Page 21 - July - August 2019 - v3_june_july_2009_Neat

Monsters, Ghosts and Gods 21

Monsters, Ghosts and in the Review of Religious Research, shows that promotional coverage of the paranormal, both
those who go to church "are much less likely to on the Internet and TV, perpetuate myths and
Gods: Why We Believe consult horoscopes, visit psychics, purchase folklore as well or better than any ancient

New Age items," and so on, Mencken said. storyteller. Fiction and belief masquerade as fact
"However, among those Christians who do not and news, feeding the 24/7 appetite of the easily
Continued from Page 20 attend church, there is a much higher level of swayed.
participation in these phenomena." Scientists are left with an impossible
task: proving something does not exist. You can
"I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin Educated to believe prove a rock is there. You can't prove that
that was offensive to God, and they are — were Bigfoot or a ghost or the god of thunder is not
recipients of the judgment of God for that," Profiling the typical Bigfoot believer turns out to there. Bigfoot paraphernalia purveyors and
Hagee said at the time, reiterating the belief in be as challenging as determining the scientific cash-cow psychics know this well.
2006. methodology of a psychic, however. "Many paranormalists claim that their
That might lead one to assume religion "Perhaps amazingly, [paranormal powers only work sometimes, or that they don't
and paranormal beliefs are intertwined. beliefs] are not related at all to education," Stark work if there is a 'non-believer' in the room,"
But in a 2004 survey, at the researchers said. "Ph.D.s are as likely as high school Cronk points out.
at Baylor found just the opposite. dropouts to believe in Bigfoot, Loch Ness Or, in the case of the unsupportive DNA
"Paranormal beliefs are very strongly Monster, ghosts, etc." testing on Bigfoot last week, the top proponent,
negatively related to religious belief," study The 2006 study of college students, done Tom Biscardi (who recently produced a film
team member Rod Stark said this week. by Bryan Farha at Oklahoma City University about Bigfoot and might be said to have an
Another study, of 391 U.S. college and Gary Steward Jr. of the University of interest in garnering press coverage), simply
students done in 2000, found that participants Central Oklahoma, reached a similar dodged the mythbusting bullet by claiming the
who did not believe in Protestant doctrine were conclusion. Belief in the paranormal — from DNA samples might have been contaminated.
most likely to believe in reincarnation, contact astrology to communicating with the dead — Money motivates even the law to look
with the dead, UFOs, telepathy, prophecy, increases during college, rising from 23 percent the other way.
psychokinesis, or healing. Believers were the among freshmen to 31 percent in seniors and 34 Regarding the chupacabra "sighting" last
least likely to buy into the paranormal. "This percent among graduate students. week in Cuero, Texas: "It's amazing," said
may partly reflect opinions of Christians in the Bader, the sociologist at Baylor, and his Zavesky, DeWitt County sheriff. "We still don't
samples who take biblical sanctions against colleagues teamed up with the Gallup know what it is."
many 'paranormal' activities seriously," the organization to conduct a national survey of Of course his county, specifically the
Wheaton College researchers wrote. 1,721 people in 2005 and found nearly 30 town of Cuero, has been dubbed the Chupacabra
Cronk, the psychologist, did a small percent think it is possible to influence the Capital of the World and benefits by monster
survey of 80 college students and found no physical world through the mind alone (another tourism.
connection between religiosity and paranormal 30 percent were undecided on that point). More So while a sheriff might well be
belief. than 20 percent figure it's possible to concerned if he thinks there's a goat-sucking,
But a 2002 study in Canada did find a communicate with the dead. Nearly 40 percent menace in town, Zavesky is in no hurry to catch
correlation between religious beliefs and believe in haunted houses. the beast and debunk the myth. "It has brought a
paranormal beliefs, Cronk notes. He figures that Asked if "creatures such as Bigfoot and lot of attention to us," he said. "We're not near
among other explanations, Canadians may not the Loch Ness Monster will one day be ready to put this one to bed yet."
have the same belief systems as U.S. residents. discovered by science," 18.8 percent agreed
"My guess is that religiosity has a lot to while 25.9 percent were undecided. About the Author:
do with how you were raised, and less to do with In a remote Himalayan village, on the Rob was a writer and editor at
genetics," Cronk said. "Those people who may other hand, belief in Bigfoot's cousin, the yeti, is Space.com starting in 1999. He served as
have a high genetic susceptibility to 'faith-based seen by some as a sign of ignorance. managing editor of Live Science at its launch in
knowledge' may end up being highly religious or The 2006 study of college students, done 2004. He is now Chief Content Officer
may end up having belief in the paranormal by Bryan Farha at Oklahoma City University overseeing media properties for the sites’ parent
depending on how they were raised. Those and Gary Steward Jr. of the University of company, Purch. Prior to joining the company,
people less susceptible to that method of Central Oklahoma, reached a similar Rob was an editor at The Star-Ledger in New
forming beliefs may still end up being highly conclusion. Belief in the paranormal — from Jersey, and in 1998 he was founder and editor of
religious if they were raised in a religious astrology to communicating with the dead — the science news website ExploreZone. He has a
family." increases during college, rising from 23 percent journalism degree from Humboldt State
among freshmen to 31 percent in seniors and 34 University in California. []
Religion vs. paranormal percent among graduate students.
Bader, the sociologist at Baylor, and his
Mencken, the Baylor sociologist, says sacrifice colleagues teamed up with the Gallup
and stigma (for holding ideas outside the group organization to conduct a national survey of
norm) keep the paranormal at bay among the 1,721 people in 2005 and found nearly 30
highly religious. He has two papers forthcoming percent think it is possible to influence the
that are based on a national survey of 1,700 physical world through the mind alone (another
people. 30 percent were undecided on that point). More
The first, to be published in the journal than 20 percent figure it's possible to
Sociology of Religion in 2009, reveals this: communicate with the dead. Nearly 40 percent
"Among Christians, those who attend believe in haunted houses.
church very often (and are exposed to stigma Asked if "creatures such as Bigfoot and
and sacrifice within their congregations) are the Loch Ness Monster will one day be
least likely to believe in the paranormal," discovered by science," 18.8 percent agreed
Mencken told LiveScience. "Conversely, those while 25.9 percent were undecided.
Christians who do not attend church very often In a remote Himalayan village, on the
(maybe once or twice a year) are the most likely other hand, belief in Bigfoot's cousin, the yeti, is
to hold paranormal beliefs." seen by some as a sign of ignorance.
A third group, which he calls naturalists,
do not hold supernatural views, Christian or Media madness
paranormal.
Another study to published in December Today's ubiquitous and often one-sided,