Updated: 12-13-2023
The Explosion of Paranormal Shows
I have a confession to make. Not sure if this is to you or to God, but here is goes: I love paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters. Back in 2008, I even planned a watch party for the first show of the new season! Project Fear is my favorite show. I do believe in ghosts! I think . . .
Maybe you are not familiar with these kind of shows. Normally they are weekly programs that air on YouTube or the Discovery Channel. There are dozens of them now. In them, paranormal investigators broadcast their search for activity of “high strangeness.” They take calls from around the country from those who believe that their place of residence is “haunted.” Each show consists of the investigation crew traveling to the “haunted” location and listening to stories from the witnesses. After this they set up their cameras, night vision and thermal imaging, and begin to walk around in the dark looking for some type of communication from the dead or paranormal experience. What I like most about Ghost Hunters is that they don’t seem to be looking to claim any place as haunted. In fact, for the most part they “debunk” people’s claims, finding plausible alternative explanations to the their experience. But every once in a while (maybe every third show) they find something that leaves you scratching your head asking “How do I fit that into my theology?”
Since Ghost Hunters began two decades ago, there has been a massive surgence of television and YouTube shows about paranormal activity. From Ghost Hunters spin-offs to reenactments of “actual” hauntings, the entertainment business has found a niche to peak and feed peoples’ insatiable curiosity in the spiritual world. Its popularity cannot be ignored.
What is a Ghost?
The most popular understanding of the word “ghost” is in reference to disembodied spirits of humans who have died yet still walk the earth. It is believed by many that these disembodied spirits “haunt” certain locations. Trapped between this world and the next, these ghosts, it is claimed, often reach out to the land of the living.
Do You Believe in Ghosts?
This is an odd question. In one sense the answer is absolutely yes. Christianity denies physicalism (the belief that the physical comprises the sum total of reality). We believe that once a person dies, their spirit leaves their body. Therefore, there are disembodied spirits. The problem comes when the claims are made that these disembodied spirits remain on earth in some form and “haunt” or communicate with others.
The Three Christian Options
There are three primary views or perspectives that Christians take concerning this issue:
1. No there are no ghosts. Any supposed paranormal experience, if authentic, should be labeled as demonic activity.
This view would argue that the Christian worldview does not allow for disembodied spirits to roam the earth. When people die, their spirit enters into an intermediate state of existence, either going to the presence of God (heaven) or a waiting place to be judged (hell; see the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus—Lk. 16:19-31). In other words, there is no intermediate state of the intermediate state. Demons, however, do roam the earth as does Satan. Demons will often manifest themselves in ways that will confuse people’s worldview and undermines the Christian message. If a person were to believe in ghosts, this is, at the very least, a compromise with regards to proper Christian eschatology (beliefs in the here-after). Demons may appear as those who have previously died—even animals—in order to disenchant people about the afterlife, making the Christian worldview conflict with personal experience. These demons may communicate with a knowledge of the lives of those whom they are impersonating, giving the definite impression that they must be identified with that person.
Therefore, according to this view, it is unbiblical and destructive to believe in ghosts in the popular sense.
Strengths:
- It would seem the Bible teaches, both explicitly and implicitly, that upon death people either go to the presence of God or await judgment.
- Demonic activity does present a plausible and biblical explanation for paranormal activity (Job 2:2; Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 4:4).
- The Bible has very little about the existence of disembodied spirits, but much about demonic activity.
- The Bible warns against any communication with the dead—necromancing (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6; 1 Sam 28:8, 9; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).
Weaknesses:
- Many of the “hauntings” are hard to explain simply through demonic activity. Often those places that are claimed to be haunted are abandoned hospitals, ghost towns, and the like. These places are uninhabited and therefore do not seem suitable for a malicious demon to inhabit.
- Most of the time communication with these “ghosts” is very limited. Shadows, moving objects, and faint voices does not seem effective toward the demonic agenda of confusion.
- “Hell” or the “lake of fire” does not seem to be open for business yet. I don’t think it gets created until after judgement (Rev. 20:12-15). Therefore, those who die and are not “in Christ” are in a “place” awaiting judgement. But we are not sure where.
- It is not necessary that disembodied spirits of humans roaming the earth would confuse the Christian worldview. While the Bible does speak about the intermediate state, much of it remains a mystery. We just can’t be definitive about this issue, even if the Bible does suggest that it is normative for people to be situated in one place or the other upon death.
- We don’t know where the intermediate state is. It could be a parallel plane to our own dimension.
2. Ghosts may be spirits of disembodied people who are left on the earth without explanation.
While not discounting the possibility that many of these events can be attributed to demons, this view believes that paranormal encounters may be legitimate encounters of disembodied spirits of people. We don’t have an explanation as to why these people would be on earth, but a lack of explanation does not mean that it is impossible.
There are four primary biblical arguments that this view uses to justify its openness to ghosts.
- When Saul sought a medium the witch of En-dor was apparently able to bring Samuel back from the dead in a disembodied state (1 Sam. 28:7-19). It is interesting that Saul was able to determine it was Samuel by his age and dress. This suggests that even in a disembodied state, spirits retain their physical characteristics that they possessed at death—even their clothes! This parallels with what many people describe when they encounter spirits whose characteristics, language, and dress remain the same as when they died.
- When Christ was transformed on the “mount of transfiguration” Moses and Elijah appeared in a pre-resurrected disembodied form (Lk. 9:29-33). While it is difficult to know how Peter recognized them, it seems evident that they were recognizable. Again, this parallels modern ghost tales.
- When Christ was walking on the water, the disciples thought he was a ghost (Matt. 14:26). This suggests that even the disciples’ worldview allowed for ghosts. Christ never corrected this (at least in the text).
- In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man requests that someone be sent back from the dead (i.e. a ghost) to warn his brothers about their impending doom (Lk. 16:31). While this request was denied, it was not denied based upon its impossibility, but its inefficiency to bring about belief. (Although, this story seems to suggest that Lazarus be resurrected to go inform the rich man’s brothers, not go back as a ghost.)
In addition to the arguments above is the evidence provided by near-death experiences (NDEs). Often people will describe a post-death experience where they remained, for a time, in a conscious disembodied state of existence without going to either heaven or hell. Often they will describe how they remained near their lifeless body observing the activity around them as attempts were made to revive their life.
Based upon these arguments, this view would tentatively believe that some paranormal activity can be legitimately attributed to disembodied human spirits (ghosts), believing that the intermediate state is too much of a mystery about which to make definitive pronouncements. They would be agnostic as to the purpose of this ghostly activity and this view would caution people about pursuing such activity.
Strengths:
- The intermediate state of existence (the state between death and resurrection) is a mystery that God has seen fit to leave in relative obscurity.
- The appearance of Samuel in his disembodied form does seem to give credence to the belief that 1) disembodied spirits—even of believers—can manifest themselves and 2) they do retain the physical characteristics they possessed at death.
- The nuances of certain “hauntings” seem to favor something other than a demonic spirit (i.e. residuals—where the manifestation is non-personal having an entity that expresses itself the same way over and over again without any personal engagement—i.e. the same sound of a child’s laughter).
Weaknesses:
- The “why?” question does not have many plausible explanations.
- It is problematic when people tell of dead Christians who continually contact them. It seems that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8) would preclude any manifestation here on earth.
- Necromancing (communicating with the dead) is a sin that the Lord prohibits (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6; 1 Sam 28:8, 9; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4). Therefore, it would seem odd that God would allow such activity from people who have died—especially dead believers.
- Near-death experiences are often problematic varying from culture to culture as well as being contradictory to the Biblical witness.
- This seems to concede to and draw from cultural folk-theology about ghosts.
3. All “paranormal” activity has a naturalistic explanation.
As in Ghost Hunters where most of the supposed activity is “debunked,” this view believes that all activity, if all the information were available, would be debunked, having a purely naturalistic explanation. It is illegitimate to suppose a “ghost of the gaps” mentality that explains all the “unexplainable” with paranormal explanations. God neither allows ghosts nor demons to manifest themselves in such a way today.
Strengths
- Most activity does seem to have an alternative naturalistic explanation.
- Fits better within an advanced worldview that is able to understand most things natralistically.
- Does not resort to a “ghost of the gaps” mentality which can be and often is abused.
- Less sensational and usually will allow you to keep respect of your colleagues.
Weaknesses
- Fails to recognize the continued reality of demonic activity due to a borderline naturalistic worldview.
- Fits better within a deistic worldview than a Christian worldview.
- Too easily discounts people’s experience.
- Is often abandoned when there is a subjective experience, leaving the impression that people hold to this simply because they have not experienced activity personally, not because it is true.
Hopefully this primer has been helpful.
Now I want to ask you a couple of questions:
1. Which view do you believe is most plausible?
2. Have you ever experienced something “paranormal”? If so, what and how did/do you explain it?
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108 replies to "Do You Believe in Ghosts? The Christian View of the Paranormal"
I believe the right view may be a combination (in some form) of views 1 and 2.
I also find it intriguing that the times and places (e.g., at night and in old buildings) when most people claim to experience some form of paranormal activity are also the times when people are mostly like to be fatigued from lack of sleep (and possibly hallucinating), and in places that are most likely to create weird sounds as floorboards, pipes, etc. expand and contract. We probably experience strange things all the time, but because we’re roaming through a shopping mall in the middle of the afternoon instead of stumbling through an old house at night, the possibility of a supernatural cause doesn’t even occur to us.
CMP
Very interesting topic. And to be honest.. I don’t like those shows and have very consciously skipped over “Ghost Hunters”. I had some “experiences” as a child that scared the living daylights out of me (no it was not my brother or sister) and since then I have stayed away from anything in this genre.
What do I believe ?
Personally I am close to #2. Even if the Why ? question isn’t answered. There’s a lot of Why’s that we don’t find a clear answer to in the Bible.
Even though 2Cor 5:8 seems to indicate that we go straight to be with the Lord, there’s more Scripture passages indicating a state of “fallen asleep”. (1Thess 4, 1Cor15, Matt 27:52, ….)
Perhaps some people in the “intermediate state” don’t like to sleep 😎
I don’t know the answer and I don’t think the answer is important. I do know as a Christian that we have to be careful not to engage in Necromancing. A sickly fascination with this area, or with lust, alcohol, serial killers, etc… is not really something we should spend too much time on.
For some people, this is interesting, for others an obsession, for me.. just too uncomfortable.
