Belief systems may be true or false. In contrast to the West, the Soviet Union provides an example of a society which (for a time) successfully instituted a thoroughly secular ideology: that which came to be referred to as ‘Marxism-Leninism’. Paranormal claims emanating from the Soviet Union are of course by no means a new thing. Skeptics face an uphill struggle in attempting to counter these newly emerging belief systems where these can be shown to conflict with the available scientific evidence. The growth of alternative belief systems seems to me to be likely to continue apace, not least because these belief systems offer security and hope during a time of great uncertainty and crisis.