Why do people believe in ghosts?

[Eldorado]

"Science doesn't tell you to believe in ghosts and most organized religions really don't tell you to believe in ghosts. And yet people believe in ghosts—this is folklore at its finest... Ghosts have an interesting role in that they are a really well-believed and well-discussed, but completely unofficial part of our culture," says Tok Thompson, Ph.D., renowned folklorist, author, and professor of anthropology at the University of Southern California.

But why? Why do we keep passing on ghost stories, and in some cases, believing them?

https://news.yahoo.com/listening-ghost-stories-could-better-155000070.html?

[+OverSword]

Why do people believe in ghosts?  Experience?  I've had a couple that make me wonder.

[papageorge1]

I believe in ghosts because I think they are a real phenomena from the quantity, quality and consistency of the evidence. Also I believe there is a theoretical framework for their existence in the teachings of Vedic (Hindu), Theosophical and other occult traditions with the extra-dimensional astral/mental planes of nature.

But most people have not spent as much time on this subject as myself making this stuff a personal hobby, so many or most people have haphazard beliefs from their own and close family/friends experiences as the article suggests.

Edited September 29, 2021 by papageorge1

[XenoFish]

Because they are afraid death is it. 

[XenoFish]

29 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

I believe in ghosts because I think they are a real phenomena from the quantity, quality and consistency of the evidence. Also I believe there is a theoretical framework for their existence in the teachings of Vedic (Hindu), Theosophical and other occult traditions with the extra-dimensional astral/mental planes of nature.

But most people have not spent as much time on this subject as myself making this stuff a personal hobby, so many or most people have haphazard beliefs from their own and close family/friends experiences as the article suggests.

Have you used a ouija board? Summoned a spirit? Went on a real ghost hunt? 

[papageorge1]

5 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Have you used a ouija board? Summoned a spirit? Went on a real ghost hunt? 

I've used a ouija board and got no immediate results but I believe a delayed effect (story shared before on this forum). Never tried to summon a spirit. Never went on a real ghost hunt but have gone on touristy ghost walking tours in places like New Orleans.

[XenoFish]

3 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

I've used a ouija board and got no immediate results but I believe a delayed effect (story shared before on this forum). Never tried to summon a spirit. Never went on a real ghost hunt but have gone on touristy ghost walking tours in places like New Orleans.

So a lot of nothing.

[papageorge1]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

So a lot of nothing.

Actually my ouija experience was important to me. Actually I believe the spiritually wise I respect tell us not to dabble as we may stir up something that is negative.

[Orphalesion]

The current trend in trying to find evidence for ghosts through seances and mediums started in the late 19th century, when scientific discoveries made people doubt the Bible and conventional religion, so, gripped by existential terror, they set out in attempts to find prove for an existence beyond this mortal coil, even if it was as dreary and nightmarish as endlessly spooking around an old building in your nightgown.

But ghost stories themselves are still cool

Edited September 29, 2021 by Orphalesion

[L.A.T.1961]

From my experience there is something going on. 

The question for me is what causes it and I am not convinced its spiritual or anything to do with Gods or an afterlife. 

Maybe it's a by-product of how the universe operates ? 

[HandsomeGorilla]

because we like to think we're special and that there's an afterlife 

newsflash: humans aren't special 

[XenoFish]

6 minutes ago, Orphalesion said:

But ghost stories themselves are still cool

Agree. With Halloween almost here I might partake in some creepy pasta's. 

2 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

From my experience there is something going on. 

The question for me is what causes it and I am not convinced its spiritual or anything to do with Gods or an afterlife. 

Maybe it's a by-product of how the universe operates ? 

I lean towards it being our minds, psychology to be exact. 

[+OverSword]

7 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

From my experience there is something going on. 

The question for me is what causes it and I am not convinced its spiritual or anything to do with Gods or an afterlife. 

Maybe it's a by-product of how the universe operates ? 

Glitch in the Matrix?

[+OverSword]

7 minutes ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

because we like to think we're special and that there's an afterlife 

newsflash: humans aren't special 

You're not special.  Humans are.  Name one other planet with intelligent life.

[XenoFish]

Just now, OverSword said:

You're not special.  Humans are.  Name one other planet with intelligent life.

Any planet without humans.

[+OverSword]

43 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Because they are afraid death is it. 

 

13 minutes ago, Orphalesion said:

The current trend in trying to find evidence for ghosts through seances and mediums started in the late 19th century, when scientific discoveries made people doubt the Bible and conventional religion, so, gripped by existential terror, they set out in attempts to find prove for an existence beyond this mortal coil, even if it was as dreary and nightmarish as endlessly spooking around an old building in your nightgown.

None of that accounts for the things I've experienced.

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, OverSword said:

 

None of that accounts for the things I've experienced.

