Atheists, do you believe in ghosts? If so, is this not a form of spirituality? How do you explain ghosts?

Question

Do you think people that see ghosts are simply schizophrenics or blessed with some other mental illness?

Answer 1

People have also seen UFOs, aliens, bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster.

What does that tell you?

Answer 2

For myself,

I would say every documented case of a 'ghost' I have seen is a hoax, or more likely delusional.

However, little enough is known of what makes 'life' (versus a pile of organic matter) and even less about conciousness that I would not rule out the possiblity they could exist.

Much like if you say you went on a date with Gwyenth Paltrow (or your choice of famous person).

My first thought:

1) Your lying to boast/brag.
2) you got drunk/high/etc and are delusional on what really happened.
3) Somebody played a mean trick on you (possibly combined with 2)
4) You actually are telling the truth.

It is very unlikely that you did X, there most likely is some other explanation, but I can not at this point prove it either way.

Ghosts/spirits/etc are much the same.

I can not prove the exists, however neither can I explain all the ways that 'man' is different from a carrot, much less a diamond/graphite/(other predominatly carbon/ beased compound); therefore the best I can say is I am very skeptical of them, but they COULD exists.

Answer 3

The word "atheist" really just means they don't believe in a god. This doesn't necessarily preclude the belief in some form of life after death or the existence of spirits. They would just have to believe that none of these things would constitute a god or be proof of a god.

Most atheists probably don't believe in ghosts however.

Also, not all ghost sightings would have to be hallucinations. People could possibly be seeing something that is actually there, but not actually a ghost. Its not all that uncommon for people to misidentify something they see.

A lot of supposed ghost sightings actually occur when people are lying in bed at night. It is quite likely that many of these may have actually been dreams wherein the person simply dreamed they were in their bed seeing the ghost. When they started to wake up, the fact that they were really in their bed, just like in their dream, caused them to become confused between their dream and reality.

Answer 4

If i were an atheist this is how I would explain it. The world is full of phenomena, that is undeniable, but that doesn't mean that phenomena is attributed to some god or guiding force. It may mean that that phenomena simply hasn't been explained by science. Isn't it possible that the things we see as being ghost are simply energy which remains from a person after they pass out of our perceived universe, and it's just at this point that we do not have the scientific means to observe that energy. Isn't that what we all are at a very basic level anyway...energy. I think about DNA and DNA structure, when we didn't have the means to observe it scientifically means it didn't mean that it didn't exist, or that it was some mystical thing, we just didn't have the right testing methods. But this is just one person's theory, and I'm sure we all have one.

Answer 5

"Atheists, do you believe in ghosts? If so, is this not a form of spirituality? How do you explain ghosts?"

I don't believe in ghosts, but I answered because you seem to be confused. Atheists can be spiritual. Atheists can be religious. Atheists can believe in trees spirits. Atheists can be a lot of things. Why? Because the definition of atheist is someone who doesn't believe in God. That's it. Non-spiritual materialists can be atheists, a Buddhist can be an atheist, a ghost believing, new age crystal believing, tarot card reading, psychic believing person can also be an atheist.

Answer 6

I have answered this question like a bazillion times!

I am a Spiritual Athiest. I hold no belief in any deity. This does not mean I can not be spiritual.

I am an Animist. I believe all things from trees, people, rocks, bodies of water, animals, etc... all possess an energy or "spirit" if you prefer. I believe we are all composed of energy. When we die that energy continues on. Energy never "dies". It may change form, but never does it die. I believe this energy is what people see when they see spirits/ghosts.

Atheism simply means no belief in a deity. I qualify by that definition alone.

Answer 7

As an atheist I'm also a naturalist and I don't have any belief in the supernatural, the supernatural is stuff that is outside of nature and therefore does not concern me.
I can still enjoy a good ghost story and even let myself get a bit scared but that is purely as an entertainment and it's fun to pretend but it's no fun to lose your grip on what is real and what is not real as some people seem to.

Answer 8

Actually, I'm religious (Pagan)...I do believe in ghosts, but I do not believe it has anything to do with my spiritual path at all. I believe that all things have energy (that is a scientific fact, not a spiritual one), and that when a person dies, some of their energy can be left behind. It's not a spiritual thing - or if it is, it is only spiritual because I chose a belief system that fits very well with science.

Answer 9

Sorry hon, but spirits aka ghosts have nothing whatsoever to do with religion. Ghosts exist and it's not a religious thing, it's something that simply IS. That would be like saying just because you're here automatically makes you a Christian, because you can't possibly be here otherwise (I mean no offense, I'm just making a point).

Answer 10

There really is no conflict with a open mind towards the possibility of supernatural phenomena--and a disinclination to believe in a Judeo Christian God. Studies of supernatural phenomena are ongoing--raise interesting questions. The possibility of a conciousness continuing after physical death does not go hand in hand with religion. In fact, religion may have started out as the very human construct developed to explain the paranormal.

Answer 11

I don't link ghosts to spirituality as I don't believe that ghosts are spirits.

And yes, I'm an atheist. Atheism denotes lack of belief in gods, not complete removal of religion/sprirituality.