Crystals with energizing powers, ghosts that move objects and a God that answers prayers. These may not sound like the beliefs of a typical scientist – and it isn’t. The Pew Research Center found that 41% of scientists didn’t believe in God or a higher power of any kind.

But that isn’t true for Mr. Morris Mason, a Drake Physics Laboratory Instructor who subscribes to religious, spiritual and paranormal beliefs.

“I am a scientist, but I believe in God very much,” Mason said. “And actually, I think my belief in God kind of gets enhanced when I go out looking for these rocks.”

Mason puts his faith in God when he goes on trips to find crystals for his extensive collection. He said he believes everyone has a gift and this is his gift.

“When I am actually out in the field, and I’m in a place where I’m looking for the rocks…I believe that I’ve been led there on purpose by God,” Mason said. “To the point that after I get the rock depending on what it is, I might have that feeling of…it might provide me with peace or healing.” 

But Mason hasn’t always been a firm believer in crystals, religion and the paranormal. It came in throughout his adulthood, while gaining experiences. 

One impactful moment happened when his father was in the hospital and he realized there was nothing they could do, so he went home. It was then that he said he had a paranormal encounter. 

“I decided to go back to our home there in Clear Lake, walked in the back and I heard what I thought was a crowd of people. And I’m a scientist. I mean, the first thing comes across, it’s not like ‘okay, it’s a ghost.’ It’s ‘what could make that noise?’” Mason said. “As time went on, it got louder and louder and I don’t know what it was. But it got to the point where I couldn’t stay. I mean, that’s about the most scared I’ve ever been. So, I took off and went home. So that kind of piqued my interest quite a bit.” 

Mason has put himself in the center of these unknowns to learn more. His curiosity has caused him to witness a tree bend in the wind when there was no wind and even a medium bring someone back from possible possession. 

And to him, these stories are the scientific proof that the spiritual, religious and paranormal realms are real.

But some of his students aren’t convinced. 

“I don’t really believe in the paranormal,” Gabby Sihakom said. “Crystals I think are really cool and pretty, but I don’t 100% believe that they have healing powers to the psyche. When it comes to religion, I remain pretty neutral on the subject personally and am not that spiritual.”

Sihakom takes Mason’s Physics 12 lab and while Sihakom doesn’t believe in it, she said she isn’t completely closed off from the idea.

“It piques my interest that crystals could have certain properties that can bring someone good luck or can help cleanse a room to bring joy,” Sihakom said. “But as mentioned, I don’t fully believe that because it’s not scientifically proven.”

Sihakom said she enjoys his class and finds his beliefs interesting, but it can sometimes take attention away from the main purpose of the class.

“I had his lab last semester for Physics 11, and he played witch music on the monitors that was a little distracting when doing the experiment,” Sihakom said.

But generally, her opinion of Mason and his class is positive.

“He is definitely kooky, that’s for sure,” Sihakom said. “Overall, I do like it. It brings the lab to be fun and the atmosphere doesn’t have to be as boring. So, I appreciate a lot that Mr. Mason likes to have fun as an educator.”

Mason said his beliefs bring him “great joy” and he wants to share that, but he would never force it on anyone.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion and their beliefs and how they got to that part. I don’t want to force anything on anyone about their beliefs,” Mason said. “But as I’ve said before, I like to provide opportunities for people to see things that I’ve seen, maybe see them in possibly different ways where it makes them wonder about how they think or what their beliefs are. ‘Why am I seeing this or experiencing this?’ And it’s up to them…everybody has to make their own decision about what they’re going to believe in, no matter what is presented to them.”