Do you believe?

[violetgem]

I was talking to my friend the other day about ghosts and he believes in them and he swears that a Ouija board works. Growing up I always played those games at sleepovers and stuff, but I have never had an experience to make me actually believe. I have heard many stories from friends and people about their “encounters” and things that have happened to make them believe. So I was wondering if anyone here had anything happen or have seen something happen to make them believe in ghosts or the super natural or what ever you want to refer to it as.

[littleme]

I know I have an active imagination but we had a ghost (or whatever you want to call it) in our house when I was younger. Let me tell you coming out from the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing a head on your jacket that's hanging on a hook is pretty scary. Then I've often had the feeling of being watched, like I'm not alone. My mom has also experienced things. If it's supernatural or just imagination I'm not sure, either way is fine with me.

[~hellish one~]

I know I have an active imagination but we had a ghost (or whatever you want to call it) in our house when I was younger. Let me tell you coming out from the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing a head on your jacket that's hanging on a hook is pretty scary. Then I've often had the feeling of being watched, like I'm not alone. My mom has also experienced things. If it's supernatural or just imagination I'm not sure, either way is fine with me.

you've had the head thing happen to you too?? we had a ghost in our house when i was growing up. you could be sitting in the living room watching tv and all the sudden feel like someone was watching you...turn your head and BAM! there was this guy's head sticking out of the wall staring at you. talk about creepy. i've also had a ghost (or something) throw stuff at me. i know people say that supernatural stuff can be explained, but explain this one...

i had just filled up a bowl with dog food to take outside to the dog and sat it on the kitchen table about 4 feet from the door. i walked over to the door to unlock it and right as i turned back around the bowl of dog food came flying at my head. i can understand if it just fell off the table and hit the floor, but i don't see how it could come flying UP at my head.

[Curious_1]

When we were teenagers my friend had "spirits" in her house. We called one mabel and the other maybelline.

When certain music was played maybelline would open the china cabinet. Now that was very freaky to see!! And it was an old cabinet that had a good latch, one that you had to work to open.

Her family got rid of them by having the house blessed by their priest. And of course he threw "holy water" on us teens too, lol

[Qmoq]

Her family got rid of them by having the house blessed by their priest. And of course he threw "holy water" on us teens too, lol

Is it wrong to imagine that developing into a wet t-shirt contest?

Q xx

[Qmoq]

Nope, I've never seen ghosts, and I suspect they're a trick of the subconscious... but I can't be 100% sure. Why the subconscious would want to do that, I'm not sure. Plus there's the fact that cultures all over the world have developed ghost mythologies, despite never having seen Scooby Doo.

I have an open mind, except when it comes to those charlatan mediums, tarot readers and ghost experts, who should be shot at dawn and fed to hungry pigs.

Q xx

[MsUther]

Nope, I've never seen ghosts, and I suspect they're a trick of the subconscious... but I can't be 100% sure. Why the subconscious would want to do that, I'm not sure. Plus there's the fact that cultures all over the world have developed ghost mythologies, despite never having seen Scooby Doo.

I have an open mind, except when it comes to those charlatan mediums, tarot readers and ghost experts, who should be shot at dawn and fed to hungry pigs.

Q xx

I`ll just second what you said Q, since it was well said, funny and me being in a lazy sunday midday mood.

I want to add that just because we cant find solid proofs does not mean it cant be true.

[_ID_]

I want to add that just because we cant find solid proofs does not mean it cant be true.

The same can be said about any religious faith. Which is how I view the belief in ghosts, or not believing in them. If believing in them provides some sort of comfort for you somewhere, then good. If you don't also good.

V/R
ID

[JimmyJump]

The same can be said about any religious faith. Which is how I view the belief in ghosts, or not believing in them. If believing in them provides some sort of comfort for you somewhere, then good. If you don't also good.

V/R
ID

For some reason, ghosts, or other 'non-human entities' always seem to draw-in a religious flock, as if those religious folk have all the wisdom and/or sole authority when it comes to the recently (or longer) departed...

People are not religious by nature, but only become thus through outside influences... Religion has nothing to do with the possibility of the existence of ghosts... In fact, speaking in simple terms, God himself is an apparition (a burning bush, anyone?) and could be called a ghost...

I am inclined to believe that ghosts or spirits exist in another dimension, but that there are ports in-between dimensions that are 'accidnetally' used by otherwordly spirits or ghosts or whatever you want to call them...

Another reason why I am inclined towards believing, is the fact that we, humans, cannot invent something that cannot exist, for the mere mentioning of something, makes it exist...

A washing machine, for example, was not 'invented' but was 'discovered'...

Just like Columbus did not invent America, but discovered it... It was not because no-one yet discovered the American continent, that it did not exist...


JJ

[TomOfSweden]

People are not religious by nature, but only become thus through outside influences... Religion has nothing to do with the possibility of the existence of ghosts... In fact, speaking in simple terms, God himself is an apparition (a burning bush, anyone?) and could be called a ghost...

I am inclined to believe that ghosts or spirits exist in another dimension, but that there are ports in-between dimensions that are 'accidnetally' used by otherwordly spirits or ghosts or whatever you want to call them...

Another reason why I am inclined towards believing, is the fact that we, humans, cannot invent something that cannot exist, for the mere mentioning of something, makes it exist...

A washing machine, for example, was not 'invented' but was 'discovered'...

Just like Columbus did not invent America, but discovered it... It was not because no-one yet discovered the American continent, that it did not exist...

JJ

This a logical fallacy BTW:
"People are not religious by nature, but only become thus through outside influences... "

It's called Post hoc ergo propter hoc in logic. B just doesn't follow from A. There's no logical connection between them.

Logical fallacy number 2:

"Another reason why I am inclined towards believing, is the fact that we, humans, cannot invent something that cannot exist, for the mere mentioning of something, makes it exist..."

You say in the same sentance that humans can make something exist from nothing, (mentioning X -> creates X) while you at the same time deny it.

Who says that we didn't just make up religion to explain how our world works in scientific models that where understandable to the minds of early humans? There's no proof against it and you claim it as fact.

It is encouraging that you at least atempt to justify your beliefs. There's not a whole lot of that going on in this forum. Something I find more than just a little bit unsettling.

take care
-Tom

[Ozme52]

I have an open mind, except when it comes to those charlatan mediums, tarot readers and ghost experts, who should be shot at dawn and fed to hungry pigs.

Q xx

I don't know about that Q, Give me a tarot deck, a pretty girl, and 15 minutes and I'll have them stripped for a "special" reading.

==> Check Out Your Personal Card (It works without supplying your e-mail address.)


Personal Card for Oz: Ace of Wands

A new direction in the creative aspect, after a period of hesitation and confusion, (the gray cloud). This period full of excitement and energy for the person a time that should be full of activity and plants for the future. The tower in the background is a promise to prosperity and successes if the right steps will be taken, the river below is a symbol of emotion that takes part in the planning and adds motivation to the hard work that will follow.

btw, The cloud has passed and the future looks successful... Now guess what was on my mind when I pulled the card...

[SheepishJaina]

I've never believed in this sort of thing. Someone can ALWAYS come up with a logical explination.

[MsUther]

The same can be said about any religious faith. Which is how I view the belief in ghosts, or not believing in them. If believing in them provides some sort of comfort for you somewhere, then good. If you don't also good.

+1

[maddie]

I don't know that I believe in ghosts, really. I don't not believe, either.

We live in a house that's over 60 years old. There are times when I hear music or voices when there's nobody else in the house. It's entirely possible they're from outside, but I've never seen anyone around the house when I hear the voices. *shrugs* As long as it's not a malicious spirit, they're welcome to stay.

[Radiance]

Being psychic all my life has made me see some wonderful things along the road.From when i was 5 and haveing a psychic friend ,to talking to 2 sprirts for 5 years.My whole family on my dads side have this power,and i am glad i do.GGls Pease dont shot me down Q....I feel its a gift although I do agree many do this just for money...we dont

[annie]

I had never really had a firm position on any belief if there are ghosts or spirits period... even though i had one occassions that had made me wonder. But, last Christmas, that belief changed dramatically.

My grandfather had died, at home, in February of 2005 after a short illness. Living over 23 hours away I went to OK for the service but left the kids (6,6, and 3) in VA. I felt uncomfortable being in the house, and seeing his bedroom, knowing he had died there but i thought it was just an issue i had with death, some not so good family history, and the fact that i was to have been there a week earlier and would have seen him before he died, that caused the feeling.

