From: To: Subject: [IGHS] Newsletter, April 25, 2004 Deming, New Mexico Date: Sunday, April 25, 2004 10:26 AM ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Remove Link To Unsubscribe from Newsletter: Click on Reply To or send email to ighs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com for an automatic removal from this newsletter. Mission Statement: The Ghostweb is the official Web Site of the International Ghost Hunters Society. Membership in the IGHS is always FREE. The IGHS is dedicated and committed to the research, documentation, education, and investigation of ghostly phenomena recorded through EVP, digital, film and video photography. The IGHS is a society of ghost believers, ghost hunters, and ghost researchers with over 14,000 members in 87 countries worldwide. Travel Along with Dave & Sharon: Join us as we start our fourth year of RV traveling as we explore America's Most Haunted Sites. We had a dream and now we are living that dream of traveling across this great land in our little house on wheels with our Welsh Pembroke Corgi dog named BooBoo. We are currently investigating haunted sites in the Land of Enchantment. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ International Ghost Hunters Society Newsletter April 25, from Deming, New Mexico Dr. Dave’s Notes: Registration is on a fast track for our Alamo Ghost Conference in June. We do have limited seating so be sure to register early or risk not being able to attend. We are planning some exciting events, excellent speakers who follow the IGHS Standards and Protocols in their field investigations and some hands-on investigations with us after the conference sessions. When the ghost conference is over, Martin Leal offers his walking ghost tour for those who would like to experience the local haunts in and around the Alamo. We will also have a special Inner Circle Investigation on Friday night for those who are experienced in ghost hunting. We do offer group and military discounts so drop us an email for more information on the discounts. We are looking for good examples of EVP ghost voice recordings for our next Jeff Rense program, if you have some segments, send them our way and we will acknowledge you as we play your recordings. Our next program with Jeff Rense will be on the first Friday of May. We have received many emails over the course of the year asking us how we would respond to Christian critics who uses verses from the Old Testament to show that ghost hunting is a sin against God. I have decided to share a few of the insights we have into this fraudulent practice of taking verses out of context and out of the cultural period in which they were given. The most abused verse taken out of context is found in Leviticus 19:31. This verse is never taken from the King James Version, but from one of the dozen plus rewrites of the King James Version used by Christian critics. Their new rewritten verse says, “Do not resort to ghosts and spirits, nor make yourselves unclean by seeking them out. I am the Lord your God.” This seems straightforward. God is saying do not mess with ghost and spirits, or even hold investigations to document their existence. This could get many Christian ghost hunters into hot water, but not if we examine the source this verse was rewritten from. Let us now go to the source, King James Version Leviticus 19:31 where it says, “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” Now we have an entirely different meaning of this verse. The KJV talks about “familiar” spirits, which are the spirits that psychics and mediums channel, the term “familiar” could also be called “guides” or spirits who communicate with the living as guides. The verse is talking about a warning about using psychics, mediums and Wizards, and nothing about ghosts or ghost hunters. This is strange because the Christian critics would have us believe that “familiar” applies to ghosts, yet the context this term was written dealt with psychics mediums, witches, like the Witch of Endor who provided answers to King Solomon questions, and to wizards. Christian critics use Leviticus. 20:6, “I will set my face against the man who wantonly resorts to ghosts and spirits, and I will cut that person off from his people.” This appears on the surface to be a harsh penalty for ghost hunters, but not if we look at the original source for this verse. The KJV reads a little bit different from the modern day rewrites. The KJV says, “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.” Again the KJV does not speak about ghosts, but about “familiar” spirits and about wizards. It seems that the term “familiar” found in the KJV to describe a guide or a channeled spirit became elevated to mean any spirit of the dead. This is a literary leap that is not justified by its context, it is almost as if the rewriters were attempting to promote their version of ghosts into the scriptures. Christian critics also use Leviticus 20:27, which they claim says, “Any man or woman among you who calls up ghosts or spirits shall be put to death. The people shall stone them; their blood shall be on their own heads.” According to the earlier King James Version, the verse really says, “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” The verse speaks about mediums, psychics, and wizards who call upon their familiar spirits to channel