The paranormal and Christianity

[DarkProphet]

This doesn't relate directly with core Christianity (Jesus' resurrection, the tri-god, or even the validity of the Bible) but somethings that certain Christians believe just seem absurd, even for a Christian.

I heard a Christian spiel about how ghosts are related to demons and how Ouija boards are satanic. He went on to say that UFOs are connected to demons as well and something about demons manifesting as creatures, like the chupacabra or bigfoot. Do all Christians believe in the paranormal in this way?

 

[vespasia]

Thankfully - no.

But it does show the power of narratives and if you listen to them they tell you an awful lot more of what a person actually believes than what they think they believe.

 

[snazzyjazzy]

In my opinion you cannot have one without the other, in a way. If ghosts exist, then so does some sort of after life, and if an after life exists, then so can ghosts.

So, even though I don't wanna see a ghost, I do, just to confirm God's looking after me. Actually, an Angel would be much nicer, but you get the point.

 

[ProScribe]

the tri-god

Just a correction: its' One God, the Holy Trinity. . .

 

[GreenMunchkin]

This doesn't relate directly with core Christianity (Jesus' resurrection, the tri-god, or even the validity of the Bible) but somethings that certain Christians believe just seem absurd, even for a Christian.

I heard a Christian spiel about how ghosts are related to demons and how Ouija boards are satanic. He went on to say that UFOs are connected to demons as well and something about demons manifesting as creatures, like the chupacabra or bigfoot. Do all Christians believe in the paranormal in this way?

Hiya, DP UFOs and ghosts, I don't know. I tend to think the likelihood of our being alone in this entire universe is remote... but that's the arrogance of humans. If we don't understand something, we just decide it doesn't exist.

Ouija boards, and tarot cards and runes and any form of divination like that, however, is absolutely satanic, yes.

From a personal perspective, they were actually the gateway of my becoming a witch; they're sort of the cool, fuzzy, palatable facade of bonafide magicks and it's very easy to dabble in them for funsies, and eventually you just sort of fall down the rabbit-hole.

 

[DarkProphet]

Hiya, DP UFOs and ghosts, I don't know. I tend to think the likelihood of our being alone in this entire universe is remote... but that's the arrogance of humans. If we don't understand something, we just decide it doesn't exist.

True, but it's also arrogance of humans to think we would be interesting enough for some other civilization to visit us.

Ouija boards, and tarot cards and runes and any form of divination like that, however, is absolutely satanic, yes.

Except of course that Ouija boards and tarot cards work on the very human principle of expectation.

From a personal perspective, they were actually the gateway of my becoming a witch; they're sort of the cool, fuzzy, palatable facade of bonafide magicks and it's very easy to dabble in them for funsies, and eventually you just sort of fall down the rabbit-hole.

So you believe in magic and witches?

 

[GreenMunchkin]

True, but it's also arrogance of humans to think we would be interesting enough for some other civilization to visit us.

I don't suppose we can say with any certainty whether they have or not... but, the odds are we're not alone in the universe. Whether or not we've been visited is down to personal opinion, I expect.

Except of course that Ouija boards and tarot cards work on the very human principle of expectation.

Not entirely... in fact, I don't think most people have any idea of what it is they're dabbling in. But I accept your point and, yes, for many, they'll create their own reality according to what they expect to see and hear. But that doesn't negate that there's a whole other level of spirituality attached to it.

So you believe in magic and witches?

Well, things like Harry Potter have made magicks and witchcraft seem friendly; the fanciful stuff of bedtime stories. But, having been a witch, I know that it really exists, yeah. It's not silly hats and magic wands and rhyming spells in Latin; it's dark and festering and sort of attaches itself to you like an oil slick. It's a horrible, horrible world to be a part of. Truly.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

I'd say rather that we decide something doesn't exist when there is no reliable, reproducible, and unambiguous evidence that it does.


Just re Ouija boards: My sister had one when we were kids. Everytime I joined in, that pointer thing never moved an inch--other than a little wobble which was obviously from our fingers resting on it. And I felt like an idiot sitting there, wasting half an hour, waiting for something that never happened.

Or did my innate skepticism flummox it?

Who knows

Sorry to crack down, but if you're not a Christian, you can't respond to these threads... I know it's frustrating, am really sorry. But this isn't GA, and this forum's purpose if for non-Christians to ask for Christian thoughts/opinions only. Am sorry

If you have questions, too, please do ask them? There are lots of people who respond to threads in this part of the forum

 

[aiki]

This doesn't relate directly with core Christianity (Jesus' resurrection, the tri-god, or even the validity of the Bible) but somethings that certain Christians believe just seem absurd, even for a Christian.

Even for a Christian? What's that supposed to mean?

I heard a Christian spiel about how ghosts are related to demons and how Ouija boards are satanic.

