Friday, September 12, 2008

There are certain things that should just not be fooled around with.

Spirits, ghosts, demons, and demonic possession are some of those things.

It's very strange. For whatever reason a handful of people on my floor are really into that kind of stuff. (They won't drink or do drugs, but they'll go to graveyards seeking out spirits and demons....???)

A handful of them have been (supposedly) possessed. Here on campus and when they're out visiting graveyards. I've never seen it, but they say so.

They've performed exorcisms too. Apparently all you need is a Bible, a cross, and some "holy water". I didn't ask what they counted as holy water, or how the water became holy....again it's just what I've heard.

A cry for attention? The blind leading the blind? Something to kill time? For laughs? Or is it real?

A part of me wants to know. Wants to go on one of their little outings just to show them how lame they're (probably) being.

Having taken various psyc classes, I'm even more skeptical. There's a whole list of fallacies in "believing" in ghosts, and a longer list of *why* people do.
-Power of suggestion
-Expectation influences outcome
-Coincidence
-Mob mentality
-Needing attention.....etc etc

And a large part of me is skeptical. Because I know that when there were witch hunts in the days of yore, that they came and went in waves. There wouldn't be any talk of witches for years, and then ONE case would come up and everyone and their mom was a witch (ie, Salem, MA). Then after awhile it died out for a few years.

On the other hand, that sort of thing does exist. Jesus performed exorcisms. People can really have demons.

And if this is *actual* demonic possession, 1. I don't know why they're seeking it out and 2. I don't want any parts of it.

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