Bigfoot Sighting Near Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society's Director Eric Altman has investigated a recent Bigfoot sighting near Pittsburgh. I write about the incident and the Society's initial investigation on my Examiner page: http://www.examiner.com/paranormal-in-pittsburgh/new-bigfoot-sighting-near-pittsburgh with photos.

Athenodorus, the Worlds First Paranormal Investigator

While delving into Greco-Roman religion for a course that finishes my Master of Divinity degree, I remembered back to an old article in Fortean Times by Professor Barry Baldwin. In the 12th in a series of articles for his byline called "Classics Corner" he references many incidences of ghosts in classic literature of the ancient world. Upon reading the original texts one story stood out, that of the Athenodorus and the ghost of Athens found in Pliny's "Letters". Athenodorus Cananites (c.74BC-7AD) was a Stoic philosopher and a teacher of Octavian (Ceasar Augustus). He also seems to be histories first recorded Paranormal Investigator!

Here the story of his encounter as recorded in Pliny the Younger's Letters, Book 7.

“There was at Athens a large and spacious, but ill‑reputed and pestilential house. In the dead of the night a noise, resembling the clashing of iron, was frequently heard, which, if you listened more attentively, sounded like the rattling of fetters; at first it seemed at a distance, but approached nearer by degrees; immediately afterward a phantom appeared in the form of an old man, extremely meagre and squalid, with a long beard and bristling hair; rattling the gyves on his feet and hands. The poor inhabitants consequently passed sleepless nights under the most dismal terrors imaginable. This, as it broke their rest, threw them into distempers, which, as their horrors of mind increased, proved in the end fatal to their lives. For even in the day time, though the spectre did not appear, yet the remembrance of it made such a strong impression on their imaginations that it still seemed before their eyes, and their terror remained when the cause of it was gone. By this means the house was at last deserted, as being judged by everybody to be absolutely uninhabitable; so that it was now entirely abandoned to the ghost. However, in hopes that some tenant might be found who was ignorant of this great calamity which attended it, a bill was put up, giving notice that it was either to be let or sold.

It happened that Athenodorus the philosopher came to Athens at this time, and reading the bill ascertained the price. The extraordinary cheapness raised his suspicion; nevertheless, when he heard the whole story, he was so far from being discouraged, that he was more strongly inclined to hire it, and, in short, actually did so. When it grew towards evening, he ordered a couch to be prepared for him in the fore‑part of the house, and after calling for a light, together with his pen and tablets, he directed all his people to retire within. But that his mind might not, for want of employment, be open to the vain terrors of imaginary noises and apparitions, he applied himself to writing with all his faculties. The first part of the night passed with usual silence, then began the clanking of iron fetters; however, he neither lifted up his eyes, nor laid down his pen, but closed his ears by concentrating his attention. The noise increased and advanced nearer, till it seemed at the door, and at last in the chamber. He looked round and saw the apparition exactly as it had been described to him: it stood before him, beckoning with the finger. Athenodorus made a sign with his hand that it should wait a little, and bent again to his writing, but the ghost rattling its chains over his head as he wrote, he looked round and saw it beckoning as before. Upon this he immediately took up his lamp and followed it. The ghost slowly stalked along, as if encumbered with its chains; and having turned into the courtyard of the house, suddenly vanished. Athenodorus being thus deserted, marked the spot with a handful of grass and leaves. The next day he went to the magistrates, and advised them to order that spot to be dug up. There they found bones commingled and intertwined with chains; for the body had mouldered away by long Iying in the ground, leaving them bare, and corroded by the fetters. The bones were collected, and buried at the public expense; and after the ghost was thus duly laid the house was haunted no more.” (http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/Pliny/Pliny07-27-E.html)

Thanks to Prof. Bladwin's original work you can read more ghost tales from ancient Greece and Rome in my Examiner article here: Hauntings in Ancient Greece and Rome

Until Next Time,

Pastor Swope

UFO over Jerusalem

If you haven't seen it yet, here are the videos of the UFO recently seen over the Dome of the Rock.

Now, the Muslim Holy site is also the place of both the Jewish temples, the rock were Abraham offered up Isaac and some say the area of the Crucifixion of Christ. One could say it is the holiest place on Earth, at least to the Judeo Christian and Muslim tradition.

So why at this time is this visitor making such a spectacle?

Perhaps as some say, it is a divine sign that God is in control despite the chaos which is engulfing the Middle East and the world wide angst of what might happen.

Or if you are of the type that believes UFOs are visitors from the future, is it our future descendants getting one last look at this holiest of places before the unthinkable happens?