In December my entire family made the trip, for the first time since his death, to spend Christmas with my grandmother, partly to help distract her from the fact it was the first Christmas without him. We got there VERY VERY late at night. My grandmother had planned on my two girls (3 and 6) sleeping in my grandfather's old room. (Same bed, layout, furniture, etc.) I was a bit hesitant but didn't say anything, assuming still it was my issue to deal with. My youngest went right to bed the 6 year old went into the room and came back out about 10 minutes later and asked to sleep with her twin brother. When I asked why she said because she didn't want to bother Pop (my grandfather.) I thought she was tired and just hadn't said what she truly meant and consented. I checked on my youngest about 15 minutes later though and the child that normally sleeps on her tummy, with feet tucked under her, looking like a toad, was sleeping flat on her back, body straight, with her hands behind her head, elbows out, which was the way my grandfather always slept. Creeped me out but once again assumed it was my issue.

The next morning the youngest was the first one up. As she and i were in the kitchen alone fixing breakfast she stopped, looked over her shoulder and then turned back to me and said "Pop just went back to bed, he is really tired." i asked what she meant. She said that Pop had gotten up, gone to the bath room, was wearing his pj's (which she described as the ones he had died in) and then went back to bed because he was so tired. Needless to say i was freaking at this point. About that time my 6 year old daughter came in the room, i asked her if she had "seen Pop" her eyes got really big and she wanted to know why i was asking. I told her that her sister had just seen him (not what he was doing just that he had been seen) and the 6 year old said, "yeah he just came out of the bathroom." I talked to my mom about it and she said that my brother's daughter, who is a year older, had the same type of experience. She had told my brother that Pop would come talk to her when she went to bed. One night, after about an hour of listening to the child talk, like she was speaking to someone, by brother hollered into the room "Pop, let the child sleep she has school tomorrow." By the time he got from the living room to the bedroom the child was sound asleep.

Knowing my brother's daughter i would have believed she had made it up to get her way.

Knowing my 6 year old, she is old enough to understand aspects of death but she might have had the two confused and her reaction could have been based on her confusion of the subject... although the reaction was real enough that is concerned me.

Knowing my 3 year old... i have NO doubt that my grandfather was still in the house. She had never lied to me and was to young to have created such a complete story from her memory, imagination, alone. Was innocent with no preconcieved ideas of death, dying, ghosts, spirits, etc. She was sincere and certain when she saw him. Even when asked about it later by other people the details and descriptions were the same (which those with 3 year olds know, details of stories change minute by minute at that age normally) and the way she slept that first night I have no doubt that my grandfather was still there at that time.

Since then i believe he has "crossed over" because the same feeling and such isn't in the room and my youngest says he told her bye when we left at the end of that trip...

Made a believer out of me!

[Ozme52]

To answer the question about ghosts... I don't know if I believe in the dead, but I definitely believe in astral projection and that many who try it are... clumsy.

I used to get dream, nightmares. A spider coming down over my head. One night, visiting friends, I had the nightmare, awoke with a yell. The next morning, the mrs. commented on it. The mr. said it was his fault, he was trying to visit me and I rejected the visit. I explained the nightmare and he said it was because I didn't recognize the visit for what it was.

Now the reason I believe it... I've had more such visits but instead of being nightmarish, I just tell the clumsy dumbasses to go away. And they do.

[slave327-834-200]

As a kid growing up on an isloated island we made our own fun and many of us were attracted to doing ouija boards and channeling, my older brother and his friends were heavily into it and i joined in for fun, being to young to really understand it all. I went through around a two year period where i did these things nearly daily and a great many things happened that make me believe in a connection between planes, thinking about it now makes my eyes well as I remember it all.

To answer the question about ghosts... I don't know if I believe in the dead, but I definitely believe in astral projection and that many who try it are... clumsy.

The one experience i could never explain was a night where we spoke with a friend of my brothers - "P", while he was "sleeping" on his couch at home, 10 miles from where we were. This time i was not with my brother but three of my friends who were as equally freaked out as I was. We never spoke of it again, not trusting that one of the others werent faking it.
About 7 years later after i have moved away from the island i was home and at a dance and i bumped into "P". We spoke for a bit, catching up on the gossip and such when he turned round and said he was surprised that i had never ever mentioned the time we had spoken on the ouija board, I was so shocked i nearly started to cry. I said that i hadnt really believed it had happened or understood how it could have and he explained he had been practicing "astral projection" and as we were using a board he himself had used many times he could channel to it.

I have spoken with family members that had passed, seen objects move and felt the presence of another inside myself. I look back and feel i was foolish to "play" with such things as a child and i have no desire to do so now or again in the future as it is not something to do, properly, lightly.

