Are ghosts among us? Many believe in spirits, but churches offer stern warnings

Ghosts — They are highly popular entertainment fare in the world these days, given shows like "Ghost Hunters," "Ghost Whisperer," "Ghost Story," "Celebrity Ghost Story" and "Paranormal State," as well as various movies over the years.

Trying to find or contact "ghosts" is the core of all these programs.

Forget Halloween season. This flurry of new ghost programming is popular year-round and seems to be at an all-time high.

However, are ghosts real?

A 2005 Gallup poll found that 32 percent of all adult Americans believe in ghosts. Nineteen percent weren't sure, while 48 percent dismissed the idea.

Earlier, a Harris Poll in 2003 had found that 51 percent of 2,201 adults

surveyed — including 58 percent of women — believed in ghosts.

Spirits are a real aspect of Christianity.

Indeed, a "ghost" in the Biblical sense can be the spirit of the dead, as in Jesus Christ "gave up the ghost" when he died on the cross (John 19:30).

They can also be devils, demons or unclean spirits.

Matthew 8:28-34 states: "And when he (Jesus) was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce."

Matthew 10:1 says: "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

So, to believe the Bible — according to some interpretations — is to believe in ghosts as spirits of the dead, or of the devil.

The Bible offers this counsel on seeking after the dead:

"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?" (Isaiah 8:19).

What do various churches teach about ghosts and spirits of the dead? Here's a sampling of beliefs from six Christian churches:

Catholic

The Catholic Church has some strong words against seeking after the spirits of dead people.

According to Peggy Frye, Catholic Answers apologist on Catholic.com: