 
Hello all. Yes, Shannon is still alive. Excuse me while I insert my foot in my mouth.

I can't believe how freaked out I was over all that. I'm glad there was a happy outcome. I still do have issues to work through, but that helped shed some light on my paranoia...that it really is all in my head.
 
JP1283 said:
Hello all. Yes, Shannon is still alive. Excuse me while I insert my foot in my mouth.

I can't believe how freaked out I was over all that. I'm glad there was a happy outcome. I still do have issues to work through, but that helped shed some light on my paranoia...that it really is all in my head.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe some good came out of all that worrying, then.

If nobody's suggested it yet, I'd recommend picking up a copy of Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World, or Michael Shermer's Why People Believe Weird Things. Not as a substitute for whatever medical care you may need, but as a way of learning more about things like confirmation bias.
 
Hey Yahzi, does it make you feel good to post little comments like "thanks, you saved me from wasting a lot of time"? Does it make you feel superior somehow?

I would appreciate it if a mod would close this thread...I've already stated that I was wrong and over-reacted. I don't need anyone else posting such comments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom