i apologise in advance if this topic has come up before, i haven't had time to look through all the old posts. i was wondering why compaired to the amount of people that have died throughtout history there appear to be very few spirits that remain here. for example people staying behind because they have been horribly murdered, or had to endure horrible lives. but when you think about it, the amount of people that have had to endure such things as these grossly outweighs the number of hauntings, specters etc. do you guys think that most of them 'passed over', 'went to the light' etc. was just wondering what everybody thinks.

I don't have the answer to your question, but I've always wondered why the ghosts we see seem to be relatively "modern", you don't see many cavemen ghosts do you? Also, animals - if they go to heaven and we can have cat and dog ghosts, why not dinosaur ghosts?

yeah i find it strange because i assume that ghosts would not change their appearance but remain as they were when they died. good point about the animals, i had never thought of that before......intresting

Very good questions and yeah I've wondered where the dinosaur ghosts are too!

Maybe there is a statute of limitations! They can only be a ghost for so long and then Ghost Maintenance comes along and tells them to pack up and move on?

The idea of crossing ghost over is more of a modern conception blended in with older beliefs. Before ghosts were though to only stick around if under a curse or if they died unjustly and wanted to prove their innocence that way. No one though attempted to communicate with those type of spirits. Since the rise of the Spiritualism movement in the 1800s our views have changed. A large component of the Spiritualism was contacting the afterlife and communicating messages. It is a recent invention compared to the history of the world. For more information the wiki on Spiritualism is a good starting place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism

I also personally believe many of the ghost we can make contact with are spiritual masqueraders, something pretending to be they are not, and if we go looking to make contact something will eventually make contact. On the other hand there is also residual ghosts and they are more or less echoes of the past but no one is really there. If someone deposits enough emotional energy in one place later on someone might hear the footsteps or see something pass by but whatever it is will never turn to acknowledge you or make contact for nothing is actually there other than us tuning into that field of energy and picking something up.

[/quote]I also personally believe many of the ghost we can make contact with are spiritual masqueraders, something pretending to be they are not, and if we go looking to make contact something will eventually make contact. On the other hand there is also residual ghosts and they are more or less echoes of the past but no one is really there. If someone deposits enough emotional energy in one place later on someone might hear the footsteps or see something pass by but whatever it is will never turn to acknowledge you or make contact for nothing is actually there other than us tuning into that field of energy and picking something up.
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thanks for the link, i will definatly look into it. what do you think masquerades as a ghost?

cave man ghosts you say, maybe there here but scared of our technology

what like, 'they make sun go on and off in house, they are very strange, will stay away' i like it!

I think a lot of times, as you've probably heard, most ghosts have "unfinished business" meaning that there's something in their mortal life that they feel they haven't completed.
A great example would be the legend of The White Lady Ghost, a story that's extremely popular where I'm from (the Philippines).

The story begins with how a young girl was raped by Japanese soldiers during WW2 (there are many variations to this story, I'll just tell the one I was raised with) and of course, she's a vengeful spirit because her young life if cut short by tragedy. On the street she was raped, the legend goes that she would terrorize any male riding by on a bike or car, etc.

Well, until about a couple of years ago, residents started saying that they no longer have heard reports of seeing the "White Lady Ghost". Local villagers have stopped seeing her apparition. Why? A lot of people speculate that the person who raped her probably died or was killed and she felt no longer obligated to stay on this earth. A lot of times, spirits leave because they feel that the tragic chapter in their lives has ended because the person or thing that had done them harm has ceased to exist.

Also, did you read about the ghost who just wanted his thigh bone back? It was discussed in one of the forums, I forget which, but basically a ghost has been wondering for about 500 years trying to search for his thigh bone to be placed along with the rest of his skeletal remains. When modern researchers found it, he just vanished and ceased to haunt the river bank. Same rules apply: hauntings stop because they completed their "business".

OH GOD, SORRY THIS POST IS SO LONG.

I just read somewhere that spirits are quick to leave this world because when they look back at their mortal bodies, they are overcome with an undesired feeling. I don't know how someone would know that (maybe people who have experienced an "out of body experience" or "near death")? In any case, I believe the reason spirits less frequent this earth than you'd imagine is because they took care of their business. I live two hours from Gettysburg and you'd think that a whole mess of ghosts would just be walking in the street and eating dinner with you because of the tragedy that befell those brave souls during the Civil War. That's ...actually not the case. They're hard to spot, just like anywhere else.

