By Reverend
Mark Hunnemann
Perhaps no concept is so universally
assumed to be true in the paranormal community than that of a residual haunt. Along with intelligent haunt,
poltergeist, and demonic, the residual haunt is alleged to one of four forms of
haunting. However, there is a strong consensus amongst paranormal investigators
that the residual haunt is the most common type of haunt. In fact, for most,
the vast majority of paranormal activity is attributed to residual activity. For
this reason alone, the notion of residual haunt is of immense importance. One
is left to wonder why there is so little self-reflection within the paranormal
community regarding this topic—it is simply assumed to be true. My purpose here
is to show that it is a vacuous notion, with no basis in fact.
For the sake of those without prior
knowledge, a residual haunt is a paranormal hypothesis which states that
inanimate materials can absorb some form of energy from living beings, during
moments of high tension ( e.g. traumatic death). This stored energy can be released, resulting in a display
of the recorded activity. These “hauntings" are not intelligent but simply
non-interactive recordings similar to a movie or a tape recorder.
A moments communion with common
sense reveals the crucial role, for good or ill, that this omni-accepted belief
entails. It either
has tremendous explanatory power (85% of paranormal phenomena), or Satan has us
whipped. The stakes are high and Christians cannot afford to be wrong on this
one--too much is at stake.
This is a relatively complex issue,
so I have decided to break it down into manageable segments. In this section I want to focus on how
the concept of residual haunts is contradictory to science—in particular, how
it is contrary to the laws of thermodynamics. This will be an argument from
science and not explicitly from the bible—all truth is God’s truth.
This may surprise you because
oftentimes folks will appeal to the First Law of Thermodynamics (law of energy conservation)
in support of either intelligent ghosts or residual haunts. The argument goes like this: since
energy cannot be destroyed, then when people die, their energy has to go
somewhere. With what I consider several steps of logic missing in-between, the
conclusion is then made that this provides a scientific basis for intelligent
or trapped spirits. Regarding residual haunts, it is stated that the first law
(conservation) also can explain why these alleged non-intelligent haunts can morph
and move so remarkably—it is simply energy changing its form.
However, there are THREE Laws of
Thermodynamics, and the Second law is particularly overlooked in this
discussion.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics deals with entropy of energy. Energy
experiences entropy until thermal equilibrium has been reached. This law
explains why perpetual motion machines are impossible in the world God has
created. All scientific laws, like gravity, have been woven into the fabric of
His universe—ensuring that the cosmos coheres and works—and that it is
discoverable. But we digress…
To help explain how the second law
works, consider what would happen if you took a glass of water and put several
drops of red food coloring in it. Immediately, the red drops will begin to disperse—without
agitating or stirring the contents. This dispersion will continue until the red
food coloring has reached equilibrium—it has been evenly distributed throughout
the container. In the end, you have pink water all throughout the glass!
In like fashion, when energy has
been released from its container (bio-electric energy from human body), then it
will disperse until it has reached equilibrium in surrounding environment. Though the energy has not been
destroyed, it has been very significantly “watered-down”.Just as it would be
impossible for the food coloring to stay clustered in the center of the glass
(unless acted upon by an outside agent), so it would be impossible for released
energy to remain clustered somewhere in the environment.
It
is vital to note at this point, that the Laws of Thermodynamics are considered
by scientists to be absolute—there are no known exceptions. Though the Laws of Motion are, at
least theoretically, seen to be non-absolute, that is not the case with thermodynamics.
For example. The Second Law is considered to hold true across the board,
regardless of circumstances. This is important to keep in mind, especially if
one simply dismisses my argument by saying, “Well, the paranormal realm is full
of mystery and energy acts differently in that realm.” A thousand times no!
That line of “logic” is known as special pleading, and is logical fallacy.
Also, energy is energy. We quantify paranormal energy all the time—why question
an absolute law of science at this juncture?
Consider
this scenario: in my hometown there was a bloody battle during the War for
Independence.
It is also where I had my first paranormal experience; I saw a shadow figure
decked out in military garb of that era. Many consider battlefields to be the
classic example of perfect conditions for the creation of residual energy. How
did that happen?
The
violent fashion in which these men died is said to do two things: it violently
releases the bio-electric energy of these young men; and it creates “shock
waves” due the violence involved. All this emotionally charged energy is then absorbed into
the surrounding environment—in this case it would have been the soil beneath
their feet and the air around them (there is nothing else around to be absorbed
into).
For
arguments sake, suppose there is an explosion of emotionalized energy when the
guns go off. This release of energy “hits” the
soil (or the interior brick wall if you are in a building). Suppose further, it
even penetrates the soil or brick. The alleged result is a cluster of energy
that provides the basis for residual paranormal activity…a cluster of energy
that is sufficient enough to cause all manner of paranormal activity.
This
is where the residual theory slams head-first into an absolute law of science. ANY energy that was emitted by this
traumatic event MUST immediately begin to disperse until equilibrium has been
reached. This is entropy. Like the red drops and the glass of water, the
alleged released energy MUST be un-clustered and “watered down”. But unlike the
glass of water, the new container is the soil, air, or brick. Meaning that the
cluster of traumatic, emotionalized energy particles will experience massive
entropy or dispersion…losing any and all alleged ability to perform anything.
Let me say it another way, the explanation for residual haunts contradicts one
of the most absolute (no known exceptions unlike laws of motion) laws of
nature.
Without
the energy remaining clusterized indefinitely, then the whole foundation for
residual haunt collapses, and the entire superstructure with it.
Unless
there is an exterior force acting upon the released energy cluster created by
the violent deaths, then the clusters of energy will immediately experience
entropy. The same holds true of the walls of a penitentiary or asylum. The way
some folks talk you would think that inanimate matter (walls) has assumed human
characteristics. The walls do not “witness” anything because it is brick or
rock. Once again, no matter how much violent energy has been released within
those walls, in every case the alleged energy MUST have dispersed immediately.
It makes no difference if it is quartz
or whatever—energy may conduct better through some material, BUT IT CANNOT BE
STORED THERE FOR EVEN A SECOND.
Consider
the most powerful display of the release of energy in nature—lightning. When it hits an object, how long
does that object remain “energized”? How long does the energy remain clustered
in the tree? If lightning hits a tree, then a second after the strike this
massive amount of energy has virtually disappeared. Compare this with the
relatively tiny amount of energy allegedly released during a traumatic death.
If…if there is any release, it is gone IMMEDIATELY…the victim of entropy.
Remember,
energy is energy, and we need to stop anthropomorphizing it…giving it personal traits—even if
these personal traits are “non-intelligent” (that gave me a headache because it
is so absurd) Unless you create a different category of energy unknown to
science, then it must obey the law of entropy and quickly move out to
equilibrium.
I am not
going to drag this out. The only thing I would reiterate is that entropy of
released energy is immediate and quick…much quicker than the food coloring
analogy. Next week I examine other issues related to residuals. For now,
science…SCIENCE tells us that what I saw on the battlefield was not a residual
playback. (interesting that it took off when provoked biblically).
SCIENCE
TELLS US THAT THE FOUNDATION FOR THE THEORY OF RESIDUAL HAUNT IS CONTRADICTORY
TO AN ABSOLUTE LAW OF SCIENCE…ENERGY CANNOT REMAIN CLUSTERED—NO MATTER WHAT THE
SUBSTANCE OR CIRCUMSTANCES. PERIOD.
