Angel of Ioren
Friendly Skeptic
I don't believe in "ghosts" either. I do however, believe in the reality of my being and my soul. I have reasons for that just as a non believer has their own reasons. The thing that I find troubling in the paranormal is not the different ways of looking at life. It's the condesending attitude on all sides. The snappy little names such as creationsist, psuedo scientist, woo woo. These things deride the honest search and life expeirence of men and women who have an inner life. On the other side you have the ones calling all that don't agree names such as: Demonic, decieved, liar, and at times simply tuning out honest discussion.
The reason I call myself a "true" skeptic is just that. I have read Sheldrake and Pin Lomel and Penrose. But, I have also read some of Wiseman and Dawkins and I am old enough that I actually got a hold of the first printing of Randi's "Flim Flam." So, that is why I call myself a "true" skeptic. I honestly don't have a "hero" or a guru that I have to defend. I will never, ever be a reductionist. But, not becaue I've never read them or engaged with them. I have. So many people feel they have to defend a dogma. It may be Christianity or Islam or even athiesm. There is no need to "defend" the truth. There is also no way in hell, heaven or earth that we on this planet have the "truth." A theory of everything in an evolving spiritual/physical universe might not even be possible. I really don't know.
If you're happy in life and you're not hurting anyone, I really don't care what you believe. I like arguing about this stuff on line because it keeps me sharp, but "in real life" I don't really care.