Americans like to consider themselves rational-thinking, politics aside. We, as a country, strive for scientific achievements in technological advancement and discoveries. Acceptance of scientific principles is widely recognized, as are religious beliefs. Despite declining church attendance, Americans are largely either religious or spiritual. And yet, and yet, over half of Americans believe in ghosts, which science has not proven to exist, and religious organizations discourage. In this post we explore the paradox of the belief in the supernatural despite religious and scientific leaders both disputing and condemning the belief in ghosts and other such \u201cirrational\u201d superstitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cNot all people believe in ghosts, even in America but, most people do. In the United States ghost belief is well over 60%. Most Americans believe that ghosts are real. I find that fascinating because science has never really asserted that ghosts are real. Science kind of says don\u2019t believe it and even our major religious groups tend to say don\u2019t believe in ghosts. Christian tradition you\u2019re not supposed to really come back as a ghost, you\u2019re supposed to either go to heaven or to hell\u2026 Yet most Americans believe in them. Here\u2019s an example when both science and religion are saying don\u2019t believe in this and yet people are believing in it. That\u2019s the power of folklore.\u201d \u2013<\/a>Tok Thompson (Episode 29)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What is a ghost?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ghost stories are incredibly popular in folklore. In America, ghosts are often described as souls of the dead, spirits walking between our world and another. Descriptive words such as wispy or translucent are often used. But that isn\u2019t the case everywhere in the world. They look, feel and act differently in the folklore in different cultures. Dr. Thompson, who spoke to us about ghosts around the world and throughout time explained his simple definition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cOne thing I think to establish is that ghost stories are fun because they\u2019re found in a lot of cultures around the world, with a lot of people around the world, but not everybody and not every culture. So you do have some cultures that don\u2019t have anything that we could say as a ghost and then in a lot of cultures what we might translate as a ghost, it\u2019s going to come out a little differently. Is it really a ghost or is it a zombie? Or is it a premonition or an omen? So I like to try to define ghost as a spirit of a dead person that is encountered by the living.\u201dTok Thompson (episode 29)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Fluctuation of Beliefs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belief in ghosts and the supernatural is not a static phenomenon. It fluctuates over time and can be influenced by various factors such as culture, education, and personal experiences. For instance, the belief in ghosts was more widespread in the 19th century when spiritualism gained popularity. During this period, mediums claimed to communicate with the dead, and s\u00e9ances were common. Even Abraham Lincoln was said to had participated in these rituals. As society became more educated and scientific understanding advanced, belief in ghosts declined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, belief in the supernatural has experienced a resurgence in recent years. But it is also important to keep in mind that belief is not black and white, absolutely or never, yes or no. Like with so many things in our world, it is primarily made up of gray areas. What one feels and says in a setting with professionals, will not necessarily be the same beliefs purported at night, under the full moon, around a campfire surrounded by the sounds of nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do Ghost Stories Have a Purpose?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do we tell ghost stories? Why do we enjoy being scared? Why do we believe in ghosts despite being so well educated? Do ghost stories hold a purpose? Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic Media suggests that they invite questions and discussions of the afterlife, death and the soul. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cIt gives you the opportunity to kind of flirt with some themes like death, flirt with some themes of afterlife and tragedy and things like that without ever being fully exposed to it. It\u2019s got this kind of fantastic veil in front of it and I think it kind of gives folks an opportunity to think about that a little bit you..I definitely think that there is the need to have these conversations in a way that doesn\u2019t feel so so upfront and personal and I think that that is definitely one reason we are drawn to ghost stories\u2026 it\u2019s to hit a different spot in your imagination.\u201dBrandon Schexnayder (Episode 28)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Why Do People Believe in Ghost Stories?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we\u2019ve discussed, the majority of Americans believe in ghosts despite having scientists and religious officials asserting that ghosts don\u2019t belong in our collective belief system. Personal experiences, cultural influences and psychological needs are three of the main contributing factors to this ghostly paradox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal Experiences: <\/strong>In general, we humans believe and remember stories over facts. Statistics don\u2019t mean squat when you\u2019ve had personal experience. Our belief systems are built upon personal experiences. And about 30% <\/a>of Americans have had a convincing experience. These personal experiences are more powerful in creating beliefs than are numbers on a paper, and a scientist in a lab coat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cultural Influences:<\/strong> Media, literature, and popular culture have played a significant role in perpetuating beliefs in ghosts. Horror movies, paranormal TV shows, and ghost stories in various forms continue to captivate audiences and reinforce these ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cI think we can actually pinpoint one thing that really sets that in motion and it\u2019s the 1978 release of John Carpenters Halloween which suddenly takes this beloved children\u2019s holiday (Halloween) and turns it into a thing of absolute Terror for adults. And after that we start to see things like the haunted attractions industry coming into play in the 80s, really with amusement parks who are having a slow fall season after the busy summer, and they are looking for ways to turn a profit in the fall.. So we started to get Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm and Universal creating this massive industry which of course is now huge. I have seen figures as high as a billion a year on the haunted attractions industry.\u201dLisa Morton (Episode 31)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Psychological Needs:<\/strong> There are a lot of reasons people consciously or unconsciously want to believe in ghosts. Belief in the afterlife, including ghosts, can provide solace, comfort and even closure after a loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cBut the most prevalent ghosts that people experience are actually wanted ghosts: ghosts of ancestors, ghosts of dead spouses, ghosts of loved ones that have passed on. The most common ghost story in America is somebody whose spouse or parent or grandparent has passed on, about two weeks after their funeral, all of a sudden, a person appears in front of them, says something like, \u2018Great to see you. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m in a much better place.\u2019 and then disappears.That is so common, ask around your friends and family, and see if you can find any because I can almost guarantee you will, it\u2019s that common.\u201d Tok Thompson (Episode 29)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Is the Belief in Ghosts Incompatible with Science and Religion?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people who believe in ghosts do not necessarily see their belief as incompatible with science. They may argue that science has not definitively disproven the existence of supernatural entities and that there are mysteries yet to be uncovered. This notion of compatibility allows individuals to maintain their scientific worldview while still embracing the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The more educated I become, the more willing I am to admit that there are things I know, but there is a whole lot more that I don\u2019t. Oceans, for instance, cover 71% of the surface of the Earth and yet we have explored 5% of it. Although I spent years and years of my life in school and still continue to learn perpetually, it seems that my understanding of this world shrinks with each passing day. Who am I, who admittedly knows so little of the mysteries of the world, to tell someone that their belief in something I\u2019ve never seen or experienced is wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are your thoughts? Have you seen a ghost? Where on the spectrum of belief in ghosts do you lie? Comment below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=O2PvVqOZy_Q%3Fenablejsapi%3D1%26autoplay%3D0%26cc_load_policy%3D0%26cc_lang_pref%3D%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26loop%3D0%26modestbranding%3D1%26rel%3D1%26fs%3D1%26playsinline%3D0%26autohide%3D2%26theme%3Ddark%26color%3Dred%26controls%3D1%26<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Wait! How Many Americans Believe in Ghosts?<\/a><\/blockquote>