ASSAP 35th Anniversary Conference - Seriously Strange
Saturday, 10 September 2016 at 9:30am - Sunday, 11 September 2016 at 17:30pm (GMT)
The Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP) is a United Kingdom based education and research charity whose stated mission it is to apparently investigate, scientifically, paranormal and anomalous phenomena. Investigating the paranormal scientifically is an oxymoron because once phenomena becomes scientifically verifiable it discounts the paranormal, as genuine paranormal phenomena defies all known science and cannot be measured or quantified. If it can be, it is preternatural; in other words, not supernatural. It is natural, but not yet understood.
The recorded purpose of the ASSAP is "to obtain, store, process, and disseminate information concerning areas of human experience and observed phenomena for which no generally acceptable explanation is as yet forthcoming; to encourage and aid investigation and research into these phenomena by investigative groups; and to provide a multidisciplinary forum for the exchange of views and information concerning these phenomena." However, despite its clear interest in the Highgate Vampire case, the ASSAP in all its years (it was founded in 1981) has never once approached the author of The Highgate Vampire who personally investigated the case from start to finish. Instead, it has, both in the past and now, approached David Farrant to talk about the case.
SPEAKERS (during the forthcoming annual conference in September 2016) include the following:
Rev Peter Law [sic], Dr Hannah Gilbert, Dr Terry Palmer, Steve Parsons, Ann
Winsper, David Saunder [sic], Anthony Peake, Jayne Harris, Malcolm Robinson,
David Farrent [sic], John Fraser, Alan Murdie, Dr Leo Ruickbie, Lara
Wells, Deborah Hyde, Trystan [Lewis] Swale, Richard Freeman.
Peter Laws is described on the internet as a "Baptist minister currently on Leave of Absence and working as a freelance writer and speaker." This is what he says about himself: "I am an ordained Reverend in the UK, but I’ve been a horror fan way longer than I’ve been a Christian. I write a horror column in Fortean Times magazine and run my own site called The Flicks The Church Forgot. My love of horror gene kicked in pretty young." An ordained minister in the Baptist Church? Unlike the Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches, Baptists believe ordination does not endow a person with any special powers or authority. Baptists use the word ordinance, rather than sacrament because of certain sacerdotal ideas connected, in their view, with the word sacrament. Their only real sacrament is baptism whereas Catholicism and other mainstream episcopal churches have seven. When asked if he believes, as all Christians must, in the phenomenon of demonic possession, Laws fudges it with responses such as this: "We should always be aware of the socio-cognitive element of possession. Social Cognitive Theory says that we learn how to think and behave by observing the actions and patterns of others ... I mean I know people who think I’m possessed because I’m a Christian who loves Halloween and horror! So I’m very cautious about pointing the demonic finger." He balances this with the following equivocation: "Now God might not exist of course and this world might be purely rational, natural. But I suspect that God may well exist and therefore that opens the door to his counterpoint, the devil." He, finally, ends his interview on the Love Horror website with these words: "Whether or not there’s any supernatural power at work is up to you to decide. I like to keep an open mind…which I find makes life quite interesting. And horror movies, a little more thrilling."
Dr Hannah Gilbert researches people's experiences and runs workshops. She says about herself: "My doctoral thesis took a sociological approach to the study of British spirit mediumship. Using observational studies of mediumship demonstrations, semi-structured one-on-one interviews with practising mediums, and a selection of medium autobiographies, I examined some of the ways in which mediums represent their spirit contacts for audiences, how they reflect upon their experiences of spirit, and how they represent and reflect upon their identity as practising spirit mediums."
Dr Hannah Gilbert researches people's experiences and runs workshops. She says about herself: "My doctoral thesis took a sociological approach to the study of British spirit mediumship. Using observational studies of mediumship demonstrations, semi-structured one-on-one interviews with practising mediums, and a selection of medium autobiographies, I examined some of the ways in which mediums represent their spirit contacts for audiences, how they reflect upon their experiences of spirit, and how they represent and reflect upon their identity as practising spirit mediums."
Dr Terry Palmer teaches self-hypnosis and writes of himself: "I studied psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University, and with a certificate in hypnotherapy from the Proudfoot School of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy I embarked upon a career as a hypnotherapist and clinical researcher."
Steve Parsons has "hunted for ghosts since childhood and has been a full time investigator for more than twenty years." He is described as having been "involved in many areas of psychical research and has developed and pioneered many new methods of investigating ghosts and haunting phenomena and he remains at the forefront of true scientific ghost hunting." "Scientific" again.
Ann Winsper (above) co-founded "Para-Science" who stress they do not conduct exorcisms, wears a "Ghost Buster" T-shirt, but said in an interview in the Liverpool Echo: "I firmly believe people believe they see and hear things. But do I think ghosts are dead people coming back to try to talk to us? No. Why would they?" Indeed, why would anyone investigate something they do not believe exists?
David Saunders specialises in Neuropsychology and Parapsychology, and has received research grants form the Society for Psychical Research's Survival Research Committee for his research into dreams of the deceased. His talk will probably consider what "potential evidence can be provided from dreams to support the notion of the survival of human personality beyond bodily death."