Hope this can help
In Him
Mick
Yes, there is spiritual activity. The Bible is clear in 3 examples. Job mentioned it, Jesus uses a haunted house as a parable, and his disciples thought Jesus was a spirit. But ghosts as being dead people, I have been on investigations with a group and was called to a house of a family being tormented by things they could not explain. There are mysteries in this world. We are flesh wrapped around a spirit so yes we will feel those things that are spirit. But dead people coming back, that is something hard to acknowledge because of the verse about the judgment.
One thing I have learned in my life is that there are things that happen that we are just simply not supposed to understand here, but things happen to people that those people should be ministered to because it will haunt them the rest of their lives. Just calling them crazy or things like that just cause most people to follow religions that have explanations. Those explanations may be wrong, but it draws people to it.We need more ministry in this area, just ignoring does not help those who are going through it.
Kara, sorry to disagree. The haunted house in that parable described in that chapter as a person. The passage is about possession and not spirits haunting a location.
even so, it is clearly stated that dead person do not haunt places. That is simply because they either go to heaven and hell. Those hauntings are actually demonic spirits. We see said specifically that when a demon leaves a human body he has previously possessed he goes in deserted places and wanders without finding peace. It is interesting to see what places are “haunted” because then you see the correlation between that and demons.
Maybe, but I don’t think hell actually comes into existence as a place of punishment until after the judgement. Why would it? The story of the rich man and Lazarus is big picture and not meant to walk on all fours. I don’t think it is definitive that hell has begun any more than it is definitive that hell is actually fire.
BTW, in investigations there was prayer first, there was a lot of interviewing and there was no usage of ouija boards or crystals. some people do use those things and they are dangerous and wrong.
You have to realize your job is to help the living, the ones who are being affected. Never take advice from other religions because most of those religions do not accept there is evil. Should a Christian investigate? I do because I have been affected. But not to the point it is an obsession. You have to keep it in perspective. Many investigators will approach it scientifically, while other people of certain religions will embrace it. If something is occuring, don’t ever assume it can’t because you don’t understand it, and if you don’t understand it don’t look for explanations that open doors that should not be opened.
But, again, there are people who are affected and we should be ready to minister. Calling them insane, or calling them hoaxsters does a disservice to our job to minister. Pray first, let the power of God do the job to take care of the problem then minister to those affected. Because if you don’t, most will be drawn to a religion that does minister to them.
i not sure what i believe i get these visitations at nite or even in the daytime but as a christain i’m taught that there are no ghost but i feel they may be angels warning me but i get very fearful at times but it seems to call me to prayer and the bible says that god has not given us a spirit of fear so if its an angel and not a demon why do i get so fearful i cant seem to get past this feeling but i know that the times i’ve prayed for people that i believe this (spirit) guided me to pray for certain person or persons days weeks months later i’m told they went through something and they feel that GOD was with them or helped them so feel relieved but still i’m causious maybe someone has had the some experiance or has some input
The article seems to emphasise more of the negative or evil activity of the spiritual realm. There was no reference to the plausible activity of angels?
I think if our eyes were truly opened, we, in the western world, might see a lot more going on than we had first imagined. I don’t believe this calls for us to be spooked around every corner or make everything have a ‘super-spiritual’ context. But, I think there might be a little more going on than we think. We might need our eyes opened at times like Elijah’s servant (2 Kgs 6:17).
Personally, I don’t believe either of your three options is the only answer. I do believe there is demonic activity, and that much else can be explained “naturally”, but there is evidence even in Scripture of the rare appearance of believers who have already died. Not only is there Samuel, but also Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration.
Translating “necromancy” as “communicating with the dead” strikes me as too simple — necromancy is the conjuring of the spirits of the dead through magical powers or means; it is a form of divination. The prohibition of the practice does not at all preclude or condemn appearances of the dead, even believing dead, in other contexts, just as the prohibition of divination and soothsaying does not preclude legitimate fore-telling of the future by prophets inspired by God.
Finally, it is entirely possible that many of the reports of ghost sightings could be explained psychologically or because of too much food the day before, in which case Ghost Hunters will not achieve much unless they attended the same party 🙂
I agree with Scott, there’s more going on than we can see right now. I read an account once of a man who prayed for his eyes to be opened to this, and he almost lost his mind seeing demons around him. Don’t know if was true, but it sure gives me something to think about.
Forgot to say–I do like watching at least the opening scenes of Ghost Hunters, because I love checking out the old buildings and castles.
I remember you’ve posted this before, but the database crashed. I had previously avoided shows like Ghost Hunters, but your original post combined with a class my church was doing about the same time on Joe Beam’s “Seeing the Unseen” led me to watch the show and become hooked. I used to be a 1 or 3, now I’m closer to a 2. They do manage to debunk quite a bit, but there are some scenes in the show that, assuming nothing is cooked up for entertainment, can’t be explained naturalistically. Those are interesting. There was a scene last week when a stationary camera was moved around more than 200 degrees.
I’m not sure how to explain the supposed conversations and interactions on the show. Sometimes I think it’s a demon, sometimes I wonder. No doubt, they seem to encounter spiritual activity. The question is, which kind of spirit are they apparently interacting with?
It’s an interesting show.
