haunted house

[faroukfarouk]

The purpose of such TV shows is to try to combine plausibility with mystery: like this, the ratings go up.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The purpose of such TV shows is to try to combine plausibility with mystery: like this, the ratings go up.

haha yeah. the show Paranormal State started at Penn State, and I remember talking to some of those guys. usually they would mix facts with some kinda sinister thing to get folks to talk to them or support what they did.

 

[RileyG]

they can I think, depending on that person's condition.

Condition as in how good their relationship with God is? Etc....like if someone is very sick in their soul they are more vulnerable?

 

[RileyG]

Do you believe that "ghosts" can be departed people or just demons?

 

[RileyG]

sometimes God allows demonic temptations for the holy, lest they become proud

Hmmm...

So in a nutshell, God allows these diabolical influences to happen so that soul or particular person can become more humble?

 

[Knee V]

It is not so much that a cross has a certain "power", per se, to ward off demons. Rather, the demons hate and fear it.

 

[RileyG]

It is not so much that a cross has a certain "power", per se, to ward off demons. Rather, the demons hate and fear it.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hmmm...

So in a nutshell, God allows these diabolical influences to happen so that soul or particular person can become more humble?

I'm not sure if this is exactly what was meant, but I've read some interesting things on Orthodox monastery sites about prelest.

Generally they involved people of much prayer who began to have very spiritual experiences (I do not say that all experiences are deception) ... But in some cases, these people were fooled by demons masquerading as angels of light, as it were, and in their pride, thinking they were spiritually "worthy" of such a visitation, they were deceived by the demon.

Or in some cases the demons merely tried, but were rebuffed.

This would seem to be a reasonable explanation for the advice to be very careful of revelations or visitations, even those that seem to be from God.

I am also reminded of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" given to him to prevent him from becoming proud because of all the revelation he had received. But I don't know what the Church's teaching on the thorn is.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Do you believe that "ghosts" can be departed people or just demons?

I believe there is some teaching in the Church that newly reposed are sometimes seen by the person they love most.

There are also stories of "walking Saints".

I can't elaborate much on these. I have only heard of it, and don't know much.

It does make possible sense for a dear friend of mine who steadfastly insists that two or three times she has been visited by those who just died, and her insistence on this has made her keep Christianity at arm's length because it has (for her so far) no explanation or acceptance of this, so I am interested to learn more and share it with her.

 

[RileyG]

I'm not sure if this is exactly what was meant, but I've read some interesting things on Orthodox monastery sites about prelest.

Generally they involved people of much prayer who began to have very spiritual experiences (I do not say that all experiences are deception) ... But in some cases, these people were fooled by demons masquerading as angels of light, as it were, and in their pride, thinking they were spiritually "worthy" of such a visitation, they were deceived by the demon.

Or in some cases the demons merely tried, but were rebuffed.

This would seem to be a reasonable explanation for the advice to be very careful of revelations or visitations, even those that seem to be from God.

I am also reminded of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" given to him to prevent him from becoming proud because of all the revelation he had received. But I don't know what the Church's teaching on the thorn is.

Ok! Thank you!

 

[RileyG]

I believe there is some teaching in the Church that newly reposed are sometimes seen by the person they love most.

There are also stories of "walking Saints".

I can't elaborate much on these. I have only heard of it, and don't know much.

It does make possible sense for a dear friend of mine who steadfastly insists that two or three times she has been visited by those who just died, and her insistence on this has made her keep Christianity at arm's length because it has (for her so far) no explanation or acceptance of this, so I am interested to learn more and share it with her.

Oh, ok.
So long-term haunted places, are probably just demonic and not the souls of the departed because their souls would just be in paradise or hell?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Oh, ok.
So long-term haunted places, are probably just demonic and not the souls of the departed because their souls would just be in paradise or hell?

Well, I am not aware of any teaching by the Church that allows for human souls to be attached on earth.

I have always thought myself it was probably demons or something similar, yes.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Condition as in how good their relationship with God is? Etc....like if someone is very sick in their soul they are more vulnerable?

yeah, like I know some modern rockers who say that their music comes from nightmares after nights of drugs and drinking. HR Giger, the dude that made the Alien, said the same thing about his paintings.

Do you believe that "ghosts" can be departed people or just demons?

demons or natural phenomena that are mistaken.

Hmmm...

So in a nutshell, God allows these diabolical influences to happen so that soul or particular person can become more humble?

yep, because they are so holy the usual demonic attacks would not work.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Oh, ok.
So long-term haunted places, are probably just demonic and not the souls of the departed because their souls would just be in paradise or hell?

yeah, long term places are prolly demonic, superstitious people who are reading too much into nothing (Boo Radley's House in To Kill a Mockingbird), or some combo of the two.

 

[RileyG]

yeah, long term places are prolly demonic, superstitious people who are reading too much into nothing (Boo Radley's House in To Kill a Mockingbird), or some combo of the two.

Oh, ok. That reminds me of the house in Arkansas that a woman committed suicide because a man she has become romantically attached to didn't show up to her party. I doubt it's her soul if something really happens....

 

[~Anastasia~]

yeah, long term places are prolly demonic, superstitious people who are reading too much into nothing (Boo Radley's House in To Kill a Mockingbird), or some combo of the two.

Good point to qualify. I've known a number of "hauntings'" that were really nothing more than people who got very excited about basically normal phenomena.

That said, I actually lived in a house once where very weird stuff went on. We were the opposite, trying to dismiss it because we didn't want to believe in anything weird. But there are some natural conditions that can explain weird things happening in many cases. I tended to look for those kinds of explanations.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Good point to qualify. I've known a number of "hauntings'" that were really nothing more than people who got very excited about basically normal phenomena.

That said, I actually lived in a house once where very weird stuff went on. We were the opposite, trying to dismiss it because we didn't want to believe in anything weird. But there are some natural conditions that can explain weird things happening in many cases. I tended to look for those kinds of explanations.

yeah, those Paranormal State guys once said that a building was haunted because of a pocket of air that was a different temperature......anyone who has gone for a swim in a lake knows that means nothing. but at the same time there are unexplained stuff that is straight up demonic.