Do You Believe in Ghosts?

I know it's a silly question in the eyes of some people, but, do you believe in ghosts?  What are they anyway?  Does anyone really know for sure?

There are so many definitions and ideas regarding ghosts that it is hard to get things straight in your head sometimes.  If you have ever read anything about ghost hunting or ghost hunter's definitions, you'll find yourself dealing with terms like apparition, ghost, residual activity, etc., to the end of the glossary.  There are so many definitions and so many real ghost hunters are still fine tuning their own ideas of what is exact for each term, that the novice can be confused into just walking away.  Therefore, I would like to discuss the most basic question first:  Do you believe that there are such things as Ghosts?  For now any definition you are comfortable with will do, because hopefully we will get some kind of discussion going here.

What do you think they are?  Where do they come from?  Are they real or only in your mind?

Can they be studied scientifically or only by spiritualists and metaphysics students?  Can they be related to psychic phenomenon or are they just paranormal?


Well, do you believe in Ghosts?  Does your religion influence your tendency to believe or disbelieve in the existence of some part of an individual being after death?

We have probably been dealing with the question of existence outside our perceivable universe since we became humans .  Certainly our early ancestors held some kind of belief in the supernatural and/or a religion.  

Archaeological evidence shows they cared for their families and buried their dead with ritual and obvious respect 100,000 years ago.  Archaeologists and Anthropologists have shown that the belief in religion is very old and the Shaman/Priest has been the arbiter between the supernatural and the natural world probably as long as we have been able to make fire.  Primitive tribes today still hold strong belief in the supernatural and the power of the dead and ghosts to do good or ill.

Even though we think of ourselves as civilized and enlightened individuals today, many of us still believe in the possibility of something - the possible existence of life after death, and ghosts. According to Dana Clark Felty's article in the Savannah Morning News, 2006, a study done by Baylor University on American piety revealed that 37% of the surveyed population believed a place can be haunted.  Furthermore, 20% believed one could communicate with the dead, and 17% believed in psychic abilities (defined as, palmistry, medium ship, astrology and fortune telling).

What does this say about our society today?  This poll was probably conducted primarily among the christian population, although there is no indication of it's selection criteria in the article.  The "Big Three" religions of the western world today, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, are all historically related and all carry similar beliefs regarding the Occult, Psychic phenomena, and the Supernatural.  In general, communication with the dead or outside of our normal realm of being is strongly discouraged (to say the least!), with the exception of prayer to God.  Other religions, such as Paganism and Wicca, the Oriental "Big Three" Buddhism, Hinduism and Baha'i, and the lesser spread Shinto, Tao, Jain, Zoroastrian, and Shaman-based tribal beliefs incorporate spiritualism and belief in the supernatural into their doctrines, each dealing with the subject of the ghost and haunting in a slightly different fashion.

In general, almost all religions seem to feel that the ghost is an entity that lost its path at death and didn't reach the preferred destination.  Spiritualists, Hindu, and Buddhists believe that these may be enlightened individuals who have reached their goal, but have chosen to communicate with those still living to help them.  Buddhists also believe they may be "hungry ghosts", those who fell off the path and are now doomed to wander the world unable to relieve their discomfort.  The Western religions also seem to allow for the suffering ghost, doomed to haunt the world for sins made during life. Some religions, such as Confucianism, and some Shaman-based tribal religions see ghosts as possibly being ancestors who return to advise, or punish, depending upon the respect shown them by their descendants.

Have you ever had something happen to you personally that made you believe in the existence of ghosts?

Irregardless of your religion and religious beliefs, people have personal beliefs about the supernatural as well.  Even confirmed atheists can believe in something if it has affected them personally.  The difficulty is in how we deal with the perceived unknown.  Do we run, hide, deny, or investigate?  Ultimately that determines our perceptions, fears and expectations.

The universe we live in is amazing beyond measure, and we hold only a tiny piece of the puzzle within our grasp.  What kind of possibility do you see of the existence of something paranormal?

Do you believe in ghosts or do you believe in the possibility of the existence of ghosts?