Extreme Paranormal or Extreme Stupidity

Investigating or mere evidence collecting? This is the question I have about the many groups that are both on and off television. I happened to be watching A & E last night, and I am highly disappointed in the latest paranormal "crap" that is gracing tv screens. I have several questions for some of the readers out here. What is investigating to you? Are you looking to prove the existence of paranormal or are you actually out there trying to help people understand what is going on?
  Using a summoning circles, pentagrams, electro-shock therapy, provocation and other controversial methods should only be attempted if one is highly trained and skilled in these fields. In watching the latest episode about a jail and an asylum on Extreme Paranormal I was truly mortified this was attempted in such a light. First, I would like to say, these methods are not to be taken lightly. The Extreme Paranormal group apparently thinks this is a viable method to show the world and have implemented this in their practice of spirit contact and communication. I cannot believe how they so callously made a summoning circle without explaining on the show just how dangerous the practice really is. Groups attempting this on their own, not doing their homework on just how this works could be in some real trouble. Again, it is just as bad as an Ouija Board, you never know what spirit you are going to get. You may also encounter a spirit that was more than you bargained for. If your boundaries are not strong in the circle, it could break leaving the spirit to roam free.
  The second part of this event was the spirit the group was calling up was a murderer! Some of you out here might think I am overreacting, not a big deal, but yes, dealing with a potentially EVIL spirit in this manner was detrimental! How did they know this mass murderer's spirit was even lingering? But one thing I can tell you is they didn't know for sure. And what this group did was a summoning. Summoning basically means calling something up that is already at rest or is in a dormant state. This is not investigating. And when I think of a group potentially investigating like this, it turns my stomach. This is evidence collecting in all stretches of the word. Imagine if a group gets out there and visits a residential home, and uses a summoning circle to contact it? What if this group cannot close the circle properly and the spirit escapes, or the potential haunting gets worse?
  It is also inadvisable to call up spirits that are evil. Mass murderers are evil. This is super dangerous to call up evil spirits. Believe me, if they were rotten and stinky in this life, they are rotten and stinky on the other side. I was very distraught Extreme Paranormal is a group that messes with this, and uses ancient practices to collect their evidence.
   One of the most disturbing parts to this episode was when they were in the swamp that the mass murderer had dumped a lot of his bodies. They used a floating summoning circle! Such a bad idea, as it is floating and travels through many areas of the water. It is easier for the circle to break and harder obviously to contain the spirit. They also antagonized the spirit by having one of the group members speak to him under the water, trying to stay afloat in the vicinity of the summoning circle. This method of evidence collecting actually puts the "investigators" in harms way. If the circle floats beyond the diver he is no longer protected by the circle. This is indeed what happened. The investigator was held down by a mysterious force for a period of time while this investigator antagonized and provoked the entity. In essence, the investigator might have drowned.
  What has the field come to? I think that both groups on and off TV have had investigating get to their heads and they are looking for their five minutes of fame. They are willing to put the clients and their team at harm so they can get their big piece of evidence to achieve the goal of making it big. My only problem with this is there is no respect for the spirits, the clients and the safety of the investigators. The problem with these extreme methods of investigating is the clients still have to live or work in the dwelling. They want help not only in validation of the activity, but help on what to do or how to live with it. People want to know how to deal with it more than they want the confirmation  the spirit actually exists.
  So do I think this method of investigating is stupid? Yes I do think its one of the most disappointingly stupid methods out there. I do not think people should mess around with practices  they truly are unfamiliar with just to get a rise out of the spirits. I believe all spirits good, evil, grumpy, sleepy, what ever, should be respected. You are on their terms when you summon them-a guest in their house. Personally, it is much safer when you do not force the activity and you subtly examine it. I am disappointed that Extreme Paranormal is not explaining their methods should not be used unless they are trained in the occult. I will not be watching this show any longer, because it is a mockery of the serious investigators who actually want to help people not hurt them.

Prominent Paranormal Researcher Expresses Dissatisfaction in TAPS Ghost Hunters

Generations of heartache, suicides, fame and fortune lead TAPS Ghost Hunters to the Lemp Mansion located in St. Louis, MO. It is reported that a total of four members of the Lemp family have committed suicide over the early part of the 20th century. Along with this disturbing history several ghosts are reported roaming throughout the mansion. Unfinished business and the guilt of taking one's own life is a likely cause for this phenomena, but who exactly are the ghosts?

