Believe in ghosts? Spirits? Know the difference? A recent movie, Paranormal Activity, is bringing these questions to light. They are tough to answer for some, while others take photos of ghosts and record their voices.
People usually fall into one of four categories:
- They believe in ghosts;
- They don’t believe in ghosts'
- They’re not sure, or;
- They believe but they don't want to admit it.
Some people say they don’t believe but they’re scared by the idea of the paranormal. People talk about things that happen right before their eyes, yet they don’t want to admit they believe that a ghost could be responsible for the phenomena. Others, who may be wishing to see something, look for any little detail that may indicate the presence of a paranormal entity.
Proof of an Afterlife is Required
Proof of an afterlife has taunted and teased scientists for years. They’re logic thinkers and nothing has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt.
There are people who claim that they’ve died, gone to Heaven and returned divine reason for whatever . The very intensity of their tale (or the intensity of their want to believe) is enough for some to agree quickly, spreading the story like a contagion . For others, these stories are not proof of an afterlife.
There is something to the proof that some have that is unexplainable, if not because of paranormal activity. Not a surprise since all the proofs come from those that are on the side of believing in ghosts, but those who oppose have no data to explain the results otherwise. These proofs are in the forms of photographs, recordings and delicate devices that photograph temperatures, measure magnetic field fluctuations, record inaudible sounds and remove background noises, among other things. The results are real proof of something, and these proofs are evident in nearly all the kinds of tests being done.
The people who perform these tests are credible, intelligent and sometimes even religious people who are not considered to be deceptive or liars. They come from all walks of life. Gathering evidence of an afterlife has become a science and a hobby to many.
Among those who believe, there is a difference between a ghost and a spirit; a ghost stayed here after death and never left or is trapped here, and a spirit has gone to Heaven and come back on a visit or to be with family.
Recordings and Photos of Ghosts
The photo included with this article is reported to be of a ghost. The round spots are called “orbs” and are supposed to be spirits of the departed. There’s also a smoky type of appearance called “ectoplasm“ (not shown). Both are considered indications of a ghost or spirit presence.
It's believed that orbs can result from anomalies in film and digital photos. Some common causes include flying dust particles, bugs, and moisture. How to tell the difference? Paranormal enthusiasts can email the photo to a ghost website and many will offer assistance (see resources). They’re all about figuring out the afterlife and putting out scientific information separated from fiction and fanatics.
The recordings, called Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), are especially mysterious. These are recordings taken either purposefully or on accident at times like when a speech had been taped and when listened to, it was found to have someone else speaking, besides the speaker. Sometimes ghost hunters will ask questions into the air, while quietly holding a recorder for a period of time. In some cases, the investigator will obtain a recording with a voice that responds to the question that were asked.
The EVP Recordings Are Closely Scrutinized
These recordings are validated when tested on programs that can take apart sounds, edit background noises and determine that the voices are heard at a level that is impossible for any human to speak.
Sometimes the voices are very clear, and other times very garbled and hard to distinguish. Sometimes only guesses can be made of what the sound must be, but, some believe that very convincing evidence of another realm is out there – at least, there isn’t any solid proof that disproves the theory.
Some say proof isn’t very far off, while others say it isn’t going to come in this lifetime. It's really a matter of perspective, for now, and everyone has to make a personal decision.