Yes, I think they are. Nothing in the Bible suggests that people can manifest as ghosts after their physical death. The teaching of the Bible seems to preclude the idea of human spirits roaming bodiless about the earth. So what are those paranormal events people think are ghosts? Often nothing more than the product of hyper imaginations. And when the "ghosts" are real, given the teaching of the Bible, they can only be demons.

Same thing with ouija boards. They, too, are simply demonic. If what people have told me of their involvement with ouija boards is true, the boards can be nothing else but more demonic deception.

He went on to say that UFOs are connected to demons as well and something about demons manifesting as creatures, like the chupacabra or bigfoot. Do all Christians believe in the paranormal in this way?

UFO's and Bigfoot are something else again, I think. Whatever they are, I don't have any reason to believe that they are manifestations of the demonic.

Peace to you.

 

[ebia]

This doesn't relate directly with core Christianity (Jesus' resurrection, the tri-god, or even the validity of the Bible) but somethings that certain Christians believe just seem absurd, even for a Christian.

I heard a Christian spiel about how ghosts are related to demons and how Ouija boards are satanic. He went on to say that UFOs are connected to demons as well and something about demons manifesting as creatures, like the chupacabra or bigfoot. Do all Christians believe in the paranormal in this way?

No.

 

[ebia]

Yes, I think they are. Nothing in the Bible suggests that people can manifest as ghosts after their physical death.

Except for the single case of Samuel being consulted after his death (1 Samuel 28)

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Even the Jesus story is fairly absurd because it contradicts it's own logic.

DP, I'll ask you to remember that this is a Christian forum - referring to the "Jesus story" as "fairly absurd" is unacceptable here. Period.

You don't have to share our beliefs, but having a modicum of respect isn't a lot to ask of you.

 

[Proud Christian 2]

Who'd you talk to. Maybe they had Christianity mixed up with something else. I know I don't beleive in that, nor does my family, friends, pastor, or anyone I know. I'm still struggling to accept the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a religion...

 

[DarkProphet]

Who'd you talk to. Maybe they had Christianity mixed up with something else. I know I don't beleive in that, nor does my family, friends, pastor, or anyone I know. I'm still struggling to accept the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a religion...

A pastor at a church was saying these things. It was a Baptist church if I recall.

 

[Proud Christian 2]

I go to a Baptist church. They don't say anything like that. Beleive me. Maybe the pastor had a problem, or you mis-heard him, or maybe he did say it, but as a joke of something.

 

[aiki]

Originally Posted by aiki

Yes, I think they are. Nothing in the Bible suggests that people can manifest as ghosts after their physical death.
​

Except for the single case of Samuel being consulted after his death (1 Samuel 28)

Does that instance suggest to you that after death anyone can manifest as a bodiless spirit floating about the world? It doesn't to me. There seems to be some debate among Bible scholars as to whether or not the witch of Endor actually called up Samuel himself. There are reasons both for and against such a notion that can be made from the passage in 1 Samuel 28. In any case, you have used the right word - "except" - in referencing the witch of Endor's calling up of Samuel. Taking the rest of what Scripture has to say about what happens to a person upon their physical death, Samuel's "appearance" to Saul (if it was real) was an exception to the rule.

Peace to you.

 

[aiki]

Christians, at least fundamentalist Christians, tend to believe some absurd things. The flood and creationism for example. Even the Jesus story is fairly absurd because it contradicts it's own logic.

Well, of course, you are entitled to your opinion. Using words like "absurd" in connection to Christians, however, has a distinctly combative and derogatory quality. Are you trying to be offensive?

Except of course that under any kind of controlled situation the Ouija boards don't work.

The fact that nothing happens in a controlled situation doesn't, by itself, tell us anything definitive about how the board actually works.

I have had people, whose word I have good cause to believe, describe some very extraordinary events occurring with ouija boards. These are not folk prone to exaggeration or story-telling; they are not supersitious or poorly educated. Because this is so, it makes the things they relate about ouija boards all the more surprising and difficult to dismiss.

This idea though of "demonic deception" is rather strange because really couldn't EVERYTHING be some kind of "demonic decpetion"?

Oh? How so?

Peace to you.

 

[DarkProphet]

I go to a Baptist church. They don't say anything like that. Beleive me. Maybe the pastor had a problem, or you mis-heard him, or maybe he did say it, but as a joke of something.

It was a sermon and no I did not mishear him. To be fair though there are numerous baptist sects so you probably don't belong to his.

 

[salida]

Yes, ghosts are demons mostly. Paranormal - God created the spiritual world and knows what is there.

 

[DarkProphet]

Yes, ghosts are demons mostly.

mostly? I thought that because there is an afterlife for everyone (heaven or hell) then all ghosts would be of demonic origin. Or am I mistaken?

Paranormal - God created the spiritual world and knows what is there.

Is that implied or stated in the Bible?