Is belief in ghosts compatible with the Christian faith, or other religions?

[logician]

Although heaven (and hell) are not particularly well biblically supported in the Christian bible, I don't believe it talks anywhere about ghosts haunting houses.

My question is, is belief in ghosts compatible with the Christian faith?

What about other religions?

Christians I have found believe 1 of 2 things.

1. All the faithful will be raised from the dead in the final judgment.

This pretty much does not go with any ghost or spirit belief.

2. You go to heaven (or hell) when you die.

This allows for spirits, however, there is nothing in the bible or anywhere else in the religion that indicates a spirit will "hang around" a house, for example, to haunt it, or otherwise. The spirit will go straight to heaven, or if you are Catholic, you may believe it goes to purgatory.

So who actually believes in ghosts, and if so, how do they jive that with their religion, if they have any?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Well in my belief there is no contradiction with the idea that there could be ghosts at all. See to the Kemetic, the soul has many parts, it's a complex thing, but the two main parts of the soul is called the ka and the ba. The ka is the fleeting soul of a person that is tied to their personality and such. The ka passes from this plane after death, but sometimes, if a person has things tying them to this world, their ka cannot go on to be judged or reincarnate, whichever you believe happens. This idea appears at least in my school of Buddhism as well. If a person is so attached to this world, sometimes they cannot even reincarnate, and they become spirits jealous of the living.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

So who actually believes in ghosts, and if so, how do they jive that with their religion, if they have any?

If you're not worried about reconciling one irrational belief with reality, you're probably not overly concerned with reconciling multiple irrational beliefs with each other.

 

[logician]

If you're not worried about reconciling one irrational belief with reality, you're probably not overly concerned with reconciling multiple irrational beliefs with each other.

What I believe is irrelevant, I'd like to find out how others reconcile belief in ghosts with their religous beliefs, if there are folks like that out there.

 

[fallingblood]

Although heaven (and hell) are not particularly well biblically supported in the Christian bible, I don't believe it talks anywhere about ghosts haunting houses.

There are a lot of things the Bible doesn't speak about by Christians still believe. Such as that one day man will create automobiles or go to the moon.

My question is, is belief in ghosts compatible with the Christian faith?

What about other religions?

Christians I have found believe 1 of 2 things.

1. All the faithful will be raised from the dead in the final judgment.

This pretty much does not go with any ghost or spirit belief.

This goes just fine with ghosts. Where will the dead be until the final judgement? What happens to the soul or spirit during that vast amount of time? Well, it could be reasonable to say that those spirits or souls are what ghosts are and they are just roaming the Earth until the final judgement when the dead will be physically raised back up.

2. You go to heaven (or hell) when you die.

This allows for spirits, however, there is nothing in the bible or anywhere else in the religion that indicates a spirit will "hang around" a house, for example, to haunt it, or otherwise. The spirit will go straight to heaven, or if you are Catholic, you may believe it goes to purgatory.

So who actually believes in ghosts, and if so, how do they jive that with their religion, if they have any?

This is even easier. Instead of being ghosts, the idea becomes demons and angels. Demons are called spirits many times, and can be seen as ghosts. So demons would explain that second one.

 

[Walkntune]

If you're not worried about reconciling one irrational belief with reality, you're probably not overly concerned with reconciling multiple irrational beliefs with each other.

In my opinion based off of scientific m-theory nothing exists in the realm of reality except frequencies of energy.Interpret it how you can.

 

[logician]

There are a lot of things the Bible doesn't speak about by Christians still believe. Such as that one day man will create automobiles or go to the moon.
1.This goes just fine with ghosts. Where will the dead be until the final judgement? What happens to the soul or spirit during that vast amount of time? Well, it could be reasonable to say that those spirits or souls are what ghosts are and they are just roaming the Earth until the final judgement when the dead will be physically raised back up.


2.This is even easier. Instead of being ghosts, the idea becomes demons and angels. Demons are called spirits many times, and can be seen as ghosts. So demons would explain that second one.

1.This certainly doesn't jive with Christian belief, in that they really believe you are quite dead until the final judgement - your spirit isn't roaming around somewhere. Also, what is raised from the dead, the physical body? What if you were cremated? Lots of logical problems there.

2, I don't think most believers in ghosts believe they are demons, and why would a demon haunt a house? Not very logical.

 

[fallingblood]

1.This certainly doesn't jive with Christian belief, in that they really believe you are quite dead until the final judgement - your spirit isn't roaming around somewhere. Also, what is raised from the dead, the physical body? What if you were cremated? Lots of logical problems there.

Does it need to be logical? Not at all. The fact that Jesus is born of a virgin, which is not logical, shows that faith does not depend on logic.

