Is watching "Ghost Hunters" a sin?

[christianmom2389]

I have a question and was wondering if I could get other people's opinions..

(I ask alot of questions here in these forums.. lol I don't have any other Christians really to talk to! So y'all are my go-to people)

I grew up not believing in ghosts at all. When I was 16, I got my first job working at a retirement center that was an old hotel built in the early 1920's. My mom worked there also. When I started, I heard stories but did not hold any belief to them. My mom was right there confirming to me that there is no such things as ghosts. Long story short.. our mind changed and this was NOT something that we were looking for.. but there was no denying that things were happening.. Everybody saw it, residents, managers, housekeepers.. so we weren't crazy.. lol but I started to believe in ghosts.

Now, I most certainly don't go looking for them or anything. I don't want to open those doors.. but I do like the show Ghost Hunters. I just think it's entertaining and I like seeing the old buildings and hearing the stories.

My husband is scared of all that stuff and he doesn't like those shows.. but I don't know, it's really hard for me to stop. I really like them and so my question is.. is this something I shouldn't be doing, being a Christian?

Like I said, I am not "ghost hunting" or anything, just sitting in the comfort of my "not haunted" home lol and watching them..

so what do y'all think?

 

[Glas Ridire]

Watching fiction is not a sin.

 

[Gadarene]

You've got an omnipotent god watching your back, no?

 

[freezerman2000]

You've got an omnipotent god watching your back, no?

Why must you be so sarcastic? The OP was asking a good question.I'm glad she did,because there are more than likely others out there with the same concerns.

To the OP, I don't think it's sinful..it is attempting to show proof that there is life after death.If some folks wish to perceive it as being sinful,that is their right..but for them to tell or try to tell me that if I watch it I am putting my immortal soul at risk is just as bad as the Pharisees of old.

 

[Gadarene]

Why must you be so sarcastic? The OP was asking a good question.I'm glad she did,because there are more than likely others out there with the same concerns.

Who said it's sarcastic? It sounded like she wasn't that concerned about it either, but that others were and she wasn't sure whether she should be. I think her concern level is about fine, really.

But the mind does boggle at those Christians who believe they have an all-powerful god looking out for them and yet have screaming heebie-jeebies at dream catchers and Harry Potter books.

 

[freezerman2000]

It's the way you came across

 

[Gadarene]

It's the way you came across

Opinion duly noted

 

[wannabeadesigirl]

Hi Christianmom!
Nothing is forbidden, but not all things are beneficial. I would say if you start using ghosts or spiritism as a go to then you might need to back off the supernatural stuff for awhile, but in all honesty if you can handle it while keeping your mind on God then go for it.
Personally I enjoy a scary movie that's well told and well executed. In my opinion we sometimes don't consider the darker side to our spiritual existance. There is an afterlife, there is real evil and real good, and sometimes these shows and stories serve as a reminder of that very real fact. Just keep your eyes on God.

 

[Genersis]

A sin? No.
A crime against all that is good in the world? Yes.

 

[Rajni]

I have a question and was wondering if I could get other people's opinions..

(I ask alot of questions here in these forums.. lol I don't have any other Christians really to talk to! So y'all are my go-to people)

I grew up not believing in ghosts at all. When I was 16, I got my first job working at a retirement center that was an old hotel built in the early 1920's. My mom worked there also. When I started, I heard stories but did not hold any belief to them. My mom was right there confirming to me that there is no such things as ghosts. Long story short.. our mind changed and this was NOT something that we were looking for.. but there was no denying that things were happening.. Everybody saw it, residents, managers, housekeepers.. so we weren't crazy.. lol but I started to believe in ghosts.

Now, I most certainly don't go looking for them or anything. I don't want to open those doors.. but I do like the show Ghost Hunters. I just think it's entertaining and I like seeing the old buildings and hearing the stories.

My husband is scared of all that stuff and he doesn't like those shows.. but I don't know, it's really hard for me to stop. I really like them and so my question is.. is this something I shouldn't be doing, being a Christian?

Like I said, I am not "ghost hunting" or anything, just sitting in the comfort of my "not haunted" home lol and watching them..

so what do y'all think?

I love that show! I got hooked on Ghost Hunters back when I still considered myself a Christian, and I can relate to the wondering if it's wrong to watch such programs.

I think what helped me not worry about it so much was the conviction that not everything supernatural is necessarily evil. I also took comfort in the part of the bible that says believers could handle snakes without getting bitten, etc., so if belief (allegedly) protected one from something like that, then it probably would also protect one from the (perceived) dangers of reading a Harry Potter book or watching a ghost-hunting program.

I also suspect that there's some paranormal activity in our house, but, like you, I don't go looking to escalate things by trying to communicate with my suspected ghosts. I prefer mentally relaying any messages I have for those on the Other Side through God, just so that I don't 'open a portal' (or whatever they're calling it these days) between here and there, resulting in stuff flying out of my cabinets at random times. Too much trouble to clean up after such activity, lol!

 

[true2theword]

I have a question and was wondering if I could get other people's opinions..

(I ask alot of questions here in these forums.. lol I don't have any other Christians really to talk to! So y'all are my go-to people)

I grew up not believing in ghosts at all. When I was 16, I got my first job working at a retirement center that was an old hotel built in the early 1920's. My mom worked there also. When I started, I heard stories but did not hold any belief to them. My mom was right there confirming to me that there is no such things as ghosts. Long story short.. our mind changed and this was NOT something that we were looking for.. but there was no denying that things were happening.. Everybody saw it, residents, managers, housekeepers.. so we weren't crazy.. lol but I started to believe in ghosts.

