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Why is that people beleive in vampire's or that vampire's exist but have a hard time beliving in other paranormal matter?

it all depends on the person and what for of vampires and paranormal, example
i don't belive in immortal vamps but i believe in other forms and as for the paranormal i am a fond beleiver

This question seems to be based on the reality of the vampiric belief. Which perception the mind is looking for? The paranormal "mara" as the mara is the spirit of a deceased psi-vampire remaining earthbound while continuing to feed on the living usually just before they sleep?

Or the religious perspective of the vampire as having a demonic spirit of said creature within it? Though not paranormal, possession would be the factor at times.

It very much depends on which type of vampire you are refering to to ask such a question. Unless you are understanding this concept and ask why the unlearned in society do not already know what many others do?

Most do not know certain aspects or definitions, and blindly claim and or testify without doing much research into what their convictions claim openly.

Consider this.

Paranormal is "outside" of normal.

If you believe in Vampirism in its various forms (or practice them) it is by definition no longer outside of normality, and is therefor normal...

In which case anything considered Paranormal is again outside of your normallity.

Everyone is going to has their different beliefs in certain things.

I myself don't believe in vampires or werewolves, but enjoy reading the books and watching the movies.
I do however, believe in the paranormal due to having a few encounters before.

Everyone has thier own beliefs. I for one believe in the paranormal and have seen things to do with the paranormal. I have not seen any proof that vampires exist

Every person has their own personal belief of the paranormal and vampires, you may believe in vampires but not ghosts for example.

A am one who personally believes in all paranormal anomalies but I do not believe in immortality

Well i have seen paranormal things (my grandmother's ghost) but I have never seen a real vampire yet i believe in both

vampires of movies i do not believe in, but living vampires or people who persanafie the traits yes, I also believe in the paranormol. so it really depends on the person and their beliefs.

Sometimes certain people must see or experience things in order to believe them. Not everyone is willing to take a blind leap of faith. As stated by a few others above, I also believe in the paranormal but not vampires or werewolves. Having experienced the paranormal, I can believe in it. Vampires or werewolves just seem so far beyond real, had I in some way experienced them, then my opinion would likely change.

Education, experience, ego pehaps ?

DarknessWhispers hit on my view.
i've had experience with spirits, and vampires (not the mythical ever-lasting type of course)
but i've never met a werewolf or an alien so i'm quite skeptical of their existence
not that i am not open minded about the possibility, just not quite convinced ;]

Personal belief. It's difficult to come up with any answer beyond the obvious.

Why does anyone believe anything without hard evidence. Faith of some form or another. That can be strengthened by desire, experience, upbringing, indoctrination, or even what someone thinks is 'cool'. However I think that the average person doesn't even fully understand their own 'whys' about what they believe.

Simply put? Some people have a need to believe in the paranormal and the strange. They choose a subject and then, being closed minded, deny existance to all other possibilities.

See now I disagree that anyone who can't find themselves believing in someone else's faith is close minded. Religion is a faith and yet we don't believe in ALL of them at once. Paranormal belief can be a faith too if you don't have experience to support that. Any faith is often a mystery even to the believer. They just believe.

I also don't think that belief or faith is something you can switch on or off. Realistically, faith and belief happens, you don't choose.

This is a good question.

Maybe because the other stuff is too much to believe...ghosts...haunting...dragons...that's what you're talking about right? Maybe they are in denial.

QUOTED FROM ABOVE:

See now I disagree that anyone who can't find themselves believing in someone else's faith is close minded. Religion is a faith and yet we don't believe in ALL of them at once. Paranormal belief can be a faith too if you don't have experience to support that. Any faith is often a mystery even to the believer. They just believe.

I also don't think that belief or faith is something you can switch on or off. Realistically, faith and belief happens, you don't choose.

END QUOTING

I completely agree with this. It's all about a persons belief. For example I am a Christian, but I am open to discussing all ideas and if someone can make a good point kudos. It's just good that people get their points out there.

"Why is that people beleive in vampire's or that vampire's exist but have a hard time beliving in other paranormal matter?"

I think that people believe the "Hollywood Vampire" exists, but not to m any people believe that a "real" vampire exists. It all depends on what you havev seen, heard or felt growing up. Some religions disregard the paranormal and others portray it.

Not one person will believe the same thing another person believes. We all believe in different things, even it is the same thing, (if that makes sense to anyone).

everyone believes what they want to believe. personaly i believe in both.