What’s up with the recycling of old material? This blog isn’t fresh anymore. I’ve noticed a dip in quality the past few months. The page layout, constant tech glitches and old articles I’ve read last year posted as new articles. I guess this is the main reason that I’ve stopped visiting daily and started to visit weekly.
Sorry Matt,
Read in the upper right you will see that I am announcing that we are going to be publishing some old stuff. As well, I will always rework and repost old articles as this blog was primarily started for students of The Theology Program, therefore if there is something we are going through in class, I will repost it.
As well, with the development of the credo house taking up so much time, I have not been able to write as much as I would like. Hopefully, when we move into the Credo House you will see a lot of new material.
Either way, it is always about 90% new. So just visit six days a week and you will be good!
Robin,
my grandfather asked the devil to appear and he did, my grandfather almost died from the shock. i have heard those same things. It is how you deal with it that makes the difference. Either He is greater in you than he that is in the world or you don’t have Him inside you and left to deal with things. Other religions ask followers to embrace the spirits, not caring whether or not they are good or evil.
When you are dealing with these things, just remember you have to have discernment and if you don’t then seek help. Jesus will bring peace but it is only through Jesus we have peace. The enemy has come to kill, steal, and destroy and the most destruction I have seen has been in the heart and relationships. Of course there are evil and good spirits, we should not be trying to communicate with the dead through means that allow evil to enter into us. People just do not realize the harm they cause by opening doors we should just not open. But we should never think another is insane or making a hoax, Jesus will guide us in what to do to help.
But we pray, and so do all other religions and our rituals in Christianity does the same thing, only we speak to a living Savior and they speak to other spirits. The dead do not talk, but spirits do. The dead are gone, spirits manifest and they manifest in various ways. But all around us are memories and those memories do not fade away. Voices do not just go away. Time is something we are limited in understanding. The spiritual realm is not bound to time as we are.
A good breakdown.
I wouldn’t call the naturalistic worldview ‘advanced’, though.
The comments from this article now seem to relate to the series done a couple of months back on Why I’m Not A Charismatic, in that we are talking about the supernatural and its relevancy for today.
Just a couple of comments. On the camera moving 200 degrees. Mechanical parts do move on their own. For example, I have been working with computers for over twenty years, cards and chips in computers can creep out of sockets. This is mostly caused by temperature change, for what’s worth.
My other comment is a bit more serious. There are people out there like Johnathan Edwards who claim to talk to dead people. The way the show works (I only saw two), he randomly picks someone from the audience. Then starts telling them details about someone who has recently past away and that wants to get a message to the person from the great beyond. In the one show he told the women that she kept this dead persons ashes on a shelf in a particular room. This dead person had a message for her and was able to validate who was sending the message with some detail. It’s actual a bit disturbing with his success, with the assumption that it is not staged. I must admit that I am still a skeptic.
The question becomes how does he know all the “stuff” about the dead person and the stranger that he is talking to? Is it daemonic? Could the demons have access to the “books” used to judge from with recorded history? Or, just daemonic memories of the events and places? Then it could be nothing more than a circus side show.
The problem with those people are they are able to lead in others by suggestion…like saying “someone in this row knows someone who has a R in their name” Well most people do know. Then they watch and read reactions in the listeners. The only one who can prove they are real is go in and know everything before they even enter the room.
I do believe in ghosts.I am a Christian.I go to church and have read the Bible twice.I am not better than anyone else and I am still learning more and more everyday about our precious Redeemer.But I did have an experience.I woke up back in 2005 on a Saturday morning.I just stood up and looked toward my doorway.I saw what looked like my youngest son(he has adhd)in sneak mode walk past my door.I thought to myself what is he up to?I get to my door and can see him asleep in his bed.I think it is the older boy then.His bedroom was to my right and this person went to the left toward the living room.I walk over to his bedroom and he is asleep as well.I checked every room and door and winddow for a break in.Nothing out of place.We were the only ones there. I do believe in the Devil and his minions.But I do not seek them.I do not mess with ojiua boards.I believe in ghosts.If it happened back then in the Bible,it is possible now.This is my opinion.
[…] that dead spirits do not dial up humans, particularly ex-plumbers! If you believe in ghosts you are not a Christian! The “Holy Ghost” is a term that applies to our Lord God. It is not meant to suggest […]
I am a Christian and I believe in ghost. In reading the bible it is very easy to see that there is a physical world as well as a spiritual one. Therefore spirits inhabit the spiritual realm while physical living beings inhabit the physical realm. I have always been afraid to talk to other Christians about my beliefs because most Christians believe that it is wrong to believe in ghost. They will say something like “if you ever see a ghost you are actually seeing a demon.” I donot agree with that explanation so I find it very difficult to talk to others about my beliefs. I am from New Orleans and there are a lot of superstious people there but in my own immediate family ghost were not something viewed as unnatural. As a matter of fact it was quite the opposite. I can remember a family member who used to see ghost on a regular basis. She was not insane and she was also a Christian. After Jesus’ resurrection some people saw him and thought that he was a ghost. Well in order for them to use the word “ghost” then ghost would have to exist. I also believe that there are some people who are truly psychic. The prophets in the bible were psychic. They could see the future. Did that make them bad? Absolutely not. I do believe that as Christians we should not go around trying to conjour up someone from the spiritual realm. (a deceased person) However there may be times when for whatever reason someone may have a supernatural experience. Even though many people may not agree with me but I believe that when we pray to God we are also having a supernatural experience. God is spirit not seen by the naked eye so when we seek his presence we are indeed having a supernatural experience. I am very happy that I found this website where people can share their beliefs and not be looked at in a negative way. Religions are man made. The bible is inspired by God. Maybe it is high time that the christian world starts focusing more on what the bible says versus what man made…
Until very recently, I was sure that all “paranormal activity” was the work of demons. Since ghosts do not exist, as far as they are understood to be postmortem human spirits (Heb.9:27), the only viable option outside of the natural is the demonic. Surely, paranormal occurrences often have misconstrued normal causes. Surely, what we consider supernatural or other worldly is merely paranatural (like star jelly and sasquatches).
