Why do some Christians correct you when you call the Holy Spirit the Holy Ghost?

Question

It's 2 names for the same dude.

Does the word ghost turns them off cos ghosts are imaginary and spirits aren't?

cos we all know that spirits are far more realistic than ghosts.....

Answer 1

The terms are basically interchangeable. Most old school Pentecostals use "ghost" and most new generation charismatics use "spirit".

In my opinion, it's ALL GOOD".

Answer 2

Holy Ghost was formerly used by the Catholic church in their signs of the cross. It was only in the early 60's when they changed that into Holy Spirit because they found out that the word "ghost" was becoming synonymous to the ghost of the dead.
In that same period, the Muslims were called Mohammedans and for a good reason they said, their religion shall be called Islam and the people of Islam shall be called the Muslims.

Answer 3

The Holy Ghost & Holy Spirit is the same spirit, I have always called it the Holy Ghost, But it does not bother me if someone calls him the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is the self same spirit of God.

Answer 4

because if they call it ghost, they are afraid that someone might call the ghostbusters and take away the "holy spirit".

Due to thier tenuous connection with reality they fail to realize that the 80's classic and the entertaining but crappy sequel to the Ghostbusters in which four scientists develop a way to catch and store ghosts (for a modest fee) take on not only one, but two gods.

In the movies these gods zuul and the weird other guy from the second movie. are depicted as bieng far more powerfull and destructive than the judeo christian god.

So if Peter, Ray, Egon and Winston can take out these powerhouse dieties, then what chance does thier meager holy spirit have?

Thier only hope is that he goes undetected by the fictitious ghostbusters.

Answer 5

Not sure, but you're right that it's the same thing. Probably because people associate ghosts with demons more than people associate spirits with demons. It's all a part of the spirit world. However, spirits don't imply negativity, as ghosts or demons might (haunting, visiting, threatening, etc.).

Answer 6

I always use Holy Ghost in prayer - Holy Spirit in regular speech.

Answer 7

its just a denominational thing.Some refer to spirit, some as ghost, some have completely different names or references. But they are all one in the same. Its not just christians.
God, Allah etc.. its all the same depending on your belief system. Thats is typically what the religious debates are about. If you worship Allah you are wrong, if you worship God you are wrong so lets fight about it. But if each religion would realize they are arguing the exact same thing only by different names they would knock it off.

Answer 8

Strongs Concordance says:
Ghost:
#1478 Breathe out, be dead. As in last breath.
#1606 Rebuke, reproof.
# 1634 Bone, skeleton of the body.
# 4151 An assembly, or troop.
Spirit:
# 178 From the same as one.
# 4151 An assembly or troop.
# 7307 Wind, exhale breath, region of the sky.
So some people may think of ghost as refering to something that has died. I guess it's like needing to know the context of the meaning being used. How do you spell one? Won?

Answer 9

Some people, ShoNuff, have OCD with a compustion to correct everything that someone else says and does. They are not interested in the truth or care about anything other than being correct along with making certain that you adhere to their particular way of doing things. In "Christianese" they are called 'legalists."

Answer 10

Ghosts are spirits and spirits are ghosts, unless you are talking about the distilled kind of spirits.