Believers and Skeptics and In Between (UFO, spirits, orbs, aliens)
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Because I am interested in the subject and would love to see some credible evidence to put in my thinking cap. But I know there have been and continue to be lots of charlatans over the years, so I am not going to believe everything anyone says without some evidence to back it up.
Now what could one possibly say to sway you, that would fall under the category of *credible evidence* in your mind?
I suspect if you weren't satisfied with their response it would become a debate to try and dismantle the other persons belief.
Because I am interested in the subject and would love to see some credible evidence to put in my thinking cap. But I know there have been and continue to be lots of charlatans over the years, so I am not going to believe everything anyone says without some evidence to back it up.
I think that's a healthy approach to it, myself.
It's when the inquiring becomes heckling or mocking in its
tone, as it does on occasion (see example linked below), that
can be problematic.
Now what could one possibly say to sway you, that would fall under the category of *credible evidence* in your mind?
It would depend entirely upon the situation.
If you're talking about a scientific study, then I want the study to adhere to the scientific method and all evidence examined by various sides.
If you're simply talking about someone telling me their ghost story, then I want to hear it. Will I believe them or disbelieve them? The depends entirely upon the person, but most likely I will remain agnostic on this score. I'll put it on my "Wait and See" shelf until further evidence comes to light.
Because I am interested in the subject and would love to see some credible evidence to put in my thinking cap. But I know there have been and continue to be lots of charlatans over the years, so I am not going to believe everything anyone says without some evidence to back it up.
Yes, thats what a lot of people say, but... how can MY evidence convince you? You obviously do not want to believe without evidence and only some experiments done by science is going to be 'credible' enough. Your time would be much more profitably spent asking questions from those who investigate and test and do experiments - since this is all that will convince you.
1) You are interested in the subject but are unable to move to 'belief' until credible evidence appears.
2) You need credible evidence which can only come from scientists doing experiments and doing write-ups.
3) No amount of experiences gained by others is going to convince you.
4) We are not scientists doing experiments so you are wasting your time hoping to convince yourself.
5) Whether WE beleive in ghosts or not YOU will still maintain your position.
See why I think the kind of questions you ask us here is pointless?
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It would depend entirely upon the situation.
There will never be a situation on this forum which will give you credible evidence. (see 4 above)
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If you're talking about a scientific study, then I want the study to adhere to the scientific method and all evidence examined by various sides.
See 3 above
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If you're simply talking about someone telling me their ghost story, then I want to hear it. Will I believe them or disbelieve them? The depends entirely upon the person, but most likely I will remain agnostic on this score. I'll put it on my "Wait and See" shelf until further evidence comes to light.
Maybe if you knew them personally, but will never happen on a public forum however much you are online buddies. You are kidding yourself or need to look elsewhere for your evidence - IF you really want to find it. Maybe the search is more interesting to you than the result ?
If you're talking about a scientific study, then I want the study to adhere to the scientific method and all evidence examined by various sides.
If you're simply talking about someone telling me their ghost story, then I want to hear it. Will I believe them or disbelieve them? The depends entirely upon the person, but most likely I will remain agnostic on this score. I'll put it on my "Wait and See" shelf until further evidence comes to light.
This is what you initially posted:
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"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts." (Daniel Patrick Moynihan)
If someone says, "I believe in ghosts," then "Why?" is a perfectly reasonable response. It isn't mean or judgmental. It's inquiry.
So if someone expresses their opinion about something, such as "I believe in ghosts", and you ask "Why?" you either want a scientific study adhering to some scientific method (I'm assuming by this you mean "peer reviewed" or something), with all evidence examined by various parties. Or, if they simply tell you a story, you'll more than likely file it away until further evidence is revealed.
Have you found that with certain subjects, people are a little reluctant to share their opinions with you? I'm asking in earnest, not trying to be a smart *****. I can see all of this if someone was making declarative statements that you were questioning, but all of this for an opinion?
If you're really interested in the subject, and have heard a story, why not just do your own research? That's what I've done. Or ask the person, "What else can you tell me about this subject? I'd like to learn more."
Personal belief in something and making claims about the objective reality of the same are two entirely different things. If you want to believe in the flying spaghetti monster, fine; but if you want to convince us that you met him at your local Italian restaurant, that's going to require credible evidence since it conflicts with the metaphysics of others in the group.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed in the ridiculous Cottingsley Fairy photos. Are we supposed to accept them as real because there's a lack of credible evidence that they're not a schoolgirl prank? How about the idiots who put ape suits and pig guts on ice and claims it's Bigfoot?
If you're going to ask the rest of us to accept whatever you post without questioning you're going to need to establish criteria to distinguish between fakes, misinterpretations of data and the real thing. Or prove to us why criteria aren't needed and we should ooh and aah and not pay any attention to the man behind the curtain.
Personal belief in something and making claims about the objective reality of the same are two entirely different things. If you want to believe in the flying spaghetti monster, fine; but if you want to convince us that you met him at your local Italian restaurant, that's going to require credible evidence since it conflicts with the metaphysics of others in the group.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed in the ridiculous Cottingsley Fairy photos. Are we supposed to accept them as real because there's a lack of credible evidence that they're not a schoolgirl prank? How about the idiots who put ape suits and pig guts on ice and claims it's Bigfoot?
If you're going to ask the rest of us to accept whatever you post without questioning you're going to need to establish criteria to distinguish between fakes, misinterpretations of data and the real thing. Or prove to us why criteria aren't needed and we should ooh and aah and not pay any attention to the man behind the curtain.
Personal belief in God is different than, for example, personal belief that I've had an experience that connected me with my late wife?
Sorry, I'm not of that opinion. Both are personal beliefs and whether people want to buy into them or not isn't my concern or burden. I don't have to provide anyone with anything.
Personal belief in God is different than, for example, personal belief that I've had an experience that connected me with my late wife?
No, they're both personal beliefs.
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Sorry, I'm not of that opinion. Both are personal beliefs and whether people want to buy into them or not isn't my concern or burden. I don't have to provide anyone with anything.
People in this forum make objective truth claims all the time about photos and experiences -- I heard knocking in the woods and it must be bigfoot, here's a photo of a blurred something and it must be a ghost, I saw a strange light in the sky and it must be aliens visiting the earth. One hopes you can see these things -- personal beliefs in God or connection with your late wife and truth claims about data -- are qualitatively different.
I don't question personal experiences -- and I've presented many of my own in this forum -- I do question data that's presented to support a paranormal explanation for something.
I'm an inbetweener. I stand in the anything is possible camp, would rather have something 'disproved' and I put a lot of things into the 'wait and see' file.
Reincarnation, past lives, I believe there is something to them, based on personal experience. However, regarding the mechanics, I have multiple theories.
When approaching something odd, I go down the list of all rational and physical possibilities. Maybe there is a stalemate due to how a situation unfolds that does not allow for me to decide one way or another. Other times things are so odd that the paranormal side of the scale is a little more heavy than the rational explanation side.
And while I am quite open towards paranormal explanations.
More often than not, it is the logical rational explanation that is my conclusion.
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