But every now and again, we run across something that reason and science cannot explain. It is these very real and very strange events that I have in mind. Being an orthodox believer in Christ, I try to have a biblical framework for every subject (the arts, politics, ethics, etc.). My options on paranormal activity have traditionally been limited. Either they are natural or supernatural.
The first view you talked about was my explanation for paranormal activity. It is only recently that I have begun to question the use of a demon’s efforts and time. Also, it seems that the exploits of a demon would not be able to trump the pull of sovereign, efficacious grace.
However, I had my own unexplained experience last and that shot me down this road. I wanted to develop a good, robust, biblical framework for understanding the supernatural. That is why I appreciated this post so much. It is the “harmless haunting” that I can’t account for. Abandoned houses, remote forests, ghost towns. These do not seem a good place for a demon to spend it’s time.
So, now I’m leaning towards another category. I think the cases that are not paranormal and not normal are merely paranatural. By that I mean that they are natural but rare anomalies. They are normal operations of the natural realm. They are simply not governed by our conception of reality. Examples would be cryptoids, star jelly, and E.V.P. It sounds silly, but I would also say that historical folklore accounts of sprites, nymphs, and fairies would fall into this paranatural category. Hear me, I’m no Arthur Conan Doyle. But I’m merely suggesting that these clearly non-demonic paranormal occurrences are simply natural organisms that function in the world, but are not easily detected (like electricity or gamma waves, only organic). This is my own personal theory and I’m still formulating it. Sound crazy to anyone else?
Hey C.M. What about the option of man being made of three parts (body, soul and spirit) and upon dying the body goes to the ground; the soul goes to its eternal destination; and the spirit… hangs around? This is the way i have always seen and understood life after death. When scripture speaks of the dead in Christ rising first, i have attributed that to the spirit that has remained here. I have no issue with there being more to the spiritual realm than what God has made us privy to.
There seems to be an understanding amongst many Christians that if something unexplainable happens and it was a good experience then it was God… and if it was not a good experience then it was the Devil. Why is this? If God is your answer for all that is not understood then does your view of God become deminished as we learn more about the world He created?
I’VE HAD A 2 EXPERIENCES WITH “GHOSTS”:
(1) As I was studying for a real estate exam, I looked up and saw a short, hunch-back older woman slowing climbing up the stairs. She was dressed as if she came from the wagon train days–and her red and white bonnet matched her clothing. It seemed NORMAL watching this stranger as she turned left down the hallway. It wasn’t until she was out of sight that I came back to reality. I darted into the hallway, but she wasn’t visible anymore.
My Mom had a similar experience with this SAME EXACT woman. This time, however, the woman was slowly walking past the TV. My Mom remembers being upset that she was blocking the view of her program. Again, this all seemed NORMAL until she vanished.
When I finally had nerve to tell my Mom about my experience, she interjected her story. Neither of us ever saw this woman again.
(2) As I was walking on a crowded sidewalk in downtown Chicago to meet my best friend (Darlene) for dinner, I felt my deceased friend (Al) swiftly pass through the left side of my head. I “KNEW” it was him, and I also knew that he did not know me. He was in a rush and his mind was totally consumed with business matters. Al was a Chicago stock broker before he died! Darlene is Al’s ex-wife, and she said that my paranormal experience happened on the exact sidewalk that he traveled on every day.
Very interesting Linda. Do you know if Al was a believer?
Al was a Christian UNTIL his parents died, his wife divorced him, he lost his job, and he got terminal cancer–all within a year! He hated and cursed everything and everyone–including God!
As I was doing dishes one day, I was TOTALLY OVERWHELMED with the thought of seeing Al that day. Darlene said that he’d never agree to see me because I was too religious. I was VERY insistant, so after she called him several times, he finally agreed to my visit–and wanted me to bring my Bible!
When we arrived, Al was surprisingly calm and wanted me to sit with him as I read several Scriptures. There were many emotions during our conversation, and we all cried together. By the time Darlene and I left, Al was praising our Trinity God. That was what he BELIEVED in. Later that night, Al was rushed to the hospital. Before he died the next day, he was shouting his love for Jesus from his hospital bed.
I believe that DEVINE INTERVENTION (the HOLY Spirit) was the reason for me being drawn to Al on that particular day. Divine Intervention also saved MY life, but that’s an entirely different story.
