How do Catholics explain the paranormal?

[tonyrey]

The OP can be interpreted in two ways:

1. Does God intervene for trivial reasons?
2. Can science explain** all** human activity?

The answers to both questions is obvious!

 

[Nelka]

The last thing the devil wants is for people to believe he exists.

This is very true.

He would not be behind paranormal events.

Why would he not be behind them?

Do you think that an atheist would believe the paranormal then make the connection with Satan and believe he exists and therefore God must exist and they become Christian?

No, they would believe the paranormal and then come up with some crazy scientific explanation as to what it is and therefore he hides himself more and may even convince some Christians that the scientific explanation is correct.

 

[Joe_5859]

No im serious, he actually works through demons. I cannot post all that ive investigated here, but I can try explaining a couple of things.

Criss Angel is just an entertainer. The whole quasi-religious overtones are simply his angle; they are part of the personna he has chosen to create as part of his act.

A few years back, there was some short-lived reality show for magicians and Criss was one of the judges. When one of the contestants insisted that he (the contestant) actually had paranormal abilities, Criss became incensed and actually wrote something down on a piece of paper and put it in a sealed envelope and said (paraphrased): “If you actually have these abilities, tell me what I just wrote down.”

It’s all just tricks. If these guys really had such abilities, they’d be doing a heck of a lot more than headlining shows in Vegas.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

Bohm, you’re way too credulous for someone who styles himself as an atheist.

Then again, maybe such a trait is necessary to be an atheist…

 

[Arizona_Mike]

No im serious, he actually works through demons. I cannot post all that ive investigated here, but I can try explaining a couple of things.

1- Criss Angel Levitates. He has done this with tons of people watching him doing it live. How is this an illusion? Well let me explain this. If you read the “Acts of Peter and Paul” Which is an apocrypha book, you will find a magician or sorcerer called “Simon”. Now Simon proclaimed himself as the messiah. He is the same Simon found in Acts 8:9-24. Many Church Fathers wrote about him, and how Peter and Paul were martyred because they prayed for Simon (the sorcerer) to fall while he was levitating. And it happened, Simon fell and died. For such reason Nero ordered the execution of Peter and Paul. Read Acts of Peter and Paul:

newadvent.org/fathers/0815.htm

Just because it is an apocrypha book, doesn’t mean its full of lies. It just means its not divinely inspired, and many Church Fathers wrote about things that happened in it or related to Simon Magus (Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, Epiphanius and the Clementine homilies also speak aboutthis simon). If you read it, you will find how Simon levitates with the help of demons.

2- Criss (which is a name close to “Christ”) does not directly proclaim himself as the messiah, but always looks at the sky and after finishing doing an amazing magic trick, he always says something like “My Father in heaven is looking at me”. Simon the sorcerer proclaimed himself as the messiah. Criss doesn’t directly but his way of speaking is inappropriate. God is our Father yes. But God is the Father of Jesus in a special sense (both have the same nature and thus are both God, and God is one).

3- Criss claims to have the ability to see through items (for example a ball in a box) and to predict future results (for example in a Car Race). When he does so he not only predicts who wins, but who places 2nd and 3rd. This also happens through demons.

For these and some other things I myself have investigated about him, I simply conclude he receives help from demons. I know some tricks he has revealed, but some are simply for real (make people levitate in front of hundreds of people from one building to another, you kidding me?). This is my personal opinion.

I believe in angels and demons as well but Criss Angell isn’t levitating, he’s preforming an old magic trick called a Balducci Levitation which relies on audience perspective (you can learn how to do it here: youtube.com/watch?v=S5Ulkt8jh98 ), helped with some judicious cut-away shots by his camerman.

 

[ChrisRedfield47]

I believe in angels and demons as well but Criss Angell isn’t levitating, he’s preforming an old magic trick called a Balducci Levitation which relies on audience perspective (you can learn how to do it here: youtube.com/watch?v=S5Ulkt8jh98 ), helped with some judicious cut-away shots by his camerman.

I dont think people here realize about Criss, to understand him you need to udnerstand his symbolism. The “Balducci Levitation” is indeed a trick but this trick implies “levitating” a couple of centimeters. You don realize I actually ment at least 200 feet from the ground in front of thousands of people.

 

[ChrisRedfield47]

David Copperfield does some of the same things. They’re simply illusions my friend, tricks. That’s all there is to it.

he certainly does not do everything Criss does… Copperfield does “simple” tricks compared some of the ones Criss does.

 

[Darran]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

I saw that electric man in a documentary, it was actually pretty impressive. Turning lights off I could believe, my aunt used to never be able to wear a watch as they kept stopping when she wore them. Either INSANE bad luck in that case or just strange.

 

[SilverLight]

I have to say its possible

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

If those things are true, there are scientific explanations for them. But I doubt they are true, since no other such cases are documented.

 

[edwest2]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

Can you provide references that provide more details? There is definitely evidence that a few people have some ability that could be called paranormal.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Sara_Balzano]

To me, the supernatural has only two sources: God and Satan.

I think what we deem “ghosts” are mostly demons posing as human spirits, although I believe God does permit human spirits to roam.

I think that those who commit suicide are condemned to a ghostly existence until they repent or clear some unfinished buisiness.

