Do you believe in Werewolves?

Yes but not like on the TV

As there are people with four finger and stuff like that there is possible of people who are Hairy that once thought to be werewolf but in fact they are just hairy

Exactly, but my point being that there seems to be a factual, medical basis for the reported phenomenon. What would someone in the 14th century think of someone afflicted with that family's condition, especially passing it along the bloodline? Surely, it would be a "curse", the curse of lycanthropy.

I used to have some images of some old Renaissance and other era paintings of just such noble families (can't remember the origin). I'll have to find them. One in particular was a little girl, same facial hair condition, in the full Elizabethan style ruffle, in a red or pink dress, jewels, etc. It was obviously a realistic family portrait and not an exercise in fancy, even had the title and the girl's name. Will have to find it, quite mind-blowing.....

i was on nother website were this girl claimed she was a were wolf and she had not been spotted on that site for several days so i email her.
apon emailing her she explains that one day infront of her friends that she went on all fours in human form started howling and i think she said that had happend a few times later. Werewolves are just people who suffer from lycanthropy.

There are all sorts of views that people can have if they want to believe in werewolves or other shapeshifters. I've got a list of occult books that say werewolves are real on my website. There is quite a range of opinions there, from Christian theology to pagan theology and even reptoids!

There is also the cryptozoology view of werewolves, which generally casts them as either weird Bigfoots or undiscovered wild canines. There are countless modern sightings and bits of folklore. The Beast of Bray Road is just the most famous among many. I personally think the werewolf of skinwalker ranch is one of the most interesting modern sightings.

It takes a lot to actually believe in werewolves, though. Yes, there is some evidence out there, but it is small in quantity and quality when compared to the evidence for many other weird things. Because of this, I find that people who believe in werewolves typically believe in almost everything else too.

Sure I do.
Do I believe they shape change?
No.
Do I believe the full moon effects them, yes, it effects everyone.

I definetely believe that the full moon effects and affects everyone. People, as I said earlier, act weird on a full moon. Perhaps something or somethings strange kept happening on a full moon and you couple that with those hairy people and you've got the Werewolf legend. Just a thought. However stupid...

Originally posted by healthyhitter
i was on nother website were this girl claimed she was a were wolf and she had not been spotted on that site for several days so i email her.
apon emailing her she explains that one day infront of her friends that she went on all fours in human form started howling and i think she said that had happend a few times later. Werewolves are just people who suffer from lycanthropy.

May I be so bold as to ask why we would take this as evidence? My nephew went through a phase of something similar, and it was really nothing more than his acting out to impress his friends and garner attention.

People say a lot of things. People make a lot of claims. Such claims alone aren't evidence of anything at all.

There's enough evidence floating around of people who believe themselves to be werewolves....just as there is evidence of people who believe themselves to be therianthropes, shapeshifters of various ilks, and so on and so forth. This doesn't mean there's any truth in the claims, other than the truth that this is their belief.

Then it could be said that truth is simply a matter of opinion... ?
Back on topic:
It has been "proven" that people and many animals behave differently according to the phases of the moon... Then it might also be said that these phases affect some more than others...so what exactly are we defining as a werewolf? The hairy man-beasts seen in movies, men who shape-shift into wolves, or mearly people who react strongly to the phases of the moon? Technicly, Lycanthropy can more or less fit all of these. We need to define what we are looking for before we can find it. I believe that some people react strongly to the cycles of the moon... as for the others....?

Originally posted by kholdstare
Then it could be said that truth is simply a matter of opinion... ?
Back on topic:
It has been "proven" that people and many animals behave differently according to the phases of the moon... Then it might also be said that these phases affect some more than others...so what exactly are we defining as a werewolf? The hairy man-beasts seen in movies, men who shape-shift into wolves, or mearly people who react strongly to the phases of the moon? Technicly, Lycanthropy can more or less fit all of these. We need to define what we are looking for before we can find it. I believe that some people react strongly to the cycles of the moon... as for the others....?

You lost me here

Exactly how does lycanthropy "technically" fit "men who shape-shift into wolves"?

