Scotoma: Don't Trust Your Eyes!!!

[Neo Deist]

A scotoma is a blind spot in the field of vision. It also refers to the following, in the psych world:

Psychological scotoma is the mind "seeing what it wants to see." In other words, if you truly believe in something such as ghosts (as an example) , you will see things that confirm your belief. Others that do not believe in ghosts, will never see them. Their minds do not interpret objects/colors as any type of paranormal activity.

The same can be said of religions; in particular religious texts. If you have been indoctrinated (brainwashed) into a particular religion, your mind will interpret those holy texts to support your beliefs. There can be conflicting texts that disprove an aspect of your religion, but you will not see it, accept it or even consider it, because it goes against what your eyes know to be "true." Young Earth Creationists are a classic example.

A textual example would be Luke chapter 23, verse 43, where Jesus spoke to a thief on the cross beside him. Many people see the verse as this:

Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.

The above version is justification for many Christians that they immediately go to heaven when they die. However, there is a problem. Koine Greek did not use punctuation, so in the KG there would not be a comma. The placement of the comma is a guess by biblical scholars. Those that believe in going to heaven immediately, will place it as located above. But there is another place that the comma can go:

Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.

In the second version, the comma placement has been moved and thus makes the statement future tense. This version actually supports Revelation chapter 20, where the dead are raised from the grave, judged and either sent to paradise on New Earth or destroyed in the Lake of Fire. What is interesting is that the Bible NEVER says that we go to heaven...just paradise. People interpret paradise to mean heaven, because that is a belief, despite the conflicting verses.

The point is that your mind, by way of visual perception and neurological distortion, will interpret things around you based on your beliefs or the lack thereof. You will "see what you want to see," which is a nice way of saying that your eyes will play tricks on you!

 

[Riverwolf]

Honestly, I think this is just a part of our cultural behavior. Religion isn't the only place in culture where this happens; it's just the easiest to pick on.

 

[Revoltingest]

A scotoma is a blind spot in the field of vision. It also refers to the following, in the psych world:

Psychological scotoma is the mind "seeing what it wants to see." In other words, if you truly believe in something such as ghosts (as an example) , you will see things that confirm your belief. Others that do not believe in ghosts, will never see them. Their minds do not interpret objects/colors as any type of paranormal activity.

The same can be said of religions; in particular religious texts. If you have been indoctrinated (brainwashed) into a particular religion, your mind will interpret those holy texts to support your beliefs. There can be conflicting texts that disprove an aspect of your religion, but you will not see it, accept it or even consider it, because it goes against what your eyes know to be "true." Young Earth Creationists are a classic example.

A textual example would be Luke chapter 23, verse 43, where Jesus spoke to a thief on the cross beside him. Many people see the verse as this:

Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.

The above version is justification for many Christians that they immediately go to heaven when they die. However, there is a problem. Koine Greek did not use punctuation, so in the KG there would not be a comma. The placement of the comma is a guess by biblical scholars. Those that believe in going to heaven immediately, will place it as located above. But there is another place that the comma can go:

Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.

In the second version, the comma placement has been moved and thus makes the statement future tense. This version actually supports Revelation chapter 20, where the dead are raised from the grave, judged and either sent to paradise on New Earth or destroyed in the Lake of Fire. What is interesting is that the Bible NEVER says that we go to heaven...just paradise. People interpret paradise to mean heaven, because that is a belief, despite the conflicting verses.

The point is that your mind, by way of visual perception and neurological distortion, will interpret things around you based on your beliefs or the lack thereof. You will "see what you want to see," which is a nice way of saying that your eyes will play tricks on you!

For a second, I thought this was going to be something bad about Scots.
Anyway, One may still see things which are there, but one doesn't want,
& not see things which one wants, but aren't there.
What we see will be a mix of reality & illusion.
With effort, one can shift the balance towards the former.

 

[George-ananda]

Others that do not believe in ghosts, will never see them.

I am a fan of ghost stories myself and I can guarantee that at least 101 times I have heard a testimony that started with....'I never believed in ghosts or those sorts of things until..<insert some story>'. So what you are saying seems to lend more support to the idea that ghosts are really something objective.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Honestly, I think this is just a part of our cultural behavior. Religion isn't the only place in culture where this happens; it's just the easiest to pick on.

Yup. In my biology class we had this blind spot demonstrated to us by having someone move a small sign in front our face until we couldn't see it, even though it was physically within our peripheral vision, but unseen because it was in the "blind spot." And in psychology there are things like confirmation bias and self-fulfilling prophecies. These things do not need religion, just the weirdness of humans (and probably other animals do the same thing I would imagine).

 

[Riverwolf]

Psychological scotoma is the mind "seeing what it wants to see." In other words, if you truly believe in something such as ghosts (as an example) , you will see things that confirm your belief. Others that do not believe in ghosts, will never see them. Their minds do not interpret objects/colors as any type of paranormal activity.

