Do you believe in ghosts?

© 2015 Kevin Dooley, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Most of us who live in the 21st century assume that the mysteries and wonders of the world have a natural explanation.  When we’re sick, we no longer attempt to cast out the spirit of sickness … we go to our doctor.  We tend to believe that the natural world is caused by natural processes that science can or will explain.

But … ghosts.

Many of us … if not all of us … believe in ghosts.  Even the staunchest believer in naturalism will admit to having experienced “something” one time or another.

I’m a skeptic.

Let’s get that out of the way.  I’ve been around dead people enough to know that weird things happen and that those weird things can often be attributed to psychological stress and grief.  In fact, I think much of this spirit sensing is due to death denial.  We’ve made death so invisible that our lack of proper death ritual allows the “spirits” to hang around and go unburied.  And what isn’t psychological stress is probably a combination of

magical thinking,

pareidolia,

hallucinations,

and / wishful thinking.

BUT.

While it’s healthy to ASSUME that every mystery and unexplainable sensation has a natural cause, it’s also reductionistic to be CONVINCED every unexplained mystery can be explained naturally.  There are thousands of smart, stable people who have had “ghost experiences.”  And I’m not gaslighting or trivializing them just because their experience doesn’t fit mine.

I’ve felt things that I can’t explain.  I’ve never seen a ghost, but at times there’s a presence of … something.

And apparently, I live in a HAUNTED HOUSE!!!!!!!!!

A friend of ours recently came over to our house for the first time.  And when she walked in, she said, “I have a gift. I don’t want to frighten you, but I identify two spirits dwelling in your house. They’re kind spirits … not evil. I just thought you should know.”

We’ve heard stories about our house.  And we’ve had well over a dozen people tell us that our old house is haunted (I’m not kidding).  And like I said, I’m skeptical because I’ve yet to meet the residents.

BUT, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

DO YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE THAT IS “HAUNTED”?

DO YOU HAVE A GHOST STORY?

For those of you in the know, is there any kind of “ghost etiquette” I should be aware of?  Since I’m housemates with two of them, and I don’t want to offend, I’m looking for some tips.  I assume I’m no longer allowed to watch Ghostbusters?