Paranormal Phenomenon: are all religions true?

[Buddha Punk Robot Monks]

I'm a big fan of those paranormal shows like Paranormal State and the Haunted, and I've seen one or two ghosts in my life. What interests me is that in a haunting, all religions seems to be equally powerful in driving away evil spirits. Some poor family has a bad haunting in their home, either a human or animal spirit or a demon, and they contact a religious leader to cleanse their house. SOmetimes is a Catholci priest. Sometimes its a Wiccan priestess. Or a Buddhist monk. Or a Taoist priest. Or a Jewish Rabbi. Some may use sage. Other pentacles and candles. Others a crucifix. The point is that by the end of the show the evil spirit always seems to flee no matter what religion is used to drive it out.

Does this mean that all religions are equally true? If not, then how is it that all religions seem to be equally powerful when it comes to the paranormal? Does the power over spirits derive from something that is generally human, and not specifically religious? If so, would an atheist be able to drive out a demonic force from its dwelling place?

What does NS think?

[Murkwood]

I'm a big fan of those paranormal shows like 1. Paranormal State and the Haunted, and 2. I've seen one or two ghosts in my life

Stop right there.

1. Those shows are fake, put on for entertainment purposes.
2. No, you haven't. You might have saw something you thought was a ghost, but you didn't see a ghost.

[Avenio]

Doing the Chicken Dance with a saucepan on your head and a tutu around your waist would be just as effective as any priest at getting rid of ghosts, since ghosts aren't real.

[Buddha Punk Robot Monks]

I'm a big fan of those paranormal shows like 1. Paranormal State and the Haunted, and 2. I've seen one or two ghosts in my life

Stop right there.

1. Those shows are fake, put on for entertainment purposes.
2. No, you haven't. You might have saw something you thought was a ghost, but you didn't see a ghost.

I was expecting some people to take this position. However you cannot unilaterally say that ghosts do not exist, especially when so many people for millenia of human history have attested to their existence.

[Salandriagado]

Stop right there.

1. Those shows are fake, put on for entertainment purposes.
2. No, you haven't. You might have saw something you thought was a ghost, but you didn't see a ghost.

I was expecting some people to take this position. However you cannot unilaterally say that ghosts do not exist, especially when so many people for millenia of human history have attested to their existence.

Yes, I can.

[Risottia]

Does this mean that all religions are equally true?

Yes, they're equally true. Meaning they have the same truth value.

[Grave_n_idle]

Stop right there.

1. Those shows are fake, put on for entertainment purposes.
2. No, you haven't. You might have saw something you thought was a ghost, but you didn't see a ghost.

I was expecting some people to take this position. However you cannot unilaterally say that ghosts do not exist, especially when so many people for millenia of human history have attested to their existence.

I've had someone stand there, right in front of me, and tell me that Adam Sandler was funny.

Popular opinions are rarely reliable arbiters of truth.

[Grave_n_idle]

I'm a big fan of those paranormal shows like Paranormal State and the Haunted, and I've seen one or two ghosts in my life. What interests me is that in a haunting, all religions seems to be equally powerful in driving away evil spirits. Some poor family has a bad haunting in their home, either a human or animal spirit or a demon, and they contact a religious leader to cleanse their house. SOmetimes is a Catholci priest. Sometimes its a Wiccan priestess. Or a Buddhist monk. Or a Taoist priest. Or a Jewish Rabbi. Some may use sage. Other pentacles and candles. Others a crucifix. The point is that by the end of the show the evil spirit always seems to flee no matter what religion is used to drive it out.

Does this mean that all religions are equally true? If not, then how is it that all religions seem to be equally powerful when it comes to the paranormal? Does the power over spirits derive from something that is generally human, and not specifically religious? If so, would an atheist be able to drive out a demonic force from its dwelling place?

What does NS think?

Your 'evidence' for the truth of all religions (no matter how contradictory of one another...) is some tv program you saw about ghosts?

[Risottia]

I was expecting some people to take this position. However you cannot unilaterally say that ghosts do not exist, especially when so many people for millenia of human history have attested to their existence.

I can.
So many people for millennia of human history have attested a lot of unproven, undocumented bullshit.

PROOF OR BULLSHIT. This is basically the war cry that heralded the Age of Reasoning. And we ain't getting back, thank you so much.

[Risottia]

Your 'evidence' for the truth of all religions (no matter how contradictory of one another...) is some tv program you saw about ghosts?

Eh, if only the Aquinas had been born but 60 years ago...

[Mavorpen]

If ghosts don't exist, then how does Danny Phantom capture them?

Checkmate aghostists

[Kratu]

Or maybe it just proves that ghosts don't exist and people just stand there attempting to expel nothingness.

[Risottia]

Or maybe it just proves that ghosts don't exist and people just stand there attempting to expel nothingness.

Nothingness or pea soup. Just like in The Exorcist.

[Blazedtown]

I've often thought about becoming a paranormal investigator. Its the perfect gig for me. All I have to do is run around with a digital camera, a voice recorder and a few webcams, then just spout bullshit which is by far my greatest skill, all while taking stupid people's money.

[Regnum Dominae]

Ghosts aren't real, so yes, it is to be expected that all religions would be equally effective at getting rid of something that isn't there to begin with.

[Viritica]

First of all, those shows are most likely fake. I watch them myself, but solely for the purpose of getting some entertainment and spooks.

Also, what are these "ghosts" you saw? Odds are they weren't ghosts.

[Hladgos]

It means that the spirit gets sick of all religious bullshit.

[Fascist Russian Empire]

No. Just, no. A bullshit religion like Scientology ain't true just because of some stupid, fake-ass paranormal show. Ghosts don't exist, anyone who's ever "seen" a ghost is either lying or confused something else for a ghost, and people who claim to be able to expel demons and ghosts are liars who only do it for money.

[Blazedtown]

It means that the spirit gets sick of all religious bullshit.

To be fair to the OP, it makes sense, you start reading the bible aloud while I'm around, I'll be out the fucking door before you can blink.

[Sun Wukong]

If all cures for a condition seem to be equally effective so long as the recipient believes they are cures...

Sugar pills come to mind.

[Hladgos]

It means that the spirit gets sick of all religious bullshit.

To be fair to the OP, it makes sense, you start reading the bible aloud while I'm around, I'll be out the fucking door before you can blink.

Personally, I'm an athiest, so I just burn the house in question to ash. It works just as well, if not better, guaranteed.

[Death Metal]

Yes.

Including atheism.

[Threlizdun]

In other words using something that doesn't exist to back up even more things that don't exist.

[Sun Wukong]

Yes.

Including atheism.

*Summons the shade of Hitchens*

Hitchens: "I challenge you to a debate!"

*Other ghost flees in terror.

[Threlizdun]

Yes.

Including atheism.

*Summons the shade of Hitchens*

Hitchens: "I challenge you to a debate!"

*Other ghost flees in terror.

Hitchens shade: "I don't exist!"