Anthony Peake, having lived in many parts of the United Kingdom, has returned to his roots on The Wirral where he continues to explore "borderline areas of human consciousness," and in his spare time worries about the decline of his beloved football team, Tranmere Rovers. Some of his writings borrow from Gnostic terminology, ie that all human beings consist of two centres of consciousness.
Jayne Harris is apparently going to discuss "talking dolls"; so on and so forth, until we come to the case of the Highgate Vampire with the bizarre inclusion of David Farrant and Trystan Lewis Swale.
Steve Parsons has "hunted for ghosts since childhood and has been a full time investigator for more than twenty years." He is described as having been "involved in many areas of psychical research and has developed and pioneered many new methods of investigating ghosts and haunting phenomena and he remains at the forefront of true scientific ghost hunting." "Scientific" again.
Ann Winsper (above) co-founded "Para-Science" who stress they do not conduct exorcisms, wears a "Ghost Buster" T-shirt, but said in an interview in the Liverpool Echo: "I firmly believe people believe they see and hear things. But do I think ghosts are dead people coming back to try to talk to us? No. Why would they?" Indeed, why would anyone investigate something they do not believe exists?
David Saunders specialises in Neuropsychology and Parapsychology, and has received research grants form the Society for Psychical Research's Survival Research Committee for his research into dreams of the deceased. His talk will probably consider what "potential evidence can be provided from dreams to support the notion of the survival of human personality beyond bodily death."
Anthony Peake, having lived in many parts of the United Kingdom, has returned to his roots on The Wirral where he continues to explore "borderline areas of human consciousness," and in his spare time worries about the decline of his beloved football team, Tranmere Rovers. Some of his writings borrow from Gnostic terminology, ie that all human beings consist of two centres of consciousness.
Jayne Harris is apparently going to discuss "talking dolls"; so on and so forth, until we come to the case of the Highgate Vampire with the bizarre inclusion of David Farrant and Trystan Lewis Swale.
"We've been reliably informed that both David Farrant (psychic
investigator) and Trystan Lewis Swale (folklorist and sceptic) will be
covering the Highgate Vampire saga in their respective talks. Messrs
Farrant and Swale (not surprisingly perhaps given their particular
professions), take opposing positions as to the precise origin(s) of the
alleged supernatural phenomena that occurred at Highgate Cemetery
(West) during the late sixties/early seventies." - Redmond McWilliams
(28 July 2016)
Neither were involved in the case (Swale was not born at the time) and neither believe in the existence of vampires in any shape or form. Swale has sympathetically interviewed Farrant for his podcasts in the past when fellow sceptic Hayley Stevens was still involved. Swale has since fallen out with Stevens and just about everyone else outside of his unholy trinity of Anthony Hogg, Erin Chapman and, of course, himself. He has attacked many he was previously very amicable towards, eg Angie Mary Watkins, Barbara Green, Redmond McWilliams and David Farrant etc. He has that much in common with Farrant (who banned Swale from attending his farcical symposium last year). Farrant has also fallen out with innumerable people he once regarded as his friends and supporters.
The only opposing position that these two could possibly hold is Swale debunking anything and everything vaguely supernatural with Farrant sticking to his fraudulent "ghost story," which, if truth be told, David Farrant does not remotely believe in, as confirmed by all who knew him at the time.
Neither were involved in the case (Swale was not born at the time) and neither believe in the existence of vampires in any shape or form. Swale has sympathetically interviewed Farrant for his podcasts in the past when fellow sceptic Hayley Stevens was still involved. Swale has since fallen out with Stevens and just about everyone else outside of his unholy trinity of Anthony Hogg, Erin Chapman and, of course, himself. He has attacked many he was previously very amicable towards, eg Angie Mary Watkins, Barbara Green, Redmond McWilliams and David Farrant etc. He has that much in common with Farrant (who banned Swale from attending his farcical symposium last year). Farrant has also fallen out with innumerable people he once regarded as his friends and supporters.
The only opposing position that these two could possibly hold is Swale debunking anything and everything vaguely supernatural with Farrant sticking to his fraudulent "ghost story," which, if truth be told, David Farrant does not remotely believe in, as confirmed by all who knew him at the time.
Addendum:
"Why would anyone investigate something they do not believe exists?" - FoBSM.
ReplyDelete"Perhaps to ably demonstrate why some things that others believe to exist, do not actually exist - be it vampires, cryptids or ghosts? And to offer alternative, entirely natural explanations for such perceived 'supernatural' phenomena?" - Redmond McWilliams (Facebook, 1 August 2016)
It still begs the question as to why Ann Winsper or anyone else would bother devoting so much of their life to attempting to explain away something they claim is not real in the first place? If such people genuinely believe the supernatural does not exist there is no point. Religious beliefs are steeped in the supernatural. Has anyone demonstrated that God and His angels do not exist? Surely it would be as meaningless an endeavour as trying to debunk any other aspect of the supernatural?
Unless, of course, these same sceptics have such nagging doubts gnawing at their materialistic mind and scientific approach that paranoia and fear has set in and they are troubled by it all.