C. Michael Patton: I’m curious to know why you’re concerned about Al’s BELIEF or DISBELIEF in ghosts and/or the supernatural. How would that make a difference? He believed that DEMON spirits exist (especially since he was filled with them for quite awhile), but we never discussed HUMAN spirits.
I was just wondering if he was a Christian, not about his belief in ghosts.
I am sooo interested in anything scary, esp. hauntings. Back in the day, my sister and I were dabbling in some “Good White Magic”, We bought a spell book and were basically laughing and solving our curiosity, we thought. We soon tired of the spells, and she bought a Ouja(sp?) Board. Our children were pre-teen to early teens, and they were uneasy, but we thought completely harmless. We began asking questions, we were terrified and never used it again(long story, but we quickly realized this was no game and got rid of it). Well, we bought Tarot Cards. My sis was way better at it than me. She studied and practiced and got very good.Too good. She got scared, started reading Bible again, but I wanted the cards. I too got very, very good at reading peoples cards, I never charged, I would pray to God to guide me in helping the seeker find path God wanted them to be on. My way of saying it wasn’t evil. Well, after I predicted a 30 year old mans death within twodays, I started having horrible nightmares, I felt awake, but I couldn’t move, all I could see was a demons face hovering close to my face, but I saw Christ in the background dressed all in white. I felt the most evilist prescence I was terrified, but Jesus told me I could no longer have things both ways, pray to him, and do tarot cards, to choose. I began praying, like I’ve never prayed in my life, saying I choose you, I’ll never do tarot cards again. As I kept praying(it seemed forever & still paralized) The demon face began to back away & get smaller & Christ began coming closer. You mess with that stuff you are asking for trouble. I only had to be told once.
P.s. Any dabbling in the occult of any kind, no matter how good your intentions are, opens you, your home, and your family to evil. Any interest followed by action sends up a red flag and opens a door you may not want to open. Be Very Careful. I know how it can pull you in.
It almost seems incredible to me that those who are “expert” ghost hunters and use their high tech equipment thinking they will find evidence of ghosts or demons, do not see how foolish this really is. Would demons really allow themselves to be exposed when the investigators are there with the cameras and recording devices? Are the demons that stupid?
Thank you for posting this. I’ve been going back and forth with this same subject for as long as Ghost Hunters has been on.
I put your post on my blog and have given credit to you. I also made sure to include your site’s link. I hope that is ok, if not please let me know and I’ll remove it immediately.
Shortly after my father-in-law passed away, I was awoken by heavy foot steps down the hall at 1:30am. The bedroom door creaked. I thought it was one of the young kids coming to our room. I looked up over my wife. Nothing! Tried to go back to sleep. Heavy footsteps again. Door creaking. Check on the kids and they are sound asleep. Get up to go to work early. I moved the door and it doesn’t make a slight noise. 3:30am while tying shoes I look down the dark hall. I see the figure of “something”. Knowing it wasn’t human I ran off to work. (cowardly I know) On my return that afternoon, I interrupted my kids saying hello, to ask their Mom if she had experienced anything last night. She said she had a dream that her father had come back to visit her.
I found that there are alot of things that just do not make sense in life. I know at age 12 years old I was living in a house that was very haunted. So needless to say I believe that ther are alot of unexplained issues. I do know everyone of us who lived there had seen a tall man shadow, we heard footsteps, we heard chains and walking up and down the stairs. I am a christian,and I could never shake off all the things I have dealt with in life. If it is demons they sure like to mess with us. Anyways you have alot of good info,but truly you have a point, what about the ones who do go to hell later,can they still live on earth until judgement day. Or is it satan just trying to throw us on a different path to get us all confused and that is why God tells us to not dwell on it. I mean I even have even wondered if satan has his demons to think they are aliens too, to have a good reson of what happens to all of us christians when the rapture happens. Well that is just a thought.
Regarding television programmes “searching for ghosts”.
I have watched a few of these “shows” and find them
entertaining.
However not one of these programmes have EVER produced ANY proof of the existance of so called “ghosts”.
I am sure there are a lot of things in this world which we can’t explain but ghosts, whether it is in the Christian beleif or not, do not exist.
All of these stories of noises on the stairs etc. are either figments of imagination or your house creaking.
Well I’m totally confused… BUT!!! At least I know I’m not crazy!! Thank you!!! You have totally enlightened me!!! I feel like I’ve been let in on something. No members of my family could ever answer my questions about the paranormal (I’m kinda into this stuff). So it’s great to have found multiple opinions all in one place!!!
So thank you deeply,
~Rachel
Thank you for your article…it has helped me a lot. As a Christian, I did not know how to reconcile the experiences that my niece shared with me. I have never encountered paranormal activity but she has often. She is not a Christian but the things she tells me do not sound like demonic activity. I no longer believe in #1 but more in #2. Wolf Paul had a very clear explanation of “necromancy” that helped me a lot. Thanks all and may God continue to bless and strengthen you in Jesus Christ.
