Editing Ghost (section)

=== Christianity ===
{{See also|Allhallowtide}}
In the [[New Testament]], [[Jesus]] has to persuade the [[Twelve Apostles|Disciples]] that he is not a ghost following the [[resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]], [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 24:37–39 (some versions of the Bible, such as the KJV and NKJV, use the term "spirit"). Similarly, Jesus' followers at first believe he is a ghost (spirit) when they see him [[Jesus walking on water|walking on water]].<ref name="Oxford">{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/peterpaulmarymag00ehrm_0 |url-access= registration |page= [https://archive.org/details/peterpaulmarymag00ehrm_0/page/17 17] |title= Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: the followers of Jesus in history and legend|quote=Jesus then walks out to them, on the water. When they see him, in the middle of the lake, the disciples are terrified, thinking it is a ghost. Jesus assures them it is he, and then Peter, in a characteristically unreserved moment, calls out, "Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water" (Matt. 14–28).|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author= Ehrman, Bart D. |year= 2006|isbn=978-0-19-530013-0 |access-date= 14 November 2015}}</ref>

Some [[Christianity|Christian]] denominations such as the [[Roman Catholic Church]] consider ghosts as beings who while tied to earth, no longer live on the material plane and linger in an [[Intermediate state (Christianity)|intermediate state]] before continuing their journey to [[heaven#Christianity|heaven]].<ref name="Emissary">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=q469xc7mbksC&pg=PA69|title= A Faraway Ancient Country|quote= if we have ghosts, then where do we put them in the Christian universe? While they are tied to the earth, they are no longer living on the material plain. Heaven and hell are exclusive places, so it's extremely unlikely that people come and go from these destinations as they please. There must be a third state in the afterlife where souls linger before continuing their journey.|isbn= 978-0-615-15801-3|author1= Emissary|date= 2007-09-30|publisher= Lulu.com|access-date= 2010-03-27|archive-date= 2023-10-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231024084904/https://books.google.com/books?id=q469xc7mbksC&pg=PA69#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="UMC">{{cite news |url= http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=5101 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090421023719/http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=5101 |archive-date= April 21, 2009 |title= Heavenly minded: It's time to get our eschatology right, say scholars, authors |quote= John Wesley believed in the intermediate state between death and the final judgment "where believers would share in the 'bosom of Abraham' or 'paradise,' even continuing to grow in holiness there," writes Ted Campbell, a professor at Perkins School of Theology, in his 1999 book ''Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials'' (Abingdon). |publisher= [[The United Methodist Church]] |access-date= 2010-03-27 }}</ref><ref name="Eleanor Prosser">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=1zasAAAAIAAJ&q=purgatory+ghost&pg=PA115|title= Hamlet and revenge|quote= Primarily the Purgatory ghost appeared only to ask for masses, alms, fasts, pilgrimages, and, above all, prayers.|publisher= [[Stanford University Press]]|isbn= 978-0-8047-0316-1|author1= Prosser, Eleanor|year= 1967|access-date= 2010-03-27|archive-date= 2023-10-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231024084905/https://books.google.com/books?id=1zasAAAAIAAJ&q=purgatory+ghost&pg=PA115|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Paulist Fathers">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=X_kWAQAAIAAJ|title= Catholic world, Volume 162|quote= That the Ghost comes from Purgatory is evident from his description of his abode in the other world as primarily a state of purification, consisting of...|publisher= [[Paulist Fathers]]|author1= Fathers, Paulist|year= 1945|access-date= 2010-03-27|archive-date= 2023-10-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231024084907/https://books.google.com/books?id=X_kWAQAAIAAJ|url-status= live}}</ref> On occasion, [[God in Christianity|God]] would allow the [[soul in the Bible|souls]] in this state to return to earth to warn the living of the need for [[repentance]].<ref name="J.P. Somerville">{{cite web |url=http://history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/367-102.htm |title=Ghosts, Fairies and Omens |quote=The Roman Catholic Church taught that at death the souls of those too good for hell and too bad for heaven were sent to Purgatory. Here they were purged of their sins by punishment, but might on occasion be allowed to return to earth to warn the living of the need for repentance. |publisher=[[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] |access-date=2010-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040423145229/http://history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/367-102.htm |archive-date=2004-04-23 }}</ref> [[Christians]] are taught that it is [[sinful]] to attempt to [[necromancy|conjure or control spirits]] in accordance with [[Deuteronomy]] XVIII: 9–12.<ref name="Eric Stoutz">{{cite web |url=http://catholicexchange.com/2006/10/07/83644/ |title=Do You Believe in Ghosts? |quote=Ghosts can come to us for good, but we must not attempt to conjure or control spirits. |publisher=Catholic Exchange |access-date=2010-03-27 |date=2006-10-07 |archive-date=2010-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831093104/http://catholicexchange.com/2006/10/07/83644/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Michele Klein">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tqG29pi8HPUC&q=conjuring+spirits+bible&pg=PA171 |title=Not to worry: Jewish wisdom and folklore |quote=Jews have sometimes engaged in conjuring spirits when worried, even though the Bible prohibits this behavior. |publisher=[[Jewish Publication Society]] |isbn=978-0-8276-0753-8 |last=Klein |first=Michele |date=2003-06-30 |access-date=2010-03-27 |archive-date=2023-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024084905/https://books.google.com/books?id=tqG29pi8HPUC&q=conjuring+spirits+bible&pg=PA171#v=onepage&q=conjuring%20spirits%20bible&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some ghosts are actually said to be [[Christian demonology|demons]] in disguise, who the Church teaches, in accordance with [[I Timothy]] 4:1, that they "come to deceive people and draw them away from God and into bondage."<ref name="Spotlight Ministries">{{cite web|url= http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/hauntings.htm|title= A Christian Perspective on Ghosts and Hauntings|quote= The Bible warns of the very real danger of seductive spirits that will come to deceive people and draw them away from God and into bondage: "But the Spirit [the Holy Spirit] explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons..." (1 Tim. 4:1).|publisher= Spotlight Ministries|access-date= 2010-03-27|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100109131921/http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/hauntings.htm|archive-date= 2010-01-09}}</ref> As a result, [[necromancy|attempts to contact the dead]] may lead to [[demonic possession|unwanted contact]] with a demon or an [[unclean spirit]], as was said to occur in the case of [[Robbie Mannheim]], a fourteen-year-old Maryland youth.<ref name="Sue Lim - Contact">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZH_CdJpxoUC&q=Phyllis+Mannheim&pg=PA98|title= Good Spirits, Bad Spirits: How to Distinguish Between Them|quote= Robbie's playing of the Ouija board gave occult spirits the jurisdiction or right to control him, which they did until they were commanded to leave (cast out).|publisher= Writers Club Press|isbn= 978-0-595-22771-6|author1= Lim, Sue|date= 2002-06-18|access-date= 2010-04-02|archive-date= 2023-10-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231024085405/https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZH_CdJpxoUC&q=Phyllis+Mannheim&pg=PA98|url-status= live}}</ref> The [[Seventh-Day Adventist]] view is that a "soul" is not equivalent to "spirit" or "ghost" (depending on the Bible version), and that save for the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]], all spirits or ghosts are demons in disguise. Furthermore, they teach that in accordance with ([[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 2:7, [[Ecclesiastes]] 12:7), there are only two components to a "soul", neither of which survives death, with each returning to its respective source.

[[Christadelphian]]s and [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] reject the view of a living, conscious soul after death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://christadelphia.org/reject.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030408015940/http://christadelphia.org/reject.htm|archive-date=8 April 2003|title=Doctrines to be Rejected|date=8 April 2003}}</ref>