Ghosts-Historical Background of Ghosts
Ghosts-Definition:
- The spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to appear in bodily likeness to living persons or to haunt former habitats.
- The center of spiritual life; the soul.
- A demon or spirit.
- A returning or haunting memory or image.
- A slight or faint trace: just a ghost of a smile.
- The tiniest bit: not a ghost of a chance.
- A faint, false image, as:
- A secondary image on a television or radar screen caused by reflected waves.
- A displaced image in a photograph caused by the optical system of the camera.
- A false spectral line caused by imperfections in the diffraction grating.
- A displaced image in a mirror caused by reflection from the front of the glass.
- Informal. A ghostwriter.
- A nonexistent publication listed in bibliographies.
- A fictitious employee or business.
Resource=Answers.com
Ghosts-Historical Background of Ghosts
A ghost is said be the apparition of a deceased person, frequently similar in appearance to that person, and usually encountered in places she or he frequented, or in association with the person's former belongings. The word "ghost" may also refer to the spirit or soul of a deceased person, or to any spirit or demon. Ghosts are often associated with a haunting.The belief of Ghosts that they are the spirits of the dead can be similar or related toward the ancient concept of animism, by which attributed souls to everything in nature, humans, animals, trees, plants, and so on. Some in the ancient times believed a human soul could be deceptive and portray a bird or a wolf. While it is known for souls to portray it’s human form right down to the clothes they wore.
Souls or ghosts are also known to be seen as misty, airy, or other forms substance. Most people commonly portray these types of apparitions to orbs or a ghostly mist. If you have done orb or mist searches through out the Internet you will find millions of these photos. The only degree that has hampered the pictures truthfulness have been the discoveries that dust, pollen, and bugs can sometimes react to the flash and appear on the photos as an orb. I cannot say whether there is a possibility of a real orb being caught by a camera, it’s just very hard to prove.
Even though the evidence for ghosts is hearsay, the belief in ghosts through out history has be widespread and persistent. If something had and does not exist, than why have the belief of ghosts expanded. Some believe that this could be a reaction from early day writers, or storytellers, but it’s presents even in today’s society is stronger that ever.
Some believe ghosts to be of deceased people who are back for vengeance, or perhaps unfinished business. They believe that these souls may be trapped onto the earths soil until they have completed their tasks or simply for torment for their bad ways of their once tormented life. They may have been forbidden to cross into the light.
There are other beliefs that the spirits of the dead can return to earth as they wish. Not in body, but as a ghost. They may pay visits to those they love, checking on them, and watching over them. There have been tons of reports of people being visited by love one’s from time to time. They may not appear the way they did or of the age they were when they have passed, they may appear younger, with some reports of them showing in their child form.
Although this may sound foolish to some, there is a world or something to the spirit nature that surrounds us. If something did not exist, then why have we millions of stories to read or hear. It seems that these days about 4 out of 5 people may have their own personal experience story of a ghost. And needless to say, not to many people shy a way when their story is told. There is nothing better than a gold ole fashion ghost story, and there is plenty of them to go around/
One of the earliest known ghost "sightings" in the west took place in Athens, Greece. Pliny the Younger (50 AD) described it in a letter to Licinius Sura.( 74 BC – 7 AD), a Stoic Philosopher, decided to rent a large, Athenian house, to investigate widespread rumors that it was haunted. Athenodoros staked out at the house that night, and, sure enough, a disheveled, aged spectre, bound at feet and hands with rattling chains, eventually "appeared". The spirit then beckoned for Athenodoros to follow him; Athenodoros complied, but the ghost soon vanished. The philosopher marked the spot where the old man had disappeared, and, on the next day, advised the magistrates to dig there. The man's shackled bones were reportedly uncovered three years later. After a proper burial, the hauntings ceased.
Many Eastern religious traditions also subscribe to the concept of ghosts. The Hindu Garuda Purana has detailed information about ghosts.
The Hebrew Torah and the Bible contain few references to ghosts, associating spiritism with forbidden occult activities cf. Deuteronomy 18:11. The most notable reference is in the First Book of Samuel (I Samuel 28:7-19 KJV), in which a disguised King Saul has the Witch of Endor summon the spirit of Samuel. In the New Testament, Jesus has to persuade the Disciples that he is not a ghost following the resurrection, Matthew 24. In a similar vein, Jesus' followers at first believe him to be a ghost when they see him walking on water.
The Child Ballad (Sweet William’s Ghost) recounts the story of a ghost returning to beg a woman to free him from his promise to marry her, as he obviously cannot being dead; her refusal would mean his damnation. This reflects a popular British belief that the dead would haunt their lovers if they took up with a new love without some formal release. The Unquiet Grave expresses a belief even more widespread, found in various location over Europe: ghosts can stem from the excessive grief of the living, whose mourning interferes with the dead's peaceful rest.
The Hebrew Torah and the Bible contain few references to ghosts, associating spiritism with forbidden occult activities cf. Deuteronomy 18:11. The most notable reference is in the First Book of Samuel (I Samuel 28:7-19 KJV), in which a disguised King Saul has the Witch of Endor summon the spirit of Samuel. In the New Testament, Jesus has to persuade the Disciples that he is not a ghost following the resurrection, Matthew 24. In a similar vein, Jesus' followers at first believe him to be a ghost when they see him walking on water.
The Child Ballad (Sweet William’s Ghost) recounts the story of a ghost returning to beg a woman to free him from his promise to marry her, as he obviously cannot being dead; her refusal would mean his damnation. This reflects a popular British belief that the dead would haunt their lovers if they took up with a new love without some formal release. The Unquiet Grave expresses a belief even more widespread, found in various location over Europe: ghosts can stem from the excessive grief of the living, whose mourning interferes with the dead's peaceful rest.
In many folktales from around the world, the hero arranges for the burial of a dead man. Soon after, he gains a companion who aids him and, in the end, the hero's companion reveals that he is in fact the dead man. Instances of this include the Italian fairy tale Fair Brow and the Swedish The Bird ’Grip“.
Information from Article resource:Wikipedia-Historical background ghost