Every time I have watched Ghost Hunters I have found them using questionable methods such as placing an EMF meter on a hot water heater solenoid switch… of course you’re going to get an intermittent reading there stupid! On the other hand, I personally have experienced the paranormal. My wife and i bought a house about 12 years ago that was most definitely “haunted”. For 8 years we dealt with the paranormal and it changed my view of these experiences. I used to hold to view number one that you detailed, but now, I am more convinced that there are beings and forces in the universe that we can’t perceive or conceive that periodically manifest in ways that our minds interpret as hauntings. Whether these beings and forces are malevolent or benevolent is unknown and is most likely left to our perception. It also could be that they aren’t even aware of our existence at all times. I wonder I’d our dimension and theirs interact at certain hot spots to give the illusion of a…
Nice to see other Christians interested in the paranormal! See now I don’t believe in ghosts I believe that Satan is the deceiver and his demons are here to lie to us! Many after seeing these show get confused because when you think of a demon you think of evil and believe they would try to harm us. But I believe that everyone one person that they can get to believe in the possibility of no heaven or hell and that we MAY stay behind they win! The question in still looking for is why do spirits haunt certain places? ..I want to test these spirits I want to ask them if they are of god and see what happens..
This is a subject that truly has been a part of my life since early childhood. I am a preachers daughter and was raised in a strong christian home, however, I have been subjected to demonic attacks all my life. I strongly believe that ALL ghost and paranormal activity can either be attributed to satan or to God (I also say God because of people seeing angels) with a whole heart, I believe everything in the Bible to be truth and, with out sounding too simpleminded I hope, that is my main reason to believe that ghosts are most definitly demons. Here is my other reasoning that is based on personal experience..when I was 20, I became very interested..almost obsessed..with EVP. Just for people who may not know..evp is when people record the audible voices of the “dead” with voice recorders. Some of them are undeniable; when the recording are played back the things you can hear are shocking, to say the least. I researched the subject nonstop. The day I bought a book on how to do your own evps was the day that I realized all this paranormal stuff is nothing but a door. I wish I could make people know somehow that I am not lying. The best I can say is, may my soul be damned to hell if I am lying. the night I bought that book I dozed off in my recliner after reading the first few chapters. I woke gasping for breath with hands wrapped around my neck. I could feel the hands. The most significant thing is that I heard the most evil sound comming from behind my head..a growl that mortal words cannot describe. I could not speak but I started saying the word Jesus in my head over and over and the grip loosened enough for me to be able to speak the name of Jesus..at the moment I spoke his name it all stopped. I was not asleep; my husband witnessed the whole thing from the couch beside me. I was intrested in evp..well I got the most upclose experience with it that night. All those shows may seem innocent but they are not. They are doors into the spirit world that need to stay…
I have to say, that I am glad I am not the only one who has experienced something “paranormal”. I am a born again Christian, grew up in a Baptist home, and my dad studied to be in the ministry, so I was taught that when you die, you either go to Heaven if you’ve accepted Christ, or Hell. That’s it. There is no “in between”, no purgatory.
It wasn’t until I became a nurse and worked in a hospital that I began to hear and experience things not of this world. I was working one night alone, down the end of the hall, when all of a sudden, and IV pole rolled itself out into the hall. The room was completely empty. Other co-workers of mine also noted crazy things happening from that same room. Needless to say, I was freaked out. Another time, I heard of a friend coming around the corner and asked the woman to hold the elevator. The door slammed shut in her face, then opened right away, and no one was there. All I can say is, crazy things do happen in hospitals that cannot be explained.
Ok, so I was still a skeptic at times. Upon moving to New England, my family was renting a house, and my mom and I were alone one day discussing what we had “heard” in the house. Before this, we hadn’t talked of it at all. I was alone in the upstairs bedroom and no one else was home. All of a sudden, I woke up to my comforter being pulled up and thrown back on top of me (much like what you do when you make your bed). I woke up and saw it moving. I was completely freaked out. Then I’d hear whispers and voices, and no one was there. Sometimes, I’d wake up at night, and hear something slam in the bathroom. I’d get up, and nothing was there. My mom experienced hearing only whispers and footsteps.
I don’t know what else to say, but I do know that demons can affect us and “toy” with us. I try not to think about my experiences too much, because I do become freaked. But, I think it’s important to share them with other believers, to know that these inexplicable…
I find this article pretty interesting. I have several encounters with the paranormal before in my life. Four years ago, I started to wonder…are there really such thing as ghosts?
I had brought up this subject to two individuals who I’m fond of and they both have worded their conclusion differently. But they share the same point of view from what they had interpreted that’s written in the scriptures in the Holy Bible:”There are no genuine disembodied spirits of deceased persons here on earth.” But there is also a difference to their statement from both of them separately as well. First person who I had asked this question to noted specifically in the beginning of her statement: There’s no such thing. Once you die you’ll be judged, you either go up to heaven and be with God or you’ll go to hell.
And here is the beginning statement from the other individual who shares belief in Christianity: There are ghosts, but all ghosts are evil. They’re demons masquerading as harmless, benevolent spirits. However, when I have heard the statement from the second person, this suddenly disturbed me. And now today, when I have read this article, I came up with these questions…Had either one of them inserted personal opinion into scripture on this subject, by going beyond what is written? Did either one of them added to or take away what is exactly said in scripture?
Even though all of the written scripture in the Bible is absolute truth, does the Bible tell you “exactly” everything you want to know? And is it in any way possible or probable for an individual to unintentionally add to or take away from what is written in scripture?
Though one thing I do find true is: If there’s natural, then there is also the supernatural. To those questions in my previous comment…I’ll take into acceptance that some things remain a mystery and left unanswered.
