Are there any Christians out there who believe in ghosts?

Question

It's rare to run across people from the Abrahamic faiths who believe in ghosts. I just finished reading a book by George Ritchie called Return From Tomorrow. He is a Christian, and claimed to see ghosts after having a near death experience. He was told by Jesus that most of these people were suicides and people who put material possessions before God, but weren't exactly bad enough to go to Hell during life. I know that Catholics find the idea palatable with Christianity. Are there any Christians out there who actually believe in ghosts? Why do you believe in them and how do you reconcile this belief with your faith?

Answer 1

I am not a Christian or of the Abrahamic faiths.



I have seen spirits and soul energies in many places. Most times I can feel their presence.

I have also seen dark spirits (christians call them demons or satan **rolls eyes**), but what is really funny is that I have seen more shadow people and dark "spirits" in churches than I have in residentials, businesses, or in open land areas.

Every persons view is different when it comes to these "dark" spirits, entities, or shadow people. Some think they are evil, some feel they have been in the earth realm too long, and some feel they may be young spirits (less than 50 yrs since their passing) and then there are those that feel they may have agreed to the negative forces for power and influence. Either way, I have never been harmed nor manipulated by those types of entities, BUT the darkest ones I have seen are in many churches that I have visited and they are oppressive feeling and seem to be of very negative energy.

Strange that I would find most of them in churches, mosques, and temples though.

Many ghosts or spirits seem to feel they are here for a purpose of some sort. To relive their lives or influence this time period in some way. Some are here that just have questions they feel they need answered and there are some that feel the area they reside IS their version of heaven and are meant to be here for enternity. Then there are some that feel they must watch over their loved ones for a time or wait till it is their time to cross over to the next realm of existence and that they need to be there when they do. There are others that do not know they are dead, those that are confused, those that are scared, and those that feel they must continue on this earth for numerous, good or bad, reasons.

Just what I have personally experienced over the years.

Answer 2

I don't believe anyone who claims they saw a ghost in the bedroom while in bed. The problem with that is a person can easily be in a dream state where they dream they wake up and see something or feel something touching them. I had the experience when I was around 3 or 4 years old where I saw all white people that looked more like aliens outside of my bedroom. It was night and very dark. One approached me and I through the cover over my head and laid there for several minutes and then I uncovered my head it was daylight out. Since then I have had several experiences where I just wake up and I feel someone getting in bed and lying up against me or something actually grabs the bed covers and shakes them and then pins me down. I lay there a bit and then I wake up and nothing is there. I know for sure I am in a dream state where I think I am awake, but I am not.



I suppose "residual" type phenomena could occur. The types of hauntings that are just footsteps, voices, laughter or other reoccurring events that exhibit no intelligence. Maybe they are somehow recorded into the electromagnetic radiation realm and "replay" occasionally. I don't know.

Answer 3

Well, I've never had an encounter with a ghost/spirit - whatever you may call them, but when someone who has no tendency to lie or any clear motivation to do so, tells me about their ghostly experience (which they have), I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. I do this particularly if the experience is totally lacking in the sort of drama people expect from ghost stories told around the campfire. Any story I've been told in earnest has been fairly mundane: lights on when you know they've been turned off, seeing people who can't be seen by others - but the people are just standing there.



I've never experienced a ghost myself and I doubt I ever will, but I won't assume that this means no one else will ever experience such a thing. I tend not to assume that my life experience is universal.

Answer 4

I am Christian and I believe in ghosts and demons. I have had many experiences starting from childhood. Now I must say, there are cases where demons will try to manipulate someone by trying to act like one. That is why God tells us to test the spirits. I am not keen on speaking to ghosts so much because most are negative in their own way, otherwise, most wouldn't be here. There are some who are not aware they have died. I have had angelic experiences too.

Answer 5

I believe in ghosts. The reason is that I don't believe that when we die, we immediately wake up in Heaven or Hell...the Bible speaks of a Judgement Day, when all will be judged. One cannot go to Heaven or Hell until one has been judged, so where do the souls go in the mean time? I'm not Catholic, so I don't believe in Purgatory...so where? I believe that this is what ghosts are. People who have passed away, and are awaiting (like the rest of us) Judgement Day.

Answer 6

I am a Christian, and I believe in spirits. Also believing there are dimensions, I feel there are times when spirits can (for a lack of a better word,) crossover into our dimension if God allows it, for whatever reason He may have. Also there are evil spirits that roam the earth, a product of Satan's rebellion. As Christians, God gives us power over our enemies, so there is no evil spirit that can harm us in the name of Christ. Yes, I do feel spirits, not scary ghosts, exists. We all lose our flesh bodies at our death and take on a spiritual body. I think sometimes, God will allow for those that are having a difficult time after the loss of a loved one, to be comforted, and this could be a way.

