Is it necessary to have a paranormal experience to believe in ghosts?

Question

Does anyone out there genuinely believe in spirits/ghosts etc. and not actually had an experience with it to make them think that way?
Do people have experiences and still say that they dont believe it?

Answer 1

I don't think it's necessary for people to have experiences in order to believe in "ghosts," though without it people are probably less likely to believe.

As for experiences and still don't believe... it's pretty easy for doubts to creep into your mind after a bit, or to just think there is an explanation you haven't thought of.

I've had a number of select experiences I was never able to figure out any way how the heck it happened... I still remain a skeptic and don't entirely believe in that stuff, though those few things are an exception that get more consideration out of me.

Answer 2

It is necessary to believe in ghosts in order to assign a cause of something odd to being ghosts. That is not abnormal psycology however, rather it is normal. It only means that we first have to believe something, or at least accept as possible which is the same thing as a belief in a lesser mode, and then we can say such people are more likely to experience it, for a variety of reasons, some of which arise from the belief and some of which are outside factors unrelated to beliefs.
Forces themselves are always unseen and all scientists believe in forces. If you happen to believe that ghosts are the source of forces, and some science fiction movies play on this idea, then you already have had a paranormal experience even if you were not aware that it was one. Someone else has to classify it as paranormal or you would never know that because to you it would be normal.

Answer 3

There's an old joke in the skeptical community that the best way to get rid of ghosts or exorcise demons is to bring in a skeptic because amazingly they never appear when one is around.

I believed in ghosts when I was younger because I wanted to believe in something so fascinating and otherworldly. I did my research. I wanted to see one. I looked and looked and looked. All of the so-called haunted houses I visited were just cool, old spooky buildings. The hauntings seemed to be no more than a backstory to give the place some history and to make it creepier. People tell such stories for the same reasons they go to see horror movies--they like to scare themselves. It gives them a rush.

On top of a lack of positive evidence there is a preponderance of false evidence--hoaxes and the like--that further diminishes the credence that ghosts are in fact real.

After being a true believer, seeking to find confirmation for my beliefs and failing to do so, I was forced to reconsider. After all, if we have no evidence that something exists then how can we say it does exist? Many people are comfortable with saying, "They exist because I just *know* they do." I am not one of those people so, barring evidence to the contrary, I am comfortable with saying there is no such thing as ghosts.

Answer 4

I don't know what to think. I used to believe in them when I was little, then I thought I grew out of it, then I had one of those so called experiences you're talking about. It wasn't a ghost though, if it was anything at all. It was more like that movie Fallen, with Denzel Washington, where something was communicating through the people around me. I'd be talking to whoever-it-was through a guy rolling a cigarette one moment, then I'd get on the bus and it would be a kid that would continue the conversation the next moment. Weird stuff, long story.

I guess I'm a little more open to anything paranormal these days. How about you?

Answer 5

Believing in ghosts, like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus, is childish.An open-minded person would be more receptive to natural explanations.For instance, gut -feelings and hunches.More then likely,they are the result of intuition gained through experience.Isn't that more open-minded then a paranormal explanation.Anyone can have a "spooky" moment.Usually involved with sleeping.That's not a coincidence.If someone tells you they saw a flying pig.Would you believe them?Why not?

Answer 6

I genuinely do believe, yet have not had an experience myself.
I don't know why, I just think it's all very interesting.
I think people do have experiences and say they don't believe it.
I also think that people say they have had experiences, but really haven't, just to say that they have. Have you ever watched Ghost Hunters on the scifi channel? There's one episode where a camera guy is thrown back wards on his back, and his feet come off the ground. It's pretty interesting.

Answer 7

I have had experiences with "ghosts" but I still don't believe they are what people think they are. My belief is that this is a perception of a 4th dimension (time). A "ghost" is something that has happened, or something that will happen. But as for it being some spirit held to this plane of existance, no.
I hope this helps. Good luck.

Answer 8

The paranormal just means not ordinary and i have had things happen to me out of the ordinary.And people have had experiances even when they don't believe.And yes i do believe in the paranormal.

Answer 9

i think that there r other beings in this world coz 1 is dat God is a spirit if there r spirits here wel that means there is God. It isnt necessary to have a paranormal experience 4 som1 2 believe in ghosts. dats my opinion. :]]

Answer 10

never seen one but i think they r real cause lots of people have some of those are or nuts liars but ceratainly not all then there are the pics again some fraud dirty lense but not all. Too many people round the world thru out time say so to make it all fake in my mind