When TAPS arrives to the location, they are given a quick run through of the spirits that are supposedly haunting the building, but have history and hearsay combined to create a macabre tale of doom? The tour guide/owner of the Lemp Mansion lists specifically the names of the alleged apparitions. Troy Taylor founder of American Hauntings, wrote this on his Facebook status after the episode was aired September 29th.

"There was no "Zeke Lemp" and Charles Lemp never shot his dog in the basement -- or anywhere else for that matter. Who believes this crap? And better yet, what kind of idiot makes it up? I love the so-called "ghost hunters" who believe that history is worthless. Trying doing some actual research -- maybe someone would take you seriously!"

And in doing my own quick research, I too have not found anything about Charles Lemp shooting his dog in the basement, nor is there any mention of a Zeke Lemp. It also appears from Taylor's comment that it may not have been TAPS' first mistake of not throughly researching the background of a case upon the actual physical investigation.

While I do love TAPS Ghost Hunters, I can't help but wonder about the quality of the research, and if this was poor research, I can give you several reasons on why the ghost community would be upset. First, and foremost, paranormal research is a questionable field. In order to gain credibility, researchers  need to actually be serious about the work. All of the work requires research, and the background research is the foundation of a physical investigation. It is the essential building blocks. Who is haunting the house is an important factor. As you all know the more one tells a story, the more blown out of proportion the story becomes therefore the less credible it is. This is almost 100 years worth of story telling! Investigators have to get to the bottom of it, and educate the people living in the dwelling as well, because they want to know who and what is potentially haunting the dwelling!

The second reason people are upset in the paranormal community, is that there are groups popping up ALL over the place claiming to be seasoned in investigating, when in fact they are not. It is so important to be educated about the field. The fact remains that every group is NOT going to get on TV and if you have a TV show the groups should really be trying to set up an example of what the profession is about. This field requires hard work and dedication. It is not all fun and games, running around with a flashlight, mini dvd, and voice recorder yelling at ghosts floating around . Investigators need to get the facts straight before they can prove anything. It is critical to present the facts to the paranormal community in the most scientific way possible. It would also be wise to verify what the client claims to be "facts".

The fact remains is that this is not the glamorized field that everyone thinks that it is. Although it has come a long way and great strides have been made to prove the existence of ghosts (the fact that we are even talking about it right now) it still has an even longer way to go. Strolling into the house without knowing the history behind it is a bit more than an oversight in my opinion. Educating the owners and public that those figures in history did not exist would have proved beyond helpful resolving the haunting. Stunts like this reinforces the fact that paranormal research is not taken seriously by the scientific community.

Please find attached a link to Wikipedia about the Lemp Mansion. I have also looked at other sites and there are no mentions about shooting the dog or even Zeke Lemp.

Joining a Paranormal Investigation Group

Joining a group for investigating ghosts can be an amazing experience and also a great way to meet others who share your passion for the paranormal. But you may want to ask yourself and the group questions before you decide to join head first. Sometimes the groups you meet may not mesh with your own internal beliefs. Below is a list of some of the questions you may want to ask before joining the group.
  I am writing this as a guide because I recently joined a group that I really did not like. I listened to my instincts, and basically got out in the nick of time so to speak. Every group has drama, but if you ask these questions to yourself you may have a better chance of finding the group that is right for you.

Most of the time the group will interview candidates to join the group. And just like a job interview, they will ask questions to find out if you are a match. But you as the candidate should also have your own list of questions that will help you decide if this is the group for you.

1. Where does this group see itself in five years?
For example, if they mention getting publicity or hopes of a television show, this might not be the right group.

2. What are some of the beliefs of this group? Open questions, such as belief in orbs, provocation, scientific approach etc.

3. What are the main objectives while investigating (start to finish)? Again, this is an open ended question, but I will give an example of why this is so important. A group that I joined followed the scientific method approach to investigation. However, I felt the investigations were incomplete as we were not allowed to provide any spiritual guidance as far as getting rid of the entity. We were not allowed to even provide lists to the clients of clergy or people of spiritual nature to assist in the paranormal disturbances. Again, this is my own opinion, but to me ghosts and spirits do not fit or follow the scientific method, and you CANNOT forget about the spiritual aspect of the paranormal.

