General Chat

Jacqui - Very firmly tongue in cheek ! - Hope we bump ..( oh i don't mean when things go bump in the night) into each other again in the gb!

Hi Gillian, Been away from puter for a few days. I did not say whether I believed or not - just for the record, ghosts to date do not scare me. Just for the record [for the doubting thomas's], I have had more than one odd occurrence, for which there is NO NATURAL explanation. I am not some easily persuaded starry eyed teenager, I'm a silver surfer. Served some years in the armed forces, and have retired having completed 30 years as an operational firefighter. Very much down to earth. I'll not recound the experiences here, but just wanted to reassure you that my flippant comment was not intended to offend, and if it did I apologise sincerely. [I have a flippant sense of humour - it is part of the shell with which firefighters protect themselves] Gillian, if you are genuinely interesed in what I have hinted at, email me. Badger Bill

Update - Leonard has apologised (although his "generalisation" only included funeral directors as a profession - no butchers, brick layers or bomb disposal experts!!) lol. Apology accepted. Gillian - you did open the debate (unless of course you only wanted to hear from like minded individuals, in which case you should have stated that, and those of us who do not necessarily share your views would not have bothered joining in) Andrew - thank you for your support - Me thinks you and I have tongues in cheek!!! Well, off to see what spirits are about - alki versions!!! Jacqui

Gillian - Maybe you should not start a debate then? Being "mumsy" and "patronsing" to the people who have added to your comments..does not seem correct to me....did you want everyone just to agree with you...whilst being "friendly" of course....Leonard and Jacqui seem perfectly adult enough to look after themselves...and sparked a great debate....although not terribly intellectual.....it's a fun subject...and will throw up some strong opinion ( you still with me) :o) Oh, good luck with your "ghost" hope (the ghost) does not cost you to much in new picture frames...... :o) At least, I now know what the "ghost" is trying to tell you ..most satisfying that!!

Now now you girls,(and that does include you Leonard) stop being bitchy with each other this is a freindly board and we all have our own opinions, I personally would not be upset by any comments that people make, Jacquie and Leonard should now kiss and make up........Life is too short.........

Jaqui I know nothing of you or your belief system and would never knowingly offend you - or anyone else. If I have done so then I apologise. Any remarks I make on these boards are generalisations. If anyone takes a swipe at me, I will ignore it - suggest you do likewise.

Jacqui - Have a nice swig of that Glass of red first!! - very nice to read how caring you are about your clients...go easy on Leonard...and hope to read the outcome here!

So am I Andrew - unless he really does think that funeral directors should believe in life after death. As a f/director I do not judge other peoples' beliefs, and treat each client according to their requirements/beliefs with the respect they deserve. My own personal beliefs do not come into it at all. Leonard does not know my personal beliefs on any matter, and I would not deign to be so pompous as to denegrate anyone elses beliefs. As I said before, if comfort is drawn from experiencing the "presence" of a deceased person, then jolly good - it doesnt however mean that if a person has not experienced such things they are devoid of faith or belief. I am really annoyed at him and will e-mail him directly. Jacqui

Jacqui - TOTALLY bewildered as to why! :o)

Andrew - Leonard was having a dig at me as I am a funeral director! Jacqui

I will not keep adding to this thread..(thankfully) but having just read jacqui's message...I understood what Leonard was on about..not "believing" till you experienced it yourself..and life after death for religious people etc...but..what was the Funeral Director comment about? Is he suggesting funeral directors should believe in life after death..if so why? I think Jacqui's comments are excellent......

As Leonard has decided that I am "a sceptic and denying the fundamentals of my own belief (system?)", I feel I really ought to join in this debate further. My initial remark was prompted not to scorn, merely to ask why Gillian would assume that the photograph would only fall over when "information was received". I'm a down to earth sort of person, and do not look for evidence of the paranormal when a perfectly logical explanation could be forthcoming. Whereas Gillian obviously thinks her mother's spirit is guiding or influencing her in some way. I do however also take the view that if anyone thinks they have had such an "experience" then that is good enough for me; personally I never have had such an "experience", nor have any of my colleagues in the funeral trade I have consulted. Grief and bereavement bring raw emotions to the surface, and often these emotions can be perhaps misinterpreted - however, if comfort is drawn from experiences such as those stated then who am I to deny them? I do however take strong exception to Leonard's comment about denying my own beliefs - as he has no knowledge of my beliefs (religious of otherwise) he has no right to comment on them. Jacqui

Ha Ha Ha He He He Oh Jacqueline love your sense of humour, can't stop laughing. Linda

Ah..personal experience..a bit like personal faith..not very quantifiable is it? - perceptions...of what we think we see and hear....as for reality well....nothing like a good mystery. Eh, an EXCELLENT book on this subject..if you can get it now is Michael Bentine's (yes he of The Goons and Potty Time) "The Door Marked Summer" ..v.good read..even sceptics like me..have to think more than twice having read this book!!

As Leonard so rightly said - it is very hard to believe other people's stories - it is only when you have had a personal experience that you start thinking about these things ........ I still try to keep an open mind, but I have had so many personal experiences that if someone says they've experienced something, then I tend to believe them!

So would many people Dee..Hence why Mediums do so well..difficult to imagine that we die and that is it!! NO evidence to prove anything else happens..only a few peoples "stories" no matter how convincing to them...no REAL evidence exits..oh unless you watch "Most Haunted" of course :o)

Again this goes to a saying I saw on this site "We are not Humans having a spiritual experience, we are spirits having a human experience" Why would so many explained things occur and it might also explain why we are obsessed with finding life on other planets...... what makes being a human so special? I'd rather revert to spirit than nothing on the day of reckoning!! Dee

The idea of a loved one to still be "around" is great..however, it is in our nature to look for something that in reality is not actually there..Susie who replies with the medium's message...I really think that is such a general message..do we really tell everyone we love, how much we love them all the time, if at all! days gone by it was normal..not to be "soppy" with the family....but you take the message because it is real to you..I am sure these mediums are under some illusion that they are providing some sort of comfort..As for the picture "flying off the wall" did it fly or did it fall? what do you want to believe ..that is the question.

I used not to believe in such things and tended to investigate with demolition in mind. My favourite word once being "rubbish". However, still a pragmatist, I have to accept that such things do exist, having had incontrovertible evidence. It is one of those things - you have to have your own experience and follow it it up. Other people's tales are just that. And the sceptics never will believe until they too have a personal experience. The odd thing is that many of the sceptics claim to have a religion - and they are denying the fundamentals of their own belief system, some are funeral directors too.

Susie, Thanks susie, very grateful