If God can raise all of the dead (which many believe that it is the physical bodies of those who died) why can't he create from the ash the body that once was? He supposedly did so in the Garden of Eden, just out of dust. Not impossible (again, there is no reason to say it is illogical. The idea of God taking some dust and creating human is also illogical, but that means nothing in this context).

Many of those who believe in the final judgement also believe in the resurrection of the body. The reason is that after the final judgement there will be a 1,000 year Godly reign here on Earth. The physical body will be purified and made holy.

So the idea of the spirit or soul (which really can't die, so it can't be dead according to the Christian faith) being resurrected wouldn't make sense in that context. Thus, it would be perfectly fine for those spirits or souls to roam the Earth. As the spirit/soul is not the object being resurrected, the physical body is.

Again, this doesn't need to be logical as faith is not dependent on logic.

2, I don't think most believers in ghosts believe they are demons, and why would a demon haunt a house? Not very logical.

You may be surprised. The church I use to belong to, an evangelical church, believed that was people called ghosts were evil spirits or demons. It is no stretch at all to say that a ghost is just an evil spirit/demon or a good spirit/angel. Why would they haunt a house? Many reasons. To torment the holy. To protect the holy. To implant negative thoughts in ones mind. To make one sin. Does it need to be logical? Not at all. We are not talking about a logical matter in the first place so to put logical limitations on the subject simply will not do.

 

[logician]

Does it need to be logical? Not at all. The fact that Jesus is born of a virgin, which is not logical, shows that faith does not depend on logic.

If God can raise all of the dead (which many believe that it is the physical bodies of those who died) why can't he create from the ash the body that once was? He supposedly did so in the Garden of Eden, just out of dust. Not impossible (again, there is no reason to say it is illogical. The idea of God taking some dust and creating human is also illogical, but that means nothing in this context).

Many of those who believe in the final judgement also believe in the resurrection of the body. The reason is that after the final judgement there will be a 1,000 year Godly reign here on Earth. The physical body will be purified and made holy.

So the idea of the spirit or soul (which really can't die, so it can't be dead according to the Christian faith) being resurrected wouldn't make sense in that context. Thus, it would be perfectly fine for those spirits or souls to roam the Earth. As the spirit/soul is not the object being resurrected, the physical body is.

Again, this doesn't need to be logical as faith is not dependent on logic.
You may be surprised. The church I use to belong to, an evangelical church, believed that was people called ghosts were evil spirits or demons. It is no stretch at all to say that a ghost is just an evil spirit/demon or a good spirit/angel. Why would they haunt a house? Many reasons. To torment the holy. To protect the holy. To implant negative thoughts in ones mind. To make one sin. Does it need to be logical? Not at all. We are not talking about a logical matter in the first place so to put logical limitations on the subject simply will not do.

You've convinced me, Christianity isn't logical.:sleep:

 

[angellous_evangellous]

1.This certainly doesn't jive with Christian belief, in that they really believe you are quite dead until the final judgement - your spirit isn't roaming around somewhere. Also, what is raised from the dead, the physical body? What if you were cremated? Lots of logical problems there.

2, I don't think most believers in ghosts believe they are demons, and why would a demon haunt a house? Not very logical.

(1) I think that the existence of spirits of the dead is a natural part of life and death that we simply don't understand yet from scientific methods that we currently employ. This topic is best studied in sociology and anthropology.

(2) Why would it be illogical for a demon to haunt a house? IMHO, a demonic attachment the worst possible thing that can happen to someone and it is very difficult to break. Not many people understand it, but while ghosts and disembodied spirits usually can't harm a person, demons can.

 

[Buttercup]

(2) Why would it be illogical for a demon to haunt a house? IMHO, a demonic attachment the worst possible thing that can happen to someone and it is very difficult to break. Not many people understand it, but while ghosts and disembodied spirits usually can't harm a person, demons can.

You believe in demons, AE? I have to say that I'm a bit surprised by that one.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

You believe in demons, AE? I have to say that I'm a bit surprised by that one.

I wouldn't say that I believe "in demons." I think that it's best that believers focus all of their belief on God and not worry about demons and such.

I do have a healthy respect for the power of evil, and I think that medicine men can use animal and natural spirits, and real mediums and witches (and sometimes even Christian pastors) can talk with the dead. I am like Switzerland on this. I'm not going to bad mouth them, and when I see them I respect them and will give real medicine men and mediums their space to do their work.

But all my energy is focused on Christ.

 

[Buttercup]

I do have a healthy respect for the power of evil, and I think that medicine men can use animal and natural spirits, and real mediums and witches (and sometimes even Christian pastors) can talk with the dead. I am like Switzerland on this. I'm not going to bad mouth them, and when I see them I respect them and will give real medicine men and mediums their space to do their work.

