To people who believe in ghosts..

[AnxiousAnniee]

I used to believe in ghosts when I was a child but as an adult I don’t. I find that there’s too many things that don’t make sense to me and just aren’t logical. When you actually start thinking about it and what it means to be a ghost, I think it just seems silly. I get that everyone has a different opinion though so I’m really genuinely interested to hear what people believe about the following questions…

• if ghosts exist and look like the person who has died, how do they walk around and move things without muscles or a brain? How do people hear ghosts giggle and speak if they Dont have a brain or a voice box? If they are just a see through sprit how can they really do this? You can’t move, think, or talk without a brain. And they don’t have a brain or muscles because they are spirits.
• similarly with moving things around or opening cupboards. First of all why would they do this? Why would a ghost turn a tap on??? For what reason? Secondly if they are so light and see through and can walk through things, how can they pick things up instead of just moving through them?
• if a ghost is a spirit and someone’s soul, then how come they are always wearing clothes when people claim to have seen them? Clothes don’t die and clothes don’t have souls, so clothes don’t have an afterlife and shouldn’t come back as clothes ghosts. They should all be naked.
• how come people only ever see ghosts of loved ones and scary Victorian children or soldiers and things? How come no one ever sees a caveman ghost or a chav ghost in trackies? (Again, they shouldn’t really be wearing anything anyway)
• if ghosts are souls then that means everyone will turn into a ghost when they die. Which means we are currently SWAMPED with ghosts. They’re everywhere. We’re constantly walking through them everywhere we go because that many people have died in the world, we are bombarded with them
• what about baby ghosts? Babies can’t walk so does that mean that there’s loads of ghost babies just lay on the floor all around us?

I’m not taking the piss here, these are genuine questions that I have asked myself when I believed. And the more I think about it the more I just don’t believe it. However, I’m aware that people still do, so I’d love to hear what you think the answers are to these questions and what you think ghosts actually are, and their purpose?

I have seen and experienced things before and whilst many years ago I wholeheartedly believed in ghosts back then. Nowadays I’m open minded and believe there are quite plausible explanations for some things and no explanation for others. I did once read that certain scientists believe that the energy left from beings who have passed away can sometimes attach itself to certain buildings or objects therefore a lot of sightings are from past energy being replayed over and over again hence why so many people see ‘ghosts’ from different eras and generations simply going about their daily life how they would have done at that time and disappearing through walls that didn’t exist during their time on earth. For the moment, I am going to believe this version.

I’m currently not sure about the happenings where people have experienced things being thrown or falling on the floor. I wholeheartedly believe people have experienced these things but my mind boggles and it’s something I find unexplainable so for now I’m just leaving it down to the fact their is no real evidence to suggest ghosts are real or not real. It doesn’t stop me from absolutely crapping myself at the things I’ve read and heard from other people and it doesn’t stop me being scared of things that go bump in the night but there just seems to be a complete lack of evidence

I saw one but can't actually answer any of your questions as they weren't as you describe. I was just a body of light or energy slowly walking past me. adult human size but not really obviously human shaped. it didn't make a sound or move anything, just itself.

@CurlewKate

But for the process you describe to work, there has to actually be a likely, sensible, reasonable explanation, or evidence to the contrary.

Things happen to people that don't seem to have a sensible, reasonable explanation, and there is no evidence against ghosts, so it must remain open as a possibility, BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW.

It's really not hard. If you don't know whether something exists or not, then it might exist. We don't know that ghosts don't exist, so they might exist. Which bit are you struggling with?

Agree. It’s kind of like asking the question ‘what is beyond the universe’ as nobody knows for sure. Scientists have a theory but has not yet been proven. The whole thing at the moment seems far beyond anything any human brain can answer. The same with ghosts. No evidence either confirming ghosts are real or confirming they’re not. Nobody has got that far yet. If they are real, they seem to have a knack of being able to avoid cameras and other equipment used by ghost hunters. That doesn’t however confirm they are not real. The mind absolutely boggles. All I can say is I’ve experienced and seen things that are unexplainable.

1) Things happen to people that don't seem to have a sensible, reasonable explanation…

2) …and there is no evidence against ghosts…

3) …so it must remain open as a possibility, BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW.

1. is untrue.
2. is untrue
3. is, I suppose, something that’s ’possible’, like it’s possible that the moon is made of cheese.

