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Ghosts are found within many religions, though many people from western cultures are not aware of it. Most religions teach that a spiritual aspect of human beings, whether the religion calls it a soul, spirit or ghost, survives beyond the destruction of the physical body. Ghosts may best be described as people who upon death, remain earthbound, and interact with mankind, being trapped within the earth realm due to emotional trauma of some sort. Many religions believe that addictions, lusts, tragedies and unfinished business seem to be the predominant causes of many a ghosts' sufferings.

Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism all teach that ghosts exist and many ghosts suffer for various reasons. They teach that attachments to places, people, possessions or pleasures can cause ghosts to remain attached to the Earth realm.

Ghosts Possess or "Attach"
All three religions mentioned above teach that ghosts can possess, or attach to, the bodies of the living in order to influence the host . Of note, these religions do not teach that demons possess human beings. The idea of ghosts influencing the living, in one way or another, is very real.

The religions of Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism all teach that ghosts are suffering people who may need our help to move on beyond their state of turmoil. Hinduism and Buddhism have religious rituals to honor deceased ancestors which are believed to help free their souls to move on in their life journey.

Judaism holds the traditional view that ghosts do exist but should not be consulted. The Hebrew word for ghost is ovoth, but a more profound and interesting Hebrew word for ghost is dybbuk. A dybbuk is a wandering soul that can possess or attach to a living person in an attempt to either live vicariously through the person, or control their body and actions to do their will. The word means "to cling" or "cleave," and amazingly, is not always viewed as a bad thing to have. Some within Judaism believe that not only can ghosts cling to another human being, but also, spirit guides who assist people on earth will also attach to people during those times. *

Buddhism does teach the existence of ghosts through story and imagery, most specifically through what are called, "hungry ghosts." Hungry Ghosts are used as a metaphor demonstrating that ghosts do suffer through attempting to fulfill earthly desires. It is an exercise in futility, because ghosts find themselves without physical bodies to be able to act out such lusts. The seventh month is believed by many followers of Buddhism to be a time when ghosts and spirits come out of the lower realm and interact with people. So a Ghost Festival of sorts is honored, paying homage to ancestors through various rituals designed to ease the suffering of ghosts and possibly aid in direction. It is believed by Buddhists who celebrate the festival that their ancestors visit them, so it is a time to prepare elaborate meals, ceremonies and offerings to help them in their journey in the afterlife. **

Hinduism teaches that ghosts are people without physical bodies, the souls of people who died before their time, typically by tragedy. Many Hindus believe human beings have two bodies. When the physical life ends prematurely with the passing of the first body called the gross body, the person will remain in an ethereal state in the second body called the subtle body, until the remaining time of the life is complete and an entirely new body can be inhabited. Having not fully experienced life's joys, ghosts experience great suffering due to the senses remaining intact, but without a physical body to interact with our world through. Therefore, it is impossible to satisfy the ghost's desires and a hell-like state of existence is suffered for the set period of time allotted. ***

Ghosts Possess or "Attach" -
All three religions mentioned above teach that ghosts can possess, or attach to, the bodies of the living in order to influence the host . Of note, these religions do not teach that demons possess human beings. The idea of ghosts influencing the living, in one way or another, is very real.

Ghosts Should Be Treated With Compassion -
The religions of Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism all teach that ghosts are suffering people who may need our help to move on beyond their state of turmoil. Hinduism and Buddhism have religious rituals to honor deceased ancestors which are believed to help free their souls to move on in their life journey (see Hungry Ghosts). Certain sects of Buddhism teach how to free ghosts from earthly bondage by directing them toward the golden light. Judaism's practioners of ritualist Kabbalah teach a process of ghost exorcism that brings healing to both the ghost and the host. All three religions agree that ghosts are hurting people, earthbound and in need of the living's assistance.

Can ghosts be found within the Christian religion?