My Mom and I separately saw the EXACT SAME “ghost” in different rooms on separate occasions. We both experienced being “locked in a trance” when seeing this female apparition–and then reality set in when she was out of sight.
Unfortunately, we are also sharing life with demons, which I consider to be more PSYCHOLOGICAL than physical. That’s why Our Lord sent the Holy Spirit in His place to dwell with us and protect (from death) those with whom the Almighty Father has a “special plan”.
Our souls are with the discretion of God when we die, but our spirits apparently stay here on Earth. It makes sense that our SPIRITS (of both the living and the dead) are what Jesus will call up to meet Him in the clouds at the Rapture. Flesh and blood cannot enter Heaven.
I’d like some insight and advice. I experienced numerous sounds of footsteps and a vehicle at my last home which stopped after prayer, but now here, sounds of “someone” that spoke briefly but very faint and muffled. Never heard that before here. Never. Only footsteps like “he” was walking from bdrm to bthrm & vice-versa; but only twice. I don’t really know what to think. We have prayed about this for God to make “it” leave, and only heard the voice once after that, but quite a while after.
What to do? What r we doing wrong?
there are a numbers of things you should do:
1. first confession and communion if possible as often as the priest allows it
2. second bring a priest to do a service of benediction with holy water once in a while
You must unerstand that once demons get attached of a place or person even if they are cast out they still circle it from time to time in the hopes that the sins of the person(s) will allow it to come back. And when it comes back it brings more demons (see Luke 11)
Over 30 years ago, I saw a dark shadow standing at the foot of my bed. The next day, we learned my husband’s grandfather had passed away suddenly at that exact time (11:05 pm). We were over 600 miles away from home when this happened. I was not a Christian at that time. However, since becoming a Christian, I have had several similar and other paranormal experiences. To believe that this is all demonic activity seems too simplistic to me. I don’t believe I can demonize everything I don’t understand.
There are plenty of ‘spirits’ but none of them are ghosts of humans people who’ve lived in the past. They’re actually spirits who’ve remained on-planet since their ‘birth’ over 452,000 years ago.
“…departed human beings do not come back to the world of their origin to communicate with their living fellows. Only after the passing of a dispensational age would it be possible for the advancing spirit of mortal man to return to earth and then only in exceptional cases and as a part of the spiritual administration of the planet. “
[…] was just reading a post from C. Michael Patton over at Reclaiming the Mind . I have to admit, I too, am fascinated by the paranormal shows popping up on cable as of late. […]
Does anyone believe in #3? I do. Although I occasionally (and rarely) allow #1 or 2 to be a possibility, I consider it so rare that it’s not worth considering in vast majority of situations. Sort of akin to my stand on spiritual gifts, supernatural miracles and so on.
Thanks for the thoughtful, well-reasoned discussion on this issue. Not many folks in the church addressing this seriously. Personally, I would lean toward option 2, that it might be possible that the spirits of some unbelievers remain on earth. In the Hebrew worldview, the dead descended to sheol which was under the earth, so that might have something to do with it.
Also, just noticed in Luke 24:39 where Jesus says to His disciples, “A ghost does not have flesh and bones,” seeming to imply the existence of ghosts. Interesting.
the exact quote says that a spirit does not have flesh and bones. the words spirit and ghost got switched in english as time progressed. This just shows that demonic apparitions claiming to be someone deceased are not something new.
As a Christian, I have struggled with this issue for many years. I’ve never been involved in ghost hunting or conjuring spirits, but I and my family experienced the paranormal for years.
In 1983 I purchased a home that was built in 1899. We had experiences there that were not necessarily frightening, but were perplexing:
We could hear someone walking on the wrap-around porch, but there was no one there; that went on for hours at a time in broad daylight.
Objects would be relocated and placed upside down.
Two different men saw the same ghost several years apart. The 1st man told me he broke into the home when he was 12 (abt 1962) and stole some items on several occasions. He said the last time he went into the home, a woman appeared dressed in 1800s clothing. He gave me a detailed description of her. He never entered the home again. 2 years later, a guest in our home saw the same woman, describing her in the same details. We had not told anyone about the 1st man’s story. BTW, neither man believed ghosts or spirits existed prior to their experiences.
Another man saw a blue ball of light appear that bounced several times in one spot before vanishing.
Eventually, the people we bought the house from came forward and told us about their experiences, and the current owners also have witnessed strange events. So we knew we weren’t just imagining these things.
Throughout the years, I have been careful in sharing these stories because I don’t want to encourage people to seek out the paranormal. However, these events did happen and I don’t believe they were all evil.
I started writing a book about the home and events 3 years ago because it is such an incredible story, but as I said as a Christian I have struggled with whether this is something that should be buried or shared when I don’t even believe it myself.
I appreciate your article on this subject. It has really helped me have a better understanding.
Sheila, did you decide to continue with the book? I ask because my mother had a very similar experience and I was struggling with the same question as you.
Lisa, no I haven’t finished the book. I’ve written over 300 pages and there’s much more to write, but I had to back away from it. I’ve prayed that God would give me the right words to make the readers understand interacting with spirits is never a good idea, but at the same time I do want to tell me story. For now, I’m stuck. Thanks for asking, Lisa.