Now, I most certainly don't go looking for them or anything. I don't want to open those doors.. but I do like the show Ghost Hunters. I just think it's entertaining and I like seeing the old buildings and hearing the stories.

My husband is scared of all that stuff and he doesn't like those shows.. but I don't know, it's really hard for me to stop. I really like them and so my question is.. is this something I shouldn't be doing, being a Christian?

Like I said, I am not "ghost hunting" or anything, just sitting in the comfort of my "not haunted" home lol and watching them..

so what do y'all think?

The bible tells us very plainly that spirits exist, while its talking about evil spirits and not human ones, if you listen to the secular worlds version these spirits they believe they are contacting are human ones......they're NOT!

 

[freezerman2000]

The bible tells us very plainly that spirits exist, while its talking about evil spirits and not human ones, if you listen to the secular worlds version these spirits they believe they are contacting are human ones......they're NOT!

Does it specifically state that ALL spirits are evil?

 

[NDNgirl4ever]

Does it specifically state that ALL spirits are evil?

No, I don't believe so.

 

[veryworried]

No, that show is rediculous anyway.

 

[true2theword]

Does it specifically state that ALL spirits are evil?

we are told to test the spirits, I would conclude that this test would be to show if the spirit was evil or from God.

since Jesus mentions that He was sending One Spirit, namely the Holy Spirit, I would also conclude that the test would merely show if it was one or the other

we have no examples in scripture where a "good spirit" other than the Holy Spirit did anything to help followers of Christ

 

[theophilus40]

My husband is scared of all that stuff and he doesn't like those shows.. but I don't know, it's really hard for me to stop. I really like them and so my question is.. is this something I shouldn't be doing, being a Christian?

I have never watched this program but I just looked up what Wikipedia says about it and it doesn't seem the watching it would be a sin in the sense that it would be violating any specific command. But sometimes things that aren't inherently sinful can be harmful.

You need to consider the effect it has on your spiritual life and your relationship with God. Does it fill your mind so much that it interferes with your studying and meditating on God's word? Does it take up time that should be used for other purposes?

You need to also consider the effect your watching it has on others. The Bible says we should obstain even from things that are good if they cause another Christian to stumble. How does your watching the show affect your husband?

 

[christianmom2389]

Gadarene.. you're right, I'm not too concerned about it.. If this thread convinced me it was a sin, I would most certainly stop but I was just wondering..

Ghost Hunters is the only show that I watch, and I seriously think that about 80-90% of that show is set up.. (In the first season, they had shows that they didn't find anything.. and now, every single episode.. they always seem to find something "crazy"..lol yeah right..) I think they know that even if people do start to believe they aren't real, they will still get viewers.. After all, it is entertaining..
But yeah, that is why I watch it. I'm most certainly not ghost hunting myself or anything.. I do believe that looking for it is a sin.

Wannabeadesigirl - I do agree with you.. I didn't think about it from the viewpoint of this show pointing towards the existence of an afterlife.. that is true. (freezerman2000, I saw that you made that point also.)

Chaela - I definitely agree. I am NOT trying to open those doors! lol And I think that if I did think our house was haunted, I could not watch that show... I would be too scared! lol

true2theword - So all ghosts are demons? I am not disagreeing with you because I don't know.. but a Christian did make a point one time.. why would a demon put so much effort in haunting a building that was abandoned? such as turning on a light once in awhile or things like that.. If you don't mind me asking, what is your opinion about that?

 

[christianmom2389]

Theophilus40 - Those are good questions to reflect on when considering if something is a sin or not.. I don't think that it takes away from my relationship with God, but like I said.. that is a great question. I don't watch tv too much at all, but when I do.. it's for background noise. Like if I'm cleaning, I will turn on Ghost Hunters.. and I do get all creeped out even though I believe that it is set up.. just the thought of that happening is creepy!

But I never thought about how it makes my husband feel.. I don't watch it around him. He doesn't like those shows at all. He did not have any belief in ghosts whatsoever.. until he got stationed here in Germany. We were dating at the time, and the barracks that he was staying in.. they were having some "problems." (The post that we live on was built back in the early 20's, as a German Nazi post.. the Americans took it over in the late 40's. His barracks that he would stay in was a hospital back when the Germans had it.) There weren't too many people staying in those barracks but all of the soldiers complained about lights turning off and on at night, hearing what sounded like a trashcan rolling in the hall and then someone would knock on their doors.. they would check and no one would be there.. while still hearing it. When we were dating, we would be watching a movie and you would hear his medicine cabinet opening and closing. A few other things happened.. but we never talked about it much. It scared us.. but even more so, I think it really scared him. He didn't believe in that kind of stuff, and now he doesn't like anybody talking about or anything..
But yeah, like I said.. I don't watch it around him. He would certainly not like that.

 

[christianmom2389]

So in a case like that.. would a preacher be able to pray over the barracks and it be gone?
And I asked true2theword, but do y'all think all ghosts are demons?

 

[jayem]

I've only seen trailers. Is there a presumption that ghosts do exist? Does the show present any alternative explanations for whatever findings are detected by their various gadgets? If everything is assumed to be evidence of otherworldly spirit entities, then that's a sin against rationalism and scientifically valid inquiry.