Ghosts

[Deb]

If I can ever figure out how to hook up my scanner to my computer, I will try and scan my photo. Maybe I can take my photo it to someplace to get scanned on a good scanner and put on a cd and then post it. I think the people in the window would come through.

I have had moments in my life where I have known a presence was with me. Once, I had spent time with my grandfather a couple hours before he died. I knew he was dying and I was able to tell him I loved him and say goodbye. When I got home, I got the call that he had died. I was downstairs in my laundry room and very sad and someone put there arm around me and their hand on my shoulder. I assumed it was my husband and when I went to look up at him, I was alone. I figured it had been my grandfather, but maybe it was Jesus comforting me. I had a similar experience when my grandmother died. I hadn't thought before it could just have been God. So, I guess I don't know.

Although, my family did live in a house from the time I was 9 and my sister and shared a room. We both had nightmares from the time we moved in until the time we moved out and then they stopped. They were similar and we never discussed them with each other until we were adults. I heard people walking and opening doors and all kinds of stuff happening in the night when no one was up. It was all scary so I am pretty sure either bad things happened there once or the evil one was messing with us.

[dominicansoul]

All interesting opinions. I thought the same thing Louisville Fan mentioned, about Saul speaking to Samuel after a medium contacted him....was Samuel an evil spirit or was Saul able to speak to the "real" Samuel?

Also what Deb mentions is more in line with the experiences I have had...there have been times where I felt a comforting presence.....and then more often, a scary presence....so, I guess these are the things I think of in terms of "ghosts." Some good...some bad....but they exist.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1629346' date='Aug 16 2008, 10:31 PM']All interesting opinions. I thought the same thing Louisville Fan mentioned, about Saul speaking to Samuel after a medium contacted him....was Samuel an evil spirit or was Saul able to speak to the "real" Samuel?

Also what Deb mentions is more in line with the experiences I have had...there have been times where I felt a comforting presence.....and then more often, a scary presence....so, I guess these are the things I think of in terms of "ghosts." Some good...some bad....but they exist.[/quote]
If I remember the way Fr. Amorth talked about it (although it's at best 50/50 whether or not my memory is right), it was the real Samuel, but he was really freakin mad that he had been 'called back'.
...I really doubt myself here though, because I seem to remember Fr. Amorth saying very forcefully that when mediums 'contact' spirits of dead persons, it is always and in every case a demon trying to trick either you or even the medium, to try to gain influence.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1628553' date='Aug 16 2008, 12:06 AM']One thing to keep in mind: as far as I know, there is no official Church position (otherwise there wouldn't be any debate), so there's not a necessarily correct opinion at this point.[/quote]

So everyone just go ahead and agree with me, and we're all cool.

Regarding Saul calling up the spirit of Samuel, the passage is 1 Sam 28:3-25. Everything within it suggests this is genuinely Samuel who appeared before the woman and Saul. Somehow, when the woman saw Samuel, she realized that it was Saul in disguise who had made the request to her. Then Saul asks her to describe what she sees and following he answer, it says, "Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance."

At other times in Scripture when something is happening that isn't what it appears to be, there is usually some clarification for the audience. There is no clarification offered here and Saul had no doubt that it was Samuel. He could've been deceived, in which case he would've done obeisance before a demon appearing as Samuel.

As for personal experience, my roommates are pretty sure that one of our room is haunted. Several people (though not everyone) who have stayed in that room have heard the sound of coins falling on the hardwood floor. The weirdest thing I've experienced is coming home to find all the lights on, which I promptly turned off. A few minutes after going to my room, my roommate came home and asked why all the lights were on...

They are Christians (not Catholic) and even held a little prayer service in the "haunted" room. Seems like since then nothing too crazy has happened, save for the coin falling sound. I sprinkled holy water on the door... though that was really just to see if it would sizzle. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have done that, but I guess the door got blessed either way.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1631528' date='Aug 19 2008, 10:02 AM']So everyone just go ahead and agree with me, and we're all cool.

Regarding Saul calling up the spirit of Samuel, the passage is 1 Sam 28:3-25. Everything within it suggests this is genuinely Samuel who appeared before the woman and Saul. Somehow, when the woman saw Samuel, she realized that it was Saul in disguise who had made the request to her. Then Saul asks her to describe what she sees and following he answer, it says, "Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance."

At other times in Scripture when something is happening that isn't what it appears to be, there is usually some clarification for the audience. There is no clarification offered here and Saul had no doubt that it was Samuel. He could've been deceived, in which case he would've done obeisance before a demon appearing as Samuel.

As for personal experience, my roommates are pretty sure that one of our room is haunted. Several people (though not everyone) who have stayed in that room have heard the sound of coins falling on the hardwood floor. The weirdest thing I've experienced is coming home to find all the lights on, which I promptly turned off. A few minutes after going to my room, my roommate came home and asked why all the lights were on...