No Ghosts in Most Christian Denominations -
Christianity, especially Christian Fundamentalists, argue against the existence of ghosts due to their teaching of an eternal hell. Fundamentalists believe that people cannot become ghosts, as upon death, people will either find themselves in an eternal state of bliss they call "Heaven" or in an eternal place of suffering they call "Hell." Therefore, there is no place left for a ghost to exist, in this and similar Christian doctrines, as teachers from these religious groups will not recognize any biblical passages stating to the contrary. Interestingly, Judaism gave rise to Christianity, but in contrast, teaches the existence of ghosts and ghost possession. And passages that are in the Hebrew Bible (the same as the Christian Bible's Old Testament) do tell of ghosts (e.g. King Saul being vexed by a ghost, known as a dybbuk). ****

Some teachings of Christianity, such as Catholicism, allows for a time of purgatory, that metaphorically lines up with the idea that earthbound ghosts are people who temporarily suffer for a time on Earth until they are spiritually cleansed and able to move beyond the natural realm. In contrast, fundamental christianity does not allow beliefs in ghosts, as doctrines teach that the existence of ghosts are impossible due to short-minded beliefs that a person must be either in heaven or hell. Perhaps, teachers of such beliefs should consider that the idea of suffering and hell is really about the frame of mind (fearfulness, condemnation, guilt, etc.) that ghosts find themselves in, and does not need to be an eternal place of torment - an idea that was created hundreds of years after Jesus by religious leaders.

Why would Jesus say, "The gates of hell shall not prevail," if it were not true? If one looks at the teachings credited to Jesus, and is open to understanding them as metaphors (they were parables), then it becomes abundantly clear that the teachings of the Jewish Rabbi, who we call Jesus, lines up perfectly with some of the ritualistic teachings of (Jewish) Kabbalah and also with some of the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism!

From that perspective, we are able to see that perhaps the major religions mentioned above have more in common than many believe. A fact that may help bring the whole of humanity together, spiritually speaking, through understanding what happens to people after their bodies die, ghost behavior and haunting. If we are able to identify with the lost and hurting in the unseen realm, who likely coexist with all of us, then maybe, we can be of help not only to them but to ourselves and each other.

A word about animism -

Animism is a term used to sum up ancient tribal beliefs that animals, plants and all objects, even the inanimate, have spirits. Consequently, ghosts and spirits are found within primitive tribes around the world. Theoretically speaking, animism is found within most tribal societies and believed to be the basis from which other religions eventually evolved. Hinduism, for example, is believed to find its roots in animism, just as Buddhism later rose out of Hindu beliefs.

Most primitive tribes believe in an unseen realm, co-existing with the physical, earthly realm, and that people live on after death of the body. Thus, most tribal groups hold fast to beliefs regarding ghosts, spirits, and their interaction between the unseen and seen.

The common thread of beliefs found within animism may be due to various tribe members over time experiencing profound dreams, visions, out of body and near death experiences which perhaps teach the existence of ghosts and spirits. Animism therefore typically teaches the living are sometimes influenced by ghosts through visitations, messages, and even ghost possession. Tribal customs and celebrations may often center around such beliefs in ghosts and spirits.

Interestingly, animism also, at times, holds beliefs in people having multiple souls or spirits, sometimes, within various body parts; or that spirits can possess objects. In animism, animals and plants are often believed to have a spirit (or soul), with some tribes believing in some form of reincarnation. Animism beliefs in reincarnation vary, as some believe certain animals can be re-born into human body form, or that human beings sometimes are re-born within animal bodies, etc. Sometimes, the teaching of animals as protectors of humans, known as totems, are also subscribed to. Often, ghosts of tribal members are also portrayed as guardian spirits, watching out for the well-being of family and friends.

To best describe the relationship between ghosts and animism, one just might as well state that animistic beliefs hold true to the existence of all sorts of spirits. The existence of more powerful spirits are sometimes subscribed to natural wonders, such as rivers, mountains, volcanos, forests, etc. Some tribes believe some nature spirits need to be appeased for good luck to befall them. Not surprising, fearful ghosts, spirits and monsters also permeate animism beliefs.

Animism seems to have been a universal, but fairly antiquated way of viewing the world as a whole, without much understanding in the workings of nature and science. Yet, even in all its primitiveness, animism's shared, common beliefs in the existence of ghosts, spirits and an afterlife still remain relevant, today. *****

http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts-religion

* http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts_judaism

** http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts_buddhism

*** http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts_hinduism

**** http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts_christianity

***** http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghosts_animism