Why Don't We Believe

WHY DON’T WE BELIEVE

Nobody asked me, but… August 30, 2009

Last week, I wrote a blog entitled “ Believe ”. In that blog, I set forth hundreds of sightings of UFOs, of ghosts and other paranormal phenomena that should have removed any doubt, or at least made any thinking person acknowledge the “ possibility ” that things we call paranormal really exist. But it didn’t!

I have twin daughters: both of whom are well-educated and thinking people and whose opinions I respect. One is a lawyer, the other is getting a PhD in nutrition. Both read my blog, and both said that (a) they still do not believe in UFOs and (b) they still do not accept almost any other paranormal phenomena as being genuine!

The first thing I asked myself is, “ Where did I fail? ” How is it that my approach to the paranormal (which, I believe, has always been well-researched, approached in a reasonable manner and intelligently thought-out) is blatantly denied by two members of my own family? And, if it is denied by them, how many others who read my blog, like my daughters, still live in denial?

After doing some extensive soul-searching, I realized that it was not just “ me ”. It is the media, the general tenor of most authors on the subject, human nature, and the frauds perpetrated by those who seek their fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of others.

If you go to the movies to see a show about vampires, the vampires are given such incredible super-powers as to make the concept of vampires laughable. They’re a little scary but they are unreal. The same can be said about books, TV and movies’ approach to ghosts. More than anything else, the movies’ depiction of UFOs has been absurd. The movies, books and TV fill the UFOs with tiny green men wanting to conquer the Earth, with super-powers and intelligence far beyond our own. It’s a little frightening, and creates a laughable reaction.

That’s how human nature starts to play its part: Just about everyone likes to be a “ little ” scared. From people who go on a roller-coaster ride, to sky-divers or those who go to visit a haunted house. That’s why people leave a scary movie or TV show, smiling. It’s nice to be a “ little ” scared and then go home to your warm, comfortable, “ safe ” bed and laugh about the scary show.

This is what people like and this is what the media and the authors give people when they present paranormal stories for our consumption.

Generally, people do not like to face the realities of life. People who are willing to acknowledge the unpleasant facts of life are in a clear minority. To many, the idea that there are other beings in this world is scary; so they deny the possibility. To some the idea that there may be civilizations that have advanced far beyond our present capabilities, is scary; so they deny the possibility. A far greater number believe that if the God they believe in is not omnipotent, that they have wasted their prayers; and to them, that’s scary. Remember, the books and movies always show any advanced civilizations as wanting to conquer the Earth, not merely to help the Earth to emerge from its constantly war-like state.

And so people laugh at you if you tell them you genuinely believe in UFOs, ghosts or other paranormal things. It’s not a “ funny ” laugh; it’s a “ scared ” laugh. Generally, people do not want to face the possibility, especially not the probability, that there are significant factors in this world waiting to be understood. The greatest offenders are people in the field of sciences where they claim to know everything but, in reality, know little or nothing.

Most people use the childish claims of the “ nuts ”, “ frauds ” and “ weirdos ” seeking their fifteen minutes of fame as an example of all paranormal happenings. Genuine, documented, events are thrown into the same boat as ridiculous claims and photo-shopped pictures. The public seems to assume that if there are 100,000 false reports…or made-up stories about UFOs, orbs, ghosts, etc., then that means that all of the more than 5,000,000 documented reports, photos, videos, etc. on file must also be frauds, right? That means that the heads of State of other countries, the Ministers of Defense, the Admirals and General of the Armies and Navies of many nations are all frauds seeking their fifteen minutes of fame....right?

But don’t let the 98% of the reports which have been verified, researched and documented dissuade you from believing that all paranormal reports are nonsense…and to be laughed at. Just accept what our great field of science says is scientifically provable. Of course, science tells us that they are 99.9% accurate. If you really want something to laugh at, look at what science told us was true just a hundred years ago and compare it to what science says about the same things today. A hundred years from now, science will, undoubtedly, have a new set of 99.9% accurate theories.

What a sad state we live in!

We need to stop being scared and look at all unexplained things with a thirst to discover what they are, where they are from, what causes them, what their affect will be on our lives (if any), etc. We need to be able to sit down with all peoples and really look closely at these things…discuss them intelligently and not just “ laugh them off “.

“ If ”, for example, UFOs are really manned by people planning to conquer the Earth…don’t you think we should study them and be prepared?

“ If ”, for example, there are really “ ghosts ” out there or a life after death, don’t you think we should be able to discuss it intelligently and learn what’s in store for all of us?

“ If ”, for example, faith healers have been able to cure diseases and ailments that medical science has not been able to do, don’t you think we should be able to study it intelligently and maybe learn some things our perfect science of medicine doesn’t know?

I could easily go on and on. The important thing for everyone to learn is that the one thing we should not do is “ laugh it off ” because it seems far-fetched. It might not be so far-fetched if thinking people would sit down and discuss these things intelligently without being sneered at by those in denial.

Paranormal happenings are not to be laughed at. Most are better documented than the TV News. There’s really very little to be frightened about. Things that scare us are often shown to be harmless when brought into the light of understanding. If there are some things that are still scary, I assure you they will be less scary when brought into open, intelligent, discussion.

As I said, nobody asked me.

Write me at stebrel@aol.com