Thread: Do you believe in ghosts, and why/not?

Originally Posted by DreamHerb

i beleive in spirits for one reason.
My best friend when i was in grade 7,killed himself. Ever since then, ive sensed, and seen him appear to me spiritually (only way i can explain it). It's just a very strong feeling of his presence, which usually comes on when i look at certain objects....

Hello nostalgia. Nothing more.











I'd love to believe. I really would.

But I just can't bring myself to. The only evidence I have is my mom once tellin me that she was in a room and the lights failed and a book flew across the room smacking the wall of its own accord.

As much as I believe my mom, this is not enough to convince me of something with little to no evidence other than personal experience which is often very probably simple nostalgia and/or hallucinations or sheer willpower to see one, if someone wants them to be real, that much.

PLEASE PLEASE convince me without using an example from your life. I really would like to be convinced.

As it stands i'm in the mindframe that when we die we rot and that's all there is.


Convince me.

I would like to believe there is something after death but I do not. My thinking is this: If I believe there is nothing then if I am right then I don't need to worry. If I am wrong hopefully I would meet a ghost/spirit (or whatever name you want to give them) and they will tell me or I will find out when I die.

yeah, i believe in them.

I believe in ghosts and think they are here either because they are lost,came here to help.

Yeah I believe in them. Weird stuff sometimes happen in my apartment. But it might just be a playful ghost. It droped a cap and other small stuf, nothing dangerous, getting used to it now.

As I've stated before, I do believe in spirits, entities, or whatever you want to call them, I believe in all of them.

I used to be a non-believer, never had any experiences in my early childhood.

After about age 12, I had a lot of personal experiences. Most of my experiences have not been with deceased humans. Most things, I have no idea what they were, but they certainly werent human. I've found out what some things were, by means of talking to people. My experiences have been pretty intense. If anyone wants to hear, just ask me or PM me.

I have a friend who goes ghost hunting with his brother at places. They have a rather convincing photo of a "ghost", which in reality is just mist that when the camera flashed made the illusion of a ghost...I mean you might as well look at a cloud and ask, hey! does that look like a ghost to you? Ink blot test anyone? etc.

Anyways they are gonna put a website up some day with all the stuff they "capture" which to them means record audio/visual lol...anyways I'll let you know the site name when they put it up.


psst psst. I always forget to keep my mouth shut on the beyond dreaming area, hehe I have to edit my post every time.

Since I've seen quite a few apparations in my lifetime, I can say I absolutely believe in ghosts. When I was a child I saw them quite frequently, though through my teenage years the sightings for the most part stopped. Recently though, strangely enough, the sightings have started up again.

how about not all "ghosts" are "ghosts" but beings from another dimension we sometimes can see...if ur sensetive to it

When I was real little I had an imaginary friend and I remember seeing him so clearly. I new think that this may have been a ghost or spirit. I asked to see him in a recent LD and when I asked him if he was a ghost I woke up.

I believe in them, though I am not exactly sure what they are. I have seen them, though they might have all just been hypnogogic hallucinations. I have two theories on what they could be, one that is a little scientific and one that is kinda religous/paranormal.

Theory 1:
Most 'ghosts' and hauntings are always at a place where a bad event toko place, and normally replays the event. Now, I believe that everything we do has different energies, postive energy and negative energy. I think that the bad events emitted much negative energy, and the even was so bad, a bunch of it gathered in that location. The negative energy then just replays the scene, or the energy enters our minds and causes us to have hallucinations, or the energy replays the events in our heads and we think we see it in front of us. This theory is testable.

Theory 2:
I also believe that when we die, we enter an astral plain. I believe in God and Jesus, and I belive we wait on that plain until Jesus returns to earth(I don't want to get in depth in my religion. You can look it up, though it may not be exactly the same as mine. I am Unammended Christadelphian.)Now, I think the 'ghosts' might be people on the astral plain, who are either dead or having an OBE, and are using enough strength or whatever and are also partially visable on our plain, or surface, or whatever you call it.

NOTICE: If you look up my religion that I stated earlier, they probably will not believe in an astral plain. I just added that on, as my beliefs have changed partially.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, so I wanted to see some current thoughts on it. Please, please don't get nasty/upset/offensive in this thread, it seems to have been so civil thusfar...


I don't know if you'd call it believing in them whole-heartedly, but I definately believe its possible. Mostly because of this idea:

Originally Posted by juroara

...heaven is a 'place' but more of state of being. heaven can be here and there all at the same time

I don't really have any evidence either, or even a good bulletproof argument for it...but with this kind of thing, is that even possible? It's more or less just a feeling I have, or an idea I consider a possibility.

