Do catholics believe in ghosts? I dont get it because dont they just believe we go to heaven or hell? if there is such thing as ghosts then what about heaven? do they just stay in erath or something :S so confused please please help! Sorry about all the questions my knowledge on ghosts is pretty bad.
2007-02-07 07:21:02 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To the best of my knowledge the Catholic Church has no official position on ghosts. The doctrine of heaven and hell would seem to negate any reason for ghosts to be the souls of dead people.
However paranormal phenomena seems to exist. These phenomena may come from sources other than the souls of people in heaven, hell, or purgatory. We simply do not know.
The Church is very suspicious of people who claim to talk to dead people.
With love in Christ.
2007-02-07 17:55:07 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes we do. But not on the actual conventional sense of the word. Sure that confuses you. For us, God is the "Holy Trinity" . God Father, God's Son - Jesus, and "The Holy Ghost". Ghost used a synonymous of soul. If you believe you have a soul, sure you'll understand there are good and bad souls. Good ones go to heaven.
That's only my try to explain you what you are so confused about. You can believe or not. Its not a matter of reason. Its a matter of faith.
By the way. We believe we go to heaven or hell. But not "just". There are two other alternatives. Purgatory and Limbo.
2007-02-07 08:04:09 · answer #2 · answered by robertonereo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically, the Catholic Church has no official teaching on "ghosts" if you define ghosts as spirits of the dead who haunt the living.
There are "Saints" who the Church officially recognizes as souls who have entered heavan by virtue of their holy lives on earth, and there are "saints" who the Church teaches are those souls who have entered into heaven anonymously through the grace of God. Those of us on earth can ask for the intercession of these saints (lower case and capital "S") since they are in the presence of God. Saint Paul writes about the saints, and the crowds who cheer us on. The Book of Revelation also mentions the Holy Ones and the saints.
In Purgatory are souls who have not yet entered into heaven, but are awaiting final judgment.
This is a complicated issue that cannot be explained in Yahoo Answers.
To my Fundamentalist Christian Brethren, I will be happy to provide scriptural references in support of the Catholic teachings on Purgatory and the Communion of Saints if you contact me via email.
2007-02-07 07:38:37 · answer #3 · answered by Jack Chedeville 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's right, the Catholic Church does not accept the idea of ghosts. The spirits of departed humans are, as you said, in heaven or hell, not wandering around some old farmhouse rattling chains and throwing dishes. The Church does recognize the reality of spirits, both good (angels) and evil (demons). But these creatures were created as spirits. They were never human.
2007-02-07 07:28:13 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure that official Catholic teaching denies the existance of ghosts, at least, as we westerners view them. Souls don't get stuck on earth. Now, I know way too many Catholics who have had experiences where a departed loved one has "spoken" to them. I don't know if you can call these ghosts, but for me, it indicates that souls do not die or disappear after death.
2007-02-07 07:32:27 · answer #5 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic Church does believe in the existence of demons. Ghosts, which are supposed to be the image of a person who has died are not real. People who have died are gone from this life are gone. Demons can impersonate a "ghost".
2007-02-07 07:31:49 · answer #6 · answered by iraqisax 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ghosts are demons and demons acan take any form. Catholics do believe in purgatory, a holding place or inbetween place, so maybe they think these ghost/demons are their loved ones. Below are some christian websites about ghosts being demons so you can decided for yourself:
http://christianblogs.christianet.com/1138793779.htm
http://www.prodigalsonmagazine.com/walk/2006/03/can_demons_be_ghosts.php
http://www.spiritualcuriosity.com/curiosity/spirit_enc.htm
2007-02-07 07:25:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics don't believe in "ghosts" on earth but souls in heaven or hell or those awaiting heaven in purgatory.
2007-02-07 07:24:03 · answer #8 · answered by Borinke 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"We believe in all that is seen and unseen"
2007-02-07 07:25:52 · answer #9 · answered by Giggly Giraffe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