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September 20, 2007 at 8:29 pm #1740AnonymousInactive
So, what does the Church teach about such phenemenon? Can loved ones come back and pull your legs?
September 21, 2007 at 2:46 pm #8606About Catholics TeamKeymasterInteresting topic. What do you think about it, V?
My thoughts are this: if we are judged immediately when we die and then sent to our eternal place then when is there room for someone to come back and haunt?
Now, I thought I read somewhere (but might not be very credible) that it’s possible that after we die God lets some stick around for a little while to serve a particular purpose (like communicate sort of message). However I have no way of supporting that claim so take it with a grain of salt.
September 21, 2007 at 7:03 pm #8608AnonymousInactiveGood question. I have a book written in the 1920’s by a noted Jesuit on the subject which seems to support disembodied spirits that are sort of stuck here. I have not had a chance to read it. It is however possible for satan and his demons to have knowledge of our own pasts and those around us and to appear to us as if they where the spirits of our deceased loved ones in order to lead us away from the truth, or even pose as a saint or an “angel of light” Which is a good reason not to run after every sser even one who proports that they are giving a message from heaven until the Church has made a FINAL judgement of the case.
September 22, 2007 at 11:09 pm #8609AnonymousInactiveYes, we should believe in ghosts or spirits. The Catholic Church & the Bible plainly teach that they exist. Ghosts/spirits can give helpful information (II Mac. 15:12-16). They can announce God’s judgment (I Sam. 28:15-20; cf. Sir. 46:20). They can be good and holy (Mt. 17:3). However, they can also be evil, consequently, [color=red:3q1ihlj4]we are not to attempt to contact them [/color:3q1ihlj4](Lev. 19:31; 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:10-11). We should let God use them to inform us of His will and not try to gain some advantage by contacting them when we wish to.
The beatific vision is seeing God face to face. A Biblical example is seen in the calling of Isaiah to be a prophet (Is. 6:1-5). The beatific vision usually refers to seeing God in heaven. St. Paul speaks of this, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” (I Cor. 13:12).
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