How many times have you watched a show about ghost hunting and heard the investigator announce to the spirit “if you make a noise, we will leave.”Despite the promise just made, once a noise is made the investigator does not leave. The spirit did what the investigator asked for, but they want more. “If you make one more noise to confirm it is you, I promise I will leave.” The noise happens again, and big surprise, they ask for something else. I have seen this happen more times than I can count.  It becomes a question of who is actually being haunted; the spirits, or the living.

The basic foundation of my ethical point of view for ghost hunting is to not treat ghosts like a puppet whom the living can try to manipulate. Ghosts were humans on this earth at once point in time. They deserve to be treated with respect. If we do not follow up on our promise to leave, they are not going to respond at all to us. After all, why should they? They are not benefiting from the empty promises. If anything, the only thing they earn is frustration.

As if making empty promises is bad enough, I become appalled when I see a researcher start provoking the spirit after promising multiple times to leave. When dealing with a spirit, whom cannot be seen with the naked eye, how can an investigator think it is a smart idea to taunt them? Did they forget that spirits can throw objects, or scratch them? What I find to be the cherry on top of the paranormal sundae, is when the researcher receives a scratch, they become angry at the spirit.

Are they honestly surprised? They can only stretch a rubber band so far before it snaps them square in the face.  As far as I am concerned, being scratched is instant karma for the false promises and taunting. My belief is if a promise is made to leave after receiving a response and the spirit responds, say “thank you. If you would like me to stay, please make another noise. If not, I will leave as promised. I may return another time, but for now I will leave.” Building a foundation of trust with the spirit may produce more evidence in the future.

If you agree with my point of view, please forward this article to fellow paranormal enthusiasts, and help me to stop the madness!