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Ghosts always seem to fascinate our culture and while many people dismiss their existence, the Catholic Church would say otherwise. Here is my latest installment at Aleteia:
Around this time of year “ghosts” are everywhere. You can find them at school, on the doorsteps of homes and on the shelves of Wal-Mart. Most of the time, instead of looking scary they are cute and cuddly like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or like the kids showing up at your doorstep, wrapped in a sheet and shouting “boo!”
But what about ghosts? Are they even real? Can Catholics believe in them?
Well, yes, if you’re talking about spirits, then Catholics most certainly can believe in “ghosts.” For many years the Latin word “spiritus” was translated into English as “ghost” and Catholics would intone, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,” while crossing themselves at prayer. God is pure “spirit” and so using this definition makes perfect sense.
But what about the scary ghosts purported to haunt houses, or those shown on such TV shows as Ghost Hunters? Is that stuff real?
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Deceptive demons
On the other hand, while there do exist good angels, there also exists badangels. Here is what the Catechism says:
“Satan or the devil and the other demons are fallen angels who have freely refused to serve God and his plan” (CCC 414)
“[Satan’s actions] may cause grave injuries — of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature — to each man and to society” (CCC 395).
This appears to fall into the definition of the ghosts that are featured in paranormal reality shows. Reports of such ghosts always revolve around something that scares an individual.It might be a moving object or a haunted house. Sometimes it is a report of a terrifying figure. Often the person who believes they saw a ghost only catches a glimpse of it but the experience is chilling.
This tactic is certainly reminiscent of what demons want to do to us: they want to scare us. Demons want to trick us into believing that they are powerful and gain our submission. It is an old tactic. The devil wants to lure us away from God and wants us to have a fascination with the demonic.
In the same way that angels can put on a “costume” so as not to frighten us demons can do the same, except their intentions are much different. Demons can appear as “ghost-like” figures in order to intimidate us.
Odds are very likely that if someone sees a ghost or if they are involved with “ghost-hunting,” what they saw is actually a demon.