Ghosts, the Afterlife, and Religion - Should a Line Really Be Drawn?

This was being discussed on Ghost Hunter's official Sci-Fi forums, and I thought it was interesting and that I should share it with you guys. I don't want to put down what other people were saying and use their words without their permission, but the gist of it was this...

How do we, as living human beings, prepare for the death and the afterlife? Could the use of digital audio (and other means) help aid us in not only speaking with the dead, but learning about the afterlife as well? We are constantly figuring out new things each day, creating new breakthroughs in technology. Yet, what about the one big question every person on this earth must one day face - death? Why can't we learn more about it? As paranormal investigators, perhaps we truly can.

This was my input on the matter:
"I'm very curious about the afterlife (though, I would assume almost everyone would be). Do all the dead become ghosts? Are ghosts merely here on earth on some ethereal plane but really meant to pass somewhere more permanent? Where is this permanent resting place? This dabbles in religion quite a lot. Really, it's your own personal beliefs. Personally, I don't consider myself all that religious (I am agnostic), but I believe there must be some form of an afterlife besides remaining here for all eternity. Now, where or what that afterlife is, I have absolutely no clue. It's far beyond comprehension. Preparing for it too is difficult when you can't understand it. But with the help of those that have already past, maybe it's within grasp.

I think the reasoning people, particularly ghost hunters, will avoid any topics relating to or on religion is to not, first of all, offend anyone, and also to attempt to not bring religion into a more scientific investigation (which are more common these days thanks to TAPs). Now, that sentence may confuse you, so, heh, let me better expand on it.

My paranormal team, or rather, the team I am currently working on forming, is a serious one which takes a scientific outlook on the paranormal, or, in other words, we use equipment to help aid us in finding or disproving evidence rather than relying more heavily on emotions, psychics, or feelings and so on. So, don't get me wrong - I fully back up any scientific group out there.

However, you are entirely correct in that ghosts themselves deal indirectly with religion and the afterlife, whether the more scientific investigators choose to discuss it or not. I have absolutely no problem talking about such things, though of course, I would never want to intentionally or unintentionally push my beliefs onto anyone else. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and their own religions. If you believe in ghosts, spirits, and the paranormal though, then you must surely believe that there is an afterlife and that life does not simply end once our bodies stop functioning, that our souls carry on.

You are addressing a lot of good points. Perhaps we do have some control over this while we are still alive. It's human nature anyway to be curious about the unknown. If you're here, at this website, then clearly you already have taken an interest in the unknown. Now, it's merely just expanding that slightly to the realm of the afterlife. Is there a way to find more clear answers concerning life after death through the dead? I believe that that is fully possible. If we can establish conversation with the deceased, then why not inquire them about their situation and the state that they're in? This is valuable information, and for investigators to simply overlook this just because they don't want to seem "unprofessional" by bringing up something that could be religious in nature, is, quite frankly, foolish."

This is a good subject, I am going to try and think through my response before I post it

Thanks, Bob! I thought it was too. Look forward to reading what you think.

w1ngs0fate wrote:
.....I think the reasoning people, particularly ghost hunters, will avoid any topics relating to or on religion is to not, first of all, offend anyone, and also to attempt to not bring religion into a more scientific investigation.....

That doesn't really apply to a fairly good percentage of paranormal investigators I think. I myself am highly religious, belonging to one of the most historically "old fashion" denominations....Pentecostal. But I'm also a scientist. That fact is well proven by the 20+ years that I've been studying astronomy....which can VERY easily conflict with religion. (Ex. Big Bang vs. Creation) But I have found a happy medium between my religious beliefs & my scientific knowledge, although that's not always easily done.

As with many "scientific Christians", I respect the individual beliefs of my peers & will only mention religious issues if I know they are comfortable with it, or if they ask me to discuss it. All I ask for in return is respect for my beliefs.

This comes into play in the paranormal also. You are correct in that there is a tie-in between religion & the paranormal, although how deeply that tie-in goes is variable, depending upon the beliefs of the individual. Although I'm a VERY healthy skeptic, I still DO believe in the full scope of paranormal entities.....from inhuman spirits, to "normal" ghosts, and demons.

The 1st & 3d types often scare people. They do not have that effect on me because my belief in faith gives me strength enough to know that they can't harm me. My "guardian angel", yet another form of how religion & the paranormal coincide, will make sure of that.

When someone has a ghost problem & wants to get rid of it, my first piece of advice is to tell them simply to ask it to leave....politely, but firmly. I then include the suggestion that if that doesn't work, have the house blessed by a holy man of your chosen religion, whatever that may be. But I always include a disclaimer on that suggestion stating something to the effect that if the person ISN'T religious, then it would probably be better to get advice from someone closer to their chosen way of believing. I think that is a happy medium between offering advice that I think would work for them, but not giving the idea that I'm attempting to force my own beliefs upon them.

That being said, although this is a gentle thread, I don't usually like the idea of discussing religion on topic-specific sites such as this. It rarely works out good for EITHER party. But don't take that as meaning I feel this thread is going to go that way....not at all. It's an issue that CAN be discussed, as long as both sides do it in a respectful, mature manner.

So yes, for me, religion & certain pieces of the paranormal are intertwined & situations arise which require BOTH of them to be approached. But that won't necessarily apply to every investigator.