[KatieH]

So, I have always been interested in listening to peoples stories about ghosts, auras, astral projection, seeing demons, talking to the dead and what not. I just wanted to know if these gifts conflict your religion?

Me for example, I have been uncertain with my religion pretty much my whole life. I guess I would be agnostic. I believe in a higher power I am just not certain which one that would be. But all my life I have always been interested in the paranormal things and wicca as well. I believe that there are bad spirts and good spirts and we have those who look over us. I believe this because of peoples ability to see or talk with them. I myself can not, but I have had friends who could.

I guess I am just wondering, for example for those who are catholic or christian and have the gift to see the future do you get looked down upon for something you can not control?

[Shay_rose]

I think that religion does conflict. Ghosts and beings have religions too, and they stick by them. This is why if your doing an investigation in another country it's best to have a foreigner or someone that speaks multiple languages with you.:)

[jammixmaster]

Well being that I'm Wiccan, my religion doesn't conflict it at all. We believe in ghosts and spirits and such, so it's all gravy on my side of the fence :)

[N0help4u]

Ghosts,
I really do not understand ghosts but I do believe they are here. The Bible says to be absent from the body (dead) is to be present with the Lord so I really don't understand how the ghost thing works.

Auras,
I believe that there are auras because they are like an energy field that some people are able to see.

Astral projection,
I am not sure about this either because the Bible says that Peter and others were 'caught up' Paul was one place in Acts and the next thing he knew he was somewhere else.
BUT for everything God has the devil has a counterfeit. So I believe some things are of God while the devil has something similar.

Seeing demons,
Many Christians have seen demons

Talking to the dead
The Bible warns against it

Astrology
The Bible warns against predicting the future but I do believe that everything is somehow connected through the stars just as the tides are ruled by the moon. I believe that much of the make up of who we are is determined by when we were born and our name (numerology) But when you get too deep into it it gets more into the areas God warns against.

Reincarnation
Again, while I do not believe in reincarnation, I do know there is something that people call reincarnation but I do not believe it is reincarnation because, for one the Bible says it is once for man to die and then the judgment.
I believe that what people call reincarnation is a spirit that attaches to a *host* person
And channels *their* past life through the person.

Dreams
I believe many of our dreams are from God. Joseph was given the gift of interpreting dreams which saved his and his families life.

[jammixmaster]

Interesting interpretation Nohelp4u. At least you're an open minded christian, and not the type to rant and rave about going to hell simply because one practices astrology or something.

[peighs-Rushell]

Does your religion impact your thoughts on ghosts?
In a quick answer... IMO... YES.

What you believe in religion would have an impact on your thoughts and beliefs in ghosts/spirits, etc.

I believe religion can have an impact on lots of different aspects of your life...

I'm not going to go into too much more than that... reason being Nohelp4u already touched on most of what I was thinking.

[kiragira]

I'm 15 years old, and I was an Atheist all my life until I began labelling myself Pagan. Technically, I am still Atheist or Agnostic, but it is a lot easier to tell people "I'm a Pagan witch" than "I'm an Atheist witch."

When it comes to the paranormal, it is not a religion. I go to an online school in magick, and we have a number of extremely skilled and devout Christian wizards.

Still, many of the things the paranormal encompasses are ill-advised one way or another in some religions. I think that people need to make that decision for themselves. If you believe in God, but you want to look into Divination and think that the Bible advises against it, reach deep inside yourself and ask God. With your free will, only you can decide what to do with your holy life.

As an Atheist, I really can't talk about believers and the paranormal, but that is what I would do if I were a worshipper. I'm taking Christianity as an example, and I believe that all religions can exist in harmony; but my belief about God, respect be to He, is that we were made in His image and He put His intention into us, so we can find our own answer.

... But, answering the original question, nope! Even though I had a snobby skeptic attitude for a long time, when I got back into the occult (I loved it as a young, young child and then gave up on the belief) it was easy as a hot knife through butter.

[kiragira]

Also, pardon for the double post, but I was actually watching an episode of Medium on this particular subject the other night. The episode's plot went something like, there was a Christian spirit who believed that her ability to talk to the dead/see the future/et cetera were unnatural and were acting against God's will, so he vandalized her dreams to keep her from solving crimes. In the end, the spirits of the dead who the medium was unable to help came in anger to take the Christian man's spirit. Which gives the message to me that "paranormal" powers are only evil if you use them that way.

I'm sure some people would consider visions of their religion's god to be paranormal, but still not against their beliefs. So I think a lot of people carry the "if-you-use-it-for-good-I-won't-stop-you" attitude.

[Pokerface5]

I believe that once you become a christian you have no DESIRE to be interested in listening to ghost and all things that follow. I know that for me I used to be heavily interested in ghost, witchcraft and things of the sort but once I gave my life to God I have no desire to research thoes things. I know they exsist and I am aware of it but it doesn't hold my interest.

[peighs-Rushell]

I don't think that believing in ghosts or spirits is a sin, nor do I think that finding out more about them is a sin.

I am a christian, and I am also a paranormal Investigator. It is because of my faith that I seek answers.

I think that your religion can influence your thoughts on the subject and what you believe.

Neither is right or wrong.

[jammixmaster]

I believe that once you become a christian you have no DESIRE to be interested in listening to ghost and all things that follow. I know that for me i used to be heavily interested in ghost, witchcraft and things of the sort but once i gave my life to God i have no desire to research thoes things. I know they exsist and i am aware of it but it doesn't hold my interest.

No offense to you or your faith, but this is a classic example of how religion (especially the 3 major ones) use their belief system to control their members. The bible explicitly says that things like ghosts and witchcraft and even those "idol" gods exist. While the bible doesn't tell you to practice those things, I'm sure it wants you to be knowledgeable about those things. How else can you expect to convert someone like me (a witch) to Christianity? The best way is to meet them on their level. What if someone has a question about ghosts and wants a christian perspective? How can you answer?

[N0help4u]

Knowledgeable to an extent but the Bible does warn and even forbid against delving into many of these things. I do to an extent because I believe some of it is misunderstood by religion and can bring us to a closer awareness of our spiritual self BUT I stay away from many of these things, like healing crystals and reincarnation.