Do You Believe In Ghosts?

[Slugger31]

The title is self explanatory. What are your thoughts?

 

[rae121452]

wholeheartedly.

 

[Conager]

The cognitive dissonance between what people believe versus what they don't is interesting to me. Few seem to build cohesiveness in their self-styled universes.

 

[Slugger31]

The cognitive dissonance between what people believe versus what they don't is interesting to me. Few seem to build cohesiveness in their self-styled universes.

A simple “no” might’ve sufficed. *

 

[Sweet_Lara]

Ghosts, no. Demons, yes. Angels, yes.

 

[Slugger31]

Ghosts, no. Demons, yes. Angels, yes.

Interesting. What made you accept the possibility of a paranormal entity as long as it’s characterized as good or evil?

 

[SilkeeSmooth]

I'm not sure about Ghosts, but I do believe in Spirits.

And I definitely believe in Angels

 

[RoryN]

The cognitive dissonance between what people believe versus what they don't is interesting to me. Few seem to build cohesiveness in their self-styled universes.

Oh, the irony.

 

[sexy_curves]

Sure do.

 

[PaxNurgle]

I want to be a paranormal skeptic, because I'd frankly rather NOT believe that creepy fucked up things like that exist. But I have had experiences and yes, I have seen certain things. I won't go too into that here, but lets just say that basically, I do believe in them.

 

[RoryN]

I believe in them.

They're smart and capable. If they put their minds to it, they can achieve anything.

 

[Slugger31]

I believe in them.

They're smart and capable. If they put their minds to it, they can achieve anything.

Didn’t know you were a motivational spooker.

 

[Lazaran]

.
After working in the mental health field and seeing how many certifiably insane individuals believed in ghosts(among other things), and never having experienced any paranormal phenomena in nearly sixty years, I'm solidly in the no column.

 

[RoryN]

Didn’t know you were a motivational spooker.

https://i.imgur.com/vY93puw.gif

(I laughed though.)

 

[Slugger31]

I want to be a paranormal skeptic, because I'd frankly rather NOT believe that creepy fucked up things like that exist. But I have had experiences and yes, I have seen certain things. I won't go too into that here, but lets just say that basically, I do believe in them.

I’ve probably had a dozen or so experiences in my life that to varying degrees have seemed “ghostly” or at least “paranormal”. And with maybe more than half of those I’m sure that if you sat me down with the right person they could present more logical explanations for those experiences other than “ghosts”. The problem is that at least a few of them nobody can convince me weren’t just fucking weird and otherworldly. And I don’t know how to reconcile that.

 

[Conager]

A simple “no” might’ve sufficed. *

I'm not quite sure why you would assume that from my statement. In my very cohesive Universe ghosts have a place; else how would there be any sort of afterlife?

Interesting. What made you accept the possibility of a paranormal entity as long as it’s characterized as good or evil?

Astute question. I need to think about how that fits in with my universe because I think mine is similarly polarized

 

[Slugger31]

I'm not quite sure why you would assume that from my statement. In my very cohesive Universe ghosts have a place; else how would there be any sort of afterlife?



Astute question. I need to think about how that fits in with my universe because I think mine is similarly polarized

I wasn’t. I was just being a smart ass. The thread has just gotten started and already we’re debating how inconsistent one’s beliefs can be.

For instance, what we call “ghosts” could actually end up being some other phenomena that’s totally unrelated to the concept of an afterlife or religion entirely. Or maybe ghosts exist but it’s completely unrelated to a God.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

A science education leads me to say No, don't be silly, there's always a reasonable explanation. On the other hand, I've had at least one experience which I am simply unable to write off as having a perfectly logical cause using the usual quiver of reasonable, solid, scientific explanations.

 

[Sweet_Lara]

Slugger:

Here’s more behind my initial comment.

I defined ghosts as humans coming back from the dead, which I believe doesn't happen. We die, our souls exit to another place and no more interaction with Earth.

I believe in demons, fallen angels, familiar spirits and Satan, all evil. I believe in angels, good forces, God

There is a spiritual war, which we cannot see, here on Earth and in the second heaven, where angels and demons are battling, good vs evil. The good wins in the end, btw

When we get those "weird happenings" here on Earth, I believe most are demonic or familiar spirits posing as our loved ones. (And, of late, I have wondered if those UFOs seen by pilots aren't glimpses — the veil temporarily lifted — of demons or angels in second heaven.)

I've experienced both tangible demonic and angelic events in my life.

Interesting discussion. Always open to others’ respectable thoughts but most likely will not get into a debate. I'm comfortable with what I believe.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

The only thing stupider than thinking ghosts are real is thinking angels are real.

For God's sake we can operate with microscopic robots, hear what Mars sounds like, see back in time 13.4 billion years and talk to anyone on the planet anywhere anytime we want with a box in our pocket. Time to let go of Leprechauns, Fairies and Casper.

 

[Sean]

Nope. Other things I think are bollocks: Angels, demons, gods, fairies, the healing power of crystals, homeopathy, corporate social responsibility and courier companies that stick to quoted delivery times.

 

[Lazaran]

Nope. Other things I think are bollocks: Angels, demons, gods, fairies, the healing power of crystals, homeopathy, corporate social responsibility and courier companies that stick to quoted delivery times.

That ^ just about covers it.

/thread

 

[PaxNurgle]

When you see a wispy transparent white figure in the outline of a woman walk down the hallway of your parents' house, or a dark, hooded figure standing in the middle of the street that disappears as soon as a car's headlights hit it - things like these do eat away at your skepticism.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Anecdotes are proof of zip.

If ghosts were real we wouldn't need to hear over and over again about that one time an old lady came floating down your staircase, we would know by now. We'd have measurable proof. But in all the years and centuries of anecdotes we have nothing. There has never -- NEVER -- been in the whole history of man, one, single, solitary provable ghost appearance.

I mean, come one, the whole idea that ghosts exists stems from the idea that Homo sapiens are special to the planet, the galaxy, the universe, and we know that isn't true. Unless you think T-Rex's had ghosts, or a virus, or a salamander, or a Cro-Magnum. I mean, why don't we see any of those? Why is always some Civil War bride or your Auntie Sylvia? You're not that special, take my word for it. None of us are. There's no reason why human beings should be assigned some special afterlife existence above and beyond all other creatures. Where's my ghost dogs, cats and rabbits? Or dolphins? Or silverback gorillas? Belief in ghosts goes hand in hand with the eternal wish that the cosmos were made for us. Ridiculous.

Your anecdote is shite. Memory, tricks of the eye, suggestion, etc., are all much better explanations than "Ghost".

 

[Not Normal]

Kinda