1 reply to this topic

[Jeff Belanger]

Dear Ghostvillagers,

Since our last newsletter, much has happened. First, it’s fitting that we acknowledge the passing of paranormal icon Dr. Hans Holzer. Holzer died on April 26, 2009, at the age of 89. Ghostvillage.com offers our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and many fans. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Holzer several years ago, and he was even kind enough to give me a blurb for one of my books. From our extensive conversations, I have no doubt the good doctor will be making trouble from the other side and enjoying every minute of it! God speed, Hans.

I’ve been traveling quite a bit this past month. I spoke at two events at the Mt. Washington Hotel in New Hampshire and made some new friends, and I just returned from Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky. All three conferences were a great success offering me the chance to talk to so many folks who are all searching for answers (and good deals on drinks). Waverly was especially interesting because I had a personal paranormal experience there (something very rare for me). I’ll be telling you all about it in an upcoming episode of my new television talk show, 30 Odd Minutes.

I’m excited about this project because I’ll be able to bring you even more great content, explore the unexplained through the eyes of witnesses, researchers, and experts, and make the show accessible to you via a live Internet stream and through archived shows online. You can watch our first episode on Ghostvillage.com right now. It’s a work in progress – try to spot where we had technical difficulties – and tune in next time and watch us try to fix them. Our next live show will be Thursday, June 4th at 8 PM (Eastern Time). If you're interested in helping out with this production, and you live a drivable distance from Franklin, Massachusetts, please email us. TV production experience is preferred, but not essential.

This month we’re going to explore the role religion plays in the paranormal. When a person encounters something they can’t make sense of, they often dig into their religious upbringing for answers. One person’s poltergeist is another person’s demon is another’s ghost. I invite you to discuss ghosts in your religious texts, or how your religion responds to paranormal accounts in our message board of the month.

In other event news, I’ll be attending the Book Expo America Conference in New York City on May 29. If anyone in the publishing industry would like to set up a time for a quick hello, please email here. Second, I just signed on to two new events this fall. First, the Darkness Radio Paranormal PSIence Fair on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California this September; and second, the Beyond Reality Events Stanley Hotel investigation and conference in Estes Park, Colorado. I expect to see all 28,505 of you email subscribers at each of those events!

Supernaturally yours,

Jeff Belanger
Ghostvillage.com

[Cautious-Psychic13]

Religion is an attempt to explain the unexplainable making it a part of the paranormal experience in and of itself. The two are tightly interwoven. At times they threaten to tear each other apart yet they remain at the heart of one another no matter what part of the paranormal you are discussing. Whether it is UFO's, cryptozoology, witchcraft and other pagan practices, tarot cards, esp or, what I do know a few things about, ghosts and spirits, religion has an interest in it no matter if it has an interest in religion or not.

My life experience of a psychic medium has brought me right into the heart of the basis of existence of spirit after death. It does go on for at least some. I do not claim to know of much after death but some once living people have stayed here on our realm after the body has died. The Christian religion at least claims that spirit lives on elsewhere after death. It is the point of their faith as it is for other great religions of the world. What happens to the self after death? No matter how many of the dead I have seen, heard or felt none have ever told me what else there is. I feel this is because many are still to connected with life here to know what else there may be but none have ever spoken to me of Heaven or Hell.

Another very closely related question many have dealt with that I have never seen is Demonology. Are the dead or spirits we are encountering demonic in origin? This goes to the heart of religion. Are people being attacked or possessed by evil that can only be defeated by God? Many religions around the world tell tales of possession by evil and exorcisms by Holy Men. Again the paranormal and religion are together as one.

I know many truly gifted people involved in many areas of the paranormal world who have very strong religious beliefs that have been put aside in search of the truth. People of all faiths all over the planet have seen and will continue to see that which is considered paranormal so it obviously has not singled out religion but answers, if we ever get any, will definitely impact on religion.

Sharon