This idea also interests me:

Originally Posted by Jeff777

I don't know so much as to whether I believe in ghosts as much as I believe in spirits/entities. ...my interpretation of a ghost is a human that is deceased. A spirit may be an entity that has been in existance for thousands to billions of years and has never been human, or has been human depending on if you believe in reincarnation (which I am starting to).

I have a tendancy to think that there are other kinds of entities that exist in a way that is impossible to see. I've been tossing around the idea that humanity can be influenced in a concrete way by things that are completely abstract or intangible; the idea that something outside the forces of logic, emotion, or nature could be responsible is intriguing.


I've had two things happen to me that aren't exactly ghost experiences, but that led me to believe that the general idea of ghosts/spirits/entities is possible. One was positive, one was more negative. The circumstances, and the fact that I felt I could sense the difference between the two gave me a strong sense that they weren't figments of my imagination.

1. The more negative experience: I was alone in the on an abandoned bridge I'd never been to, and it was a warm/humid summer night. The it was actually more like dusk, so I could still see things vaguely. Near the entrance to the bridge on the opposite side I came from, I got a sense of dread/dispair that I hadn't had when I walked onto it (I was also in very high spirits prior to this thought/feeling, so it struck me as odd that I should have it in the first place, let alone out of nowhere). And when I first walked into that area, the air was noticably cooler. I double-checked to make sure it wasn't a gust/current of wind, but it remained cooler when I stepped back toward it. I had the fleeting idea that someone had thrown themself off the bridge. When I got home, I tried to search my city newspaper's database to find anything of interest, but couldn't find anything...and I would have to check out the Records Dpt. to find anything later. I really hope this was just a figment of my imagination, because it made me very sad to think about.

2. The more positive experience: I know two brothers, who's younger sibling had committed suicide when he was very young, and the brothers have both made comments about seeing apparitions or feeling his presence. I never had. When they moved into a new house, there was a time I was sitting drawing at the table and I swore I heard someone come up the stairs nearby. Without looking up I said something to them and got no response. When I looked up, I saw a small dark outline at the top of the stairs against the wall. It disappeared in a matter of seconds. There is nothing in this entry-way that could cast a shadow at all, let alone a small, oddly-shaped one. It didn't scare me at all, like the other experience. I felt like, if it was "something/one", it was just watching me out of curiousity. When I told the brothers about it, they said there was a possibility that it was Jamie. Weird, as I'm typing that last part, (I shit you not), my neck got cold for a few seconds then went back to normal.


Regardless, I don't know 100% if this means anything or not, it's just been on my mind lately. There are a myriad of possible explainations for all manner of experiences like these. But the way I see it, if you look hard enough there are also a myriad of explainations for what happens after death, or why a person believes something or not...none may be 100% true/false, but I still find it interesting to grasp the spectrum of ideas people have on such things.

I certainly entertain the idea that this kind of thing is possible. Whether or not I completely understand it, the way some others believe they do (or don't believe)....that's another story. I'm a pretty grounded person, and somewhat skeptical to boot. So I'd be interested in a similar take on this, as opposed to a strictly "100% yes/no" answer (although those are of course welcome to).


Any thoughts?




[P.S. - Sorry this turned out to be so long. If you read this whole thing, kudos.]

Ghosts, demons, evil spirits; I don't know what to call them, but they exist. One time, while roaming the hallways of my old home, there was a lady with long black hair with holes in her dress, staring me down. It was a rather neutral, indifferent kind of stare. What freaked me out was that she flew toward me and went right through my body. I didn't feel anything. I've asked around the neighborhood and people told me that people died in the house. What's even scarier is that my home was built on a Native American burial ground. Thank god we moved

Originally Posted by LucidFlanders

Seeing is believing.

Thats if you discount illusions, hallucinations, hypnogogia, dreams (lucid or otherwise) the effect of drugs, stress, illness etc. etc.

Personally i think it's very short sighted and a little arrogant for people to think that they cannot fall victim to misinterpretation or the myriad of quirks of human perception.

If i saw a "ghost" my first question would be "am i dreaming?"
the second would be "have I been spiked with some kind of drug?"
There would be very a long list of more likely explanations I'd have to write off first before I came to the conclusion that I was seeing the spirit of a dead person. I think thats the only fair, sane way to approach these things.

That's not saying it isn't possible. It's simply saying that there are a LOT of far more likely explanations that should be considered first.
Jumping to one of the most unlikely explanations first (that you are seeing a ghost) is a very short sighted way of seeing the world. It also demonstrates a profound conceit, "My perception cant possibly be wrong, so it MUST mean that the universe and science as we know it is wrong"

I chose no simply because I have faith in my religion. It says in the bible that all souls go to either heaven, hell or purgatory. It never says anything about them staying on earth. However I do believe in spirits and entities, but not of souls left behind my humans.