Well, I usually considered myself a open-minded person about some topics, others not so much. Like I don't think I believe in paranormal stuff, but in the deepest areas of my mind, I may yet believe in paranormal stuff. I do however believe that Vampires are very real, and have been on this earth for a very long time, almost as long humans.

I think it’s because individuals are often selective in their thinking and tend to focus on favorable evidence to justify personal beliefs and ignore what they deem unfavorable as a result. Alternatively, cognitive bias focuses on and searches for information that confirms one's existing beliefs and ignores anything that contradicts those beliefs in return. People tend to favor and find anecdotal, informal accounts of vampires more appealing as opposed to paranormal accounts which are often evidence based.

Personally I’m sceptical about both, however I am a sucker (pardon the pun) for the ‘romantic and seductive’ notion associated with vampires which is most likely the idea of ‘being chosen’ more than anything else.

To believe anything requires something that really convinces you. To start to believe anything just because it has a cool name or anything is to fool yourself. So of course evidence is needed but evidence is so different for eash person.

That's not entirely true.... I know a lot of people who believe in vampires and also other paranormal things! It's just a matter of perspective and opinion.

i believe that a lot of people just dont want to believe that there could be ghosts or what not. they could be truly scared that there can be vampires or paranomalities.

Please oh please don't let this thread become about how people fear what they don't understand :)

Again...belief happens, I can no sooner MAKE myself believe something through sheer force of desire than I can make myself fly. Some folks don't need as much proof to believe what they believe but I don't think its a choice that's made.

Well some believe in the paranormal and not vampires lol. We all have our different opinions and ideas on things, which is what makes us all individuals.

So why does it matter what another believes, if you believe in it so be it. Let others walk their own path in life and you keep an eye on yours :)

you know i would think people would actually believe in the paranormal before vampires. but hey people believe what they wish to believe can't change their minds for them.

Thank-you this actully turned out be a good forum :) I thank all of you for posting !!

I can agree with most of you it's just that yes i beleive in vampires but i beleive in the paranormal as well (witches, spirits, ect) thats why i have a hard time when people will talk about ghosts or stuff but can't believe that there could be real vampires... Thank-you again..

No, I do not think the outcome of this discussion is about fear out of misunderstanding...More so about conditioning to believe.

You are conditioned by either your surroundings IE family, friends etc. Or by social gatherings such as movies or literature.

Belief comes from what you percieve as real in your eyes alone. But with the opinions of others, specifically in groups, that subsequent peer pressure lays a bit of the ground work for that belief system.

Not a closed mind - always keep one open, perhaps skeptical about things, but always open.

Vampiric lifestyle - sure.. the fictional vampires and anything close to that - no.

When people fall into a belief system it is hard for them to believe in anything other then that system. Like what you say, they might be a hard core believer in vampirism and have no other interest to believe in anything else.

I agree that it has a lot to do with your own life experiences and all the other things that shape your beliefs. It is easier to believe in things we have actually seen or experienced than in things that we've never seen. This could be a whole long debate, and a good one. But it really all boils down to how open minded you really are and just how much you are willing to trust in without ever seeing.

It is the way human individuality works. It can observe numerous subjects around it self, but it always expresses support/belief toward the exactly that subject wich appeals most to their own imagination, self-indetification of their own self. I believe that it is pretty much the same with any subject, wheter it is paranormal or not, and pretty much the same with the praranormal subject of Vampires, and vampirism. The belief(any) will be supported in ones mind as rationalisation of reality as long it suits the inner reflection of a certain individual.

I suppose it depends on the individual. Personally I have seen too much to not believe in paranormal activities and occurances.

As with myself Nocturnal...Living in one of the oldest cities for paranormal activities of all kinds, one does have boundaries regarding what is paranormal and what is abnormal.

Listen to what Felix said... belief is just that - without hard evidence, there is what people feel passionately about, they believe in something and it works for and with them. Like faith.. all personal faith, belief, views..that is what people have.

Belief is ones own choice. We in america have the right to do so. I believe in paranormal. Everyone is different. Some people aren't openminded!

Most of the people I know that believe in vampires also believe in other things. I have never meet anyone that only believed in vampires

The question is "why is it that people believe?" I hope individuals don’t accept things to be true because they can or because of free will……there’s absolutely no substance in that not to mention it’s a scary thought. Beliefs are influenced directly and indirectly by everything around us we don’t consciously decide “Hmm I’m gonna believe in this because I can…”……….So why would a person believe in vampires when there is really no hard evidence to substantiate their existence as opposed to paranormal experiences that people actually have?

I think that people wish for the eternal life that the movies ascotiate with the Vampires, also it's the romantic part of it all to I think.