They are Christians (not Catholic) and even held a little prayer service in the "haunted" room. Seems like since then nothing too crazy has happened, save for the coin falling sound. I sprinkled holy water on the door... though that was really just to see if it would sizzle. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have done that, but I guess the door got blessed either way.[/quote]
Apparently some priests will bless houses too.
In fact I have a prayer for it.
I used to think my house was haunted. Although that was that 'overactive imagination' again.
I swore once that I heard footsteps, but on the other hand, I was reading a book of ghosts stories.
I don't trust myself that much.

[LouisvilleFan]

Yeah, there is a blessing for houses. I don't think people use it as much these days as they did back in the day, but I suppose if I owned a house I wouldn't mind having it blessed. My crazy Catholic aunt even blesses every motel room she stays in with holy water She says, "You never know who's been there before you!"

[Selah]

[quote]"You never know who's been there before you!"[/quote]

lol, splendid idea!

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' post='1626827' date='Aug 14 2008, 11:45 AM']Wow, I am really surprised at how many people on the poll are saying that they believe in ghosts.



That's a good quote. Father Gabriele Amorth [i]An Exorcist Tells His Story[/i]:

"These are the invention of spiritists, of followers of the occult, of those who espouse reincarnation, or of those who believe in 'wandering souls.' There are no good spirits other than angels; no bad spirits other than demons. Two Councils of the Church (Lyons and Florence) tell us that souls of those who die go immediately to heaven or to hell or to purgatory. The souls of the dead who are present during seances or the souls of the dead who are present in living bodies to torture them are non other than demons" (30).

And then Father Amorth does mention that God does allow a soul to return in very very rare and exceptional circumstances. And we see an example of that in The Bible when Elijah and Moses appeared to Jesus as he was with Peter, James and John (Mark 9: 2-8).

Therefore, I do say that there is no such thing as "ghosts."[/quote]
That's pretty cool. thanks for dropping the Hammer

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1631528' date='Aug 19 2008, 11:02 AM']... I sprinkled holy water on the door... though that was really just to see if it would sizzle. ...[/quote]

That made me lawl. Then, I had visions of drops of holy water hitting an old door and steam pouring off as if it was hot.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' post='1632688' date='Aug 20 2008, 11:38 AM']That made me lawl. Then, I had visions of drops of holy water hitting an old door and steam pouring off as if it was hot.[/quote]
Reminds me of that scene in... Amityville Horror? If it's that then it was the recent remake. The priest was trying to bless the house and got harassed by the demon. Crucifix on the wall turned upside down... Priest got attacked or something... can't remember.
It was based on a true story though. Not necessarily accurate, but things definitely happened in the real house. This priest actually did come, then ran out and refused to go back.
Of course he didn't quite do his job, but given the circumstances... I understand.

[jeffpugh]

He shoulda left, came back in Vestments, trailing altar boys with incense, candles, a big crucifix and a copy of The Word. Oh, and a bucket of holy water. Bam.

[dominicansoul]

I don't know if this still happens since the renovations, but in Nashville, at the Dominican convent there in the old novitiate wing, we would hear the sound of footsteps on the old wooden floors, and a Rosary jingling as if a Sister were walking around. It would give me the creeps, but then I remember where I was, and I knew "Our Lady of this house" was protecting us from all evil. I wouldn't be surprised if it were something evil, because the beast was probably on the prowl....but he couldn't get to us, because we were protected.

Edited August 20, 2008 by dominicansoul

[GilChrist77]

[font="Arial Black"][color="#9932CC"]I don't really think there is such a thing as ghosts in that I don't think dead people come back and haunt us.
I do firmly believe that there are spirits, good AND bad that are everywhere and the bad spirits will try to scare you and think you are being haunted, but we just need to remember that Jesus is always with us and will not let anything happen.[/color][color="#008000"]
God bless
~Betsy[/color]

[color="#FF0000"]Everyone[/color] [color="#2E8B57"]loves [/color][color="#FF0000"]an[/color] [color="#2E8B57"]Italin[/color] [color="#FF0000"]Guy![/color][/font]

Edited August 20, 2008 by GilChrist77

[LouisvilleFan]

Who says ghosts are haunting us?

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' post='1632785' date='Aug 20 2008, 03:16 PM']He shoulda left, came back in Vestments, trailing altar boys with incense, candles, a big crucifix and a copy of The Word. Oh, and a bucket of holy water. Bam.[/quote]

Yeah, let the altar boys go in front of him! haha

And after meeting the mothers of those boys after they find out he took 'em on an exorcism tour of duty, he'd probably rather deal with a houseful of demons!