DOES GHOSTS ARE REAL SOULS OF THE DEAD?

PART OF "UNDAS: A HALLOWEEN AND CHALLENGING HORROR AND MYTHS" SERIES

Photo: Takot sa Multo / Facebook Group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/401817241555806/ )

Author: Ken Klark L. Flores

Disclaimer 

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the views of any religious organization or denomination. This article is for religious and educational purposes only.

Reader Advisory

This article discusses sensitive topics that may not suitable for all audiences, Reading Discretion is Advised and Parental Guidance for is recommended.

Introduction

When you see the ghosts, who they are? They look like the souls of the dead? A mythological creature? Or just an illusion? This word had multi-meanings, from a supernatural spirit to a faint image or memory, and even a modern term for ending a relationship. 

Behind Ghost

Let's focus on supernatural, In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to appear to the living. Descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a nearly invisible presence to a vague, wispy, or shadowy shape. Ghosts are believed to haunt particular locations, objects, or people they were associated with in life. A house where paranormal activity occurs is said to be "haunted" (The Definition of Ghost, 2018).

Concepts

Many traditions suggest that ghosts are the spirits of individuals who died under traumatic circumstances, have unfinished business, or are tied to a specific location. Many Christian denominations and Biblical passages suggest that the spirits of the dead do not remain on earth to haunt the living, with some attributing reported ghostly encounters to either psychological factors or demonic activity (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016).

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the concept of reincarnation means that souls are typically reborn, but a spirit may become a ghost if it becomes trapped in the world of the living. In the Catholic teaching, this is a one-time event, and there is no return to earthly lives or reincarnation. The soul goes directly to its final destination based on this judgment, which determines whether it enters heaven (either immediately or after purification in purgatory) or hell. 

In Catholicism

The Catholic Church teaches that ghosts are the spirits of deceased humans, not demons, and that they are real, but encounters are rare and should be viewed with caution. While it acknowledges that souls from heaven, purgatory, or hell can appear for specific reasons, it also warns that some spiritual phenomena might be deceptions by evil spirits. This word comes from an Old English word, related to German word, "Geist", meaning "spirit".

The Church accepts the possibility that souls undergoing purification in Purgatory may appear to the living. These "holy souls" may seek prayers or Masses to help them progress toward heaven. According to exorcists, visitations from these souls are not terrifying or destructive but may create a sense of sadness. Once prayers are offered, the activity typically ceases.

However, there's a problem, the devil and other fallen angels can mimic the appearance of the dead to deceive, frighten, or tempt the living. The Church strongly warns against any attempt to contact spirits (necromancy) because of the risk of opening oneself up to evil spirits. But, Apparitions of deceased saints have been affirmed by the Church as authentic. These apparitions from heaven are sent by God to provide comfort, hope, and messages that encourage repentance or conversion, not to cause fear.

Sometimes,many reported supernatural events are not spiritual in nature at all and can be explained by natural causes, stress, or imagination (Beaumont, D. M., 2023)

In Orthodox and Protestant Denominations

Orthodox Christianity does not believe in ghosts as spirits of the deceased haunting the earth, but views such apparitions as potentially demonic deceptions. According to Orthodox belief, the soul goes to a judgment after death and awaits resurrection, rather than lingering as a ghost. If an Orthodox Christian encounters a frightening spiritual presence, they are taught to make the sign of the cross and pray to God for protection (Ghosts and Christmas, 2023).

This same goes for many Protestant Denominations, they generally views ghosts as either demonic or a supernatural phenomenon that is not a soul returning from a purgatorial state, as it rejects the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. A prominent view among many Protestants is that ghosts are actually demons impersonating the dead. Reformers believed that the devil and his demons could take the form of deceased persons to deceive the living and lead them away from correct doctrine. This was a common explanation for sightings in the centuries following the Reformation. The Protestant Reformers, including Martin Luther and John Calvin, rejected the doctrine of purgatory, holding instead that upon death, the souls of the saved go directly to heaven and the souls of the damned go directly to hell. Since there is no intermediate state, there is no theological basis for a soul to remain on Earth as a ghost (Kapitaniak, n.d.).

Protestants believe that Bible condemns the practice of necromancy (communicating with the dead) in passages such as Deuteronomy 18:10–12 and Isaiah 8:19–20. This strengthens the argument that attempts to contact supposed spirits of the dead are dangerous and spiritually forbidden.

In Modern Era, Many evangelical and biblically-literalist Protestants still hold the view that any supposed ghostly activity is demonic in origin and that the spirits of the dead do not remain on Earth. Other, more liberal Protestants tend to view ghosts and related stories as folklore or myth, explaining them through psychological or scientific reasoning. While some Protestants may watch reality TV shows about the paranormal, many differentiate this entertainment from genuine spiritual engagement, viewing direct communication with the dead as dangerous and forbidden (What Does the Bible Say about Ghosts / Hauntings?, n.d.; Holditch, 2013)

Conclusion

These Ghosts, seems to be deceiving or look like scary, but must reminder that let's be careful. Because "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10)

Reference:

the definition of ghost. (2018). Www.dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ghost

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2016). Ghost | spirit. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ghost-spirit

Beaumont, D. M. (2023, November 2). What Are Ghosts? Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-are-ghosts

‌Ghosts and Christmas. (2013, November 7). St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. https://www.stnicholasorthodox.org/news_131107_1

Kapitaniak, P. (n.d.). English Reformation and Ghosts (The). Encyclopédie d’Histoire Numérique de L’Europe. https://ehne.fr/en/encyclopedia/themes/european-humanism/parallel-spaces-renaissance/english-reformation-and-ghosts

What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings? (n.d.). GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/ghosts-hauntings.html

Holditch, L. E. (2013, May 4). Haunted Middletown, USA : an analysis of supernatural beliefs of Protestants in Muncie, Indiana. Ball State University. http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/20.500.14291/197161

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