FARMINGTON — Reactions to a recent paranormal investigation in local cemeteries has caused town officials to request that members of Central Maine Paranormal Investigators not return for a second time Saturday.
Town Manager Richard Davis, who had originally granted approval for group members to walk the cemetery, said he has received some complaints from residents about the appropriateness of the activity after stories of the investigation ran in local papers.
"I felt I needed to listen to these folks too and asked the group not to return," he said Tuesday. The group had planned a second investigation on Saturday, Sept. 4.
"We're really disappointed as we had such good results and a lot of positive feedback, but we understand the town manager's position," Stacey Farrington, director of the Central Maine Paranormal Investigators said Tuesday. "We got a lot of phone calls even from family members with people buried there who were asking if we found anything to let them know. Now they are people we won't be able to help."
After speaking with Davis, she said the group realized it wasn't so much about the group itself but some who felt activity in the cemetery was inappropriate.
"We understand that he has to take into consideration other people's feelings," she said.
The group has not had this response to performing investigations in other cemeteries.
"We're sorry that people feel that way but it's only done for research and education purposes," she added.
Report a correction
That's too bad.. I was
That's too bad.. I was hoping to speak to Stacey & maybe go on one of her Ghost Hunts.. It is something that has always fascinated me, and I would be quite interested..
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Tony in Wilton I'm so glad
Tony in Wilton
I'm so glad everything is going so well in Farmington that people have nothing to do but try to exercise control over their neighbors' activities. Oh wait, that's what the "new right" does, isn't it.
Freedom for me, but not for thee.
Oh well.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I don't feel that it is
I don't feel that it is disrespectful to go into a cemetary and research if there are spirits around who wants to communicate with someone. My grandson died 2 years ago and I like to hear from him. There are times that I go to where he is buried and just sit and talk and I know he can hear me. Some times there are words of encouragement that people need to hear from their love ones. If there is a message from a spirit the researchers try their hardest to relay it to the person that it is meant for. Personally, I don't do the investigations but I do hear the material that is gathered and it is amazing what they pick up on cameras and recorders. These people are not disrespectful in any way. They watch where they walk and what is said in the cemertaries. They treat the property the way they would if it was their relatives there. Please keep an open mind about the research and the researchers. You never know maybe there is a message for you waiting out there. I am the wife of the co-director of CMPI and I know that the researchers put their hearts and soles in what they do and believe.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.This is exactly the same
This is exactly the same kind of overreaction to complaints that motivated the same town manager, last June, to ban "political activity" on town property--only that time he got enough stiff notices from respected organizations, to the effect that he was infringing on Constitutional rights, that he withdrew the ban and apologized. It seems this guy just can't resist showing off his power.
People doing psychic research in cemeteries are not doing any harm. Their beliefs about what happens to the human spirit after the death of the body are different from mine, and perhaps different from those of other people in this discussion--but this is a subject on which honest people can differ without being at all disrespectful to anyone.
I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. I do not believe there are such things as ghosts. But the idea of ghosts has always fascinated people, and it makes good material for stories. I wrote a ghost story myself once. If I believed in ghosts, and I thought there was a ghost in a nearby cemetery who wanted to talk to me, I would go there and listen to it. Wouldn't that be the charitable thing to do?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I think it is disrespect for
I think it is disrespect for people to do these types of investigations, especially on graves that do not belong to them (meaning they are not family). Even if a cemetery is public property, people should respect the dead. In my opinion, any voices heard or ghosts seen must be evil spirits because all the good ones would be in heaven...so why mess with them. They probably love deceiving people.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Is it any more disrespectful
Is it any more disrespectful then scientific studies/lessons that use cadavers? And to say that the spirits must be "evil" neglects the idea that after death someone may be "lost" or have "unfinished business". Sad? Yes. But evil, no. Additionally, how is an attempt at contact disrespectful? How do you know those souls aren't sitting around being really bored and wishing they could enjoy good conversation?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I used to be big into EVP,
I used to be big into EVP, photos etc, but I can see how this can be disrespectful to some.
Having just burried my mom, if someone reported hearing a "help me" distress on the EVP recorder, I would be upset. I'm not ready to hear that type of information, especially when, as we know, that the exact persons resting place may not be their voice/or distress. It could be the civil war soldier that is in the unmarked grave in the back row.
We prefer to be treated respectfully in our beliefs or actions, as tough as it sounds, appreciate these other religions.
There is no exact time to do EVP's and photo's. You can recieve as much information in daylight then in dark. It just makes it "spookier". Please don't get me wrong, I love to see proof, evidence, photos, but sometimes its just hard for folks to take, they never get over that sharp pain of loss.
Blessings to you! Not only that, but there are enough places to "haunt" or hang out that you really don't need a cemetary! Try some of these old stage coach roads!
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Cemeteries are public
Cemeteries are public property, some are owned by private owner's, we do have to gain permission from the town or the owner to access a cemetery because in the state of Maine, it is illegal to be in a cemetery after dusk unless you have permission to be there.CMPI does not go anywhere that we dont have permission to go. So this is how they can barr us, is by not giving us permission, yes, it does seem unfair and does certainly feel like religious predjudice....And actually, a lot can be learned from these investigations...more then a lot of people realize....
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Thank you very much,
Thank you very much, Rinoblast... That is exactly why CMPI does what we do. I feel no need to to respond to the first comment, everyone is entitled to their opinoin even if it is an uneducated one...But I will say that CMPI is not a group of stupid people who disrespect the deceased or cemeteries....We are very disappointed in the town's descision but we did understand the town manager's postion and at least we can be open minded to how other's feel and not cram our opinions down other people's throat....
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Completely wacko and
Completely wacko and ridiculous. Nothing can be accomplished by these investigations.
But.
Cemeteries are usual town maintained, public property. How do you bar individuals from going there and doing perfectly legal things? If its private, bar any one you like.
My mother used to love to stop at a cemetery and read the head stones and wonder about the lives that they respesented. Should she have been barred.
Seems to me that religious prejudice is the root of the complaints. If it is, then the action of the town manager was wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Whackos
Whackos
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Well greatgramgrover, do you
Well greatgramgrover, do you need a hug this morning or something? These folks are far from "stupid" for one. Just because you think it's "hogwash and ridiculous" doesn't mean the rest of the world does. So much could be learned from what they are doing, and it's too bad this had to be stopped. Maybe if you did a little reading up on this "hogwash" you would understand it a little more. Now go take your nice pill this morning.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Well greatgramgrover, do you
Well greatgramgrover, do you need a hug this morning or something? These folks are far from "stupid" for one. Just because you think it's "hogwash and ridiculous" doesn't mean the rest of the world does. So much could be learned from what they are doing, and it's too bad this had to be stopped. Maybe if you did a little reading up on this "hogwash" you would understand it a little more. Now go take your nice pill this morning.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I feel that these action are
I feel that these action are very wrong and disrespectful to our deceased loved ones. I hope they will be barred from all cemeteries in this area and other areas near here. Do your ghost hunting somewhere else you are STUPID and it is a bunch of hogwash and ridiculous.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Could you please provide an
Could you please provide an example of how it's disrespectful? I would assume one's view of the dead would have a major impact on their opinion.
For me, once you die you become a bunch of worm food and really don't deserve worshiping. What I feel people like this paranormal group are trying to do quasi-scientific research to communicate with those who are no longer in this world, and could help us all understand something that is bigger than we are.
For your "hogwash and Ridiculous" I reply "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.