Answer 7

If I'm not mistaken and anyone here may correct me if I'm wrong, but, I thought this was something Gnostics believed. That there is another dimension living side by side of us. I do believe in spirits, good and bad. And as coming from a Catholic family, I have to tell you, there were some pretty crazy things that happened around and to my mother that has been witnessed, yet we're told to not talk about it because of the feeling it was not of God!!!! Our family's priest was brought in to bless the house and even HE wasn't told why we wanted it. I don't even want to tell of these occurances, because you would think I were either lying or crazy. But, I do believe there are spirits among us, oh yes indeed.

Answer 8

Yes and no. I believe in angels and demon, the bible confirms the existence of both. Angels do the work of God, demons don't. So when people claim to see a "ghost" they are actually seeing one or the other. How can you tell between them? Like I said demons don't do the work of God. So if someone sees a dead civil war soldier at Gettysburg whose work is it doing? Some say it's not evil in that it isn't hurting anyone or that maybe it's even there to protect some family or something. This is still a demon. In the Bible angels always tell people who they are being sent by. So what about the friendy ghost? If people see the civil war soldier as an example of a person who died and is now stuck between life and death, being in neither heaven nor hell, it directly contradicts the Bible so the "ghost" is doing the devil's work.

Answer 9

Yeah there's the "Holy Ghost" and then there are the ghosts of Satan's rule. No human ghosts. Once we die that's it until judgement day but we as humans cannot come back here. The evil spirits that have reign over the earth can and do impersonate loved ones dead ones and just plain come out with evil intent.

The only ghost that you should pay attention to is the "Holy Ghost". Everything else is out to get you if they can.

And no ... there is no Casper the friendly ghost and no Easter Bunny either.

Answer 10

I believe in ghost



because sometimes I hear strange things

such as when there is nobody I was listening to my ipod then i hear someone shouting my name JOSH! then I removed my ear phones and check outside nobody was there



that's not my only reason



My mom also saw Ghost during her childhood

she told me what she seen



first ghost she seen: a man wearing a giants costume full of blood



second ghost she seen: a boy who has chicken pox all over him and he has sharp teeth the same time he is smiling

Answer 11

I am a Christian, and I believe that there are things that we cannot explain. "Ghosts" or spirits, etc. I actually had a reliable family member who could sort of sense those kinds of things and it opened me up to the possibility. I don't think it's a good idea to seek the spirit world out though.

Answer 12

Don't the Catholics believe in the Holy Ghost ?

Answer 13

the man who wrote that book clearly doesn't know about theology if he claims to have visions or whatever from Christ.



i went to a baptist Bible college. our campus was an old WWI military academy that was said to be haunted.



normally people in my realm of denominations would frown upon the idea of something being "haunted" but i know a hand full of credible, godly men who claim to have seen something extra dimensional.



one guy used to work for the college's radio department. he was working really late one night after hours in a building that was closed and locked to the public. oddly, he heard the vacuum running so he went to check on it. the vacuum stopped just moments before he got to it, but before he could turn around it started up again while it was unplugged.



the Bible tells us that souls of men either go directly to heaven or hell when the body dies...there is no middle ground. the Bible also tells us that demons are very real and their primary goal is to deceive men. you should google "demonology" to read up on this.



to summarize i believe when people claim to have seen ghosts it's actually demonic activity...and i believe it's real.

Answer 14

I believe there is a Holy Ghost & also demon spirits, but not the spirit of some poor person that is trapped between heaven or hell.

Answer 15

What we see as ghost are demons.



Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.



Mat 14:26-27 KJV And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. (27) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Answer 16

I am a Christian who believes in ghosts. I never actually saw one or saw things moving by themselves but did hear footsteps walking across the hardwood floor in the attack of the house I grew up in while I would be falling asleep at night. When ever I would get up and look out my bedroom door there would never be anyone there. It would send chills down my spine.

Answer 17

I'm a Christian and believe in spirits/ghosts. I don't beleive it is dead people's souls earth bound, because I believe you either go to heaven or hell. So yes I believe there are angelic and demonic spirits, but not spirits or ghosts in the way most people know it.(dead people's spirits).

The Bible talks about evil spirits, etc so this is how it fits into my Faith.



And why I definitly believe in them is because I've seen some, and twice there where poeple with me who expirienced the same thing(not all of them christians). So I could never say they don't exist.

