TruthBook Religious News Blog

Posted on Sat, Oct. 28, 2006

Studies have found that most Americans, including people of faith, embrace some paranormal beliefs.

BY JOE RODRIGUEZ
The Wichita Eagle

Does believing in paranormal activity conflict with a person's religious beliefs? Two recent surveys indicate that more Americans are trying to find ways to balance the two.

In part of its extensive religion survey, released last month, the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion found a "surprising level of paranormal belief and experience in the United States."

The paranormal includes: telekinesis, haunted houses, astrology and communicating with the dead.

According to a 2005 Gallup Poll, about 75 percent of Americans hold some form of paranormal belief in at least one of the following: extrasensory perception, haunted houses, ghosts, mental telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating with the dead, witches, reincarnation and channeling.

William Dinges, professor of religious studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said one explanation for such findings is the growing "spiritual, but not religious" mind-set among people.

Additionally, he said, some forms of paranormal activity have become popular in recent years because of television shows such as "The X-Files."

"They don't promote conventional religion per se, but what they do promote is this idea of a 'supernatural' reality --'it's out there,' " he said. "That kind of cultural influence adds a certain amount of credibility, plausibility to these kinds of things."

Wichitan Mary Briggs is a Christian who counts herself a believer in paranormal activity.

She said she does't see any reason why such beliefs should conflict with her religious belief.

Briggs, a former teacher on metaphysics at Wichita State University's continuing education department, said all people experience some sort of the "superconscious," or a type of intuition.

"Some people let it in, pay attention to it," she said, "and some people don't."

Eva Stern of Wichita said she has experienced paranormal activity many times, including once while on a trip to Mexico with friends.

During a drive on that trip, she asked the driver to pull over because she sensed something bad was about to happen. After they returned to their drive, there was a major crash involving three vehicles on the road they were driving.

Stern believes they would have been in that crash had she not told the driver to stop.

Stern, who performs "intuitive readings" for people, said she believes in other forms of paranormal activity, including the ability to communicate with the dead.

Stern, who said she believes in God but doesn't attend church regularly, said she doesn't think her belief in the paranormal is a conflict with her faith.

But other Christians see it differently.

Wichitan Laura Murphy, who attends Friendship Baptist Church, considers paranormal activity to have "demonic influences."

In fact, the Baylor study did find that belief in the paranormal declines with increasing church attendance.

In the study, the most common paranormal activity that respondents reported experiencing was having a dream that later came true. More than 40 percent of the respondents claim to have had such an experience.

Wichitan Valerie Black, who attends Dellrose United Methodist Church weekly and is attending a seminary in Tulsa, said she doesn't believe people should open themselves to paranormal activity.

"I would not participate in something like that because you enter into another level," she said.

Pastor Wade Moore, of the Christian Faith Centre in south Wichita, also sees dreams as a separate category from activities such as consulting a psychic.

"People have no control over their dreams," he said. "With those tarot cards and palm readings, something is missing.

Rabbi Michael Davis, of Congregation Emanu-El, said he doesn't "profess to be able to teach or understand anything that is beyond the realm of my existence."

But he did say that whatever a person may feel or believe, it's important to find the good in the messages. People should be skeptical of actions that would have them doing something that is wrong, he said.

Briggs, who considers herself psychic, said people should question the paranormal but should not automatically close their "sixth sense."

"Every single one of us is gifted," she said. "People need to be open to the spiritual part of themselves."