Popo Bawa and other crazy things.

People do experience strange things for a variety of reasons. Hallucinations and dreams are a part of the human experience, and when we do experience them it is difficult for us to distinguish them from reality. When someone else experiences them, even if temporarily (as opposed to as a result from some sort of chronic mental instability) because of an "altered state of perception" they will often relate them as part of "reality."

Other cultures have actively promoted this sort of experience, and the sharing of it. Dreamwalking, traveling to the spirit world through the aid of hallucinogenics is an ancient tradition, and people took these experiences very seriously (and some people still do).

Nowadays people are encouraged to "think outside the box," and creativity has always been highly prized. Many artists and entertainers have certainly taken advantage of artificially altered states of perception for ages, and it seems fairly common nowadays as well. Of course, there are dangers that go along with that, as most see, and the mantra of "just say no to drugs" is understandable, even if society in general seems to be very happy to take prescription drugs, even mood and mind altering ones, so long as a doctor prescribes one.

Still, even if an individual experiences a extraordinary event (alien abduction, attack by popa bawa, communique from God, Voodoo possession, etc.), that experience has to be tempered by the knowledge that the experience could be "all in their head."

But what is more interesting is why people who hear about (or even witness indirectly, as in seeing a possession) choose to act as if the event had an "objective" reality. Granted, the power of suggestion is not to be underestimated. It also seems to increase with the number of people that are in the "witness" group. Sort of a groupthink thing I expect. The old "If enough people think it, it must be true" line of thinking.

People are the way they are, and Carlos' first law is certainly worth remembering in these cases. Hopefully though, you can limit your own adherence to that law if you remember to be skeptical, and remember that the way to bet when a lot of people are saying something that sounds crazy based on the WORD of some individual, or even a small group, no matter how credible they are considered to be. After all, remember Cold Fusion? If you're too young, feel free to check this out http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.11/coldfusion.html