4. How far are you willing to go to get a reaction out of a spirit? This is an important question as well. As I mentioned before, I do not think one can forget about the spiritual side of the paranormal. Some groups are willing (and willingly stupid in my opinion) to put people in harms way to get a reaction. If their form of provocation involves hurting another group member such as asking a spirit to hit someone, you may want to reconsider joining a group like this. The group that I joined apparently thought nothing of asking a pregnant woman to provoke in a highly probable demonic haunt. This is not cool, because we are talking about a demonic haunting. We are also talking about an unborn child and the spiritual harm it could cause for you and the baby. Please, if you find that you are in a group that does not care about the safety of their members it is time to leave.

5. What is the process of screening applicants? Unfortunately, you cannot trust everyone who joins the group. It is imperative that any type of social group screens the applicants. And with the paranormal, you may get people who are interested in the group who are not mentally stable. It is very important that you screen members as best as you can before you allow them to join the group. I am sure that some seasoned investigators may disagree with me on this one but this is an important question to ask. In the world of investigating you will share beds, cars, and hotel rooms. You want to make absolutely sure that you have weeded out potentially untrustworthy people in the application process. Most states have an excellent court log data base that you can search by name. We would love to trust everyone who joins, but the truth is you just can't in this society. Also, to me it is imperative spiritually that the people you investigate with are emotionally and psychically stable because this could present a playground for demonic or mischievous entities.

6. How often does the group meet? How much time does this group require? This is important because some groups meet weekly others monthly. How much time are you willing to devote? You need to ask yourself these important questions. Some groups go above and beyond just normal investigating such as fundraisers, and other events that might require time on the weekends. You need to make sure that you can commit to the group. Everyone has limitations on how much time they can give to an outside activities during the week. Make sure the group is understanding. If you cannot make it to the meetings, let them know in advance, but find out what the schedule is in advance before you commit to the group.


These are some of the questions I have thought of (after the fact) and if there are more out there please share this with the group. I also want to let you know, if you joined a group your not happy with there are other options. Make your own group or join another. It is highly common for people to start their own groups if they were unhappy with the one they have joined. I probably will have a part 2 of this depending upon the responses that I get. But for now these are my top questions. And also, if a group asks you to sign papers do not be afraid to go over it with an attorney.

What are your thoughts on Spirit Provocation?

Since the success of the show Ghost Hunters, there have been other shows on tv that have sprung up shortly after conducting their own investigations. But the question is, are these groups really well versed in the spirit world?
 I have been researching ghosts and entities since I was nine years old because of my early experiences when I was very young. I have found the topic scary and fascinating at the same time. But lately, I have been unimpressed with some of the tactics used in modern day ghost hunting.
  In my quest and research on ghosts and spirits, I have learned you have to tread carefully. Not only can spirits be deceiving, but they can be very dangerous. I thoroughly discourage the use of provoking just to get an electronic voice phenomena on a tape recorder. Keith Johnson, formerly of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society, now of NEAR RI :New England Anamolies Research in RI) recently wrote a book called Paranormal Realities and he is also against the practice of severe provocation.  I have talked to Keith on a ghost tour at Slater Mill located in Pawtucket, RI and he said "People, like spirits, can be very deceitful". Basically what he means by this is just because the spirit may claim to be that of a little boy does not mean it is or is telling you the truth. In fact, spirits may do this so they can attach themselves and use your emotional energy.
  Although I am not into naming a particular group, I feel that this example brings relevance to what I have been talking about.  There have been two particular series on tv I have been extremely disappointed with. Zack Baggins, who is the main player on the series "Ghost Adventures" on the Travel Channel, has stated on his website that he has had his house blessed four times. Coincidence? I don't think it is. I think his use of provocation is very immature, uneducated, and dangerous. He often will enter a supposed haunted location and demand the spirit attack him or cause some sort of physical harm to him. To those of us who are well versed in spirits, demonology and psychic ability, this is a very stupid tactic. A negative energy and even demonic forces are very difficult to get rid of and can reek unwanted havoc on innocent people.
  While on the Slater Mill Ghost tour, I did ask Keith about entering a haunted location and conducting EVP's. I did ask him if it was beneficial to do some sort of blessing upon entry to the haunted location. Keith, an expert in demonology, stated a person should always enter and leave a supposed haunted location with a blessing to ensure a negative energy does not follow. He also recommends as any human being, living or dead, you need to have respect for them.
  Just wanted some feedback as to what others thought of this practice? I think groups are doing this on tv to make their show sensationalized and dramatic, but in the long run  it is creating misinformed future ghost hunters.