It's true that desire can help shape a belief or even soften one's scepticism but I still hold that belief isn't a choice and any true faith in either spiritual or paranormal events is by how we were raised, what we have seen ourselves, and possibly (and at worst) reinforced indoctrination.

I think vampires and werewolves and such are the supernatural and ghosts and spirits and such are paranormal. And i know of both. It depends on the person, age, and what they have experienced

Many persons are clouded by the "hollywood" fictional representations of the paranormal. Vampires for instance, I myself am mortal, I bleed, I feel emotions, pain etc, Love garlic, swimming is something I am great at and I take to the water like a freaking fish, I enjoy lounging on a long Alaskan summer day in the sun listening to the voices around me from the earth. If in a group of people I will become supper ubber hyper whilst they become tired and drained. I take in blood for the satisfaction not for the sustainability of life. However, Hollywood would like you to beleive that all of those mentioned things will kill said vampy or would not be them. I have had interactions/encounters with ghosts, demons, angels, etc and am a firm beleiver in such things as Sasquatch, Nessy, aliens, merrpeople, and so forth have I ever personaly encountered them... no... well except I beleive I saw something that could have been an alien... however irreilvant... Back to the point I was making... Though I have not experienced them, it is foolish to think that they can not exist as to that there is no evidence that the DONT exist.

good question. now there are ghosts for sure. that im sure of. now as for vampires arent they made up? has anyone seen a real vampire. i mean seriouly vampires?

the reason ppl are in love with vampires is because of the background history that they share

In all honesty I think I would believe in other paranormal things before I believed in Vampires.

I find it easier to believe in paranormal things such as spirits and ghosts than to believe actual blood sucking vampires exsist. Or that a man will turn into a wolf during a full moon. Some things are just pure fiction, with maybe, just maybe a smidgen of truth.

People will always believe what they want to believe. Whether it is Ghosts, Vampires, Fairey Folk, ect. People will choose to believe what they find the most attractive and have desire to be like, and even that which they are afraid of. There is no explaination as to any real differance between why this, that, or the other. Just personal preferance.

I beg to differ ... of course there is an explanation, grant it, explanations will all differ in relation to individuals. Personal preference are influenced by something hence the question "why is it?"

We are all different, thanks the gods*grins* We all have different belief systems, we have some stuff our folks believed in or taught us that stays with us. It depends on a lot of things, some religons don't believe in spirts etc, but do believe in other things.

Probably because they're ensnared in the ideas of immortality and the beauty which is portrayed by vampirism.

mimiminx

That is what I ment. There is no explaination beyond that of personal preferance. I can not explaine why you believe one thing exsists and another does not. Not without knowing your persoanl preferances behind your decision. Just as you can not with me. There is no "One" explaination that encompasses everybody beyond that. There are just too many different factors in the lives of everybody to lump an answer to encompass it all. Family, religion, social acceptance, ect ect ect. Just personal preferance. Plain and simple.

OniKumo:

Sincere apologies if you feel I misinterpreted your post, but you have no reason to explain my answer to the question. My initial post is stated clearly further up the thread and it highlights why I think people believe in one and not the other…

The question that was originally asked was “Why is that people believe in vampire's or that vampire's exist but have a hard time believing in other paranormal matter?”

Don’t you think the question is kinda asking what those preferences are? To state ‘personal preferences, plain and simple’ is kind of a cop out, that doesn’t really incite much discussion or debate and defeats the purpose of the thread.

it is all about the way in which you were rased I believe...

I understand that spirit are in this world ghost if you like...I can sense then at times...

also there are many other things that can be heardand not seen...which in no way makes them less then real dont you think?...

i would think that their mind may be open to some stuff but not open enough tho it is weird to believe in one and not the other .

it all depends on the perception of others and how their brain works, I kind of read alot of things dealing w/ psychology and the brain, and what my studies have revealed is that it is all based on that persons experinces not everyone has experinced the one event the same way because of a chain of experineces they have had before that point. it is a bit of a mind job i know... hope this helps!

I believe in the paranormal. But this is only because I experienced it myself first hand. I think I would be skeptical but have an open mind on the subject if I haven't had the experience. I am the same with vampires, werewolves, fairies etc.

I think a lot of different things factor into adulthood beliefs and what you were maybe taught growing up has a big influence on what you allow yourself to believe now. How compelling your evidence may be to investigate further your recent experiences or open your mind more may also be factors in what your current beliefs are.

I really like your question. People tend to believe in something which is hard to believe to others yet they are unable to keep an open mind in other areas of the unexplained. Over time things are changing but I believe it will be ages before we can open our minds to everything.