@Watchkeys "It's really not hard. If you don't know whether something exists or not, then it might exist. We don't know that ghosts don't exist, so they might exist. Which bit are you struggling with?"

As I said. Something paranormal might happen tomorrow. Did you miss where I said that?

Just because things can't be scientifically explained yet doesn't mean they don't exist.

I've experienced things that have no logical explanation. It doesn't mean they didn't happen, it means no one can explain what did happen. "It's a ghost" is a very simple explanation for something inexplicable.

@LynetteScavo "Just because things can't be scientifically explained yet doesn't mean they don't exist."

No. But it doesn't mean they're paranormal, either. Remember the orbs that used to appear in photographs?

No. But it doesn't mean they're paranormal, either. Remember the orbs that used to appear in photographs?

Well it does. Paranormal means there is no scientific explanation for something.

This was uncanny with Danny Robbins he has three tv episodes and quite a lot of episodes on abc sounds.

@WhatsTheUseOfWorrying

1) Things happen to people that don't seem to have a sensible, reasonable explanation…

You say the above is untrue. How could you possibly know that? There are loads of weird things that have happened to people. Have you personally checked them all out and come up with an explanation to each? How dismissive you are of people’s struggles with their strange experiences!

@CurlewKate

Just because things can't be scientifically explained yet doesn't mean they don't exist

No. But it doesn't mean they're paranormal, either

This is hilarious! It's the very definition of paranormal!

I used to be unsure about them but since working and staying in many very old buildings for a year I know they exist. Not sure they are ghosts though, energy more like, memories maybe, who knows how it works but they are there.

Your brain is incredible at making you see things that aren’t there. I’ve had several ghostly experiences which can all be put down to my brain playing tricks on me. I don’t believe in any of it sadly. Every single ghostly experience I have ever read or heard about I can explain rationally. Every single one!

It’s funny no one has ever seen a ghost dinosaur. That would be quite cool!

I think it's energy as well

I think if a ghost tried to open a door there will be some extent of its hand passing through it and some resistance. It would be easier to walk through the door than to open it and probably takes practice. They can think and move because they are made out of energy. The clothes, are either for modesty or an imprint left on them from when they were alive.

There are many, many natural and normal explanations for ghost sightings or sensing. Light effects, unusual sounds, tricks, sleep effects, mood, suggestion, self-deception, drink, drugs/medication etc etc. There’s no experience that doesn’t have a more rational and more plausible explanation than, er, ghostly haunting.

None at all? You sure? I’m not saying the explanation for any experience is ‘ghost’. I’m saying there are plenty of experiences witnessed by more than one person that lack an adequate explanation using the ideas you’ve listed. You perhaps haven’t read widely around this subject, which is fair enough because you’re clearly not interested.

Gravity, bacteria, polonium, general relativity, the coelacanth, the structure of DNA, they were all ‘paranormal’ until explained, tested, and proven. Not.

I’m very interested. The history of the ‘paranormal’ and other delusion is absolutely fascinating. Especially, IMO, its historical trends and fashions and its close relationship with deception and fraud.

I don’t believe in them at all. There’s meant to be a ghost on our local bypass. Many people have called police etc to report a young girl running across the bypass late at night. People passing through, who don’t know the area or the myth. I’m not convinced

Danny Robins has undertaken a huge investigation into all sorts of weird phenomena. You should read his recent book.

Sure, you can dismiss each and every case with ‘they’re lying’ or perhaps ‘they’re deluded’. But there are enough really, really odd and impossibly unlikely things that have happened to make a thoughtful person, well, think. That’s all.

@Watchkeys "CurlewKate

Just because things can't be scientifically explained yet doesn't mean they don't exist

No. But it doesn't mean they're paranormal, either

This is hilarious! It's the very definition of paranormal!"

No it isn't. It's the definition of "unexplained". Which should always be followed by "yet".

@CurlewKate

I'm not making stuff up, here, you know. You are, apparently. Here is the Cambridge Dictionary definition of 'paranormal'. Do you think I should believe them or you?

paranormal
adjectiveUK /ˌpær.əˈnɔː.məl/ US  /ˌper.əˈnɔːr.məl/
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impossible to explain by known* natural forces or by science:*

@Watchkeys The key word in your definition is "impossible". There isn't-or there hasn't yet- been anything that is "impossible" to explain.