Answer 18

Okay i used to go to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses. And i have SEEN "ghost"

However i do not believe they are dead people haunting us. I believe it is just satan. Satan was punished to earth and restricted from Heaven. So he is here on earth with us. He is trying to turn us all against God so of course he is able to be here with us and try to persuade us to do bad.

He can appear like "a ghost". The reason i know this is true is because once when my sister was younger she saw a "ghost" of our mother in her room. (freaked her out of course) but my mother is ALIVE. Soo.... yeah.

Answer 19

They all believe in the Holy Ghost.

Answer 20

ALL christians believe in ghosts. It's part of the definition of being a christian.



edit: Almost everyone who answered this question is a f*cking idiot. You gullible morons will believe anything!

Answer 21

I don't really know what to believe about ghosts. Some say they are demons, pretending to be departed souls. Others say they ARE departed souls, but why are they lingering? Just a thought, but in Revelation it talks about people who are "outside the gates." Meaning, not with God in the glory of heaven. Perhaps this is the explanation. Or maybe they are just apparitions of our minds playing tricks on us.

Answer 22

If you mean ghosts as demon spirits, yes, I believe. Ghosts are not human spirits wandering around, because there are no human spirits on this earth outside of a human body.

Answer 23

I used to believe in ghosts, I used to see them, Now I am of the belief that it is more likely demons trying to manipulate me. But I am certainty open minded to this. demon or past being, God would not want us to talk to communicate with them I think.

Answer 24

We call them spirits. There are two kinds of spirits... angelic and demonic. There isn't any ghosts not the human people kind. Its a phonomon that is created from demonic spirits. The devil is real and all his workers ... who are the 'bad angels cast from heaven by God' are real. Scripture even says that they roam the earth like a roaring lion seeking those that they can devour. They can do all kinds of spiritual things... all in the negative side of the realm... that can imitate what seems very genuine and real. That is one of their best tools to make you believe in things that do not glorify God so that they can trip you into believing things that are on the other side of good... which is called evil. The devil knows he is already doomed to a life in hell when Jesus returns. So his only plan of action is to destroy as many of God's creation in the form of man and women that he can to take them with him to a life in eternal damnation where he is headed. It says in several places in the New Testament that he will be chained up when Jesus returns so he has nothing to lose at this point. He's already doomed. Those who believe what is contrary to the Word of God are also doomed with him because he has already won their souls. Demonic spirits are very real The devil is very real. Angels are very real. You have to put them in their proper perspective and places and call it for what it really is. Good vs evil. God vs Satan. Then you can better deal with it in your own life.

Answer 25

Yes. I believe that ghosts are spirits in a state of purgatory, or an upper level of Hell. I don't know what will happen to them, and I don't claim to. I believe in ghosts because of the evidence..(EVP) which is very strong. And some convincing video footage:



http://www.ghouli.org/investigations/puckett.htm

Answer 26

2 points

Answer 27

I believe in ghosts but am not christian.



However my aunt who is catholic says she believes in ghosts and thinks they are people who cling to the earth and can not let go of mortality and find their way to gods arms.



The Wish List is a cool childrens book on the topic, its fictional but has an interesting dimension of thought.

Answer 28

I'm sure there are Christians who believe in ghosts. I use to date a girl who believe cooking food in a microwave changed it on a molecular level so it wasn't food anymore when it came out. People believe all kinds of stupid stuff... lol

Answer 29

The "rich man" wanted to come back as a ghost to warn his brothers....he was not allowed.



Luke 16



19"Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.



20"And a poor man named Lazarus (S)was laid at his gate, covered with sores,



21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.



22"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to (T)Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.



23"In (U)Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.



24"And he cried out and said, '(V)Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in (W)this flame.'



25"But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that (X)during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.



26'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'



27"And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house--



28for I have five brothers--in order that he may (Y)warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'



29"But Abraham said, 'They have (Z)Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'



30"But he said, 'No, (AA)father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'



31"But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"



Heb. 9



27And inasmuch as (CA)it is appointed for men to die once and after this (CB)comes judgment

Answer 30

Yes, the holy ghost.

Answer 31

First of all I LOVED that book - thought it was amazing, believable and terrific BTW - and ghosts are just SPIRITS as far as I'm concerned so of course christians believe in them, they just don't call them 'ghosts'.....

Answer 32

No I do not believe in Ghost,but I do believe in wicked spirits like Satan and his demons.

