re: Can atheists believe in ghosts? (nsfw)

Couldn't really argue that there is an afterlife without a diety because it(the place;heaven or hell) would had to have been created by something, which in regards to a creator of anything could be labeled said dirty.

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I've personally had a paranormal event happen to me. I don't care what people say, I know it's real.

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Said every backwater redneck ever

Belief in ghosts is a combination of the human imagination, our fear of death and confirmation bias.

SOMEONES ANGRY

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Technically you maybe correct but provide me specifics on when the word "bless" (or blessed, blessing, etc) would be used without the religious connotation. Not trolling here.

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"You have my blessing." Which would fall under the #6 meaning...approval or good wishes. But overall your point is correct. The vast majority of the times the word is used in a religious tone.

TL;DR version: Can atheists believe in ghosts? No.
Do I believe in ghosts (I'm a Christian)? I believe in the Holy Spirit, and I believe demons are real as well.



An atheist believing in a ghost is not an atheist. According to ye ol Webster's:
one who believes that there is no deity - atheist.
While that statement does not pertain to ghosts, how can you have ghosts without an afterlife? How can you have an afterlife without a creator? I don't know of a religion on earth that believes in a some sort of afterlife without believing in a deity, even if they don't know what/who the deity is for sure.

As for me, I'm a Christian, so I'm clearly on the opposite end of the spectrum. As for ghosts however, I believe the soul of any human goes to face God after leaving this Earth. Once that soul is sent to Heaven or hell (which I don't wish on my worst enemy), they are there for good. No more interaction with this earth as for as I know, barring an exception possibly in the Book of Revelations which is a whole different ballgame.

In terms of spirits that can factor in our lives on earth:
The Holy Spirit (God) within Christians. He also reaches out to the lost. Obviously God can intervene in anyway He feels like.
Demons. Yes, I believe in demons, and I believe they can ONLY affect lost souls.

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How can you have an afterlife without a creator?

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Same way you can have a life without one. Why would a creator be any more necessary for another "life" after this one than for this one?

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I don't know of a religion on earth that believes in a some sort of afterlife without believing in a deity

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Don't pretty much all religions believe in some form of a deity? Why must a belief that our existence continues beyond the apparent death of our body be religious? There could be perfectly natural processes that preserve or convert the energy or information in our bodies into something else that continues after "death". I don't believe there is, but one would not have to be religious to believe it.