Inspired by the Ghost Thread. It's Complicated.

[Maleficent13]

I have been reading the "supernatural experiences" thread and this (two part)question came to mind.

1. To those who don't mind answering and who believe in ghosts...are you religious, or atheist/agnostic?

2. If you are atheist/agnostic, what do you think they (the ghosts) are and how do they come to be?

Or do you not overthink it the way I do?

 

[Mayl]

I am the anti-ghost type of person..

Christian if that matters (which I don't think it does)..

All of these ghost things are just over active imaginations or stuff you can explain away. Not that they don't make for fun reading or good movies mind you.

Fun to read, but in a silly sort of way... Folks that believe in that stuff think they got ufo's in area 51 and cows are being abducted while making crop circles..

 

[Hercules10]

I worship tequila gods. Oddly enough it's only when I'm partaking in the communion that I see ghosts...little pink ones.

 

[MosMom]

I'm agnostic and I'm really not sure if ghosts exist or not. Probably the reason I'm agnostic. Not willing to confirm or deny the existence of invisible things.

 

[stargrazer]

Not sure I believe in 'ghosts' per se, but I very much think there are unexplainable things out there. And in here


I am spiritual but not religious, for the second part of your query.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I am the anti-ghost type of person..

Christian if that matters (which I don't think it does)..

All of these ghost things are just over active imaginations or stuff you can explain away. Not that they don't make for fun reading or good movies mind you.

Fun to read, but in a silly sort of way... Folks that believe in that stuff think they got ufo's in area 51 and cows are being abducted while making crop circles..[/QUOTE]


That's a pretty broad generalisation.

I believe in "ghosts" to a degree. I think many instances are over active imaginations and can be explained, but I also believe spirits can contact people in this plane. And no, I don't think John Edward, Sylvia Browne, or any other of those money-hungry charlatans are contacting spirits, at least not in the capacity they claim. I have no idea about area 51, but am inclined to think it's just a place where they develop secret weapons, etc. I do know crop circles are a hoax and I highly doubt any cows have been abducted by aliens.

Oops, forgot to answer OP - I am a Christian.

 

[Crankyshank]

I'm a cradle Catholic theist, and I believe ghosts can exist. Most of the time it's an overactive imagination to blame, but I do think sometimes people can't move on for some reason.

 

[paigevz]

I'm agnostic, and I don't believe in ghosts. I believe crop circles are made in most cases by humans and in some cases by dust devils and the like. I believe Area 51 is a place where they are doing things they don't want us to know about, but I do not believe it has anything to do with sentient aliens. And I do not believe aliens abduct cows, sheep, pigs, geese or humans.

 

[MosMom]

I guess technically you don't need a God to have a ghost if you believe that your energy continues on after death. In ways other than being fuel for others to live.

 

[Spidey7]

I do believe in God and am religious. There are several theories. One is that they are spirits of people that have not passed onto heaven or paradise and are trapped here.

There is another that these are not the persons spirit but more or less ripples of them that have been imprinted on time. Sort of like how if you burn something the smell is left behind. That is maybe why you see them with their clothes on and why would ghosts wear clothes?

Then there are some that think these are cast down angels that are mostly evil, that may not always appear to be evil but are none the less. That these entities impersonate people, or children which is why you may see a childs ghost or hear a childs voice. But they are actually just imitating people similar to how a comedian can talk in some other famous persons voice (impressions).

I tend to think they are spirits of people and demons, both of which are trapped on earth in another dimension. But of course these are all just theories and I doubt if anyone will ever know for sure.

 

[Sthronds]

I'm a Christian and I am a sceptic about ghosts/spirits. I think a lot of it is imagination and can be explained away but there are those few things that can't be explained and don't make any sense that make me wonder. It's possible, and not totally out of the realm of Biblical teaching. My own personal experiences are enough for me to not discount the whole idea.

 

[MosMom]

It is clear from your picture that you have a regular Boston Terrier and a ghostly Boston Terrier. I would believe if I were you.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

I am Christian and I completely believe in ghosts.....I think they're either impressions left behind like someone else said or maybe a universe that co-exists with ours and sometimes crosses into ours (but that's what I think heaven and hell are too......I don't think heaven's above or hell's below us.)

