A hospital in England is being investigated by a chaplain because people think it’s haunted:
Staff at Derby City General hospital, where a £334m building project is ongoing, have reportedly seen a mysterious apparition in the building.
Managers said they took information from staff seriously and were working with the chaplaincy to ease fears.
But they denied any suggestion that an exorcism or similar ceremony was being planned for the hospital.
The Reverend Canon Elaine Jones, an advisor to the bishop of Derby on the paranormal, said she had been asked to visit and investigate the claims.
And over here on this side of the pond, the ACLU has sued a school district in Oklahoma over it’s harassment of teenage girl they’ve branded as a witch:
In a case reminiscent of the Salem Witch trials, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma today filed a federal lawsuit charging that school officials violated 15-year-old Brandi Blackbear’s rights when they accused her of casting a hex that resulted in a teacher’s illness.
“These outlandish accusations have made Brandi Blackbear’s life at school unbearable,” said Joann Bell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Oklahoma. “I for one would like to see the so-called evidence this school has that a 15-year-old girl made a grown man sick by casting a magic spell.”
While the ACLU has defended students’ religious beliefs in Wicca and other minority religions, Bell said the Oklahoma lawsuit is believed to be the first in the country involving actual accusations of witchcraft.
Again, what century are we living in?
5 Responses to What century do we live in again?
Personal Failure January 30, 2009
my hubby likes to say that religion and superstition are on their way out. i don’t think he can argue that anymore.
rgz January 30, 2009
Religion and superstition have always been around, the Internet only makes it more obvious, but 50 years ago news papers wouldn’t dare to touch such ridiculous stories out of respect, that to me means that religion is losing its protective shell, if we keep on raising awareness religion can be pushed to minority status, consider that while most americans are christians most of them make up their own brand of christianity, lots of these guy won’t be able/willing to indoctrinate their children, I can see organized religion falling into minorities in the next 70 years. Superstition itself however, will be around for a little longer.
Angie January 31, 2009
Re: the hospital in England: not all news reporters are taking it as seriously as the BBC:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jan/30/hospital-ghost-derby
Karen January 31, 2009
Hah. Love the photo of the ‘similar’ ghost in the Guardian’s article.
Johnny February 4, 2009
Didn’t the Pope announce he was planning to update the Vatican’s current rules on investigating apparitions? The conspiracy theorist in me might jump to the conclusion that the Vatican might stage an apparition to lend credibility to the team of psychologists, theologians, priests and exorcists they employee especially to investigate such claims.