As for actually seeing a ghost, I never have and always wanted to, though now i dont think i could handle it.

[TomOfSweden]

I believe we can with our mind change our perception of the world around us. I seriously believe that their are people who can see auras and other peoples energies. I just don't believe that they exist. The mind is a powerful and malleable tool.

[littleme]

hellish, my mom saw a chair go by the entrance to the kitchen (came from the livingroom) once, our ghost is very nice though. Never had things thrown at me but I am missing an umbrella and mom is missing several plates that have not been misplaced, we've searched everywhere. It's creepy to see just see a face all of a sudden but as long as it won't hurt me, I'm ok with it.

[OttifantSir]

I believe there are spirits surrounding us everyday, and that they don't necessarily have to be evil or of the deceased. Remember all the stories about fairies, gnomes, trolls, sylphs, and such? I do believe they are here. More than once I have seen something really beautiful from the corner of my eye, knowing there shouldn't be anything there. And when I turn, there isn't. But I can describe it in quite a detailed way that is sure to not be shadows.

About ouija-boards I haven't tried too many times. Probably three or four. But the strongest reaction I got was the first time. My friend and I made a temporary board on a simple piece of printer-paper. Lit two candles and placed a shot-glass on START on the paper. Asking a question we soon got answer. Slowly at first, then after a while it went faster and faster, to the point where it was as fast as someone typing on a keyboard using the "seek-and-ye-shall-find" method. Of course, we were both suspicious of eachother. How could this be? I knew I didn't move the glass and he claimed he didn't either, but was wondering if I did. So we made a test. Assuming we have auras, we placed our fingers about 1/2 inch above the glass and asked a question. A little slower, since we weren't directly connected, but it still moved quite fast. And answered our question. If this had been with a "professional" reader I would have suspected foul play. But this was with a friend of mine, in his basement, set together with efforts from both of us, and we could guarantee for at least our side of the setup not being tampered with.

As for tarot, it's said to be not so much a fortune teller as a help to self-insight. Still, I had one reading lately on my former girlfriend. I have long since stopped using a book to try to explain the cards. Instead I look at the pictures closely and see what they depict, along with some knowledge about how they relate to eachother. My last reading of my ex-girlfriend said she would go through a period of frigidity. She would have a great deal of changes in her life, and a few other things that wasn't consequential. Since this reading, she and I have broken up for good. (Had a few months of on-and-off relationship) Neither of us therefore had sex for a while. She has purchased an apartment for herself and moved. She has given the fathers of her children more responsibility for their upbringing, and just recently she found a new boyfriend.
I could not know of any of these things, as nothing pointed in that direction from where I could see. But they were true. All of them.

So, do I believe? Yes I do. I believe there is one supreme force in nature, one divinity if you'd like, that put us on this planet. I do however not think this divinity want to control us. He has given us a choice. Believe in the forces of nature and make use of them, or believe in the knowledge of science and abuse it.
To give you a hint of my beliefs on divinity, it has alot to do with my avatar.

[Phantome]

I definitely believe. If you are aware of the way the energy around you feels and changes, it's obvious when there is a presence near you.
-Phan

[vistana]

I'm pretty skeptical about a lot of things, but I believe my family's house is haunted. It doesn't bother any of us, but there are lots of little things, footsteps, objects moving to unexplainable locations...
my mother has told us firmly not to tell my father, because she mentioned it once and he freaked out and started talking about moving.

[Timberwolf]

I personally try and keep an open mind. I'm a firm believer that just because I can't see something doesn't mean it isn't there.

Personally I'm a firm believer that we do contain an energy within ourselves that goes beyond mere flesh and blood. Despite not being a religious person I tend to believe that there has to be *something* beyond this life, in some way. I can't accept that at some point that energy just... vanishes. So overall, while I don't believe every story I hear, I refuse to discount the concept as crazy or without merit simply because I personally don't have the experiences myself.

Perhaps death is simply to us as the coccoon is to a caterpillar becoming the butterfly. Who can say for certain. But the concept of life after death, whether a religious interpetiation or not, is so widely common that it becomes difficult to dismiss simply because science hasn't stumbled upon the answer.

[_ID_]

But the concept of life after death, whether a religious interpetiation or not, is so widely common that it becomes difficult to dismiss simply because science hasn't stumbled upon the answer.