Answer 33

there are no such thing as ghosts....

demons yeah..

the bible tells us what happens to us when we die..it would have informed us if there was some sort of spirit realm we go into if that was the case..



whatever you do be careful what you open up your mind to..

Answer 34

hi there, i am a christian (catholic) and i have the same dilemma, i do believe in ghosts, i know you aren't supposed to talk to the dead/spirits etc...but after my father died, things just started happening to let me know that my father was trying to contact me, there was girl online that claimed she was psychic i was like yea right, sure...she said she would meditate and tell me if she got anything, keep in mind she did not know me i was just in a normal chatroom chatting not talking about my father we were talking about john edward the medium....so she im'ed me, i said go ahead....she told me my fathers name started with a D and then said DAVID which it was.........she described what he looked like to a T, that he smoked, that he wore glasses that when he went outside they turned dark, that he wore suspenders and he worked blue collar work clothes...she told me that he said "tell my daugether i saw her making a sandwich today and tell her next time make me one" every single thing she said was true.........



people say psychics/mediums are from the devil but it gave me comfort and as far as im concerned why would the devil do anything to give someone comfort? it hasnt stopped me from believing in God if anything it makes me believe MORE



i have asked my father for signs and he sends butterflies, he has turned my TV on and off and has flickered the lights........



my father came to my room one night while i was sleeping i could feel his presence but i couldn't open my eyes cause i was like paralyzed, i felt him sit on my bed and tuck my covers in, i called my mother the next day and before i could say anything she said you wont believe what happened last night and she described the very same thing that my father sat on her bed and tucked her in and she couldnt move or open her eyes, we both smelled this aftershave..........



i know i will get thumbs down but everything i said is the truth



also i have dreams, i dreamed my father died suddently 2 months before he did......

Answer 35

These "Ghosts" are demons, often imitating humans to deceive them and pull them away from God.

Answer 36

I don't call them ghosts, I call them spirits, and Yes I do believe in them.

Answer 37

Absent an absolute moral authority independent of fallible humans, the only meaning “wrong” could have (pertaining to conduct) would be “in opposition to X,” or “falling short of X’s standards,” which are only persuasive to those who have already accepted X.

Calvin Freiburger

Answer 38

no- any "ghost" would be demons messing with people they can mislead...



There is no in between state - when you die..... the Bible tells us this.

You lie in the grave until Christ comes -

Answer 39

It does say when Jesus died he gave up his ghost.

So obviously the answer is Yes ghosts do exist.

Answer 40

I believe in ghosts because ghosts are just really angels right? Only they walk among us. They can be fallen angels or guardian, and I'm Mormon and I doubt this has anything to do with religion.

Answer 41

I don't. The scriptures do not speak to this.

They do however address evil and familiar spirits and tricks of satan.

Answer 42

I don't think ghosts exist... but if I saw one I would change my mind...

Answer 43

i have a christian friend who believes is ghost and demons and sh*t. as for me, if God exist, then pretty much anything is possible at this point.

Answer 44

Yes.

Answer 45

Apparently, Jesus did. They are called spirits. All are human. They are either spirits of those who have died or devil & those who were cast out with him.



After the resurrection, Jesus pointed this out to the surprised and frightened apostles...

Luke 24

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and frighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have



Between Christ's death and resurrection he taught the spirits of the dead (he taught the Gospel of course)....

John 5

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.



1 Peter 3

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient,..

(Note the Greek connotation of the word "prison" means like cage or confinement, not torture or hell and it is a place of learning if they are willing).



And why did he do this...

1 Peter 4:6

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.



He taught the same thing among the dead and organized his followers there, just as he did among the living, and the only difference is the dead cannot be baptized for themselves as they no longer have a physical body until the resurrection so it must be done before then and by a living person....

Paul, teaching on the reality of the resurrection mentions this almost in passing...

1 Corinthians 15:29

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?



This idea of a vicarious substitution is very much in line with what Christ did for us in suffering for our sins or much of the Old Testament sacrifices.



There is also a spirit paradise, recall what Jesus told the man crucified next to him when the man asked Jesus to remember him... today, thou shalt be with me in paradise. That this paradise is not heaven and is a world of spirits is evident when Christ appeared to Mary on the morning of the resurrection when he came back for his body. He said he had not yet ascended to God (in Heaven).



John 20:17

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Answer 46

What about the unicorn that was mentioned in the bible?

Answer 47

I do and im Christian, but im UCC not catholic

Answer 48

well if the catholics say its true....it must be































































*roll eyes

Answer 49

yes i do its hard for other people to believe me though. :P

Answer 50

Dont they all?

Answer 51

no