I am an expert on the UFO (yeah right) on a web site. I often get asked questions that have nothing to do with UFOs and everything to do with whatever psychic woo mumbo jumbo someone has latched onto.
Today I got a very sad question posted to me by someone that sees spirits, in fire, rock, water...
These spirits have followed him for years, and he recently has videotaped them. He wanted to know why the world didn't believe in spirits when they were easily photographed! The sad part is that he was very upset, and didn't seem to find the sort of woo comfort many people get from their "spirit" beliefs.
to be honest, they haunt him. He's quite tormented.
These questions are difficult for me. I could just say, "you are crazy dude". However, I have my suspicions that other people may have said that to him.
I told him to get some good copies of his video, and send it off with a letter to CSICOP (attention Joe Nickell). From what I have read about Joe Nickell and from meeting him last year at TAM I think he might be gentle with this man. IF nothing else it gives this man somewhere to send his video. I also warned him that the wrong people could take advantage of his video and that skeptics only want to find out the truth.
I mean, it's possible this man may have something (like it's possible there are frozen kangaroos on Pluto).
But then I was stumped. Usually I can pull out the old PTSD thing to get someone kidnapped by aliens to a physician. And keep my fingers crossed they don't do hypnosis (I do warn about this and about making sure they see an MD). I've had great success, even with one person telling me "wow, I was just nuts!" and going on to tell how his new medication has totally cured him from kidnappings (which he now agrees were only in his head).
But this guy, really touched me. I wish he could find some sort of happiness in his spirits if he's really going to continue to see them. I wonder if he's investigated Native American religions that might have spirits of nature as part of their belief system.
Still, it's hard to say to someone, "you need HELP". So I go to suggesting a check up. Well, what else can one do?
There is such a fine line between helping someone and saying, "you are so fruity". In a way, asking me a question is a step in the right direction as I am one of the few non woo experts. If he chose me to ask a question of, then he knew he was going to get the skeptic answer.
Little green men in spaceships are funny, but often this woo stuff is just latched onto by people that really haven't the capacity for dealing with it.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Today I got a very sad question posted to me by someone that sees spirits, in fire, rock, water...
These spirits have followed him for years, and he recently has videotaped them. He wanted to know why the world didn't believe in spirits when they were easily photographed! The sad part is that he was very upset, and didn't seem to find the sort of woo comfort many people get from their "spirit" beliefs.
to be honest, they haunt him. He's quite tormented.
These questions are difficult for me. I could just say, "you are crazy dude". However, I have my suspicions that other people may have said that to him.
I told him to get some good copies of his video, and send it off with a letter to CSICOP (attention Joe Nickell). From what I have read about Joe Nickell and from meeting him last year at TAM I think he might be gentle with this man. IF nothing else it gives this man somewhere to send his video. I also warned him that the wrong people could take advantage of his video and that skeptics only want to find out the truth.
I mean, it's possible this man may have something (like it's possible there are frozen kangaroos on Pluto).
But then I was stumped. Usually I can pull out the old PTSD thing to get someone kidnapped by aliens to a physician. And keep my fingers crossed they don't do hypnosis (I do warn about this and about making sure they see an MD). I've had great success, even with one person telling me "wow, I was just nuts!" and going on to tell how his new medication has totally cured him from kidnappings (which he now agrees were only in his head).
But this guy, really touched me. I wish he could find some sort of happiness in his spirits if he's really going to continue to see them. I wonder if he's investigated Native American religions that might have spirits of nature as part of their belief system.
Still, it's hard to say to someone, "you need HELP". So I go to suggesting a check up. Well, what else can one do?
There is such a fine line between helping someone and saying, "you are so fruity". In a way, asking me a question is a step in the right direction as I am one of the few non woo experts. If he chose me to ask a question of, then he knew he was going to get the skeptic answer.
Little green men in spaceships are funny, but often this woo stuff is just latched onto by people that really haven't the capacity for dealing with it.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
