Ghosts and the Bible

[Ryan&Amber2013]

It may sound funny, and I know the generalized answers about what the Bible says about ghosts, but I wonder what the writers actually thought. There are a few passages I can think of that cause me to question the way we so quickly ascribe all paranormal activity to either angels or demons.

1. Luke 24:37 "But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit."
2. Luke 24:39 "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
3. John 20:27 "Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

I don't believe human spirits linger on earth, but could it be possible that the writers believed that there are some sort of paranormal activity which function like and look like humans? Maybe it was common back then to see human like ghosts, and it seems that Thomas could have thought Christ was a ghost, until he physically touched Him.

Could it be possible that there can be some sort of energy left behind in this world though there is no soul involved? Or would we just say that all spiritual activity of this realm is purely demonic?

I'm interested to hear what you think; and please don't be too dogmatic or biased, I just really want to know the truth about all the paranormal stuff people talk about. Thank you so much!

 

[Darryl Le Roux]

I would agree 100% that a person is seeing an apparition of sorts. That being said, the apparition is most certainly not of who they take the form of.

Satan is crafty. I have always held the belief that it is a demon portraying a loved one, a known person or a person of general form in order to pull one away from the truth.

It starts with that apparition, and then to books on the subject and then to mediums and the spiral continues downward until there is no light to be seen in the individual and they begin to hold fast the mystery of the faith.

Discernment plays a large role in this.

 

[earl40]

I don't believe human spirits linger on earth, but could it be possible that the writers believed that there are some sort of paranormal activity which function like and look like humans?

With the scriptural references you provided they did see Our Lord and they knew He had died on the cross. So they incorrectly assumed it was a spirit. In other words, their eyes did not deceive them in that they saw Him but Jesus dispelled any notion of the superstition that we can see a disembodied spirit by allowing them to touch Him. Personally I would be "startled and frightened" if I saw a spirit because I do not believe we can see them.

Could it be possible that there can be some sort of energy left behind in this world though there is no soul involved?

No, for when one dies the spirit or soul goes either to heaven or hell where there is no return until The Last Day. All the "energy" we have ends when we die. Even today we do not see energy but the effects of energy.

Or would we just say that all spiritual activity of this realm is purely demonic?

People think they see something when they report seeing something but it is not any demon or spirit. It is amazing what the minds eye can see that is really not there.

 

[johnny]

Hi Ryan,

I have seen what I believe to be a demonic spirit while experiencing sleep paralysis.
I won't go into any details, only to say that I was wide awake when this occurred.
There is a new documentary on netflix called "The Nightmare" I believe it is reasonably accurate.
It's a bit overdone though, and is designed to scare people.

http://au.complex.com/pop-culture/2...er-terrifying-experience-with-sleep-paralysis

As a caveat, this documentary is not suitable for children.
I wouldn't even watch it with my unsaved friends, if you can make it to the end, you will see,
that there is a Christian perspective to this documentary, which is why I recommend it here.
This also mirrors what I experienced , I cried out to God, and the experience ended.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Wow, that is all really interesting, especially sleep paralysis. So would you guys safely say that anything "paranormal" is either of the mind, or of angels and demons? If so, then clearly any trace of a creature's existence after they die would be completely false, and we can ascribe that to demonic activity. For example, on Youtube there are videos of supposed ghost animals. This would clearly be demonic, right? I have no idea how else to explain such things unless some sort of energy of what was once living remained.

 

[Jerome Rosana]

I am a filipino and this "Ghost things" is very common in our culture...

Speaking of sleep paralysis I've experienced that many times when I was still working in graveyard shifts... Sometimes I know I will go into a sleep paralysis during my break (2am-3am)... I am anticipating it, and yes, i know that i am dreaming in my dream and unable to move but maybe because i know it is a dream.. i am able to do things in my dream, but the weird thing is there is like a "black blob floating in the scence" in every sleep paralysis i've experienced. (I was not yet a reformed faith believer years ago)

Now i never experienced it. I guess because I was not reading/studying and meditating the Word of God before even I profess I am a Christian.. LOL

 

[OPC'n]

Who ya gonna call? Ghost busters! It's all TV stuff nothing more.

 

[earl40]

Who ya gonna call? Ghost busters! It's all TV stuff nothing more.

Excellent! Spot on and to the point.