The Middle East is in turmoil. Change is coming. If the Muslim Brotherhood has its way, the entire region would be ruled by hard line Islamists who want to erase Israel from the face of the Earth.

We are all collectively holding our breaths, aren't we? Could this be the first bell to toll the end?

Another sign for those who believe in the 2012 predictions?

If you are a reader of my blog, you know that I am not a believer that the world will end on December 21 2012.

Given current events perhaps December 21 2012 is too late of a date for the end of the world...

Only the Father knows.

Pray for peace in the Middle East.

UDPATE 2/17/2011
Evidence is mounting that this is a hoax, though there still is some debate.
As for the world situation, at this time the turmoil in the Middle East rages on. Is this the beginnings of a new stage of history with a democratic Middle East? Or will religious extremism win out in the end? Only time will tell.

Until Next Time,

Pastor Swope

Erie's "first' Haunted House

The first colonists to Erie Pennsylvania arrived in the mid 18^th Century, building a small town adjacent to the newly constructed French Fort Presque Isle. With wars and migrations soon to follow, English settlers would also arrive in the area by the end of that century and build a permanent settlement.

Since the time of those first settlers Erie’s history has been awash with folklore tales of mysterious places where the paranormal seems to manifest itself quite frequently. Be it cursed Indian burial grounds or old dwellings where spectral apparitions of the past startle the present owners; Erie has a rich history of unexplained phenomena.

However, it was not until the late 19^th century did one of these locations rise to prominence in the imagination of the local populace to a point where it would become infamous. It was in name if not in fact Erie’s first haunted house. And few today have ever heard of it, since it was long ago lost to popular memory for those who encountered its horrors have long turned to dust. This lost Erie legend is the old Crowley Mansion of Lawrence Park.

The house was located on the west side of Walbridge Road, less than a hundred yards south of East Lake Road. It was built by a member of East Erie’s first pioneer families, the Crowleys. The Crowley family very were wealthy and owned considerable property and built the brick mansion as their family homestead. Beautifully manicured, the grounds of the mansion boasted a diverse orchard and lush gardens...

Read it all on my Examiner Page

The Invasion of the Green Slime

Something strange is happening in Snyder, New York.

Between 9am and Midnight on Tuesday January 18th 2011 a strange substance fell from the sky causing icicles to turn yellow, green and brown. The obvious answer would be discharge from an airplane flying overhead but the FAA insists there were no craft in the area at the time. Here is the video from the local ABC affiliate:




So what then caused this green slime invasion?
Is it toxic?
Does this have any connection to the mass dying of wild animals we have seen in the last few months?

Is it an attack from....who?

Or is the Earth going through a stage of cleansing and renewal like which we have never seen before?

Perhaps it is like some naturists claim, nothing but bird poo from eating too much McDonalds fries.

I could relate to that.

But if you have ever been at a Mcdonalds you know that birds eating left over fries and such is nothing new.

But this green slime invasion is new indeed.

You can read more here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2660934/posts

Until Next Time,
Pastor Swope

What Happened to this Blog?

Dear Friends,

Sorry for leaving the blog empty so long without explaining what was happening.

I have been experiencing a lot of illness lately and recently found I am Diabetic.

Unfortunately there has been complications that led to a lengthy hospital stay.

Fortunately my illness (acute Cellulitus) led to the discovery that my kidneys were failing and I have the start of congestive heart failure. While having my leg virtually torn apart was tough, at least they caught these illnesses before they became fatal.

Right now I am recuperating, it is hard to write while under the influence of so many medications, but I am doing research and attempting to write and rewrite some stories.

New stories should be coming soon, but they will come out slowly at the start. (Unless something awesome comes my way during my rehabilitation!). I am also finally finishing my Masters of Divinity (2 courses to go) after a 20 year hiatus from academia so the next months shall be chalenging.

Just to let you know I have not given up on the blog or my Examiner site, and a new book should be out around Halloween as well.

I would appreciate your prayers no matter what your faith. God has been very good and close to me, and I have the best church family in the known multiverse.

Thanks for hanging with me. Look to my Examiner poage within the next week for a cryptid story from Erie County PA.

Blessings and Until Next Time,

Pastor Swope

BTW, feel free to friend me up on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/robin.swope

True Tales of the Unexplained

For those of you who have been asking for a book of the stories from my blog:





Stories from my blog and Examiner articles,edited for print. Black and white 218 pages.
Avalable at Amazon here: TRUE TALES OF THE UNEXPLAINED