Do you believe in the existence of spirits or ghost, or jinns any other form of what might be called

[Douglas Carpenter]

spiritual entities?

I am just curious how common this belief is among liberal minded people.

[DarkTirade]

1. I tend to be a skeptic,

but I'm open-minded enough to realize that until there is conclusive evidence either way, I can't actually know for certain.

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. fair enough

although it is hard to imagine any definitive proof that would convince to a moral certainty and beyond a reasonable doubt a completely dispassionate observer. In fact it is hard to imagine that anyone could genuinely be a completely dispassionate observer.

[MorningGlow]

2. Yes, I believe in ghosts

Too many personal experiences not to! :D

[Douglas Carpenter]

4. I have certainly met lots of people even in the Western world who recall

some personal experience with some sort of unexplained phenomena.

I have lived a good deal of my life in the so-called "third-world" where almost everyone, even doctors and lawyers and business executives, believes in such things and most do tell of personal experiences.

I don't really know what to make of it myself.

[davsand]

6. Yes. Once you experience something like that you have a different attitude.

I am a skeptic about a lot of things in this world, but when it comes to this particular subject I'm a "believer." I sure can't PROVE any of what I've seen, but it certainly has convinced me personally.



Laura

[MorningGlow]

7. Thanks for the support...

and the earworm! :rofl: :hi:

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. well, from what I see from these poll results so far, you are probably not alone

[TZ]

5. Skeptical

I have never experienced anything..but I also have seen a lot of scientific data on how our senses fool us quite a bit which can explain a lot of paranormal.."phenomena"...If someone presented me with hard evidence perhaps..but most of what I've heard is not convincing to me.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

9. Absence of Evidence is not the same as Evidence of Absence.

I happen to believe.

[bridgit]

10. Once people move past their own ego, god & Napoleonic complex'...

the probability of others being filled with spirit or soul become more likely

[XemaSab]

11. Here's my view:

I think that some places have an energy about them that could be called a sprit.

I've definitely sensed things before, especially in the woods. Some places feel happy, and other places feel scary or sad or lonely. Sometimes this energy feels intelligent, and sometimes it doesn't. Maybe it's something that happened there before, and maybe it's just a spirit that's always lived in that place.

An example of this is Clear Lake, California. A lot of people I know think it's really creepy there, and I personally don't find the lake beautiful at all, which is odd. There has been at least one major massacre there (of natives by whites) and I think the question is "Is it creepy because the massacre happened, or did the massacre happen because it's creepy?"

But I think this energy is real, and something that science will probably never measure.

[zippy890]

12. Icelandic Hidden People

http://www.thetravelrag.com/docs/10058.asp

"Eighty percent of Icelanders admit to believing in elves. In fact, in surveys, few Icelanders rule out the existence of elves, dwarfs, trolls, light-fairies, and especially “hidden folk,” gregarious, human-like creatures that purportedly dwell in rocks."

I like the hidden-in-the rocks part. makes sense in Iceland so I'll say yes on the shy invisible elves in Iceland.

:-)

[Douglas Carpenter]

13. very interesting considering that Iceland is one of the most secular, liberal and modern societies

on earth

[Withywindle]

19. I don't think there is a clear correlation between political leanings and spiritual beliefs.

I've known too many far-left animist Pagans and saint-praying Liberation Theology Catholics and too many far-right atheist materialists (generally of a Randian libertarian persuasion).

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. no strict correlation - that is certainly true

however, polling does support the thesis that majority of regular church goers in the United States are Republicans. But there are of course plenty of exceptions. I believe the polling indicates that weekly church attenders the split in the United States is roughly 60% Republican and 40% Democrats.

And I am sure that you have witnessed on some forums how some politically left-wing people get absolutely rabid and frothing at the mouth at any mention of religion or spirituality of any sort. Of course, that appears to me to be a defensive reaction that sounds more like they are trying to convince themselves then anyone else.

But outside the United States things can be quite different. For one thing in much of America, religion has become associated with an extreme form of nationalism, middle class materialism and even extreme militarism. Many places in the world such values would be considered completely antithetical to religious or spiritual values.

[Withywindle]

24. Regular church goers, yes.

But belief in the type of beings you're talking about, or ghosts or what have you, really doesn't have much to do with mainstream organized religion. There are millions of people who never go to church and might not believe in God but still have some type of belief in spiritual phenomena or the possibility of the existence of other planes we can't see, etcetera.

