Hauntings And What Have You-?

[Duncan]

my 10 yr old's newest thing is shows about hauntings and ghosts and the like. So, I am real picky about what he watches because he doesn't deal well when trying to sleep. Some stuff I am like 'yeah right!' others I am more 'I can see that' Part of my skepticism is there is supposed to be a mall in my city that is supposedly haunted. My thoughts are if you die and go to the spirit world why on earth would you come back to haunt a dumpy dump dump of a mall that this place is? So, why would anyone come back and stil inhabit these places they knew in life given the alternative of the spirit world? I believe in visions and spirits coming back for a one time deal to comfort and stuff but continuously haunting some place? I dunno. Don't they have better things to do in the next life?

[volgadon]

my 10 yr old's newest thing is shows about hauntings and ghosts and the like. So, I am real picky about what he watches because he doesn't deal well when trying to sleep. Some stuff I am like 'yeah right!' others I am more 'I can see that' Part of my skepticism is there is supposed to be a mall in my city that is supposedly haunted. My thoughts are if you die and go to the spirit world why on earth would you come back to haunt a dumpy dump dump of a mall that this place is? So, why would anyone come back and stil inhabit these places they knew in life given the alternative of the spirit world? I believe in visions and spirits coming back for a one time deal to comfort and stuff but continuously haunting some place? I dunno. Don't they have better things to do in the next life?

Now it's much too late!

[Freedom]

The whole premise of haunted houses is ridiculous Why would any child, for example, want to terrorize mortals? To what end? If one spirit stays around, why wouldn't everybody? Think of the millions of unjustified deaths. We would be awash in spirits.

[Duncan]

The whole premise of haunted houses is ridiculous Why would any child, for example, want to terrorize mortals? To what end? If one spirit stays around, why wouldn't everybody? Think of the millions of unjustified deaths. We would be awash in spirits.

this is my thinking as well, why, given the option, would anyone hang around here (as great as earth life is but hey heaven?)

[Calm]

So anyone think of the possibility that such things are not spirits of the dead but those who rejected earth life when they had a chance and now are obsessed with it or something?

Or does everyone think it is imagination or something along those lines.

I tend to believe most, if not all are imagination, but I have never experienced anything and I assume that at least some don't have an explanation at this time.

[Glenn101]

Scripturally I do not think there is any support for hauntings by the spirits of deceased mortals. They either go to spirit prison or paradise acording to their various circumstances.

It is my beliefthat any hauntings, memories of past lives, automatic writing, etc. are the influence of the spiritsthat did not keep their first estate and now are haunting the earth in an effort to help all mankind become as miserable as they are.

It is true that Saul supposedly communes with the departed Samuel in 1 Samuel 28 called up by the witch of Endor, but the church does not view that as a legitimate vision. That would still be one of the evil spirits that deceived Saul into giving up all hope.

According to the scriptures, those evil spirits have been around from the very beginning. We do not know what powers they have, but the scriptures do record posessions by them, etc.

Glenn

[blackstrap]

A couple of points.

1. The same spirit that is within us now will enter the spirit world with all its desires and habits. A spirit who spent much of its routine life in a bar might want to continue in those surroundings.

2. The spirit world is here on this earth according to JS and others.

3. One of the first published NDE experiences speaks about being shown spirits of the departed in a bar trying to grasp the glasses of liquor but being unable and then entering the body of someone who had passed out on the floor. Of course that might be metaphorical.

4. People are creatures of habit and like to be in familiar surroundings. They might find the heavens to be uncomfortable. Kind of like the homeless now who prefer the streets to a house or the prisoner who commits a crime just to get back to the known life.

[Duncan]

A couple of points.

1. The same spirit that is within us now will enter the spirit world with all its desires and habits. A spirit who spent much of its routine life in a bar might want to continue in those surroundings.

2. The spirit world is here on this earth according to JS and others.

3. One of the first published NDE experiences speaks about being shown spirits of the departed in a bar trying to grasp the glasses of liquor but being unable and then entering the body of someone who had passed out on the floor. Of course that might be metaphorical.

4. People are creatures of habit and like to be in familiar surroundings. They might find the heavens to be uncomfortable. Kind of like the homeless now who prefer the streets to a house or the prisoner who commits a crime just to get back to the known life.

but doesn't it say in the scriptures we are taken home to that God who gave us life? why would we be permitted to still be here if we are supposed to be preaching the gospel to the dead, hearing the gospel etc. etc. etc.? if they find the heavens to be uncomfortable isn't that there own blooming fault, they can't leave!!

Edited May 13, 2013 by Duncan

[Questing Beast]

my 10 yr old's newest thing is shows about hauntings and ghosts and the like. So, I am real picky about what he watches because he doesn't deal well when trying to sleep. Some stuff I am like 'yeah right!' others I am more 'I can see that' Part of my skepticism is there is supposed to be a mall in my city that is supposedly haunted. My thoughts are if you die and go to the spirit world why on earth would you come back to haunt a dumpy dump dump of a mall that this place is? So, why would anyone come back and stil inhabit these places they knew in life given the alternative of the spirit world? I believe in visions and spirits coming back for a one time deal to comfort and stuff but continuously haunting some place? I dunno. Don't they have better things to do in the next life?