Anyways, I hope I answered your question...? Not really? Well, if you haven't read anything else, just know that ghost only stay if they feel there's an unfinished chapter in their life and they're more likely to leave when that something is resolved.

In most cases evil spirits IMHO but I have also heard of cases of someone's seeing their grandmother real as flesh come to them in their kitchen then say a few words before walking through the door. The person then learned she passed away during those very moments. It was the last time he saw his grandmother and they were very close. The person who told me seemed very credible and it was a first hand account. I do believe the spirit of the deceased can visit someone this way but they quickly move on.

Others will disagree and it is almost sort of a religion for some that they believe their loved ones hang around and for those people it brings them a great relief especially when they finally are able to cross over. I would not try and take that joy away from those people by telling them I disagree but if they ask me my honest opinion there it is. All in all I believe the way most view ghost in the West now is due to the rise of Spiritualism in the 1800s. It was a religion then and we are now seeing a revival.

If you're a ghost, stuck here and not being able to move on, do you have a choice?

See I think any one of us could become a spirit when we die, I also think that many ghosts are trapped, not a pleasant thought - especially where children are concerned.

I have often asked why, if a person dies and is free of this earth, they would want to return for any human or material reason.

hey thanks for your thoughts, was really interesting and has definatly given me something to think about, but what if they never feel they have finished their business? is it through choice that they stay or do you think they could get 'stuck'?

i have heard of cases like that as well, and i do agree that the paranormal has become alot more popular. so does that mean going by what you have written, that evil spirits have taken advantage of that intrest and used it to their advantage? and what is their purpose in doing this?

That would be my opinion and the consensus of some within Christianity as well. Their purpose is merely to distract and have people place their faith in this modern revival of Spiritualism where contacting those in the afterlife becomes a religion. Keep in mind this is just one view and I do not wish to condemn those who believe in this as a religion nor do I wish to steer people away from it. We are all adults and can make our own decisions on what to believe and how we will practice our faith in whatever we choose to place it in. I am also aware many do not view this as a religion or a faith but the movement that is reemerging has all the components of religion and faith. Others might just have a keen interest in the topic but do not consider it further even if they do attempt to make contact it.

There's plenty of oddities all around us, we just don't notice it with everything else that is going on Use some ghost hunting techniques in 'normal' settings and you will most likely get things.

What I would be interested in is if there has been any reports of Sumerian ghosts. Course, it's more than a little difficult to investigate those sites.

Simple, we can only see spirits from a limited time period, including our own as the rest of the deceased have moved on. I posted on a topic like this a while back. It struck me that most spirits could be in "limbo", awaiting judgment. As we see soldiers roaming in the areas of famous battles from the past couple of centuries, as they feel a longing to their profession, to hold on to their old life as long as they can until the eventual trip up, or down. That is my perspective on it, no one else's, though others could agree with it.

There's been reports of Roman soldiers, ancient Egyptian spectres, etc.

Ok, Here we go again....

I do know spirits are around us...always..... Both good and Bad. Some I feel stuck here, but, mostly that they can also choose to return or visit us. Unless they have chosen to return to this plane again for another life.

There is also residual energy that can leave "impressions" of energy and have no knowledge of our presence...much as was mentioned about the battle fields. Not the actual spirit but, an imprint of his energy.....Just like we the living have auras... its our energy.

I feel that we are judged immediately upon our death and it is determined then if we go to light or dark...some become confused and dont pass as quickly of easy as others...The higher the knowledg of the spirit the easier they go...

I do feel after a certain time period there i s no reason for them to be here or family members left around, but at that point it becomes a haunting because they are stuck and attached to a place or thing. But they can move over if they choose after learning their state...or of the better option.


Blessings all

I don't think it means that they aren't there, I think it has more to do with what we can see. Maybe there are dinosaur ghosts around us and we just don't see them. If reincarnation is real, I would assume that would be one possible explanation for the world not being over run by spirits. Maybe you are just seen as a ghost between incarnations. But I guess no one will ever actually know until we die. . .and then we can't exactly come back and tell everyone all about it on UM.

Edit: typos

Just a personal theory, but I'll throw it out there. I've had the belief that spirits are stuck here because of some kind of emotional attachment. Either from the former living person themselves, or the people still living. What I mean is, the dead are still attached to certain people, places, things, so they "haunt" them. For whatever reason, they cling and are unable to let go yet. Or, it is us that are still clinging to our dead friend, relative, etc, so the person comes back to help us move on, in a way.

