Today in Louisville, Kentucky
my wife and I had a face-to-face conversation
with Archbishop James Long that lasted well
over three hours. By the conclusion, I came
away with a somewhat different opinion of
the man. A conclusion that I must admit I
was not expecting beforehand. This article
will detail that conversation and the feelings
I took away from it.
Not quite a week ago Archbishop James Long
approached us about having a face-to-face
meeting regarding some of the misconceptions
I had regarding his ministry and his background.
We quickly accepted this invitation. I in
particular had a number of questions I wanted
to ask him and having him right in front of
me would prove to be very beneficial not only
for me, but for him as well. Anyone that was
willing to actually meet with us to explain
themselves and answer the questions we had
was already well ahead when it came to earning
credibility in our eyes. Over the previous
three years, we had found no one in the "industry"
when it came to being that open about themselves,
and the opportunity presented to us by Archbishop
Long was not one we were willing to pass up.
We arrived at a local shopping mall about
ten minutes before the scheduled time of 1
P.M. on Sunday afternoon November 2, 2008.
We were to meet in a small food court there.
The archbishop joined us within a few minutes
and we spent the next three hours plus talking
about the paranormal, exorcisms, the experts
in the "industry," and several other
topics. After my wife and I explained how
we got interested in this field and why we
were in the business of calling out those
we considered fraudulent individuals, Archbishop
James Long explained in detail what it is
he does, how he goes about doing it, and he
was very open in answering nearly everyone
of our inquiries. I must say he impressed
me very much with his candidness and his willingness
to answer straight forward questions put forth
to him.
He explained in some detail his involvement
in the United States Old Catholic Church,
how it came into being, and his role as a
part of it. I can now safely say I accept
his explanation of the church itself and his
part in it, although I think we will always
differ on the validity of the denomination,
but that is no longer an issue in my eyes.
He is an archbishop in the United States Old
Catholic Church and I can accept that for
what it is.
Our conversation covered many topics. I told
him I found many within the "industry"
to be highly questionable individuals out
to con the public and their supporters into
believing them to be much more than they ever
were. He, in part, agreed there is a lot of
fraud in the paranormal field and said he
was no supporter of those taking part in it.
My wife and I explained to him why he had
become a target. I said he could classify
it as "guilt by association." We
initially viewed him in much the same light
we viewed others who we knew had no credibility,
no facts, and no standing. All they had was
a good story and a gullible audience that
believed them. He was very convincing in telling
us why he was not like so many others that
we have targeted in the past. I will say by
and large he proved his point to us.
We found him to be a very sincere person.
We found his answers to our questions straight
forward and he did not attempt to duck the
questions or answer with some vague line of
crap that we have received so many times in
the past from so many others. He explained
his qualifications where it pertained to being
a priest in the United States Old Catholic
Church, he explained his background, he explained
what it was he required before considering
a person demonically possessed, and he explained
the steps he undertakes before performing
an exorcism. I think his answers were very
genuine and respectful. I think he answered
as a very honest person.
Do I think the exorcisms he performs on people
are actually performed on people who are demonically
possessed? I wouldn't go that far. I asked
to be able to attend a future exorcism as
an independent party strictly there to merely
observe. He explained why that was most likely
not possible. I accepted his answer, but would
still like to offer him that opportunity if
he ever changes his mind because I think that
could go a long way to securing our support
of what he does. It's not that we doubt what
he does now, it's that I still doubt to some
degree if what he thinks is genuine is actually
genuine. But, that is a discussion we can
save for another time.
Leaving the three hour meeting with Archbishop
James Long, I came away with a different viewpoint.
I think he is very sincere in what he believes
and he is very sincere in wanting to teach
others what he has learned. I think he is
also very sincere in wanting to help people.
He did not come across as an entertainer,
nor did he come across as someone who was
seeking fame or fortune for his efforts. He
came across as a person who was willing to
meet us face-to-face and explain himself in
a most open and honest fashion.
Archbishop James Long gained my respect today.
Some of you might say to yourselves, "Who
cares what you think?" I care. So do
many inside the "industry" who set
themselves up as something they are not and
then expect us all to just accept what they
say with no questions asked. James Long did
himself a great service today by allowing
us a few hours of his time and allowing us
the chance to ask him some serious questions.
