Ghosts

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
I was recently told that there is no such thing as ghosts (from a Catholic perspective). I'm not sure what to believe, so what do you think? From a Catholic perspective, is there such a thing as ghosts?

[prose]

I have no idea. There seems to be quite a bit of evidence to their existence, but I have no idea.

I guess it depends on the definition of "ghost".

[havok579257]

Ummm... the Holy Ghost comes to mind.

[add]

There is always the trinity; the Father, the Son and the [u]Holy Ghost[/u]

The Holy Ghost is depicted as the third Person of One God”

[u]Speaking[/u] .. Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye shall hear his voice (Hebrews 3:7)

[u]Thinking[/u] .. But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

[u]Reasoning[/u] … For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: (Acts 15:28)

[u]Feeling[/u] .. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)

[u]Eternal [/u].. how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

[u]Omniscient[/u] .. But unto us God revealed [i]them[/i] through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

[u]Omnipresent[/u] .. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (Psalms 139:7)

Edited August 11, 2008 by apparently

[TeresaBenedicta]

I don't know. I'm tempted to say (beyond the exception of the Holy Ghost) that 'no', there's not ghosts in the typical sense. I don't think there are souls that hang around earth like that.

I think that demons can appear as ghosts.

But, this is all just speculation on my behalf.

[aalpha1989]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' post='1624592' date='Aug 11 2008, 07:29 PM']I don't know. I'm tempted to say (beyond the exception of the Holy Ghost) that 'no', there's not ghosts in the typical sense. I don't think there are souls that hang around earth like that.

I think that demons can appear as ghosts.

But, this is all just speculation on my behalf.[/quote]

Agreed. I have always thought that the "supernatural activity" which honest people claim to have experienced, and attribute to ghosts, was angels or demons. I don't really see how one could say that souls "hang around on earth" (as TB said).

[add]

The cowardly lion from the wizard of oz, believes in um.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='aalpha1989' post='1624608' date='Aug 11 2008, 08:47 PM']Agreed. I have always thought that the "supernatural activity" which honest people claim to have experienced, and attribute to ghosts, was angels or demons. I don't really see how one could say that souls "hang around on earth" (as TB said).[/quote]
Depends on how you define ghosts, doesn't it. I don't think God limits existence as we know it to just angels or demons.
I think the bard got it right" there are more things in heaven and earth Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1624639' date='Aug 11 2008, 07:02 PM']Depends on how you define ghosts, doesn't it. I don't think God limits existence as we know it to just angels or demons.[/quote]
Well plus humans.
...but that would be almost exactly what Fr. Amorth says.
"There are no good spirits except angels, and no evil spirits except demons."
Of course that doesn't limit human spirits, I suppose...
He also says "God very rarely allows a human to return to earth."
That implies to me that maybe sometimes it happens... but that doesn't speak to the level we see in books of ghost encounters.
Maybe there is some weight in the idea of 'negative energies' being imprinted somehow?

I did hear an extremely compelling case debunking ghost encounters actually! It was something like... sub aural frequencies... something along those lines. I can't remember if it's really really high frequencies or really really low, but it's completely out of range for us to hear. While we can't hear it though, there is a fundemental frequency that causes our cornea to vibrate. This vibration can cause us to see things out of the corner of our eye, or see strange lights.
At the same time, these frequencies vibrate at such a level to induce a very foreboding sort of feeling. That 'feeling of impending disaster' in the pit of your stomach.
Apparently this has all been tested and showed to be plausible.
Sorry though, I don't know any sources. I might be able to find it, but maybe better if you search it yourself.

[CatherineM]

I'm fairly sure my father haunts me sometimes. He was a practical joker (I still check my shoes sometimes for oatmeal before putting them on) and there are things that disappear around here and then show up later right where they were supposed to be. My former roommate used to get so mad when her stuff did that. It usually happened most when she wasn't being nice to me.

[KnightofChrist]

Ghosts are spirits... as stated by another there are two types of spirits Good and Evil, Angels and Demons. While limited Angels and Demons do at times physically effect our world.

[KnightofChrist]

Just thought I'd tell a story, when I was younger I believe I was 14, I was laying in my bed reading a Star Trek book in a room across from my parents room where everyone else of the family was on the bed reading a kids book.

As I was reading all of a sudden it got very cold in the room and I look up at the doorway and there was what I would describe as person a child who as dark as a shadow, up in the right hand corner of the door as if it was hanging from the ceiling looking at me. It was a very uneasy feeling to say the least. I just shot up and basically jump 20 feet into my parents room.

I know what I saw was really there, what it was I have no idea but it was shape exactly like a person and moved like one, it was the creepiest thing I can recall from my childhood.

Edited August 12, 2008 by KnightofChrist

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
okay, i didn't mean Holy Ghost people. geesh.

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1624695' date='Aug 11 2008, 07:45 PM']+J.M.J.+
okay, i didn't mean Holy Ghost people. geesh. [/quote]

I know but it does help bringing it up in as much as it shows that a Ghost is a Spirit.

[Kitty]

Yes, I believe in ghosts. I believe I have obtained some photographic evidence of them, as well.
I think that many ghosts mean no harm and are only playful and like to make trouble (as in the case of haunted houses or other buildings) but I do think there are some that intend to cause terror and harm to humans (demons, possibly).