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Let's Go Ghosthunting!

Started by Hydra009, November 19, 2018, 03:03:27 PM

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Hydra009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmF3liZq4M

Long video, so I'll just give you the rundown:

Ghosthunting is a sham.  Shocking, I know.  Thankfully, most everyone here is of a skeptical bent.  But this sham can be a very convincing to both participants and audience if you don't understand what's really going on.  And believe me, there are a lot of people who have no idea what's really going on and buy this stuff hook, line, and sinker.

The whole methodology of ghost-hunting is purposefully designed to give you the heebie-jeebies - it's at night, it's in "creepy" areas like graveyards and old houses, and the equipment is specially tailored to give false positives that seem convincing.  Just like oujia boards, ghost-hunting equipment is geared so that you do most of the work in creating a reply that you then interpret as ghostly.  You moved the planchette, you just don't know it.

One must-have piece of equipment is an audio recorder.  Prospective ghost-hunters use this to electronically record themselves asking "the spirits" a question and then afterwards play it back and it seems as if there's something vaguely resembling a response in all the static and noise afterwards.  Spooky!  In reality, it's just an ultra-sensitive mic greatly amplifying background noise that participants interpret as a meaningful response.

Another must-have is an EMF meter.  What does it do?  It detects electromagnetic fields.  So when you go in that old haunted house and it spikes, that surely means there's a ghost nearby.  Spooky!  In reality, it's just picking up on exposed wiring and unshielded electronics.  There's nothing supernatural going on at all.

And finally, a relatively novel piece of equipment is an AM/FM sweeper.  This device tunes quickly shuffles through radio channels.  In theory, a ghost is supposed to be saying things to you through these snippets sound between static.  In reality, you're just cycling through radio broadcasts, picking up stray words from the broadcast.  Spooky!  The reason it shuffles so quickly is because if it lingered on any channel, you'd realize you're actually listening to a soccer announcer or a DJ or a reporter.  But if you only get a quick blurb from them and then move on, then you don't know the source so you can convince yourself it was really from a ghostly source.

In every case, you're the ultimate source of your spooky encounter.  You're haunting yourself, you just don't know it.

Unbeliever

I liked the Ghost Busters in the movie Caspar: "Who ya gonna call? Someone else!"

LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z0IXDaJ1Tc

Actually, I see now that it was only one ghost buster.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Mike Cl

The History Channel just loves these haunted programs.  What a waste of time and effort.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Baruch

Quote from: Mike Cl on November 19, 2018, 06:33:45 PM
The History Channel just loves these haunted programs.  What a waste of time and effort.

I guess Henry Ford was ahead of his time ... "History (channel) is bunk!".
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Munch

before I became an atheist or skeptic, I grew up on ghost stories, ones around camp fires, or ones from horror themed books my brother got ahold of. The idea of creepy old homes or places, inhabited by disembodied spirits of people long dead was more chilling to me then any body horror movies.

of course I grew out of it. I remember it was like halloween 1996, and they had some weird live program on of a group going to this supposed haunted house to talk to ghosts, but the house had flood lights all around it and people out having a party in the street outside, and blow up dolls and foam fingers brought into the house, still chanting how the house really was haunted. its was bloody weird, but I think thats the start of what started to crack my belief in the supernatural and develop skepticism.

Heres the thing, I still like a good ghost story, the same way I like a good zombie movie or godzilla movie. Its all fiction, but if you can escape from reality into it for a while, then it doesn't matter so much if people try and make a living off it in real life, it can still be something fun like vampire or werewolf stories.   
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Baruch

My ghost cats deny your skepticism.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Munch

'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Baruch

Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

If there is a Devil, which we all know is true, then there must be ghosts.  It follows logically.  I don't know why you guys like to dis this kind of thing.  Are you all afraid of the truth?

Baruch

Quote from: SGOS on November 20, 2018, 11:32:25 AM
If there is a Devil, which we all know is true, then there must be ghosts.  It follows logically.  I don't know why you guys like to dis this kind of thing.  Are you all afraid of the truth?

You deny the existence of Baby Hitler?
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

SGOS

If I ever saw a ghost, all I can say is he better not get in my way.

Unbeliever

I don't understand how anyone could see a ghost, since "seeing" involves photons of light being either emitted or reflected from a surface. If ghosts can be seen then they'd have to be physical, not supernatural, and we'd be able to prove they exist.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Munch

Quote from: SGOS on November 20, 2018, 04:35:20 PM
If I ever saw a ghost, all I can say is he better not get in my way.

There's only way to deal with such uncouth spirits.

We must call the services of..

'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on November 20, 2018, 04:48:07 PM
I don't understand how anyone could see a ghost, since "seeing" involves photons of light being either emitted or reflected from a surface. If ghosts can be seen then they'd have to be physical, not supernatural, and we'd be able to prove they exist.

In the mind, where it counts.  External reality is as banal as a toilet.  Of course for atheists, the mind doesn't exist.  They have to be validated from the outside only .. forgetting that to perceive, you have to combine external senses with mental processes.  A real puritan would consider that tainted.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.