 

[Sthronds]

It is clear from your picture that you have a regular Boston Terrier and a ghostly Boston Terrier. I would believe if I were you.

Yes, and she is the scary one.

 

[Evil Genius]

I'm a pagan. I do believe in ghosts. Do I see them everywhere. No.

My sister was a very(Christian) religious and saw ghosts and signs EVERYWHERE she went.

So I really don't think the two are connected.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'm athiest/agnostic and I have a keen curiosity about ghosts.

I believe ghosts do exist and that there is some rational explanation why and how they exist that is not necessarily spiritual. As we become more of a free-thinking and scientific society we are learning more about the reality of such things and not what our ancestors were taught under the thumb of rigid religious teachings.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

1. To those who don't mind answering and who believe in ghosts...are you religious, or atheist/agnostic?

I believe in ghosts and I am agnostic.

2. If you are atheist/agnostic, what do you think they (the ghosts) are and how do they come to be?

Well, I'm agnositc becuase I admit that there are some things in this world science cannot (or cannot yet) explain. Ghosts would be among those things. Is there an immortal soul? Eh, how should I know? But if there is I see no reason why some souls might choose to stay in this reality, or become trapped here, or whatever. If not, well, we are all beings of electricity and magnetic force. Slight, of course, but perhaps enough to leave traces of an individual after they are no longer around. Or maybe it's something else.

Basically, I beleive in ghosts because I've seen them and been around them. Not frequently, mind you, but enough to convince me of their existence. Whether my seeing them can be explained rationally by science or irrationally by religion doesn't really matter.

 

[Spidey7]

If you watch the Ghost Hunters show TAPS, they seem to really try to be honest and I've never seen them looking like they are faking anything. Some of the footage and audio they have caught is very intriguing and makes you think. Some things that just do indeed look like what you would call a ghost, not a white sheet, but an image of a person. Some are black almost like shadows of a person. Some people believe that these are the demon dark entities.

There was one episode that could possibly give some evidence that these are indeed dead human spirits that are still here. They had set up their lap top computer in an area of this place, it had their various monitors of their cams etc., all cool looking in a way on the computer monitor. They caught a lady's voice that fairly clearly said "what is that contraption." Contraption is an old timey word for gadget or machine. To me this gives evidence that this is a dead person because that is the kind of words someone that died in the 1800s would use I think. Calling a computer a "contraption" because they would have no idea what it was. And I believe they had documented that there had been a lady that died there. (I think, some of the episodes kind of run together for me) but I do remember the voice using the word "contraption."

I think another possibility to consider is that these are people in a parallel universe that are existing in the same space as we, but in another universe that sometimes we can see glimpses into it. Which would explain why most of the sitings have ghosts with clothes on in them. Just another theory.

 

[Disney_Dreaming]

I'm Catholic and I do believe in ghosts. I have seen them as well as other family members. I don't believe it's my imagination!

 

[SwedishMeatball]

If you watch the Ghost Hunters show TAPS, they seem to really try to be honest and I've never seen them looking like they are faking anything. Some of the footage and audio they have caught is very intriguing and makes you think. Some things that just do indeed look like what you would call a ghost, not a white sheet, but an image of a person. Some are black almost like shadows of a person. Some people believe that these are the demon dark entities.

There was one episode that could possibly give some evidence that these are indeed dead human spirits that are still here. They had set up their lap top computer in an area of this place, it had their various monitors of their cams etc., all cool looking in a way on the computer monitor. They caught a lady's voice that fairly clearly said "what is that contraption." Contraption is an old timey word for gadget or machine. To me this gives evidence that this is a dead person because that is the kind of words someone that died in the 1800s would use I think. Calling a computer a "contraption" because they would have no idea what it was. And I believe they had documented that there had been a lady that died there. (I think, some of the episodes kind of run together for me) but I do remember the voice using the word "contraption."

I think another possibility to consider is that these are people in a parallel universe that are existing in the same space as we, but in another universe that sometimes we can see glimpses into it. Which would explain why most of the sitings have ghosts with clothes on in them. Just another theory.

I LOVE this show!! One of last night's episodes took place at an Episcopal priest's home. I'm a Christian and haven't had a personal experience, but I think it's possible that some spirits can stay earthbound.