As we close out July 2012, it has been revealed that Ryan Buell has pancreatic cancer. Buell, star of TV's Paranormal State is also the founder of the Penn State Paranormal Research Society (bet he wasn't aware of all the demons wreaking havoc at Penn State). He went public with his condition last week after being hospitalized for kidney failure. I wish Ryan the best and pray for a full & speedy recovery.
But this leads me to an interesting debate that has ensued: Can paranormal research kill you? Journalists Greg Newkirk and Donna Anderson have raised this question within the past week, citing the cases of Ed Warren (The Amnityville Horror), Lou Gentile, Tom Robinson, Father Malachi Martin, and now Buell. All of these men were in constant contact and warfare with evil spirits.
Father Martin, a recurring guest on KFI's Coast to Coast A.M., performed exorcisms for over 30 years and had many tales about interactions with evil spirits. He suffered a heart attack during an exorcism and was witness to another priest actually dying during another exorcism rite. He died in the hospital after taking a nasty fall down some stairs, claiming that he was alone and was pushed from behind. He succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
Buell also claims that he has been singled out by demonic forces resulting from an investigation where he met the demon calling itself "We Are Six." This demon repeatedly showed up in many of the Paranormal State investigations/episodes no matter where the team traveled. After a few encounters the demon revealed its true name as Belial. Buell claims that this demon has been harassing him for years and that it is the cause of his cancer.
Both of these men (I'm not sure about the others mentioned above) were very religious and heavily active in the Catholic church. As a Christian I was always taught that Christ, living in me, is stronger than the devil. So I have to admit that I'm not sure what to make of these situations. Do I believe in evil spirits? Yes. Do I believe they can move objects and make physical contact? Yes. Do I believe that they can inflict cancer on a person? The jury's still out on that one.
I'm curious to know what Buell's lifestyle is and if there's a history of cancer in his family. Greg Newkirk revealed in his article Bad Vibes: Can Dealing With Evil Spirits Kill You? that in 2009 New Scientist Magazine claimed that negative thoughts definitely have an effect on people's health. He also explains that it's feasible that the "ghost hunter lifestyle" is to blame for their injuries and illnesses. "These folks often work well into the night and since most don't make any real income from their paranormal investigations they also work full-time jobs during the day. Little sleep, combined with a poor diet of Red Bull and cigarettes to keep them awake, and greasy diner food for fuel aren't the best lifestyle choices and can lead to all kinds of illnesses and disasters."
No matter what you believe, the debate is on. And, again, I hope that Ryan Buell will beat his cancer. Just in case, he may also want to choose a different line of work. Just sayin'.
Until next time,
L
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