At a time when COVID-19 is sweeping the planet, giving most more time on their hands than usual, some things have come to the forefront of the minds of many when it comes to topics of UFOs, the Paranormal, etc. I am referring to reflecting on our own lives more intently than we normally do.
Aside from the obvious concerns for friends, family, loved ones, there is the underlying theme that coincides with the frightening thought of contracting the virus and possibly dying from it, and not just for older people or those with underlying health conditions. No one seems to have a pass on this virus! With that comes the feeling of "I'm not ready yet," or "I have things on my bucket list I really want to do before I check out of this world," or "this has made me feel regretful for lost time not keeping in touch or visiting more with family & friends," to name a few. You get the idea.
I am pretty much a skeptic (90%+) when it comes to UFOs, aliens, Bigfoot and ghosts. Yet my research over the years has left that door open for the occurrences, experiencers, etc. for which there are no rock-solid explanations. There are SO MANY theories put forth for ghosts, Bigfoot, Aliens, etc. But, they are just theories. The word "theory" itself has morphed into something it isn't and sometimes used in place of the word "hypothesis."
By definition:
Theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
Hypothesis an assumption made before any research has been completed for the sake of testing.
The main but important difference is again by definition: A theory is a principle set to explain phenomena already supported by data. Here is where the waters get muddied, that is, what is considered "data." Data are facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis. Are there paranormal facts? Hmmmmm, that might be subjective thinking. Are there paranormal statistics? Most definitely, so data could be a term to use, even if only a part of the definition. After all, how can one hope for repeated research results to validate claims put forth by a theory if there isn't some comparative data collected to begin with? So, paranormal theory testing progresses with known data collection with quasi-fact assumptions. Trying to get a scientist to proceed under these circumstances is not going to happen as they are bound to follow the present consensus of their profession.
What we are left with in most cases really is a hypothesis. This is quite obviously the point at which too many investigators stop at, offering nothing more than an opinion on what their anomalous claims constitute. Sadly, this does nothing to advance credibility and research validation. There is no grand-scale data collection and sharing with an organization created to hold and compare the data, analyzing for patterns, similarities, etc.
Getting to the point of this article is made by putting the above mentioned in context with the scare of COVD-19, and offering not an assessment of the evidence but rather a "choice" of a conclusion predicated on the opinionated consensus of the paranormal community as a whole.
Personally, I don't really care if aliens are watching the virus unfold around the world, waiting for the moment they can attack and enslave the remaining earth's population. Presently I care even less if I or someone else sees and reports an unexplained object flying through the skies. The same goes for Bigfoot. It's not "close to home" for me at this time. However, there is one nagging thought that plays upon my skeptical point of view when it comes to the paranormal. Remember that approximately 10% unexplained statistic I mentioned previously? It got me objectively thinking about one "theory" that has been around for a while... the idea that spirits that haunt a location or person, hang around because they have unfinished business. All of a sudden, that idea, though unprovable, seems a little more possible. Personally, I have a bucket list that I desire greatly to finish. I would feel "cheated" as it were, to not even have the opportunity to finish it, to accomplish certain tasks, to visit with friends, family at least one more time.
Could that desire to do unfinished business be so strong as to survive our bodily death and by ways presently unknown or discovered, compel us to "hang around?" Connected to that idea is the desire in those surviving strongly wishing for contact with their departed loved ones. Could that deeply intense, emotion-filled feeling be the "bridge" or "opening of the doorway" to actual contact? Perhaps, we even don't have a choice in hanging around or are we offered this opportunity as freedom of choice? Could it be part of the "process" upon death?
- MoonJoey