After I saw Paranormal Activity in theaters, for months, I was terrified I'd "see" a ghost, even though I knew that if I did, it would be a trick of my mind. That knowledge brought absolutely no comfort; merely the idea of seeing one, whether it was a trick of my brain or something actually there, was terrifying beyond belief.

Incidentally, I never actually "saw" one. The only times I've ever seen things that might be called ghosts (which, incidentally, have ALL been non-human animals; I remember a dolphin once and a bear another time) has been when I've been just on the cusp of sleep. These were also several years before the PA films were made, and they didn't scare me.

Basically, I think you're MASSIVELY oversimplifying things, here.

Yup. In my biology class we had this blind spot demonstrated to us by having someone move a small sign in front our face until we couldn't see it, even though it was physically within our peripheral vision, but unseen because it was in the "blind spot." And in psychology there are things like confirmation bias and self-fulfilling prophecies. These things do not need religion, just the weirdness of humans (and probably other animals do the same thing I would imagine).

Ritual behavior has been observed in other animals.

For myself, I have a few weak spots in this regard that have nothing to do with religion; I still hold B down when I throw Pokeballs even though I know it doesn't actually do anything. It still "feels" like it helps.

 

[Revoltingest]

I am a fan of ghost stories myself and I can guarantee that at least 101 times I have heard a testimony that started with....'I never believed in ghosts or those sorts of things until..<insert some story>'. So what you are saying seems to lend more support to the idea that ghosts are really something objective.

Or are they cases of people leaping to an explanation?
I'll be more accepting when ghosts can be experimented on in laboratories.
Is this legal?

 

[Neo Deist]

After I saw Paranormal Activity in theaters, for months, I was terrified I'd "see" a ghost, even though I knew that if I did, it would be a trick of my mind. That knowledge brought absolutely no comfort; merely the idea of seeing one, whether it was a trick of my brain or something actually there, was terrifying beyond belief.

Why would a figment of your imagination be terrifying? Too many people have been indoctrinated with Hollywood movies.

I do not believe in ghosts, but ***IF*** one confronted me (in that hypothetical scenario) I would have some fun with it...

Here, rattle these chains! Oh wait, you don't have real hands and can't lift anything.
Say boo or moan! Oh wait, you don't have vocal cords.
Hey, come watch me and my wife in bed! I'm sorry, you can't do the dirty deed anymore because you lack substance!
If I poked holes in your phantasmal energy of a body, would that make you a "holy ghost"?

 

[Riverwolf]

Why would a figment of your imagination be terrifying?

Ever play a horror game? And I mean an actual horror game, not one of those games that gets lumped under "horror" but is actually just an action game with zombies.

Too many people have been indoctrinated with Hollywood movies... It's not like a ghost has vocal cords and can say "Boo!"

I actually don't watch many movies, and most of the supposedly "horror" films that come out of Hollywood aren't scary at all. (And yes, that includes The Exorcist. That movie isn't even scary.) PA was an independent film. And, incidentally, you never actually see the ghost in that film, nor does it make any noise (though its presence is marked by a low-frequency rumble... it's REALLY effective at building suspense).

 

[Neo Deist]

Ever play a horror game? And I mean an actual horror game, not one of those games that gets lumped under "horror" but is actually just an action game with zombies.

Yes. I am 41 and have been gaming since 1980.

I actually don't watch many movies, and most of the supposedly "horror" films that come out of Hollywood aren't scary at all. (And yes, that includes The Exorcist. That movie isn't even scary.) PA was an independent film. And, incidentally, you never actually see the ghost in that film, nor does it make any noise (though its presence is marked by a low-frequency rumble... it's REALLY effective at building suspense).

Yes but, it is just a movie and was written by a person with an active imagination, that put it on film.

 

[Riverwolf]

Yes. I am 41 and have been gaming since 1980.

Ever play a horror game that you just... couldn't? It was so scary that every time you try to pick it up, you end up having to put it down only a few minutes in, before anything even really happens, just from fear alone? You try to pick it back up over and over again, but no matter what, you just can't overcome that anxiety, and keep putting it down a few minutes in? (And I do mean as an adult.)

Yes but, it is just a movie and was written by a person with an active imagination, that put it on film.

"Just a movie" doesn't exactly register during the viewing of said movie. And for someone like myself, even saying that isn't enough.

 

[Neo Deist]

Ever play a horror game that you just... couldn't? It was so scary that every time you try to pick it up, you end up having to put it down only a few minutes in, before anything even really happens, just from fear alone? You try to pick it back up over and over again, but no matter what, you just can't overcome that anxiety, and keep putting it down a few minutes in? (And I do mean as an adult.)

No because it is just a video game.

"Just a movie" doesn't exactly register during the viewing of said movie. And for someone like myself, even saying that isn't enough.

Ok...but it is just a movie.

 

[George-ananda]

Or are they cases of people leaping to an explanation?

Generally, they report what they experienced through their senses of vision, feeling/touch, hearing and smell.

I'll be more accepting when ghosts can be experimented on in laboratories.

The serious scientific researchers take their equipment to locations were anomalous experiences are being reported. That location then becomes their laboratory for the investigation.