I think it is all because people don't believe unless they experience it for themselves.

LadyxOphelia I think you could be speaking on behalf of many people :) Personally speaking, I could be classed as a “Doubting Thomas” because I like to experience things first hand if I’m going to invest any real belief in it. This is not to say that I never exercise absolute belief, I’m just more selective in relation to subject matter.

WarlordfromPompeii you raise a fair point. It’s amusing how individuals can often believe whole heartedly in areas deemed irrational or unfounded, suggesting and exhibiting a non-interventionist approach, yet appear less tolerant in areas of a more explicit nature.

I believe in paranormal matter. I have the
paranormal in my home, a officer on duty was killed in my home, . He was in a wheel chair for awhile and died with a gun shot wond, . His boots were left and handcuffs I do not dare to move them from the spot they are in, . Every once in a while he warns me of something he will stamp on the floor and it is annoying but he lets me know what is up and if he dont like something im doing. i have alot of appreation in my home also and orbs, there is a cemetary across the street from me

We get to pick and choose what we believe in or what our threshold of proof is required for our beliefs. I personally think that we should question everything and anything whether it is the belief in vampires, UFOs, God(s)...

Skepticism isn't saying that the paranormal doesn't exist; it only allows us to discern the hoaxes from the valid occurrences.

Yes it is a difference in opinion but it is also the fact that alot of people feel that proof is mandantory.

Believing in something wether or not everyone else does is not a requirement of humanity. Some one posted that Paranormal is "outside" normality.

I think that most people who believe in spirits/demons/ghosts..were 'in general' brought up in religious households.
I know that may sound crazy.. but in MY experience people who do not believe in "paranormal" are or claim to be athiest or anti-religious.
This is just from my own experience.

well, i come from a more Empirical view which allows me to believe what i see, or experience first-hand...and i have experienced Vampires 1st hand so it is easy for me to believe.

i think the saturation of Vampires in modern Pop Culture romanticizes the concept of the Vampire and makes it easier to accept for the general populace.

I don't believe in the Hollyweird vamp, but I believe there are vamps and other paranormal things. The universe is way to big for us to be the only ones out there.

yes, but when i read your reply, it is almost like you are discussing aliens (paranormal) and such like this. i would hardly say that a Vampire is from another plane or planet.

That's true. Paranormal (aliens or spirit) Could be from other plane or planet. Vamps wouldn't be. They could be though. Who really knows.

I don't know that many people believe the fictional type of vampire exists in real life.

There are people that call themselves vampires due to the lifestyle that they live, groups that they belong to or certain actions they take and beliefs they hold.

Those people definately exist. It doesn't really require a belief in paranormal to understand that those people exist.

i'm a true believer of both but mostly ghost seen and felt a few

I think it all depends on ones experience, have they seen anything supernatural for instance, heard, felt? How much research have they done? Which theories do they choose to believe in? Everyone sees things differently, there is no wrong or right answer.

I've noticed that too. You would think that they would be more open to the idea of other supernatural and paranormal entities

Good question ... guess cause its something material that they can touch were as something like a spirit or fairy whatever is considered fictional even though if one reads in books from around the world every society has similar stories of such creatures.

indeed...

I have said before that if you can see and feel it then you can know it is real...

doesnt mean that it is not reall because you cant see or hear it...

and yes is a very good question...

KillYouSlowly - That's not what the question is asking, though.

Anywho, mistressmoonlight, very well put. ;]

because people are afraid of the unknown and mostly believers are the ones that have had some sort of experience so the become believers

I think most often in this area it is a matter of what one has been exposed to and perhaps the beliefs passed along from family members such as parents. This is not true in all cases of course. A personal experience is often what turns the tide and if one has not been exposed to the paranormal then it moves to the realm of faith. You either believe it or you don't. As for vampires I think it is the expectations that are too varied that make it hard for people to believe they exist because there are stereotypes in play with the idea of what a vampire might be which are taken from books, movies and the like. They are engrained in the psyche that this is what a vampire should be and everyone would like to meet the Vampire Lestat or other type of "immortal" vampire because they have that seductive evil/romantic aesthetic. Anything else is hard to believe because we see the world in a very black and white way and unfortunately vampyrics fit into the gray.

I believe that there are vampires, my reason is because there are way to many unexplained things ( animal, creatures) out in the world. People believe that there is a god, you never see him so is he real?? or not?? its what ever you decide is real or not.

Thank-you.. I understand a little more and I can agree with some of you. Thank-you for your time.