“Ah, science…”

“Ah, science…” And I say that with veneration and respect. You may not believe that because I’ve been a little rough on scientists in the past, but as the saying goes, “you always hurt the one you love.” And I love scientists! How could I not. Look at everything they’ve given us – the list is daunting, and we’ve benefitted monumentally and immeasurably. So, I really do think of them fondly; almost reverently – they’re a kind of priesthood, in my opinion, in the church of life.

But what times we live in. Reminds me of the times Galileo must have endured; or Capernicus; or Newton, who was forced to hide most of his thoughts. And poor Charles Darwin – we’re still trashing his contributions. Historically, society has sporadically whipped itself into a religious fervor and attempted to discredit and silence the absolute truths of science. Our current religious intensity is in denial of climate change, evolution, the Big Bang, and who knows what other incredibly obvious truths, but scientists push on in spite of us. Thank God. Arguably, the scientific community has done more for the preservation and continuance of the human race than any religious movement ever could.

I recently saw one of these guys on television discussing his latest theory surrounding alternate universes. He was spell-binding, and it all made so much sense, but he is just one of half-a-dozen others researching the subject – each with their own exciting ideas. The consensus suggests that the problem will be solved by the year 2025 or sooner. Imagine that! In most of our lifetimes, the science fiction of an infinite number of alternate universes (and alternate realities) will become a fact. That will open and expand the paranormal field as well, and there doesn’t seem to be any credible doubt within the scientific community that the day will come.

Maybe it shouldn’t. Won’t there be mass hysteria? Won’t heads explode? Just imagine the propaganda that will be leveled against these discoveries and maybe even against the scientists responsible. Maybe our current religious insanity will find a way to imprison them for blasphemy, as with Galileo. Or legislatively crucify them as with Darwin. Look at the accusations heaped upon climate scientists today. My God, what will they do when alternate realities are proven to be… well, reality? It will be no holds barred, I fear. Not only will heads roll figuratively, they may roll literally. I think we all know what these people are capable of – we’ve seen them before, and frankly, scientists are too important for this nonsense.

I myself, am unapologetically very religious. My faith is hopefully unwavering, and I plan on dying a believer, but then, my faith doesn’t ask me to ignore reality and verity. These scientists won’t be throwing my faith under the cosmic bus, they’ll be helping me to define it more clearly and increasing its significance through knowledge. That’s a great service, I think.

But I do fear for them. I fear that those knuckle-dragging, intellectually slack jawed, fear mongering disbelievers of fact will continue to increase in number and influence. I fear for scientists, but I bet that won’t stop them. Such courage and divine inspiration always rises to the top. “Ah, science.” Where would we be without it? In caves, I suspect – cold, very very hungry, and infinitely ignorant.
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Also visit Voices Unplugged at http://voicesblogunplugged.wordpress.com/
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Voices From Forever by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/ZBBmj Available on Amazon
There Is No Silence by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/U6KY7 Available on Amazon.

A Non-Existent Event

This past week I conducted an experiment I’ve been longing to do for at least five years – I video taped myself sleeping. I bet that sounds incredibly boring to everyone except me, but indulge me while I set it up for you. It seems that some of my most successful EVP sessions occur while I am asleep. I just turn off the lights, press record, close my eyes, and psyche myself up for four plus hours of next-day listening to heavy breathing. But I’m never alone for these sessions – there is often a menagerie of unexplained voices. So basically, I added an IR camera to the mix, and even though the usual suspects seem to have developed a slight streak of camera shyness, the results were interesting.

But why was I compelled to attempt to capture video corroboration of my EVP? Because of the noises. In addition to these unexplained voices, I usually record a lot of non-exigent noises as well. I don’t believe noise can qualify as EVP, but something or someone is making a lot of it while I sleep. There are often the sounds of drawers opening, of objects sliding across dresser tops, containers opening and closing, and a fascinating assortment of taps, knocks, and thuds. I wanted to see what’s behind all the ruckus! Can you blame me?

The current episode of The Voices Podcast reveals results from this session, as well as a self-analysis of fear, but there was something else worthy of discussion – a 37-minute gap that occurred as my digital recorder was apparently being manipulated. In all my years of paranormal research, this is a first, and therefore for me, an exciting moment worthy of note – especially since the video shows that I never left the bed.