You have an imagination right? So do I and it pretty much explains everything that I had experienced. If you want to see ghost, just convince yourself they exist. You'll see something. Doesn't make it a ghost, demon, or evil cat girl. 

[+OverSword]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

You have an imagination right? So do I and it pretty much explains everything that I had experienced. If you want to see ghost, just convince yourself they exist. You'll see something. Doesn't make it a ghost, demon, or evil cat girl. 

Depends on a few things including what one thinks a ghost may or may not be, or if you were looking for something.

Edited September 29, 2021 by OverSword

[HandsomeGorilla]

6 minutes ago, OverSword said:

You're not special.  Humans are.  Name one other planet with intelligent life.

I don't discount your experiences one bit. in fact, I've had a couple very much 'wtf?' experiences, myself. but, I think in most cases, I think most of these stories are rooted in an ideology that we are unique and special, when all that really happens is that you're just dead in the ground 

too simplistic and dismissive of me? possibly 

Edited September 29, 2021 by HandsomeGorilla

[Orphalesion]

2 minutes ago, OverSword said:

None of that accounts for the things I've experienced.

Personally I haven't had a ghost experience in my entire life, so I'm disinclined to believe them.
I still do believe that there's more to the world than what we see, and I do believe in/hope for a existence beyond death.

But personally believe if that exists, we won't find it in a Ouija Board or a blurry photo. The most I'm ready to admit is that I find it possible that certain events can create an echo that some people might be able to perceive and call ghosts.

[XenoFish]

Just now, OverSword said:

Depends on a few things including what one thinks a ghost may or may not be.

That depends on what you want them to be. I get it, people seem to almost have a natural drive towards stuff like this. I'm also quite sure most here have some type of ghost story. I just don't think ghost exist as some objective thing. No one's dead granny is visiting them. 

[XenoFish]

By all accounts I should be a believer in this type of stuff. Too many experience to count. However none of it really stuck in my mind. 

Have I seen ghost? Yes, since I was 7. Even now I catch the odd shadow, but I know that it's probably a product of my mind.

Have I witnessed possible telekinesis/poltergeist activity? Yes, on several occasions. Yet nothing consistent.

Have I called forth spirits and other such entities? Yes, summoned some in an old graveyard on Halloween night in I think 2011. 

I have had some strange coincidences and odd synchornicities over the years. Enough for me to think that there might me something to the supposed law of attraction.

However and despite the weird things I've had going on. None of it really make me go, "WTF this S is real!" I always questioned it. I supposed the reason I rationalized all of this stuff as being nothing more than a psychological phenomenion is become you are crazy if you believe in it. Granted it was probably the most enjoyable phase in my adult life where I felt I had some level of control, but who wants to be crazy? What kind of adult believes in fairy tales? 

Anyways. Feel free to call me a hypocrite and mock me. Seems to be the thing to do here lately.

[L.A.T.1961]

22 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Agree. With Halloween almost here I might partake in some creepy pasta's. 

I lean towards it being our minds, psychology to be exact. 

I have no problem with that being a cause in a number of cases. But in my case I was in a room with four others and three experienced the same thing.  

[+OverSword]

19 minutes ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

I don't discount your experiences one bit. in fact, I've had a couple very much 'wtf?' experiences, myself. but, I think in most cases, I think most of these stories are rooted in an ideology that we are unique and special, when all that really happens is that you're just dead in the ground 

too simplistic and dismissive of me? possibly 

That is what happens...usually.

Check it out, my ghost parrotlet.  My youngest brother had a pacific parrotlete which is the smallest breed of parrot.  When he was 15 or 16 I went over to my parents house and went in his room to find his bird had plucked out every feather it could reach.  Parrots are social birds and get depressed and pluck their feathers until they die if they lack companionship and my teenaged brother was too busy to pay attention to his bird.  I never had or wanted a pet bird but I felt so sorry for this little guy.  So I grabbed the cage and the food and told my mom I'm taking him home.  Long story short I nursed him back to health and he lived a very good life for the next five years until his death.  When you have a bird they leave feathers around and you'll find them cleaning up.  Well I had put the cage away and vacuumed the rug and even moved the furniture and yet still would find his feathers around.  This went on for a few years.  I would especially find them again and again on the back of the couch, where he would run back and forth while I watched TV.  At some point I bought new furniture and little green feathers would still be found on the back of the new couch.  Sometimes I swear I feel him on my shoulder at night.  These feathers were witnessed by plenty of people years after the bird died, the furniture had been rearranged and new furniture purchased.  Unless I'm making the whole story up, which you are welcome to believe if you like, there is not an easy explanation.

Look just like a little Seahawk 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by OverSword

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

I have no problem with that being a cause in a number of cases. But in my case I was in a room with four others and three experienced the same thing.  

I wasn't there so I can only speculate about what happened. As it currently stands ol' xeno is running out of steam in regards to this stuff.