Thousands of years ago, people did not understand the world around them, and were full of fear.

If you do not understand water, you fear the river, and to ease your fears you will imagine a ghost in it, because if there is a river ghost, you can try to appease him. / her.

Soon, people filled their world with ghosts.

As people became slightly less ignorant, they felt the need for universal ghosts, and invented gods, that were later replaced by the one and only god, and eventually reason.

But of course traditions die hard, so when there was no longer a need for ghosts (because gods had replaced them), some kept believing in ghosts. Even today some catholics will believe in "possession" by evil ghosts!

There is no logical explaination (other than ignorance) why a christian or budhist would have any need for ghosts.

My grandparents still had some doubts about ghosts existing or not, no wonder people in less developed countries today still believe in ghosts.

It is a matter of education.

It is mind boggling to read in the year 2014 / 2557 that ghosts apparently hold national ID cards, or belong to particular religious denominations.

I think that thousands of years ago people had less fear of spiritual things than today.Calling certain religions' beliefs ignorant is out of order on a Buddhist forum IMHO.

Some off-topic posts have been removed. The subject is spirit possession. If you have other questions or comments about Buddhism, please start a new topic.

Thai Buddhism , if there is such a thing involves ghosts. I personally know someone who has seen a 'bret' - these tall ghosts are seen in many temples in paintings/statues.

When studying Tibetan Buddhism in Darmsala in India I was amazed at the representations of hell - hungry ghosts etc.

Ghosts are in Buddhism and in Thailand they are everywhere, tv, movies, nearly every house has a spirit house.

Of course possession happens and can be helped by monks.

Are you saying that there are no Thai buddhists that do not believe in ghosts?

It is funny how ghosts and spirits almost always possess people in countries that are largely uneducated. In my home country where virtually everyone is educated to some level, noone seems to get possessed. I therefore think it is reasonable to conclude that if you want to avoid getting possessed, just get an education

Another "trick" is to become an atheist. ghost and spirits very rarely if ever possess people who do not believe they exist.

How very true.

Having said that, I'm following this forum as I tend to see Buddhism more as a philosophy not a religion, therefore I give it more credance than "religions".

It is funny how ghosts and spirits almost always possess people in countries that are largely uneducated. In my home country where virtually everyone is educated to some level, noone seems to get possessed. I therefore think it is reasonable to conclude that if you want to avoid getting possessed, just get an education

Another "trick" is to become an atheist. ghost and spirits very rarely if ever possess people who do not believe they exist.

Have you ever done a ouija board in your educated country?

In your educated country do most people vote for a president or prime minister that believes a man can walk on water with his bare feet?

In your educated country do most people believe in a man that once can turn wine into bread or something stupid like that? And I'm not taking about David Copperfield!

Education has nothing to do with what one can believe in.

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I can guarantee you that possession, like the Loch Ness monster, Big Foot etc does not exist.

as well as walking on as well as walking on water, resurrection, life after death, angels, immaculate conception and all those other superstitions!

But they all have been known to be part of huge money making schemes!

Does that make them valid?

 

It is funny how ghosts and spirits almost always possess people in countries that are largely uneducated. In my home country where virtually everyone is educated to some level, noone seems to get possessed. I therefore think it is reasonable to conclude that if you want to avoid getting possessed, just get an education

Another "trick" is to become an atheist. ghost and spirits very rarely if ever possess people who do not believe they exist.

Have you ever done a ouija board in your educated country?

In your educated country do most people vote for a president or prime minister that believes a man can walk on water with his bare feet?

In your educated country do most people believe in a man that once can turn wine into bread or something stupid like that? And I'm not taking about David Copperfield!

Education has nothing to do with what one can believe in.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

There is a difference between superstition and religion.

That'a where education comes in.

Ghosts and superstitions are the result of FEAR and IGNORANCE, nothing more.

Religion is a (primitive) attempt to find sense in our existence.

Religion is one step up from superstition, with one more step to go: atheism.

Pesonally, I don't believe neither ghosts nor gods, and I hope that one day nobody will.

But I agree that for an educated European all that "god bless America" stuff is mind boggling.

But I agree that for an educated European all that "god bless America" stuff is mind boggling.

Indeed.

Cross-National Correlations of Quantifiable Societal Health with Popular Religiosity and Secularism in the Prosperous Democracies A First Look

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2005/september/correlating-societal-health-with-religiosity-and-secularism

I think this topic has run its course now. Few if any of the recent posts are directly relevant to Buddhism.