With this kind of research, the possibility of a perfectly natural explanation looms very large on the paranormal event horizon. It just makes sense to look at our known world for understandable rationale before declaring solutions that emanate from one whose existence we can’t even verify. But when all the debunking is fruitless, and the scientific possibilities offer no answers; when common sense comes up empty, and every fiber of your intellect is stumped, what is left but to enter a reasonable plea for the paranormal?

A “gap” of any length represents something that truly does not exist, and still, I’ve spent some days now attempting to resolve as much about it as I can. Even though all avenues led to dead ends (I’ll spare you the details), something deep inside suggests I’ll never find a real-world explanation for this non-existent event – that this “missing” incident may indeed be some kind of inexplicable anomaly; something potentially paranormal.

Unfortunately, too often we demand that a paranormal explanation must include factual evidence of such, thereby loosing sight of the very nature of something paranormal. There must be a tape that reveals the action, or audio that definitively ties the voice to it, but sometimes even evidence lets us down. When all reasonability fails, that paranormal explanation becomes every bit as potentially accurate as any piece of unknown science or any vain and failed exercise in logic. Sometimes, it makes just as much sense to consider something unthinkable. Maybe something that doesn’t even exist at all can occasionally show us the way.
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Also visit Voices Unplugged at http://voicesblogunplugged.wordpress.com/
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Voices From Forever by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/ZBBmj Available on Amazon
There Is No Silence by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/U6KY7 Available on Amazon.

August

During the past month of August, I spent much of my spare time complaining that I had no spare time. I know there’s no place for this in a paranormal blog, but let’s just see how demanding and expeditious the month really was. For starters, I spent a glorious week in the Caribbean, although it seems like months ago. That took care of 23 percent of the month in one fell swoop. There was a weekend in New York visiting my son’s new restaurant. There were 2 investigations, which by themselves only took a few hours, but time spent listening to audio and watching video can not be ignored.

My daughter started high school during the month, so there was a fair amount of frantic shopping for supplies and clothes; shoes – lots of shoes. I cut the lawn 4 times in August, which renders me useless until the following morning. There were eight fully-loaded day trips to my mother’s for doctor visits, pharmacy runs, trips to the grocery, cleaning her house, and sampling the lunch fare at Great Generation favorites like IHOP and Bob Evans. I answered 372 phone calls, initiated 42 of my own, handled over 1,000 texts, processed approximately 2,500 emails, recorded two podcasts, wrote 4 blog entries, initiated 56 tweets, and held 11 personal EVP sessions. I’ve been to four movies, 13 different restaurants, 2 school functions, and one Orioles’ game.

I’m sure I’m missing something. Oh yes, the birth of my sixth grandchild, three other family birthdays, my own anniversary, and the 13th anniversary of my father’s passing. I spent two days in bed with a killer cold (I thought it was leprosy), another due to a fall, and I won’t even begin to attempt computing the countless hours “on demand” catching up with TV favorites like Hell on Wheels and Season 2 of Homeland. Whew! When did I sleep?

My new catch phrase, the tag line to my life, is “If I weren’t retired, I’d truly be fired.” Well obviously I couldn’t have held a job with a personal schedule like this. I mean, money is great and all that, but there’s real life going on out there, and I am being forced to participate! Good thing my job is EVP and stuff, or I’d probably be struggling with unemployment and griping about how unfair my ex-boss was. “Cretan!” Praise the Lord and pass the Social Security check – that’s my motto. Good thing I have paranormal investigation to fall back on.

Of course, the truth is, I can sputter and fuss until lead turns to gold; certainly until someone decides to put me in a nursing home, but it’s actually been a pretty great August. A little warm sometimes; maybe a tad humid now and then, and I’m frequently exhausted, but how many people’s lives have been as full? This August was a bone fide E-ticket ride for me, and I’m ready to slow down a bit now. Why should I have all the fun, right? I’m willing to share.

I suppose it’s my nature to complain. I wish it weren’t – I think it’s an unfortunate part of my inheritance, but when the world stops spinning too quickly around me; when it gets late and quiet; when it’s just you and me and maybe a glass of Zinfandel, I gotta say – I’m a very lucky guy. I might deny such blasphemy in the morning, but I know it’s true. And this morning, I thought I smelled a little Fall in the air – my favorite time of year. I think I’ll take a nap. Things are gonna start to get busy.
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Also visit Voices Unplugged at http://voicesblogunplugged.wordpress.com/
______________________________________________________________________
Voices From Forever by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/ZBBmj Available on Amazon
There Is No Silence by Randall Keller http://goo.gl/U6KY7 Available on Amazon.