I'm replying without reading any other responses, so there may be duplication.

Spirits of the "dead" are right here, they don't go anywhere. They are in a different "dimension" is all. If encounters with the departed "dead" occur it is because of two causes: legitimate communication sanctioned by God, or rebellious, "rule-breaking" on the part of the restless "dead" spirit. This can either be malicious or in ignorance/confusion. So where a disembodied spirit "haunts" is immaterial, the reason(s) are what they are.

Personally I don't discount "ghost stories" out of hand, even though I have zero experience with "ghosts" or anything like....

[thesometimesaint]

There is only one ghost I believe in, and that one is Holy.

[Duncan]

I'm replying without reading any other responses, so there may be duplication.

Spirits of the "dead" are right here, they don't go anywhere. They are in a different "dimension" is all. If encounters with the departed "dead" occur it is because of two causes: legitimate communication sanctioned by God, or rebellious, "rule-breaking" on the part of the restless "dead" spirit. This can either be malicious or in ignorance/confusion. So where a disembodied spirit "haunts" is immaterial, the reason(s) are what they are.

Personally I don't discount "ghost stories" out of hand, even though I have zero experience with "ghosts" or anything like....

See, this is my thing as well. Some people and I have heard this even last sunday. Some people in the Church seem to have these miraculous encounters with their dead ancestors and they are giving all kinds of info for family history and info is past on. I got bupkus, nothing, absolutely nothing. No dead ancestor has ever visited me or any of my relatives as far as I know. We have family stuff we don't know. My Dad's family history so far is a complete mystery past his grandparents, do they not need their work done? Like visit me!!!! i'll write down whatever!! i'll do it!!

[ERayR]

The whole premise of haunted houses is ridiculous Why would any child, for example, want to terrorize mortals? To what end? If one spirit stays around, why wouldn't everybody? Think of the millions of unjustified deaths. We would be awash in spirits.

Gospel Principles Chapter 45

Where Is the Spirit World?

In a funeral sermon, Joseph Smith declared that the spirits of righteous people who have died “are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 326). Other latter-day prophets have made similar statements. President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Sometimes the veil between this life and the life beyond becomes very thin. Our loved ones who have passed on are not far from us” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 18; or Ensign, June 1971, p. 33). President Brigham Young said: “Where is the spirit world? It is right here” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 376).

[Questing Beast]

@Duncan: "bupkus", I love seeing it in print.

That's me as well.

Imho, some individuals "interface" with the metaphysical world/realm far more facilely than most. Joseph Smith was one such, and howdy on that! He seems to have lived almost permanently connected to the metaphysical realm.

Not me. I am a "mud man" and dense as that substance. Yet I think metaphysically all the time. That, I suppose is ironic, which is the core element in "the perfect joke". I must be amusing to somebody "out there".

Ghosts are real enough, they must be if we are immortals. But "ghosts" are not permanent states of dead people. Encounters must be "overlaps" betwen the physical and metaphysical realms. I like the film "The Others" very much for exploring that idea....

[Duncan]

@Duncan: "bupkus", I love seeing it in print.

That's me as well.

Imho, some individuals "interface" with the metaphysical world/realm far more facilely than most. Joseph Smith was one such, and howdy on that! He seems to have lived almost permanently connected to the metaphysical realm.

Not me. I am a "mud man" and dense as that substance. Yet I think metaphysically all the time. That, I suppose is ironic, which is the core element in "the perfect joke". I must be amusing to somebody "out there".

Ghosts are real enough, they must be if we are immortals. But "ghosts" are not permanent states of dead people. Encounters must be "overlaps" betwen the physical and metaphysical realms. I like the film "The Others" very much for exploring that idea....

I love the Others!! I get that some come back to comfort and stuff but some are somehow stuck here to roam around dumpy malls, old theatres or sit in the back of cars only to be photographed? Can someone give me a "puh-leeeeeeeeze" why don't you!

[Stargazer]

See, this is my thing as well. Some people and I have heard this even last sunday. Some people in the Church seem to have these miraculous encounters with their dead ancestors and they are giving all kinds of info for family history and info is past on. I got bupkus, nothing, absolutely nothing. No dead ancestor has ever visited me or any of my relatives as far as I know. We have family stuff we don't know. My Dad's family history so far is a complete mystery past his grandparents, do they not need their work done? Like visit me!!!! i'll write down whatever!! i'll do it!!

Perhaps those you write of are not yet at the point where they want it? Or perhaps there are no records, perhaps physically destroyed. If so, there is literally nothing that can be done aside from waiting for the Millenium.

My wife and I both have family that trace back to Germany, particularly eastern Germany. The German pastors were particularly careful to keep good records or baptisms, deaths, and marriages, but many record books were destroyed as the Red Army passed through on the way to Berlin towards the end of the WW2. I was very pleased to finally find out the name of the village where one of my great-grandfathers came from, but when I tried to order a microfilm of the parish records, I discovered that they had never been filmed, and the most likely reason was wartime destruction. That village was right on the border between East and West Germany. The records no longer exist. I know the names of my GGFather's parents because he gave them for legal purposes here in the USA, but I will not ever have anything more. And an angel appeared to me in a vision and said exactly who he was and gave me the data, I could still not use it to have his work done, because the Church requires physical data. So it's not going to happen.

