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Previous William Thomas Sherman Info Page postings, quotes, observations, etc.
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You see, therefore, how much more perfect is a teacher who is mortal, because he is able to be a guide to one who is mortal, than one who is immortal, for he is unable to teach patient endurance who is not subject to passions. Nor, however, does this extend so far that I prefer man to God; but to show that man cannot be a perfect teacher unless he is also God, that he may by his heavenly authority impose upon men the necessity of obedience; nor God, unless he is clothed with a mortal body, that by carrying out his precepts to their completion in actions, he may bind others by the necessity of obedience. It plainly therefore appears, that he who is a guide of life and teacher of righteousness must have a body, and that his teaching cannot otherwise be full and perfect, unless it has a root and foundation, and remains firm and fixed among men; and that he himself must undergo weakness of flesh and body, and display in himself the virtue of which he is a teacher, that he may teach it at the same time both by words and deeds. Also, he must be subject to death and all sufferings, since the duties of virtue are occupied with the enduring of suffering, and the undergoing death; all which, as I have said, a perfect teacher ought to endure, that he may teach the possibility of their being endured.
~ Lactantius (c. 250–c. 325), Divine Institutes (Book IV, ch. 24)

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In reading The Ghosts of Borley (1973) by Peter Underwood & Paul Tabori of late, mostly just for my leisure entertainment while playing arm-chair detective (as is sometimes my wont), I ended up scribbling some notes, and a portion of which are as follows.

Criminal spirit persons are exceptionally violent people, not least of which such who are professional magicians at playing these kinds of games. When we hear claims that such as Marianne Foyster or some else allegedly said something to retract or discredit their earlier assertions, it is all important to remember that such persons can be violently bullied into making such self-denials (nor will it do to report such bullying to the police), and or else be diplomatically persuaded that it is in their safer and practical interest to do so by either spirit person's themselves and or their flesh and blood hench-person representatives. Also, it is sometimes possible, even if deemed only rarely, for such criminals to doctor the record of what was claimed or said.

Which brings up a related point. What are seen as "other-worldly" happenings or events can involve both professional criminal spirit persons and their hench-persons, be the latter spirit person "small fry" or aforesaid regular person henchman (a given one of whom may be no better than a clinical mental patient.) A professional spirit person being themself or assisted by a spirit person magician will have no little problem setting up a "trick." So that, for instance, some the reported occurrences at Borley may have involved regular person "henchmen" acting under the instructions of the professional spirit person. The motive for such activities can be anything from scaring people, having fun, putting on a show -- all, as much as anything else, as a means of wiling away idle time; if not necessarily carrying some political or policy interest they perhaps are pursing at that juncture.

We fear most that which we don't know And even the very most terrifying things can be rendered dramatically less so the more intelligent and the more informed we are. If a "ghost" wants to scare you he knows to play upon your possible lack of either rational intelligence and or information; while making maximum use of surprise (just as, say, a talented general does in military situations.) Excessive fear then and in this way is like a magic trick, and would not so unnerve us inasmuch as we are not deceived and otherwise knew (especially in advance) of how the trick was planned and done.

When I read about Borley Rectory as an adolescent, the idea of such a place made me think it must be a most and extremely frightening place to be, whether then or since, but really there were and are times at Borley where and when it is as normal a place as any where else, with, say bright sunny, happy days; at least sometimes, even when the house was haunted. Ignorant or scurrilous expositors of the Borley story, by contrast, would have us think that there was always a stormy, night time, or over cast sky over the house; which of course is very misleading and ridiculous.

Whether with respect to foes OR friends, the business of professional criminal spirt people is always or at least at last the need to ruin things; and this, when we trace this mentality to its bottom, in order avoid or reduce the risk of being made jealous. Speaking of which, I was recently puzzling over the most strange death of actress Inger Stevens. For more on that specific topic, check the "HOLLYWOOD MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS - What happened to Inger Stevens?" on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwS3nTKRuTU

Was it then murder or suicide? What MAY have happened, and I offer this only as theory (and very briefly), is that some criminal spirit person was fascinated and attracted by her and over the years dogged her life, perhaps from earliest childhood; so that relationships with men became impossible: Hence, after much trying exasperation and in defiance of such (by me purported) interference, she took her own life.

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