 

[Revoltingest]

The serious scientific researchers take their equipment to locations were anomalous experiences are being reported. That location then becomes their laboratory for the investigation.

There better be lab coats & machines which go "Ping!".

 

[jeager106]

I saw a t-v series a few years back, Paranormal Activities perhaps.
It was quite convincing on t-v but exposed as a total FAKE.
Samo with that idiotic t-v series about video taping mermaids.
TOTAL FAKE.
http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/mermaids/
Actually had me going for a show or two.

 

[jeager106]

If I ever saw anything that I thought might be a ghost I'd quit drinking.
Oh! I DID quit drinking.
Well if I saw one I'd START drinking!
If anyone believes that ghost crap send me a p.m.
I have a real estate deal for ya.
It's cheap land in Florida only a couple feet under water.

 

[Revoltingest]

I saw a t-v series a few years back, Paranormal Activities perhaps.
It was quite convincing on t-v but exposed as a total FAKE.
Samo with that idiotic t-v series about video taping mermaids.
TOTAL FAKE.
http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/mermaids/
Actually had me going for a show or two.

It's amazing what will believe is real on TV.
- A lout I once knew was convinced that magic is real.
- Many people believe that bidders will pay a lot of money for contents of a self storage unit.

 

[jeager106]

It's amazing what will believe is real on TV.
- A lout I once knew was convinced that magic is real.
- Many people believe that bidders will pay a lot of money for contents of a self storage unit.

It IS amazing.
These people that bid on unknown contents of storage units are simply GAMBLING.
Many females pay large money to fortune tellers that say good things about them.
" You have an uncle Tom. " they might say.
It's a darned good bet most people have an uncle Tom somewhere.

 

[Revoltingest]

It IS amazing.
These people that bid on unknown contents of storage units are simply GAMBLING.
Many females pay large money to fortune tellers that say good things about them.
" You have an uncle Tom. " they might say.
It's a darned good bet most people have an uncle Tom somewhere.

In the real world, people won't pay much for even good stuff.
I gave up holding auctions because no one even came to the last one I held.

 

[Riverwolf]

No because it is just a video game.

Ok...but it is just a movie.

You may just have to accept that you cannot know what it's like to feel these things, because your brain isn't wired for it. (And be glad that you can't; trust me, you don't want to.) It doesn't matter that these things "aren't real", because in the given moment, the fear-response is activated, and the Fight/Flight/Freeze response kicks into high gear. (I know it's usually just fight or flight, but I actually tend to freeze, and I confirmed with my therapist that this is another third aspect of the same basic response.)

BTW, for the record, I'm 28. I'm not speaking as a scared little child or an emotionally unstable adolescent. For me, one of the horror games I just cannot play is Slender: The Eight Pages, and I know people my own age who simply refuse to play Five Nights at Freddie's.

In my experience, I've seen that some people are more logically-inclined, while others are more emotionally inclined (broadly speaking, of course). And in some cases of the latter, such as myself, certain emotions can get SO STRONG that they override all logical processes and can completely take over behavior. If you at least have any phobias, you should know how that feels.

Thank the Gods I don't suffer from visual or auditory hallucinations. I don't think I could live like that. (Again, those "ghosts" I "saw" of a bear and a dolphin were when I was just on the edge of sleep, and in any case were barely visible even though in the center of my vision; IOW, I was basically half-dreaming, so they don't count.) But that does bring up another problem, which brings this tangant back to the OP.

I once saw a quote (not sure who said it first) that said, "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." And I couldn't help but immediately think about people who do suffer visual and auditory hallucinations even while wide awake (and not under the influence). For such people, no longer believing in the things they're seeing/hearing doesn't make them go away. Therefore, by the quote's definition, these things are very much part of reality. And I can be pretty sure that in the majority of cases, they don't want to see these things. Yet by the OP's admission, this lack of desire should make it stop.

Now, to be clear, I don't think the broad premise of your argument is wrong. Rather, I think it needs a bit of tweaking to account for these things. Even when I believed in ghosts, I never saw them. I really really really REALLY want bigfoot to be real; never saw him. I actually do believe in the Gods' existence; outside of dreams which don't count, I've never seen them. However, I do have a tendency to interpret (that is, metaphorically "see") things in the world as "signs" from the Gods. Being Heathen, that of course means I tend to "see" a lot of meaning whenever Crows are involved (since Crows are so closely related to Ravens... which don't really fly around here to my knowledge.) Now, I'm well aware that these meanings are not inherent to the events themselves, but frankly I don't care. Even at the bare minimum, seeing these "meanings" offers great inspirations for stories, music, artwork in general... or even just ideas to meditate on.

So, I'm not so sure belief is really the key point. I think a combination of "emotional expectation" and "confirmation bias" are more at play, here. Even though I didn't really believe any real ghosts were around after seeing PA, I did emotionally expect to see one, and had I not spent most of those months waiting that fear out (which thank the Gods it did), confirmation bias might have caused me to "see" a ghost out of something mundane in the dark, even if it were just the dogs' glowing eyes.