But all my energy is focused on Christ.

Fair enough. Now that you've explain a bit more, my idea of you is rectified a bit.

Do you think of evil as being personified in the being of Satan? Is the 'devil' a real entity to you?

Sorry if this is off topic. Maybe you could start a question thread like Jay.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Fair enough. Now that you've explain a bit more, my idea of you is rectified a bit.

Do you think of evil as being personified in the being of Satan? Is the 'devil' a real entity to you?

Sorry if this is off topic. Maybe you could start a question thread like Jay.

To be honest, I don't meditate on that.

I have had to make my mind up about mediums, medicine men, ghosts, and demons due to personal experience (pastoral care) and training (both secular and religious studies).

I think that in cultures that are (1) still more closely tied to nature or (2) still preserve the natural 'ethos' of their heritage are more apt to be receptive to the spirit world, including miracles performed by Christians or outpourings of the Holy Spirit.

I also think that the human spirit plays a significant role in all this. Scientific understanding, while it has sterilized our understanding of nature is not comprehensive and cannot contain all of who we are, even when we live in a cosmos that is effected by everything that scientific findings can give us.

Science tells us only part of what we are, and nothing about who we are, and angels and demons - whether real or symbolic - are part of what helps us express and understand the complexities of being. We are constructive, and we are utterly destructive. We are calm, but we are chaotic.

I will embrace the light.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Sorry if this is off topic. Maybe you could start a question thread like Jay.

I had one quite a while back - http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/comparative-religion/27522-ask-angellous-anything-26.html

 

[Tiapan]

Logically religion accepts the supernatural as an unexplained real phenomena. As such it is interesting they often believe in a single god, but not the easter bunny or father christmas, which I thought would have been fully acceptable using the same logic. Many seem to believe in "spirits" (including alcohol), jins, angels, seraphim's, etc. so whats wrong with the easter bunny. I guess they dont comprehend the beauty and sad fate of the wonderful mystical animal, which roams free until looked upon by a human where it is immediately transformed magically into chocolate and raps itself in coloured aluminium foil. I should start a movement to ban looking at Easter Bunnies.

Cheers

 

[Buttercup]

To be honest, I don't meditate on that.

I have had to make my mind up about mediums, medicine men, ghosts, and demons due to personal experience (pastoral care) and training (both secular and religious studies).

Have you written anything about this subject where I can access it online to read?

I will embrace the light.

Is the spirit world only dark and light to you? No in between?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Logically religion accepts the supernatural as an unexplained real phenomena. As such it is interesting they often believe in a single god, but not the easter bunny or father christmas, which I thought would have been fully acceptable using the same logic. Many seem to believe in "spirits" (including alcohol), jins, angels, seraphim's, etc. so whats wrong with the easter bunny. I guess they dont comprehend the beauty and sad fate of the wonderful mystical animal, which roams free until looked upon by a human where it is immediately transformed magically into chocolate and raps itself in coloured aluminium foil. I should start a movement to ban looking at Easter Bunnies.

Cheers

Your "logic" fails miserably.

Here's why: http://www.religiousforums.com/foru...eve-bible-validates-itself-2.html#post1964131

 

[logician]

(1) I think that the existence of spirits of the dead is a natural part of life and death that we simply don't understand yet from scientific methods that we currently employ. This topic is best studied in sociology and anthropology.

(2) Why would it be illogical for a demon to haunt a house? IMHO, a demonic attachment the worst possible thing that can happen to someone and it is very difficult to break. Not many people understand it, but while ghosts and disembodied spirits usually can't harm a person, demons can.

As far as I know , there is not one verifable instance of a demon haunting a house.

The movies you've seen like the exorcist are so much Hollywood amplified rubbish, and "GHOSTHUNTERS is laughably absurd - strictly produced to make money off the those easily convinced that ghost already exist. The lead you into thinki ng every "grunt ", groan , noise, and eerie light is some indication that a spirit is there.

I really like it when they go in and startking the "ghost" questions - already assuming therr's a ghostly presence there. Completely unscientific, and crass commercialization.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Is the spirit world only dark and light to you? No in between?

Ah, no.

There are many classifications of "demons" and different types of spirits and ghosts. I classify them (but I'm not a demonologist or exorcist):

1) amoral spirits that can be manipulated by medicine men to do what they want them to do - good or bad and everything in between

2) daimonion - we know these as angels or demons and vary in power and severity

3) ghosts and spirits - mostly these seem to be confused souls repeating what they did when they died. Most are amoral but powerful ones can do some interesting stuff.