What evidence would you need to believe in ghosts?
If you don't believe in ghosts, I'm not telling/asking you to do so. I would just like to know what you would like to see as 'proof' before you'd believe.
I have had some personal experiences but it does depend on that person, but I will tell you my personal experience.
When I was 6 years old, I have always told my grandfather bedtime stories before heading off to bed myself, so one night as I finished reading "Snow white and the seven dwarves" I kissed him good night and went off to my room, as usual I went to bed and woke up the next morning. As I started to wake up my mother was sat beside my bed (which was unusual for her since she didn't live at the house at the time)
I hopped downstairs and saw my grandfather in his chair looking down at the floor, I approached him and asked him what was wrong, he replied
"I am so sorry, I love you"
"I love you too grandpa please don't be sad"
I smiled at him and he smiled back at me, I headed into the kitchen to make some cereal, as I was doing so my mother approached me and asked
"Hey honey, who are you talking to?"
"Oh, grandpa, he's really sad for some reason, he said he's sorry, do you know why?"
My mother looked at me and went white in the face, she then continued to add, in a quivering voice
"Oh, you couldn't have honey, he passed away last night, he had a heart attack"
I was confused, how could he have died when I was just talking to him? So I went to show her but he wasn't there.
Still to this day I believe that my grandfather didn't want to pass away, it wasn't his fault, and I still believe that he is with us. But it all depends on the person whether it be physically seeing a ghost/spirit or hearing one or being pushed when there is no one around, but I guess we will all know one day.
Good question, and as a non-believer I would have to say that there would have to be something definite that was repeatable and verifiable, like any other scientific evidence. That would eliminate any fuzzy pictures of vaguely human shapes, EVP's, or personal experiences (unless those were done under rigorous conditions)
The problem is, people assume that something weird that they can't explain is supernatural, and I always felt that that was a huge jump to make. Ignorance does not equal supernatural. For example, when I was in college myself and several friends were playing with a Ouija board. We asked for evidence that the entity we contacted was real, and right at that moment a slight breeze started blowing from an interior wall. Our dorms had baseboard radiant heating, so it wasn't like the furnace had kicked on. The windows were closed, because it was cold at the time.
So, was the breeze supernatural? I see nothing to suggest it was. It was certainly weird, and it freaked us all out at the time, but without definitive evidence, I'm going to assume it was a draft.
First of all, we must define what a ghost is. We know what 'something' is only through our experiences. If a ghost is a physical entity, then, scientists must come up with a clear cut definition in terms of what a ghost is made of. It is premature to discuss 'evidences' for the existence of a ghost until we know for sure what it is. My personal hunch is that ghosts are creation of human fears. They tend to show up at night in remote and spooky areas. I have never heard of a ghost that showed up in front of millions of people in a broad day light.
There is already plenty of evidence out there to support the existence of ghosts and other supernatural going on. In fact, if this evidence were to be trotted out in a court of law, it would certainly be enough to support the likelihood (not certainty) that ghosts exist. However, since we're not in a formal court where evidence counts, really convincing people of the existence of ghosts involves a shift in their belief system. This is much harder than simply providing evidence, as you not only need to show them something in black and white, but convince them to open their minds as well. Otherwise, there is always another explanation to any video, recording or photo you'd want to present.
I always tell people who don't believe that there is nothing I can say to them to make my case. When they have the right experience, they'll know the truth themselves.
I have already had more than enough "evidence" for myself, and I don't honestly care if other people were to believe me or not, as you have to be open to an experience and most usually skeptics are not. I hear a lot about how in order for something to be real you have to be able to re-create it in like a lab or something and that is just craziness. Spirits do not perform on command and it would be rude to expect them to. If you have ever truly experienced something paranormal you would know, and that is the only way a lot of people would then believe that spirits exist. Good question!
I do not need evidence..I have seen and experienced first hand.
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