Bible Study

[Old Thunder]

I’m joking. It’s possible that he could have seen something that wasn’t there and the subconscious mind played tricks on him. Or it could have literally been a ghost, that’s not out of the question.

 

[D'Snowth]

I've had encounters with ghosts/spirits before. I'm getting ready to discuss these encounters on my friend's YouTube channel in the foreseeable future.

 

[fuzzygobo]

@Flaky Pudding it's hard to say what your dad actually saw. It was long ago, and nobody else was there to witness it. He may have seen something, and nobody can doubt what he actually saw. Was it a paranormal encounter? There are others more qualified to determine that.
Questioning whether ghosts exist should not be enough to shake your faith. Ghosts are only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible, usually referring to someone as "ghostlike", without admitting ghosts really exist. I believe when you die, you either go to Heaven or that other place everybody is afraid to mention.(From a Catholic angle, let's call it Permanent Purgatory, okay?)

And you shouldn't feel guilty for having blasphemous thoughts.
I'm not sure it falls under blasphemy. That's between you and God. Blasphemous actions, THEN you have something to be sorry for.
But to ease the guilt just repent to Him and He will consider it done. That's how big His grace is.

 

[MuppetsRule]

@Flaky Pudding it's hard to say what your dad actually saw. It was long ago, and nobody else was there to witness it. He may have seen something, and nobody can doubt what he actually saw. Was it a paranormal encounter? There are others more qualified to determine that.
Questioning whether ghosts exist should not be enough to shake your faith. Ghosts are only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible, usually referring to someone as "ghostlike", without admitting ghosts really exist. I believe when you die, you either go to Heaven or that other place everybody is afraid to mention.(From a Catholic angle, let's call it Permanent Purgatory, okay?)

And you shouldn't feel guilty for having blasphemous thoughts.
I'm not sure it falls under blasphemy. That's between you and God. Blasphemous actions, THEN you have something to be sorry for.
But to ease the guilt just repent to Him and He will consider it done. That's how big His grace is.

But if the Bible mentions someone as "ghostlike" then there would have to be ghosts, wouldn't there? If something doesn't exist, then how can something be "like" that?

 

[fuzzygobo]

I stand corrected. Both Matthew 14:26 and Mark 6:49 mention Jesus walking on the water, the disciples thought he was a ghost and cried out in fear.
Isaiah 29:4
Your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and from the dust your speech shall whisper

This was during the siege of Jetusalem

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Yeah but, people say all the time that people look as pale as a ghost, or like someone screamed like a wild banshee. That doesn't actually mean that those things exist necessarily. The text might just be figurative.

 

[Blue Frackle]

Flaky's post in the 'Confessing Fears' thread kind of tipped me off on another point... does anyone believe there are multiple Gods? Like I think it's really ignorant with all different races/religions to think my God is right and no one else's is (as a Catholic, it probably is a sin to believe that though)... there has to be a reason all these religions have been propagated as far as they've been, right? I guess there's only so much room in each heaven?

Edit: I also find that being a religious person in the 21st century is like walking on egg shells each and every day.

 

[Flaky Pudding]

Flaky's post in the 'Confessing Fears' thread kind of tipped me off on another point... does anyone believe there are multiple Gods? Like I think it's really ignorant with all different races/religions to think my God is right and no one else's is (as a Catholic, it probably is a sin to believe that though)... there has to be a reason all these religions have been propagated as far as they've been, right? I guess there's only so much room in each heaven?

Edit: I also find that being a religious person in the 21st century is like walking on egg shells each and every day.

Not me, I just believe in one God only. I only said that in the fears thread because while I don't believe in other religions, I respect people who do. I personally view insensitivity towards other religions to be just as bad as racism and sexism myself. I would never in a billion years say anything disrespectful about black people or women, I also would never insult Buddhists or Hindus either despite the fact that I disagree with them.

 

[snichols1973]

Flaky's post in the 'Confessing Fears' thread kind of tipped me off on another point... does anyone believe there are multiple Gods? Like I think it's really ignorant with all different races/religions to think my God is right and no one else's is (as a Catholic, it probably is a sin to believe that though)... there has to be a reason all these religions have been propagated as far as they've been, right? I guess there's only so much room in each heaven?

Edit: I also find that being a religious person in the 21st century is like walking on egg shells each and every day.

BlueFrackle, isn't there a distinction between multiple gods (with a lowercase g), and the Lord God of the Bible (with a big G), as noted in Ex. 20:1-3?

"And God spake all these words, saying:
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Nevertheless, there is a much greater pride in the world: that of denominationalism.

1 Cor. 1:11 "It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."

1 Cor. 3:3- "Whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

 

[Blue Frackle]

I didn't understand a word of that.