And I am sure that you have witnessed on some forums how some politically left-wing people get absolutely rabid and frothing at the mouth at any mention of religion or spirituality of any sort. Of course, that appears to me to be a defensive reaction that sounds more like they are trying to convince themselves then anyone else.

Yup, and yup. (My dad is one of those people, actually) As vocal as they are, though, I bet they're vastly outnumbered by politically left-wing people who have some variety of spiritual belief.

[Orrex]

23. Well, no kidding. Look at Bjork

Elves are a foregone conclusion in the wake of The Sugarcubes.

[easttexaslefty]

14. We have had so many "occurrences"

in the last 10 months not too believe

[lildreamer316]

29. Please do tell...

if you feel so inclined!
On Halloween each year, I compile all the ghost story threads and post them in one big long reference post. Last year's is posted at the bottom of this thread. We'd love to read your experiences if you feel comfortable sharing them, now or later.

[madura]

15. I believe in everything

I believe that we are the creators, not some bearded old guy roaming the skies.
It's us.
but we have been fragmented and separated and have lost most of our powers and have been taught to feel ashamed of our spiritual selves.

i also believe in creation - what we create in our minds is reality somewhere, some how in some place or time. the brain, with it's electrical impulses, looks much like the stars in the night sky - a molecule of water has it's own solar system

everything is round - time and material

[Fox Mulder]

16. I'm a skeptic.

Gasp! Someone with the username like "Fox Mulder" shouldn't be a skeptic! :o

[ghostsofgiants]

17. Nope.

But I love the concept. I love ghost stories and the paranormal and all that, even though I don't believe in any of it.

[Orrex]

22. That's pretty much my view

Love them as a literary device, or as an element of fiction, but I don't believe for a moment that they really exist.

[mvd]

18. Yes, I think there something unexplained out there

Though I have not had an experience yet.

[CreekDog]

20. i try to

the alternative is that existence ends.

[pokerfan]

25. No

Of course, that doesn't mean that such things don't exist, only that I've never seen any compelling evidence that would justify belief.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. No. I used to but not now.

The one person who I was sure would "contact" me (given his love of Ghosthunters etal.) is just gone. Goner than gone. Which makes it a heartbreaking reality. It just isn't so. Life sucks that way.

[lildreamer316]

28. MrsGrumpy..

Having had a bit of experience in this area (waiting for ex fiance who died to contact me); I can only tell you: try to be patient.
I actually told him out loud not to scare me, so validation has been very slow in coming. However, my current husband has been woken up by him reviving his old motorcycle, and a few months after his death, both he and a good friend of my ex's literally saw him at one of our night backyard parties.
He now puts songs on the radio for me..
:hug: :loveya:

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. For me...he is just gone.

We were never far apart and I cannot believe, with this huge missing piece, that he wouldn't be here now. I'm sorry, I really appreciate your comments, but I just don't believe. :hug:

[lildreamer316]

31. I understand.

I just wanted to let you know that it could happen..there is always a chance.

[lildreamer316]

27. The Annual DU Ghost Story Thread from last year:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7085888

[Douglas Carpenter]

32. one little kick

[tigersumtin]

33. We are all spirits in search of perfection

our souls are spirits that travel from being to being. The distance between is where contact is made....I have witnessed spirits starting their journey. My first experience was when My Grandfather died at the dinner table years ago I was just a 13yr old kid, I was alone in the house after wards, that night, while everyone else went to the hospital, he was there making preparations for traveling, It was a very weird feeling I felt his presence. Every once in a while when I'm in the need of guidance I get that same feeling as if he was there. WATCHING !!!!

[RFKHumphreyObama]

34. Yes

Due to personal experiences I've had.

[Douglas Carpenter]

35. one little kick

[realisticphish]

36. nope

until i see something concrete, that can be regularly documented, and isn't just an artifact of the flash, etc, then I will be interested. but as of now, to me ghosts are a combination of our fears of death and the dark.


However, I still like ghost stories ;)

[mnhtnbb]

37. I'm a yes.

I heard my father's voice-- expressing himself as clearly as if he'd been right there with me--
one time in a place he'd never been. It had been over 3 years since he'd died. It was eerie.