When I went to summer camp, the teacher of arts and crafts told a story about how he had moved into a house with a spirirt within. This was a particulary sad story. Whenever he was alone, he sensed that someone was trying to get his attention and sometimes objects would move on their own. Their was one night where a strong thunderstorm approached his area. At midnight, he sensed something crawl in bed with him. He sensed fear, not from him, but from the very presence itself, as if it was scared of the storm. Eventually, he found out that the spiirit was that of a teenage girl who committed suicide in the 1800s. Apparently, she saw much of her father in him. At the moment he found this out, the atmosphere became almost heartbreaking and he heard the faint sound of a girl crying. I believe the spirit eventually passed over, though I cannot remember the details.

 

[Darran]

I think that those who commit suicide are condemned to a ghostly existence until they repent or clear some unfinished buisiness.

I would be quite careful with unorthodox beliefs there, after the personal judgement there is only the possibility of attoning for sins, but not repenting of them. It is more likely that God allows some purgatorial souls to appear to men to be prayed for, although the souls themselves might not be aware of it. Ever notice how they tend to be (a lot of the time anyway) 200 years old? Imagine 200 years in purgatory.

There was a well known and common apparition that happened at Queens Bridge in Belfast. Quite often people saw a strange looking man standing on the edge of the bridge, only when they looked away from him he dissapeared, causing many people to think that he jumped into the water. That happened for quite a while, there were even searches for bones in the water without any luck. It stopped immediately after a Mass was offered for him.

 

[saveusfromhell]

To me, the supernatural has only two sources: God and Satan.

I think what we deem “ghosts” are mostly demons posing as human spirits, although I believe God does permit human spirits to roam.

I think that those who commit suicide are condemned to a ghostly existence until they repent or clear some unfinished buisiness.

.

supernatural in catholic terms means from God , preturnatural means more what we would consider the paranormal.

when deciding on apparitions the church uses the word supernatural and it would makes no sense or give the wrong impression of its status

 

[pgarcia79]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se

I’m glad your not looking for a “scientific” explaination to the paranormal, cause you’ll never find it. Honstely, I find it amusing when scientist or “experts” try to come up scientific or natural explainations for elements or phenomina that exist on a supernatural level.

And to answer your original question, personally I believe that most are fakes. But there is the possibility that some are legit… which leads to a question of my own?

What about children, especially young ones that exhibit these same “ablilities”? Is it possible that a small child could make a “deal” or have the intellectual level to fake it, and in some cases fake it rather successfully and convincingly?..

 

[Iaamiccwint]

Paranormal activity in my personal opinion exsists. I believe paranormal activity is real. However, I also believe not all paranormal activity is real. Many can be explained by science, but sometimes it can’t be explained by science.

Thats my take,

 

[Rob_has_lapsed]

No im serious, he actually works through demons. I cannot post all that ive investigated here, but I can try explaining a couple of things.

1- Criss Angel Levitates. He has done this with tons of people watching him doing it live. How is this an illusion? Well let me explain this. If you read the “Acts of Peter and Paul” Which is an apocrypha book, you will find a magician or sorcerer called “Simon”. Now Simon proclaimed himself as the messiah. He is the same Simon found in Acts 8:9-24. Many Church Fathers wrote about him, and how Peter and Paul were martyred because they prayed for Simon (the sorcerer) to fall while he was levitating. And it happened, Simon fell and died. For such reason Nero ordered the execution of Peter and Paul. Read Acts of Peter and Paul:

newadvent.org/fathers/0815.htm

Just because it is an apocrypha book, doesn’t mean its full of lies. It just means its not divinely inspired, and many Church Fathers wrote about things that happened in it or related to Simon Magus (Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, Epiphanius and the Clementine homilies also speak aboutthis simon). If you read it, you will find how Simon levitates with the help of demons.

2- Criss (which is a name close to “Christ”) does not directly proclaim himself as the messiah, but always looks at the sky and after finishing doing an amazing magic trick, he always says something like “My Father in heaven is looking at me”. Simon the sorcerer proclaimed himself as the messiah. Criss doesn’t directly but his way of speaking is inappropriate. God is our Father yes. But God is the Father of Jesus in a special sense (both have the same nature and thus are both God, and God is one).

3- Criss claims to have the ability to see through items (for example a ball in a box) and to predict future results (for example in a Car Race). When he does so he not only predicts who wins, but who places 2nd and 3rd. This also happens through demons.

For these and some other things I myself have investigated about him, I simply conclude he receives help from demons. I know some tricks he has revealed, but some are simply for real (make people levitate in front of hundreds of people from one building to another, you kidding me?). This is my personal opinion.

I truly feel badly for you and your delusional state of mind. If you are more than seven-years old then I sincerely hope that you find help. Peace.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

I have no idea.

This is a serious answer.

God bless.

 

[Rob_has_lapsed]

A simple and polite request: Would someone please link to any confirmed paranormal activity that could be repeated in a controlled envirnoment? Peace.

 

[edwest2]

I’m not looking for a “scientific” explanation per se, but what do you think is behind the paranormal powers of some people? For instance, there is a documented case of a man who can allow electricity to conduct through his body. There is another case of a woman who can use her mind to turn off surrounding lights.

Is God behind this, and if so, for what purpose exactly?

Thanks.

There are documented cases of people with strange abilities. Scientists, for the most part, have published little about their findings. I believe God does give an occasional gift or ability to someone to use for good. I’ve seen only one recent reference about how a few police officers rely, to some degree, on certain people to help them locate the missing and alive and the missing who are dead.

My theory is that if some people can activate parts of their bodies or brain to do things, like turning off lights with a thought, then such information would be classified. But we just don’t have enough published data to confirm this.

Ghosts are quite real. They are referred to in the Bible.

Peace,
Ed