Pagan Pride

This September the RIT skeptics visited the local Pagan Pride festival. We thought that it might make a good group activity because there is an association between some Pagan groups and New Age beliefs, which we have and interest in examining scientifically.

We scheduled ours to arrive in time for the "Ghost Hunting 101" seminar. When we got there and made our mandatory canned food donation, we heard about some Christian protesters who causing trouble. We decided to go watch. On the way we encountered a druid in a bright green tunic, with a red beard. "Why are they preaching hate?" He inquired of us. We did not have a satisfactory answer.

It turned out just to be two Christians, yelling incoherently from the parking lot, blocked off by about seven security personnel who joined hands to pray, or cast a spell, or something.

After a while we went back to the main concourse of the festival to go the the ghost hunting seminar. I'm familiar with many of the local paranormal groups and this was a new one. Most of the information presented was fairly standard "ghost hunter" drivel.

Two things were especially striking, though. First was the emphasis on the laws regarding trespassing. Apparently the increase in the popularity of that hobby has led to some recurring legal trouble that requires warning against. The seconds was when the presented showed us a series of photographs with "anomalies" in them and then proceeded to debunk them by giving a perfectly reasonable naturalistic explanation for each. Then he took out one that he claimed was unexplainable and therefore a ghost photo. Hello argumentum ad ignorantum.

We stay a while to look at the booths that were there, selling things like wands, robes, animal skulls, swords, and incense burns. We watched some belly dancers, and some mind readers. Unfortunately we did have time to have our own fortunes told, since that would be a good way to learn about cold reading first hand.

Overall, a good time.