|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.22.5
It’s been said that old soldiers never die, they simply fade away. I intend to do neither, nor am I an old soldier. However, I do have a couple military ghost stories for your reading and reviewing pleasure. Plus, I’ve got an update on last edition’s statistical analysis on paranormal belief.
Now, I invite you to sit back and enjoy your stay in this, the nether-realm of the internet, known only as Ghost Files.
Now listen up, soldiers. When engaging paranormal entities, it is important to keep a level head and to stay calm. You must not, I repeat not, weep, cry, blubber, or wail.
"No grown man in the Army could have made it,'' said Painter, who is 23. As if being stationed at a guard tower, at night, in Afghanistan, with only night vision goggles to see isn’t bad enough, these poor soldiers have to deal with ghosts, too!
A shrieking Afghan ghost-girl does seem a rather terrifying predicament. So much so that the rumor around base is that the original witnesses to the entity refused to return to their post, even with the threat of punishment.
This thing must have been pretty darn scary to risk being punished for refusing guard duty in a combat situation. And these weren’t just rank and file Army guys, either. These are Marines we’re talking about (sorry Army vets, but come on, Marines!). I think we’ve all seen ‘A Few Good Men’ enough to know the consequences for disobeying orders.
"I didn't feel threatened,'' said Jackson, who is 24.”It was just having fun.'' I salute you, brave men. :: Signs ::
The Vietnam memorial is one of the many monuments and important locales that I have yet to visit, but hope to in the near future. I hear it’s a very beautiful, if not melancholic, spot that recieves a great number of visitors. Perhaps not all of them are among the living?
Those who believe the mark is more than a trick of the eyes, say the image is that of a nurse. Some claim the mark was not visible until Monday evening, and miraculously appeared.
A war memorial is as proper a place as any to be a candidate for a ghostly apparition. Especially if the image is, as it has been speculated to be, that of a nurse that was killed during the infamous conflict.
To devote your life to help people, and to saving them, only to fall victim yourself—it’s truly tragic. Such a fate could cause the powerful emotions or feelings of an unfinished task that warrant the need for a soul to stay bound to the Earth.
:: Belief ::
In the June 1st edition of Ghost Files, I presented an article regarding the statistics of paranormal belief in Taiwan. The results showed an overwhelming percentage favoring the reality of ghostly phenomena.
This data brought up the question as to whether or not density and religious belief influenced a population to believe in spirits. I also pondered that if a similar poll were to be conducted in America, whether or not the results would be comparable.
Thankfully the good folks at Gallup can provide us with some answers.
This was a short story (its entirety quoted above), but a very revealing insight into our paranormal belief. And, as was the case in Taiwan, we too have a majority in the population who claim to be believers.
What is even more interesting is that these results aren’t affected by education or the region of the country in which those polled reside. I guess it doesn’t matter how old, rich, or religious you are to have a belief in the paranormal. I will go as far as to claim this as evidence in favor of my hypothesis that the concept of a ghost is inherent in the human subconscious.
That does it for this week’s installment. I hope these articles were as entertaining and thought provoking to you as they were to me. But, if they weren’t and yet you’ve read this far, I salute your devotion and determination.
Until next time, check your closets and keep those tape recorders running.
Cheerio!
~Khyron, 2005.