On one of the boards I frequent there’s always a few people that seem to think a prerequisite for watching and enjoying a show is that you have to believe whatever you see is real.  I don’t quite understand the logic behind that one and wonder why they think that in order to enjoy watching a TV show one requirement is that you believe what is shown is on the up and up.  Heck, I even question what I see on the news because our media outlets have become more concerned with sensationalizing the news than giving us good journalism; and they’re obligated to reporting the facts, unlike paranormal shows which aren’t obligated to deliver anything other than entertainment, unless they make claims that say they will.

The reasons I watch paranormal shows is simply for the entertainment value.  I like exercising critical thought and dissecting things.  I also enjoy talking about the paranormal and have a passion for it, which is the reason this blog exists, as well as why I criticize the paranormal community the way I do.  If I didn’t like paranormal TV shows then I wouldn’t watch them, which is the exact reason I don’t watch Paranormal State.  To me, that show is so far out in left field, and the psychics they have on that show are so ridiculous and vague in their schtick that I simply can’t stomach it.  I also rarely catch GHI, primarily because their conclusions are far fetched as well, and the personality of the cast members don’t spark much enthusiasm in me.  Ghost Adventures on the other hand does spark enthusiasm; and even though I find most of their conclusions on evidence out in left field, and their methods ludicrous, the energy level on the show does entertain me.  Ghost Hunters also entertains me, even though some of the show has become old hat and the energy level is down, I do still enjoy analyzing the show to see if they’re trying to pull a fast one, or if they’re up to their usual “we’re scientific” when they are not.  To me it seems that I’m in the same boat as the people who watch Survivor, yet know much of the drama is staged.  They know it’s not real, but they are still entertained by it.

So, for those who keep asking the question of why do I watch the show, there it is, as well as what shows I do and do not watch.  Now, can you explain to me why you think I should have to believe what I see in order to watch the show?

While I have seen some investigators start to look at their methods and begin to think things out more logically, I have also noticed there is still a lot who still follow the failed methods, or who try to look at the metaphysical side of the issue for answers.  From what I’ve seen the later does very little to find answers and is often used as an excuse for not finding solid evidence.  Personally, I think going down that avenue is a dead end and does nothing more than help to perpetuate the ‘smoke and mirrors’ that seem to exist when investigating the paranormal, and is often used to justify poor evidence such as EVP’s, feeling of dread, etc.

So when will the paranormal community have it’s wake up moment?  When will those who investigate the paranormal with time tested methods that have failed realize they need to make changes to their methods and follow methods that will produce facts instead of fuzz, and also do so without grasping at straws?

One thing I thing the paranormal community will need to do before this waking moment can happen is to get away from the group think that’s prevalent in the community, as well as viewing Para-TV as what it is; entertainment only.  Another thing I think will have to happen is that investigators will have to do a lot more reading about the physics that come into play with things such as magnetism, magnetic radiation, and acoustics.  In order to understand what is paranormal, investigators need to first understand how the physics that are involved come into play in their investigations.

Looking at what’s going on in the paranormal community at the moment I don’t hold to high of expectations for investigators coming to a wake-up moment.  In fact, ever since Para-TV became popular I see the exact opposite taking place, and that there has been a significant step backwards as people become part of group think, which is then re-enforced on their message boards by banning those who think differently or question the methods used by the groups on these Para-TV shows.  They also have groups who sign up to be part of their network or families, only to be told how to investigate using methods that are unscientific and nothing but pure pseudoscience.  As long as this type of mentality continues I see getting to the truth as an impossible task and that investigators who are caught up in this as nothing more than pawns of the Para-Celebs who are in it for the cash.  They certainly aren’t in it for getting at the truth, especially when viewing the methods used in these shows, or the methods they use off camera in their investigations.

So, if you’re an investigator then I ask, “When are you going to seriously start looking for the truth in the paranormal?”

Well, I thought most of this would have gone away as the people who were to bring TAPSCon2 had faded away.  But I guess I was wrong.  For those who are unaware, Brent Fair, the person responsible for the TAPSCon 2 fiasco had changed the name of his organization to Odyssey Star Productions, or at least has started up Odyssey Star Productions, after his TAPSCon 2 event fell apart, leaving many without a refund.  Paranormal Underground has an excellent page detailing much of what has transpired.