[Stargazer]

@Duncan: "bupkus", I love seeing it in print.

Except that it is spelled "bupkis".

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupkis

[Sandy Petersen]

All I know is that I saw a ghost in Provo Utah when I was 11 years old. Was it a spirit of the dead? Was it a figment of my immature imagination? Or a natural effect of some sort? Beats me. All I know is that it was a Thing that logically would have been called a "ghost" by anyone else who'd seen it. I don't attempt to define it.

[Tacenda]

All I know is that I saw a ghost in Provo Utah when I was 11 years old. Was it a spirit of the dead? Was it a figment of my immature imagination? Or a natural effect of some sort? Beats me. All I know is that it was a Thing that logically would have been called a "ghost" by anyone else who'd seen it. I don't attempt to define it.

I wish you would tell the story, I personally love these stories and it gives me hope of a hereafter. My husband is like alot of LDS, he doesn't believe in ghosts. But that seems to go against LDS philosophy, and our loved ones being just a thin veil away. I've also heard from several LDS that have witnessed a ghost. I guess some only believe it when it happens to them.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

my 10 yr old's newest thing is shows about hauntings and ghosts and the like. So, I am real picky about what he watches because he doesn't deal well when trying to sleep. Some stuff I am like 'yeah right!' others I am more 'I can see that' Part of my skepticism is there is supposed to be a mall in my city that is supposedly haunted. My thoughts are if you die and go to the spirit world why on earth would you come back to haunt a dumpy dump dump of a mall that this place is? So, why would anyone come back and stil inhabit these places they knew in life given the alternative of the spirit world? I believe in visions and spirits coming back for a one time deal to comfort and stuff but continuously haunting some place? I dunno. Don't they have better things to do in the next life?

If we are the same beings, we would seek out the familiar. Could be they don't know it is the "next place".

[Duncan]

If we are the same beings, we would seek out the familiar. Could be they don't know it is the "next place".

I dunno, why would there be some other door to go to when we die?! like wouldn't we have all our faculties with us when we pass on so we are aware where we are and not some temporary place

[Bernard Gui]

My grandmother, aunt, and sister visited my grandfather immediately after their deaths. He knew of

their deaths from these visits before anyone told him they had passed away.

I have been in places that maybe weren't haunted, but had a real feeling of darkness.

For example, while serving as bishop I got an early morning phone call from a person

asking for help. I woke my first councilor and we went to the place. It was a darkened

apartment building. We sat outside in the car and said to each other there was a very bad

feeling there, and decided we would not go in.

Edited May 13, 2013 by Bernard Gui

[Duncan]

My grandmother, aunt, and sister visited my grandfather immediately after their deaths. He knew of

their deaths from these visits before anyone told him they had passed away.

I have been in places that maybe weren't haunted, but had a real feeling of darkness.

For example, while serving as bishop I got an early morning phone call from a person

asking for help. I woke my first councilor and we went to the place. It was a darkened

apartment building. We sat outside in the car and said to each other there was a very bad

feeling there, and decided we would not go in.

geez! My Great-Grandmother had a similar experience as well with her son. I think that too that when you are about to die it seems that someone comes and gets you or is there to transition you to the other world. My Grandma, before she passed away, talked about seeing a favourite Aunt of hers who had been dead since like 1940

[Nathair/|\]

There are at least two basic types of hauntings related to deceased humans: "entity hauntings" and "psychic imprints." The first type occurs when a deceased person can't make it all the way through the second death. They end up trapped "between," usually out of fear or significant unfinished business. This is extremely rare. Even more rarely, the person can learn to feed off the chi/ruach of other people. The second type happens when someone leaves a strong "memory" (for lack of a better term) on a place. What you are seeing in these cases is more like a recording or a gif. If the ghost repeats the same behavior and doesn't respond to changes in it's environment or attempts to interact with it, this is probably what you have.

[inquiringmind]

All I know is that I saw a ghost in Provo Utah when I was 11 years old. Was it a spirit of the dead? Was it a figment of my immature imagination? Or a natural effect of some sort? Beats me. All I know is that it was a Thing that logically would have been called a "ghost" by anyone else who'd seen it. I don't attempt to define it.

What did you see?

I wish you would tell the story...

So do I.

Edited May 14, 2013 by inquiringmind

[Salem]

See, this is my thing as well. Some people and I have heard this even last sunday. Some people in the Church seem to have these miraculous encounters with their dead ancestors and they are giving all kinds of info for family history and info is past on. I got bupkus, nothing, absolutely nothing. No dead ancestor has ever visited me or any of my relatives as far as I know. We have family stuff we don't know. My Dad's family history so far is a complete mystery past his grandparents, do they not need their work done? Like visit me!!!! i'll write down whatever!! i'll do it!!

My only experience I ever had with departed loved ones were through dreams: I have had very vivid dreams of my father and my mother. They were not like normal dreams, but strikingly real and beautiful.