information. It says nothing about ghosts. The God of the Old Testament does not want competition from mediums, psychics, and wizards but wanted the people to turn only to Him for answers and guidance. The Old Testament is very strict about who the children of Israel could turn to for guidance and answers. In that cultural period, God forbid his people from using psychics, mediums, and wizards. Just as there are over 2,200 Christian sects, there are multiple interpretations of the Bible, each as different as night is to day. The King James Version is the earlier version and from that version, Christians have created another dozen plus versions of the Bible. Some Bibles rely upon paraphrasing, but it is still according to the men and women who rewrite the King James Version, changing the context of the original context to justify their beliefs. The Old Testament identified “familiar spirits with mediums, psychics, and wizards, and not ghosts. Consider the verse in St. Luke 24:37 when Jesus appeared to his eleven Apostles gathered in the upper room. The KJV reads, “But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” The verse did not read a "familiar" spirit, but just a spirit. In verse 39, Jesus said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Jesus did not refer to himself as a "familiar" spirit, but simply as a spirit. If Jesus did not refer to a spirit as a "familiar" spirit, how can Christian critics claim they know more than Jesus? The problem with quoting from scripture is that verses were written to a specific person or to specific groups of people and must be read in its completeness. For example, God directed the scriptures quoted in Leviticus to Moses. If Christian critics feel it is proper to quote the above verses, what about the warnings in Leviticus, chapter 19 that says men and women should not get haircuts, that men should not shave their faces, or that clothing can only be worn made of one material, not two. The warning that our gardens must not have more than one type of seed planted or that we must leave a portion of the crop in the field so the poor has access to it. The Christian critics should also follow the rest of the sundry laws revolving around shaving, haircuts, and clothing makeup. Christian critics cannot pick and choose which scriptures they will follow and which they reject. One cannot use Leviticus as evidence of God's condemnation of ghosts. Quoting out of context is perhaps the greater sin, as the true meaning is lost. Ghosts are not "familiar' spirits. Jesus himself never called spirits as being "familiar" spirits. Jesus did not condemn his eleven Apostles for speaking to him when the eleven thought him to be a ghost. Jesus explained the difference between ghosts and himself. If Jesus did not condemn his eleven for speaking to a ghost, why are the Christian critics condemning ghost hunters who only record the existence of ghosts? Seems to me some of the critics must have slept through their Sunday school classes. The Bible is composed of 66 books and considered complete, but we know that the Coptic and Gnostic texts that referenced Jesus were not included, nor any of the other texts from splinter Christian groups rejected in AD 325 when the Bishops voted on which books to keep and which to burn. Ancient scriptures are in conflict with today's society. Today mediums and psychics are a part of our society. Their documented services to the Law Enforcement, such as their help to find lost people and buried bodies. Our purpose in this article is not to condemn or judge mediums, psychics, and wizards, but to show how taking verses out of context misrepresent the meaning of those verses. It is strange that Christians will take their children to see Passion of the Christ, most violent, brutal and sadistic film, that graphically shows the violence that man does to man, but become enraged about Harry Potter's films showing a magical realm where good fights evil. Brutality and violence will influence the children who see the film, only I fear in the negative, not for any positive benefits. IGHS San Antonio Ghost Conference on June 19th: Dave & Sharon are preparing their annual Ghost Conference that will be held in San Antonio, Texas on June 19 at the Menger Hotel. The Conference for the third Saturday in June will focus on the ghosts of the Alamo, the Menger Hotel, and San Antonio, ghost photography, EVP recordings, and EVP evaluations. No psychics or mediums will be speaking, as we are a scientific based organization focusing on using scientific tools for recording and documenting the existence of ghosts. There will be a special investigation on Friday night for Inner Circle members. Group and military discounts are available. All events are within walking distance of your haunted hotel and meeting place. Special room rates of $95 at the Menger, just ask for the International Ghost Hunters Special, as long as rooms are available. We will have limited seating due to the meeting room limitations, so do not delay registering with Dave & Sharon. Check out http://www.ghostweb.com/alamo1.html. Digital Ghost Photography Handbook: Confused about orbs? What are dust orbs and how do they relate to real ghost orbs? Read our 20 page thermal bound book or download the PDF book and discover how digital photography is the wave of the future. We have been using digital