Are Ghosts Real?

Paranormal activity can scare anyone, regardless of faith. The thought of seeing a ghost was bloodcurdling, but I always had “god,” and guardian angels watching over me; I was constantly protected.  My evolution to becoming an atheist was a slow, educational process which lasted many years. The more I understood the world, the less I believed in “god.” Oh what a momentous occasion it was, the instance I was finally able to free my mind from the shackles of theological mind-rape.

So ingrained in me were the ways of the god-fearing man, that I can only compare my freedom to the release date of a convict. One who had been sentenced to life in prison for a murder he never committed. Thirty years of failed appeals caused him to give up any semblance of hope, until that miraculous day; the DNA evidence revealed that he is not a killer…UNBELIEVABLE! I felt a big weight lift off of my shoulders and I wanted to scream “free at last.” The process of removing oneself from an embedded belief is an arduous task. My personal journey to becoming freed of my faith was an eighteen year excursion, filled with consternation.

Free as I was, I never completely understood the life of a non-believer. The world of the atheist man is not without its challenges. I never concerned myself with the mystical unknown realm until last night, standing on a bridge, watching the fireworks explode over the Boston skyline, with a group from the Barros clan.

Somehow, the conversation shifted to poltergeists. There were several stories of first and second-hand accounts in which people had encounters with ghosts. I would share the stories, but they are not mine. The only such questionable event that happened to me, occurred deep in the woods of New Jersey. A group of my friends decided to ride out to the middle of the woods and hang out. Of course, that means drinking was involved. We sat on some large boulders and I listened intently to various accounts concerning the “haunted woods.” At the time, forty ounce bottles were the trend. (I guess you can blame it on Dr. Dre’s ‘Dre Day’ video. I’m sure everyone remembers the party scene with the fridge full of forties. **For those of you who are either young or un-cool, youtube it!**) I was the first to finish my bottle, and I heaved it down what appeared to be a relatively deep cave. That’s when something strange happened; we didn’t hear any noise. There were several jokes about the haunted woods, but I assumed there was probably some water source inside the opening. We forgot about the incident and empty bottles crashed against rock walls. There was no hurry to return to campus, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the calm atmosphere. An hour elapsed, but we were content to remain in the woods until it was too dark.

That’s when we experienced the paranormal activity. Like every other group conversation, an awkward silence occured. Out of no where, we heard the loud sound of breaking class coming from the opening. Scared out of our minds, we left immediately. Like Ripley’s, you can believe it or not! I may not be a believer in “god,” but the existence of another dimension, I dare not question. (I know what you are thinking. Isn’t Atheism the absence of belief in any form of spirituality? No! It’s simply a disbelief in “god.”)

Back on the bridge, I listened to some weird episodes, never questioning the validity of the tales; I have always believed in spirits. The one fact that bothered me was the method used to combat the ghostly activities…holy water and prayer. I DON’T HAVE EITHER. I couldn’t help but think, how would I handle such a challenging situation.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was unprotected. No guardian angels, and no “god.”

I know myself, and I knew that I would have a rough time falling asleep; I am terrified of ghosts. (The movie ‘The Exorcist’ caused me many sleepless nights.) The night was shaping up to be a long one. I was prepared to be faced with some of the very paranormal activities which were mentioned on that breezy Boston bridge. (Yes, you guessed it…alliteration is my favorite.)

I laid in bed, my mind was creating ridiculous scenarios that I was fully prepared to face. Scared as I was, victim I would not be! I was prepared to deal with any ghost who dared show up. (I have no clue why I am trying to be so fearless. No matter how much I reason, I will be terrified once again tonight.)

For those of you who do not know, I like to have my room pitch black. There is nothing I detest more than being awakened by the sun. (Insert vampire jokes here!) I actually reached the point of blacking out the windows…it was wonderful. I would never know what time of day it was. The movie watching experience was enhanced, and I could take a nap whenever I felt the need. Things had to be changed after an incident with one of my exes. I woke up in the middle of the night to urinate, and when I walked out of the bathroom, she was standing in the hallway with the light on. “What are you doing?” I asked. She was scared, because my room was so dark. I know I’m a jerk, but I did the right thing…windows were no longer blackened. The room remains fairly dark nonetheless, so it definitely lends itself to horror. (I propose that a change be made. The word restroom doesn’t seem appropriate. Who the hell would want to rest in there? It smells like excrement and urine. If anything, we’re all in a hurry to get out. I believe public toilets should be called “reliefrooms.” Speaking of toilets, I understand the word urinal, because it makes perfect sense; urine goes into them. Toilets, on the other hand should be called shitinals, or fecenals! Just Saying!)

Another reason I feel  my room lends itself perfectly to be the setting for horror, is the paranormal activity that has been occurring with more and more frequency. I kid you not. Inexplicably, and for no apparent reason, my cable box will shut off. It will then reboot itself and turn back on. I wasn’t sure what was happening until I researched the phenomena online. Ghost? Exorcist? Demon? Devil? No! Fucking Comcast. I discovered that many customers were experiencing the same problems. The Comcast boxes are malfunctioning all around the country. Regrettably, there is nothing that can be done; no quick fix. A technician would have to be sent out to replace the entire box. Thankfully, I have found an appropriate solution. Directv, here I come. Pardon the tangent, but I hate Comcast with the Passion of the Christ. (This one is free. Great idea for a television show. ‘Pardon the Tangent.’ Guests will be encouraged to  steer the conversation on weird tangents. The more irrelevant the better! Take it an run with it. I just only seek 5%!!!)

Getting back to the topic of ghosts, I have discovered a resolution. I don’t need any religious support. I have come to the conclusion that, because the mind is so powerful, people can have experiences that are unexplainable. I have decided that these instances, with the paranormal, are simply the creation of the mind. A hallucination if you will. Obviously, this solution is completely bullshit because I still believe in ghosts. But, how else am I going to deal with the unknown…whatever helps me sleep at night!

I challenge anyone to sit down and converse about the subject with the man I know as “2-Joes.” You will become a believer.

In summation, I can only state that it is undeniable…ghosts are real!

@PeteTeix617