I'm not arguing with you or what your religion says by any means, Crescent Fox...in fact, I believe these same things too.

And my only thoughts after that is (and this is not an idea I have 100% faith in, just an idea): I've just always wondered if Earth is indeed purgatory. I don't know "where" heaven or hell is exactly, if it's a physical place at all...but the one physical place I do know of is Earth. And a life of being confined to a place, but not being able to communicate/have an impact on that place in exactly the same way you did when you were alive...to have to roam a place, where you might not be able to make full contact with your loved one, with some people not even knowing you exist on Earth in such a way...

I don't know, I'm not stating it's the case, persay. But the idea is one I've had many times before.

Also, the spirits/entities are indeed the more intriguing concepts...




...reminds me, once a friend was talking about a series of books in which all the righteous people instantaneaously go to heaven, and they sinners stay where they are or go to hell, not knowing where the righteous people have disappeared to. I remember sitting on a swingset in a park at sunset (to a dark red/orange skyline), thinking: "What if that's already happened and I just don't know it?"

I'm neutral on the subject, mainly because I've never really experienced anything paranormal of this nature. I don't deny the possibility of ghosts existing, but considering it seems like the whole concept is an artifact of the human imagination, it probably isn't true. Till an aparration takes form in my presence and says to me it is someone from beyond the grave while I am in a sober state of mind, I will stay neutral. Even then, that's not going to be enough evidence. I doubt there is a way for objective evidence that verifies ghosts existing until you either become one, or you can actually determine what a ghost is in a scientific context.

acatalephobic that's just so...deep...I think you just gave me some inspiration to draw something...thank you so much!

...eh? Really?
I'm not sure how I managed that, but I hope your drawing is to your liking.

Originally Posted by Daniel Danciu

I doubt there is a way for objective evidence that verifies ghosts existing until you either become one, or you can actually determine what a ghost is in a scientific context.

Very true. Until then they'll probably just remain spooky and horror-movie-worthy. The things that people simply can't believe or understand usually make the best horror flick subject matter.

I think that's why extreme psychological disorders and forms of mania are so terrifying to me. Way scarier than the idea of ghosts.

I... am unsure, once when I was a kid saw some "entity" which lead me to believe, but then I started to think there may be a logic explanation, to which I failed to find anything other than hallucination, and since I was the only one to see it, can't confirm, leading to that "unsure" lol

used to believe in them when I was younger, not anymore.

I was religious and very spiritual and all that jazz, and I just believed that people could possibly float around after they died.

Now, lol, not at all. I'm much more of a logical thinker/need proof/scientific method kinda guy. THere just came a point in my life where I decided to dismiss all the mysticism BS that happened after death that people believed. And now, especially with scientific proof, I just know that people and their conciousness cease to exist after death.

Originally Posted by noname

No I know ghosts.

Why? I've met the buggers!

What.

_____

I honestly don't know, I let my brain stew on things like this, but nothing solid ever comes up. I love the thought, that some kind of imprint could be left behind after we die.

I would love to hear how everyone describes ghosts as well.

Yes, i believe in ghosts. Ive had enough encounters with it throughout my life to convins me. I also feel watched somtimes, i just hate that.

Originally Posted by DarkComrade

Yes, i believe in ghosts. Ive had enough encounters with it throughout my life to convins me. I also feel watched somtimes, i just hate that.

See if that was me, I'd have gone visit a doctor a LONG time ago.
If I was seeing things that no one else could see, my first thought wouldnt be "oh i see ghosts", it would be "I need to see a doctor quickly".

Having known two close friends who suffered mental ilness, I can say first hand that "Seeing things no one else sees" and "feeling like being watched" are pretty common symptoms of mental issues, such as schizophrenia and other disorders.

Symptoms can include:
Seeing things no one else sees
feeling like being watched (or other "paranoid thoughts" such as your thoughts being transmitted)
Feeling a "significance" to certain events or places.
Seeing patterns in things that are otherwise unrelated.
Changes in appetite
An obsessive interest in certain subjects or ideas.
Feeling special, important or different from others.

I'm not trying to frighten you or anyone here, But I am concerned for your wellbeing. If what you say is true, I would very much urge you to speak to a professional, just to be on the safe side. Having seen people I love have to deal with issues like this, it's something very close to my heart, and any unusual, or unaccounted for (not the result of intoxication - or not part of the minds natural dreaming/sleeping phases) visions, auditory hallucinations or perceptual and personality changes, should ring warning bells! Don't risk your own mental health!