since 1994 and we share with the reader, which are the best digital cameras on the market today. We also share what to look for when purchasing a digital camera and provide some protocols to avoid falling into the dust orb trap. Check it out at http://www.ghostweb.com/booklet2.html. How to Record and Analyze Ghost Voices: Traditional techniques for recording ghost voices are outdated and far less successful. Sharon and I have an accumulated 28 years of experience in ghost research and in evaluating ghost tools for field investigations. Along the way, we have discovered many hidden techniques that enable us to be tremendously successful in recording the voices of the dead. Our new book will disclose our time tested techniques in a step by step procedure that is easy to understand and to apply. Check out the book at http://www.ghostweb.com/booklet.html. We ship via Priority Mail through the Post Office, not the slow boat to China known as Media Mail that takes several weeks to arrive at an address. CD Version Home Study Courses: We offer two CD versions, one with the Home Study Course in PDF format that can be read by any hardware or software with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, version 4 or higher. This option is for those using the Mac Operating system or PC computer with an operating system that is not Windows based. We also offer the second version on the CD as the HTM version for PC computers using Wins95, Wins98, WindowsMe, and WindowsXP. The added features of this CD version, includes color photographs of spiritual orbs, spirit energy ectoplasm, a full body apparition and samples of ordinary airborne dust particles we call dust orbs that fool so many people. The separate Photo Analysis CD is now a part of the CD version. In addition, a printed copy can be made from CD, as in the printed version. We pay the shipping charges for Priority Mail in the USA, International Air Mail to Canada and for an extra ten dollars, we will ship it by Global Priority Mail to Europe and Asia. More information is available at http://www.ghostweb.com/mainhsc.html. Fulfill your dreams: Magic Dimensions We all have dreams that we wished that could be our reality, but we do not know how to make that wish come true for us. In our book, we teach about the magic of having your dreams fulfilled. We show the reader how to open a doorway for a new reality where your dream will come true. Many claim this process is a miracle, but Quantum Mechanics teaches us that our miracles are simply an application of this weird science. Out book can show you how to create that miracle! We share with the reader the magical techniques that create the miracle we seek after in life. Magic Dimensions may be one of the most important books that will change people’s lives. Visit our web site at http://www.ghostweb.com/magic1.html for more info on ordering the book. The ISBN number is 0-595-22032-0 and can be ordered from any bookstore or online at major dot.com bookstores. The online e-book can be downloaded immediately. IGHS T-shirts Available: We are pleased to announce that we have our new IGHS light blue 50/50 screen printed T-shirts available. The two sided printing has a large full size on the back and a smaller size image on the front, over the left pocket area. Limited sizes are available ranging from XL to 2XL. Check them out at http://www.ghostweb.com/tshirt1.html. Life Time IGHS Member Certificate: Instead of renewing every year, IGHS members can now purchase a Life Time Membership for $60 or a Life Time Membership and Life Time Clip ID Badge for $75. This is available through PayPal and through our online Secure Order Form. IGHS ID Badges for Investigations: We have received many requests for some kind of Identification Badge to wear while conducting field investigations. We have created a laminated ID Badge with a metal clip that snaps onto your shirt or other piece of clothing. It says that you are a Registered Ghost Hunter/Paranormal Investigator in good standing with the International Ghost Hunters Society and it has our signatures and web address. Order the ID Badge at http://www.ghostweb.com/id_badge.html. Password Memberships: We offer a special membership in our Ghostweb Ghost Galleries. Due to the size of these ghost galleries, we have to limit the number of people because of the bandwidth consumed by downloading the photos, spirit voices, and ghost videos in this area. If you want to view over 9,000 ghost photos, EVPs, and videos, check out our membership program at http://www.ghostweb.com/pass.html. IGHS Membership Certificates: The IGHS offers a beautiful Membership Certificate. The membership certificate is valid for one year Check it out at http://www.ghostweb.com/memcert.html for more information. Kind regards, Dave, Sharon & BooBoo International Ghost Hunters Society Copyrighted 2004 by Dr. Dave Oester All Rights Reserved. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our next book is spooky! American Hauntings Investigated, due out in August 2004 Alamo Ghost Conference -- June 19, 2004 -- San Antonio, Texas http://www.ghostweb.com/alamo1.html Dave Oester, Ph.D., DD. Sharon Gill, Ph.D., International Ghost Hunters Society 713 W Spruce, PMB 715 Deming, NM 88030 Web URL: http://www.ghostweb.com Email: MagicDimensions@aol.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~