I find no fault in what he said or how he
said it. He has his own beliefs and I can
accept that for what it's worth. I did not
see him as a person profiting off of his ministry,
nor did I see a person seeking fame and fortune
at the expense of others. James Long came
across as a very articulate, open, and sincere
person who was willing to talk to us face-to-face
regarding the paranormal and his part in it.
On that I commend him very much.
The meeting ended much better than I envisioned
it ending earlier. Archbishop James Long proved
to me at least he is a credible person with
an interest in the paranormal who is here
to help others and teach those that want to
learn. I did not sell out. I was not hoodwinked
by a good salesman. I can honestly say I meet
Archbishop James Long and I found him to be
a very nice man with credible answers who
I trust will take away with him a new understanding
of who my wife and I are and why we are in
this to begin with.
Thank you Archbishop James Long. Your honesty
was very refreshing today. It's something
lacking in many who make up the "industry."
ABOUT BOBBY ZOELLER
Bobby Zoeller is a former member
of Louisville Ghost Hunters Society. At one
time he was the Case Manager of LGHS.
Please Also see: Bobby Zoeller: THE
LOUISVILLE GHOST HUNTERS AND THE INVOLVEMENT
OF KEITH AGE AT WAVERLY HILLS
Born in 1959 in Louisville, Kentucky Bobby
Zoeller has been interested in the paranormal
his entire life. Never having experienced
what he would term a "supernatural event"
with one minor exception, that nonetheless
hasn't stopped him from seeking out and trying
to answer questions that have always fascinated
him. Raised as a Roman Catholic, his interest
in demonic possession has always been foremost
in this field of study, but unfortunately
reliable documentation regarding those events
are few and far between. Researching prior
cases that have come to light in recent years
has not convinced him to date that the phenomena
actually exists to any great degree, and looking
over some of the more well publicized cases
he tends to doubt most of what he has read
and seen from the so-called experts that comment
on the events.
He joined a local paranormal group based
in Louisville back in January of 2003 known
as the Louisville Ghost Hunters Society headed
by Founder and President Keith Age. He later
met his future wife there and they married
in May of 2004. While a member of the organization,
he became a lead investigator with the group
and was appointed the group's Case Manager
in the fall of 2004. Both he and his wife
participated in close to two dozen on-site
investigations during their time there, and
the high profile 2004 investigation of the
Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana was
his opportunity to showcase the LGHS.
Following several questionable accounts involving
the group's president, he resigned as Case
Manager on February 28, 2006 and within a
week quit the group altogether. His wife was
removed from the group by the actions of the
president. Upon leaving LGHS and discovering
much of what he had been told in the past
and been led to believe to be facts turned
out to be mostly misinformation or outright
lies on the behalf of the group's leader,
both he and his wife undertook a campaign
to expose what they considered fraud and the
scamming of the general public all in the
name of making the group's leader famous.
Documented evidence was gathered from sources
around the country to prove their case and
the information was first displayed publicly
on an independent web site and later on two
Yahoo message groups. The web site was taken
down by the actions of the former group's
leader and the first Yahoo group disappeared
after complaints were lodged against it by
the very people it was designed to expose.
He has been fighting what he see's as corruption
and fraud within the paranormal field now
for the past two-and-a-half years, and has
had a very difficult time when it comes to
the "experts" in the field as it
seems no one wishes to speak ill of the others.
In short, he has discovered more deception
and more media manipulation over the past
two years than most people will witness in
an entire lifetime. The "experts"
refuse to answer direct questions put forth
to them, they in many cases continue to con
the public out of both their money and their
common sense, and the only reason he continues
on at this point is because he does not want
the uninformed or the more gullible members
of the public and the media conned like he
was for three years.
He currently work as the shipping and receiving
manager for a large sheet metal fabrication
plant in Louisville, Kentucky and spends his
spare time researching and exposing what he
considers fraud and deception within the paranormal
field.
Any questions you would
like answered or have information regarding
any high profile "paranormal experts"
that you find troubling, you can contact him
at r_zoeller@bellsouth.net.
And Please Share your
Paranormal And Ghost Hunting opinions responsibly!
PARANORMAL
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