So then there comes the question if there is life after death. Was there life before birth? Some religious sects believe there is.

Myself, and my beliefs. I live my life for today. I do not have any idea if there is an afterlife, or if there was a prelife. I don't know if there are ghosts. I'm not sure that our entire exsitence is nothing more than some sort of physcological experience that is only taking place in the mind, and our actual reality is something completely different (as was suggest in the movie "the matrix"). So because I don't know, and will not know. I live my life in such a way as to be happy. I firmly believe that misery is as much a condition of perception as is happiness, wealth, and love.

If you have doubts about my view of perception and happiness. As a person who has lots of money, what do they worry about, many of them worry about money. Ask a person who lives in poverty, not homelessness but just poverty. They worry about the same thing. Then ask each who they feel their true friends are. My guess is the one who has less money will have more friends they believe to be a true friend than the other. Ok so this is just a perception and opinion, however it is what I have come across. Not a scientific analysis or anything like that.

So to those of you who believe in spirits or ghosts, or those of you who might have some sort of psychic power or able to see the aura of people or things. If believing in those things helps bring you peace, and happiness. Then I am glad for you. If they cause you distress and worry, why do you persist in continuing to be involved in it?

To sum it all up. I believe in being happy, and doing what makes me happy.

V/R
ID

[OttifantSir]

So to those of you who believe in spirits or ghosts, or those of you who might have some sort of psychic power or able to see the aura of people or things. If believing in those things helps bring you peace, and happiness. Then I am glad for you. If they cause you distress and worry, why do you persist in continuing to be involved in it?

V/R
ID

While I am a Yin-Yang person (Both light and dark, scientific and theological, etc) I cannot help but see a little flaw in this statement. There are people that are unhappy about it and try to escape it. Some of these people would probably be schizofrenic, some manic, some with disorders, while others have no such easy tag. They don't have a psychological illness, they can't be helped with science. What then to do? These are the people that make you question the world. You put them through every test imaginable and find nothing at all wrong with them, except the fact that they see people in a different way, they see beings invisible to most people's eyes, they see ghosts, etc.

While some learn to cope with this, many don't. It's not something they can control, it's not something they choose. They would happily follow your advice ID, but they are unable to.

[_ID_]

While some learn to cope with this, many don't. It's not something they can control, it's not something they choose. They would happily follow your advice ID, but they are unable to.

I agree that some people are what could be considered aflicted with something they would rather not have. My point was, do what you can to be happy.

Sometimes life is just a big ball of shit that you can do nothing about. So I try my best to do what I can, be happy with what I do have, and try to not worry about the rest.

As to people seeing things they don't want. Well I have seen what others describe as an aura. Do I believe its an aura. Not sure one way or another. I chalk it up to some sort of fluke thing with my vision, as it doesn't occur all the time.

V/R
ID

[orchid]

i believe

i have believed for as long as i can remember. however, one story in particular sort of cemented it for me...

when i was in college i lived in a rented house with my room mate and her 3-year old daughter. strange things happened in the house all the time and we just kept tacking it up something or other. when we moved, she and her daughter went back to her mothers house. a few years later she met a man and they were getting ready to move in with him. Her daughter, who was now only 6, said to her "Are we moving because the man is in this house too mom?" When pressed to explain, she described a man in a long black jacket and black hat that hung down over his eyes that lived in the ceiling of her closet. She said he used to float over to her bed to talk to her. And, she said he spoke to her like this (pointed to her forehead) not like this (pointed to her mouth).

Now i know some kids have pretty active imaginations but she was THREE when this happened...a LOT of detail for a 3-year old i would say.

Another factor - the cat we had while we lived there went snakey. We had to have him put down. They say that animals can sense things we can not...

it was more than enough for me...and as i said, i was a believer anyways

[His_pita]

I'm a Christian, so I believe in angels and demons. They are all around us and affect people in different ways. I personally have never seen anything but I have felt a presence that I believe to be angelic. I don't know if that is true or just my "feel good" mood at the time however.

[Flaming_Redhead]

I'm a Christian, so I believe in angels and demons. They are all around us and affect people in different ways. I personally have never seen anything but I have felt a presence that I believe to be angelic. I don't know if that is true or just my "feel good" mood at the time however.

I don't believe in ghosts. I believe that angels and demons can appear in any form they choose. I have felt both a malevolent presence as well as a benign presence at different times in my life, but I have never seen anything.