Bloody Mary aside, why do some people have phobias of mirrors and others think they are portals to h**l?

Question

Bloody Mary aside, why do some people have phobias of mirrors and others think they are portals to h**l?

Answer 1

low iq, just generally idiots

Answer 2

Yeah, I would agree with the other guys. :D

Answer 3

what? is someone living the dark ages?  some phobias are hard to understand, maybe something emotionally traumatizing happened in front of a mirror. as for the portal to h**l. to many  horror  movies.

Answer 4

Ancient superstition.

People believed it was actually your soul that was the reflection - thus - to break a mirror was to damage your soul.

At funerals it was customary to turn mirrors to the wall or drape cloths over them - because you may see the soul of the recently dead.

Conversly, if you were recently dead, and couldn't see your reflection it would convince you of the facts.

Vampires aparently have no reflection - showing that they have no soul to reflect.

Dark mirrors have been used for divination and other reasons by those practicing witchcraft - which may be the portal idea - to see that in another realm.

Answer 5

Insecurity issues, Supersticion and low I Q would count for the majority.

Answer 6

because they read too many paranormal books!!! :D

Answer 7

Many people have phobias (irrational fear) of all kinds of different things including some people that have a phobia of mirrors (Catoptrophobia). This is sometimes (not always) related to an experience involving such an object that was traumatic for the person.

I suspect that the association with portals and h**l is two fold. First from long held religious beliefs (link below) and secondly because mirrors (or often just water, highly polished stones, and other reflective surfaces) have been associated with scrying (see visions like in a crystal ball) that was considered to be witchcraft and against God by some. So, naturally the tools psychics/prophets/oracles used would become associated with evil (devil, h**l, etc.)

The book "The Queen's Conjurer" about John Dee talks about his life mostly but he used a highly polished Obsidian stone for his visions. He was very careful to avoid charges of witchcraft and heresy.

Psi