Well it seems as though Odyssey Star Productions is having some troubles already.  They seem to have stated that Cris Fleming was to be at this event, but according to his blog, he never agreed to it and does not plan to attend.  Looking into it a bit more, they seem to have Tiffany Johnson who will not be appearing at their Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Event the night before, but as with Cris their name showed on the list of celebrities.

I have to wonder what is up with Brent Fair and his events.  Personally, I would avoid any event that had Odyssey Star Productions or Brent Fair’s name associated with it considering how I’ve seen how he conducts his business.  He promised a reschedule of TAPSCon 2, which never seems to have materialized, and has lead to people having to file lawsuits to get their $500 to $775 dollars back.  Then with celebs being listed as guests when Odyssey was told them they were not attending seems fraudulent.  Considering how he’s handled the refunds for TAPSCon 2, one has to wonder if he’ll refund any portion of the event fee when guests cancel or never agreed to the convention.

So, anyone out there who is thinking of attending an Odyssey Star Productions event, I’d recommend not even getting involved.  If you really want to attend an event, find one being held by a an organizer that has a much better established track record.  There are plenty out there that can deliver what they say they will.

I am surprised at the number of people who still hold to this story as being true, and that the events depicted in the book actually happened.  What really surprises me about this is that with all the information out there on the internet that shows the majority of events had not or could not have taken place, people still hold fast to the fiction portion of the story.  Without too much trouble, I was able to find all sorts of information that shot holes in the story, for instance:
  The cloven footprints in the snow could have never happened because there was no snow, according to weather records from that time period.

  None of the windows and doors were ever blown out or damaged as described.  That would have left evidence behind, but when examined by several people, all report the original hardware and finishes were intact.

  The Lutz’s claim to have called the police several times during their 28 day siege, but there are no records that the Lutz’s called, and there are no reports of any police officers being dispatched to that residence during that time period.

There is a lot of evidence to show that the Warren’s and Lutz’s lied.  Even testimony from Mr. Lutz that events in the book or movie ever happened.  In fact, there’s more evidence to show that the story is fabricated then there is to show that anything ever happened.  And to this day the current homeowner’s report that nothing happens.  Yet people will say that there’s something going on there.  In fact there are people that will do nothing but try to discredit others who have investigated, but will never answer the questions about the fact there was no snow, no records to support the police calling, and never address the issue where Lutz admitted that much was fiction and not fact.

I’ve even seen some people post on message boards that they’ve read the reports from the church that investigated the place, and that those records were only made available to them because of a class project.  I found it very odd that when I questioned them about getting a hold of the church because I was a student and thought that it would make an interesting subject for a Critical Thought class, they disappeared from the message board and haven’t been back yet.  This was a bad example for them if they were trying to lay any credence to what they were saying, and looks very much like cut and run because they were about to be exposed as a liar.

One thing my encounter does tend to show is that there is such an overwhelming desire for something as outlandish as the Amityville Horror to be true that people will say just about anything to try and win the debate, even if that means telling lies. What they seem to fail to realize is that they are doing the paranormal community a huge disservice and only make the paranormal as a whole appear to be nothing more than a complete sham.

I couldn’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve heard people say that you need to have an open mind when it comes to the paranormal, which I agree with.  But what rubs me wrong with this is not the message, but the attitude or context the message is conveyed in, which is usually a cheap attempt at an ad hominem attack, and is intended to say, “You’d never believe in the paranormal even if a ghost materialized and slapped you in the face.”

Having an open mind isn’t about whether or not you believe in something, it’s about whether or not you believe something is possible.  It is also not about accepting every anomaly as proof of the paranormal, which is what a lot of people seem to interpret it as meaning.  In fact this is the most common interpretation I’ve seen and encountered in my many years discussing the paranormal.  It usually starts out with someone presenting a picture or video with some obscure anomaly in it.  Then, when it is pointed out that while it may be an interesting anomaly but definitely not proof of anything, the original person who submitted it as evidence will often accuse those stating the facts about the photo aren’t “Open Minded”, or my favorite is, “Not Open Minded enough to see it as proof.”  The second examples always shows me that the person making the statement is the “Close Minded” person, and doesn’t even realize how ridiculous their statement is.

Being open minded isn’t about suspending logic and buying into every obscure piece of video, picture, or audio bit out there; it’s about being willing to accept the possibility and examine evidence with a critical eye.  Being open minded to the possibility does not mean that you should allow any leeway to the evidence that is being examined.  It also does not mean that you insert theory when trying to establish fact, which is what so many self proclaimed “Open Minded” people seem to do; at least the majority of those I’ve encountered.