People react differently to the sun. And the moon. And sometimes the weather. And various other natural phenomena - this doesn't mean there's anything supernatural going on...you know?

Whilst I absolutely agree that there are those who believe they are werewolves (and vampires, pooka, sluagh, otherkin, etc etc) - this doesn't mean that they fit any reality or fact-based definition of any of these.

Likewise, just because I might think I'm Admiral Nelson, this doesn't mean that I am.

I'm sorry if I caused confusion. I mearly tried to state that a concrete definition of what we are looking for in a "werewolf" is needed, because as stated, people will react diferently to diferent things, and there is nothing supernatural occuring (it is rather quite natural and common in the case of reacting to sunlight and the moon)... If we are defining a werewolf as someone who reacts strongly or violently to a full moon, then yes, there is even scientific evidence to back this... this is a more modern definition of Lycanthropy (mental similarity of man to wolf). If we set our definition of werewolf as a more traditional lycanthrope scenario (physical change from man to wolf, weather it be a real wolf, or a holywoodized "wolf man") then we don't have too much to go on rather than our imagination (and to further stay on topic, I don't believe in the "traditional Lycanthrope" scenario)

Yup, that's pretty much my opinion, too, Khold.

Sorry if I added to the confusion too

I'd really love to see any evidence whatsoever of the more traditional "man-into-wolf form" kind of lycanthropy. And on a similar note, I'd love to see evidence of any shape-shifting, for that matter, outside of hypnotism and other illusionary tactics.

Any offers?

I belive in them, but not the type portrayed by the movies. I'm a big fan of the evolved neanderthals theory.

Originally posted by Webmonkey336
I belive in them, but not the type portrayed by the movies. I'm a big fan of the evolved neanderthals theory.

Could you elaborate on this theory at all, Web?

I'd be interested to hear more about it. Thanks!

just somthing about a very hairy man with dog like face features and aputated hands into claws just does'nt really seem real to me

Still waiting for evidence (anything!) of "evolved neanderthals", in the context of werewolves.

Any offers?

Anyone?

There's a couple of explanations for werewolves, but I think Hollywood has raised expectations unreasonably.

People in several places/time periods have used animal skins, special weapons, and drugs, to induce a trance state, or animistic fury. Animal spirits were used for all sorts of things, including war.

So maybe the truth about werewolves lies in the human mind's ability to convince itself of things. Maybe reality is pliable.

Combine those beliefs with exceedingly hairy mutants, drugs, drinking, fungus (ergot?), and take that against a backdrop of wonder at the natural world and embedded mysticism, and the ground is fertile for stories like these. That's my opinion anyway.

There was another good thread on this a while back, if you're really interested in the question, try an ATS google search.

There are reported sightings in Wales in the past
www.bbc.co.uk...


I would have said there was nothing today, but my brothers have recently made me question that. In N.Wales in a town called Denbigh, they found something, what can only be described as beast(s), right behind their house which is on the edge of the town, next to fields and a wood.
There was something lying down, looked lifeless (bigger than a great Dane) then one pointed a torch at it saying "what the hell is that!!!".
It started moving, they ran into their house and lifted the net curtain to see where it was and the beast was outside the front window staring in.
It had big black eyes, thick pointed ears and was growling and its teeth were big, its hair appeared black and was very thick.
After 10 seconds the net curtain was dropped out of fear.
This is the nearest thing I have seen to a beast / werewolf. My brothers were scared that night.

They went out again several nights later and filmed two beasts in a field snarling at each other, my brothers ran away very quickly with there tails between their legs.

This is all documented on video, I have spoke to my brother about transferring it to CD and then internet, he's agreed I've never done this before but will try all the same.

who would you send the film to? any suggestions welcomed

They exist- in human form. People who have renounced humanity and morphed into beast; not literally- metaphorically(?) speaking...

The BBC have contacted me to get the footage of the beast

NOTE TO GRAHAM FROM WEBTEAM: Perhaps you could let us have sight of the film or even use it.

I'll keep everyone informed whatever comes up.