This is why I think there are few caveman ghosts, for instance. Maybe there were back in those days, but nowadays there would be nothing left for them to cling to in the living world. The caves are gone, men and women have evolved, society and civilization are not what they were accustomed to. There's no reason for them to want to be here anymore. Everyone they knew is dead.

As far as animals go...I don't think animals cling and attach themselves to the living world like people. Dogs and cats, etc are very primal in that they only really care about where their next meal is coming from. I believe they feel love as well, but I don't think they sit there wondering about death or what will happen when they die. They have little to no concept of this kind of thing. So, in effect, they don't cling to life. A pet may cling to us, for instance, and may come back to help us. Because I do believe animals can sense feelings in us. When we're excited, or mad, when we're happy, when we're sad. So, maybe the "attachment" in this case is making them come back, if only briefly, to help us get past their death.

Dinosaurs, they weren't anyone's pet. No one really loved them. And, since I don't think animals have the same kind of attachment to the world as we do, a dinosaur would have nothing to come back for.

Anyway, like I said...it's just a theory of mine. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

The simpla answer, unfinished buisness, dinosaus and animals dont normally have unfinished buisness so they cross over, many people become ghosts because they cannot let go.

Ah yes, much simpler. Sorry. I have a habit of expounding, haha.

I don't believe in "ghosts". I don't think there is one person who has died that still remains here. There are spirits, demons, angels, but no ghosts, in my opinion.

Thats interesting....

Maybe reincarnation is the answer. There are a finite number of "spirits" (or souls or whatever you want to call them), ghosts may be the spirits that are not ready to move on to the next stage of their development yet. When they are ready they move on are reborn and continue their journey.

Also I believe that quite a few of the hauntings out there are residual (that is, a tape recording for all intents and purposes) and so no spirit is involved at all.

Also as for why no cavemen, for one see above , or for another theory, maybe that is why we can't find bigfoot. He's the ghost of some ancestor. Same for nessie and champie, etc.

I think we need to reword the question here. It's not why are there not more ghost but why are there not more "Ghost seers". Inreference to the BIBLE (the book i was almost brainwashed with) there is a outter plain in which the spirit live. i remember one story in the bible where so guy was going to battle and he was worried that he didnt have enough men to win the battle but the prophet of god "opened" his eyes so he could see the angels that sttod with him and his army. and the prophet told him they would go into battle with and make such a noise that it would place fear into the hearts of the enemy..and so it did the story goes. and even abother story that Jeuss' own disciples saw him on mount zion speaking with "spirits" they believed to be moses and some other men of god that had been long dead ! (tell those stories to the chrstians next time they say there are no ghost). I believe we all have our own "spiritual" frequency so to speak and you are either tuned into the spirit world or you are not...and sadly most of us are not. so its not that the ghost are not there its just we are not seeing them.

Something extreme makes the ghosts need or want to stay. These reasons may include an unsolved murder, asudden death wereas the spirit is endlessly trying to complete somthing unfinished in it's previous life, an evolution of sorts that enables the disembodied soul to come back here as a ghost because they want to. Now these instances might be extremely rare thus there are few ghosts.

But another thing is that since ghosts are mainly invisible it might be that there are many but only a few have enough essence to become visible. And even fewer have a powerful enough essence to move things or interact with physical beings on Earth.

Regarding reincarnation, I saw a commercial that Oprah has someone who takes people back through past lives, on her show today. I believe the info said that Dr Oz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_oz will go through a regression.

I have read a couple of Dr Oz's books but I worry about him doing it for publicity for another book or something. Now, had she gotten a famous surgeon like Dr Ben Carter, Barbara Walthers or someone else of that stature - I would believe their story more.

I have to find out when she's on the tv. I am interested in seeing this anyway.

Edit: I believe it is a funeral director who is regressed on the show. It seems like Dr Oz just recounts his experience. I still haven't found out the time yet. Bettter do that now before I forget again.

ok, i hope i dont come off sounding like a stoner here (which i probably will, but assure you i am not)

with the exception of someone who is severely color blind, i can point at the color red, and you will point at the same color and call it red, because we were taught that red is red.
however you can not ever prove to me, that we see the same exact thing when we look at red. our eyes may not "see" the same thing that our brain "knows"

so if we see a ghost of a caveman, our brain may manipulate that vision to something more common to us, rather than a caveman or a dinosaur. or even sometimes entities that we know may come through looking totally different. the energy of a spirit can manifest itself to look any way it wants, or maybe our brain lets us view it any way we want.

yeah i know, that sounded completely induced by some kind of substance.
my brain hurts just writing it.