Random Acts of Kindness, or God?

[fishman65]

Could have been an 'act of beans', Fishman

The thing is science changes. If the answer is it can't prove or disprove a later study may do so. Therefore you are left to belief. Or scepticism, something which I tend to view as a form of belief in its own. Two sides of the same coin: the firm believer and the hard sceptic. Both are butting heads using similar points. Can't that be seen in the above posts alone?

LOL Terry!! But wouldn't the windows have blown out, not shut?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Does it actually matter if there is a "right" or a "wrong" answer to this when belief is such a comfort and harms no one?

All I know is some hundred years back the same argument was raging over the existence of big lizards that once roamed the earth. Then science found proof. Until then there was none but that doesn't rule out existence.

That's what I mean about two sides of the same coin. Arguing about evidence of the afterlife is like arguing over the existence of god. Believe or don't. Proof is beyond science at this point.

I don't recall science has determined there is no afterlife. Therefore I think your point is very valid. What damage does it do to the person?

[MyNameIsTerry]

LOL Terry!! But wouldn't the windows have blown out, not shut?

But if that happened what truly would be spooky would be if they were watching The Italian Job and at that exact moment the windows blew out Michael Caine came on and reprimanded them.

[Lolalee1]

Today myself and 10 other riders donated 50 hampers to the Salvation Army,that was a Random act of Kindness.
I know it has nothing to do with unicorns or hearing voices just thought I would throw it in.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Today myself and 10 other riders donated 50 hampers to the Salvation Army,that was a Random act of Kindness.
I know it has nothing to do with unicorns or hearing voices just thought I would throw it in.

Excellent work, Lola!

Highlighting the point it doesn't matter as much as it does getting done to help someone.

[Lolalee1]

Thank You Terry

[NoraB]

I’m sorry but the only ridiculous argument here is yours. What does it matter if it’s a pink unicorn, the tooth fairy, a giant marshmallow ninja that only eats gummy bears or an apparent “human form”?

Challenge accepted.

1. Pink unicorns, gummy bear scoffing marshmallows (giant or otherwise) is a belittling tactic, rather than a logical argument.

2. What people experience (and believe in) isn't the same thing as something that's clearly (and ludicrously) made up.

3. Where are the millions of credible people who've seen pink unicorns (minus the price tag) or giant marshmallows (and not happen to be watching Ghostbusters)? Whereas in a recent study (2018) three out of five people believe they've seen a 'ghost'.

4. I was 9 years old when I saw the human form/ghost at the bottom of our stairs, not 19, listening to Jimi Hendrix, and off my face on magic mushrooms.

5. To compare a human form (regardless of whether you believe me or not) to a giant gummy bear scoffing marshmallow is ridiculous and insulting.

They’re all untestable stories and they all have the same evidence of actually being real. Namely, zero.

I think it’s ironic that I’m apparently the closed minded sceptic

The sentence that I've put in bold is why you are a closed-minded 'sceptic'.

You cannot use the word 'zero' and be considered a sceptic because zero leaves no room for doubt, and the last time I checked, sceptical means having reservations or doubts - not a raging case of bias.

Your attitude (and that of many other 'sceptics') seems to be that unless science can prove the afterlife - it does not exist. So, in that case, everything that science has proved so far mustn't have existed until it was discovered and proven.

yet rather than try to explore other explanations for your “experience“ you’ve leapt right on it being proof of the afterlife

Why do you presume I haven't explored other explanations, Gary? Is it because you see me as many 'sceptics' see people like me - as in gullible and 'a bit thick'?

I don’t think it would matter at all what evidence or other possibility was provided to you on the contrary, you’ve made your mind up and that’s that, apparently.

What fascinates me is why it should matter to you if people believe in the afterlife or not?

I've seen people leave spiritual forums because of 'sceptics' who felt it was their duty to debunk those profound experiences which gave them their lives back after losing a spouse or child. Who does that?

What is it to you if I believe that my deceased grandmother visited me that morning?

I do accept the possibility that what I experienced was only real to me - except the time where my brother saw the ghost at the same time - which sceps usually try to ignore because it's not as easy to debunk the identical experience of two people as it is one. You, however, clearly do not accept the possibility that what I experienced was real in the true sense of the word, and for whatever reason, you are compelled to belittle my profound experiences by making comparisons to giant marshmallows.

Do I honestly need to say that given the forum that we’re having this discussion on. Look around you, folks brains are playing tricks on them every day around here.

Ok, well riddle me this one Gary: I had a mental breakdown (due to a severe case of HA) in 2016 and I haven't had a single paranormal experience of any kind since.

What gives? I went full loon and lost the ability to 'hallucinate!'

but what I do actually do is at least explore the more rational possibilities before I leap to the “OMG that’s evidence of the afterlife” conclusion based on nothing more than an unverifiable story.

You're presuming that I haven't explored rational possibilities - as do most 'sceptics' when talking to people who believe in the afterlife..

Actually, as the experience was happening (grandmother) I was looking for rational explanations such as open windows or the air vents (rocking chair) - anything logical that could explain what was happening. There wasn't an obvious one. I also don't know how to explain a battery operated keyboard turning itself on at 3am when it was clearly turned off. Or that it hadn't happened before that day, or after. Or that my dad couldn't find a reason for it. Seeing as the batteries I'd removed to shut the damn thing up were still on my set of drawers the following day - I'd say that it suggests I didn't dream of taking them out. Those were visual things - the rest were olfactory and whatever part of us that feels love. 'Real' or not, it was one of the most joyous experiences of my life, and the memory of it keeps me going on my bad days. And that's what really matters...

[Lolalee1]

Good ol’ Magic Mushies or Gold Tops,now they were something else I remember seeing ET riding a Harley through the sky.
I thought I was Wonder Woman tried to fly lucky it was only off the roof,I don’t remember that the nurse in hospital told me. I don’t touch em now.

[NoraB]

I would just like to add that the Mother of my children had a near death experience (like...seconds from death) during the birth of our youngest. I was there, watching it. She was talking absolute nonsense as they wheeled her into the operating theatre and later relayed the experiences she was having at the time, none of which was actually happening.

The near death experience (NDE) as IANDS explains it is a 'recognisable event' which happens when someone is close to death or in a situation of emotional or physical stress.

What kind of things did your wife say?

She now lives with a condition that forces her brain to re-live situations, create alternate realities, identities and even people inside her head.

Schizophrenia?

The brain is MORE than capable of making your conscious mind absolutely, 100% believe something is happening that isn't happening. Period. That's all there is to it.

Out of interest, how much research have you put into near death experiences?

Maybe you could explain how almost every near death experiencer reports a reluctance to get back into their body (and live) given that we are hardwired for survival?

Also, could you explain to me why many people come back with information that they didn't previously know - like a brother or sister that had been kept secret out of shame. Or news of events to happen - and they do happen.

Organisations like IANDS exist because there is a LOT more to it than you claim.

[NoraB]

Good ol’ Magic Mushies or Gold Tops,now they were something else I remember seeing ET riding a Harley through the sky.
I thought I was Wonder Woman tried to fly lucky it was only off the roof,I don’t remember that the nurse in hospital told me. I don’t touch em now.

E.T on a Harley? Beats the BMX.

My brother gave me some Amyl Nitrate once and I had a bad reaction. He shit himself. Mum threatened to kill him if I died and I never dabbled again.