Who You Gonna Call?
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has had some interesting discoveries lately. It seems that the American public is ever more open to a supernatural side to life. In fact, the numbers of people who think they have personally had a religious or mystical experience have doubled over the past few decades. Admittedly, the sorts of beliefs that the survey are measuring are not Christian or remotely Biblical, but when you think of C.S. Lewis’ ideas on paganism, maybe any openness to a supernatural reality is a step in the right direction.
Perhaps the more interesting (or disturbing) fact of this study is the comparison that is made between self-proclaimed Christians and non-believers. Turns out, the same amount of American “Christians” believe in psychics, ghosts, and Eastern Religious elements as non-Christians. What are churches teaching these days? In fairness it is obviously not the Church’s fault. The study shows that the more a person attends Church the better their understanding of Biblical Worldview is. The problem in America is the buffet aspect spirituality has acquired.
The issue of ghosts is particularly interesting. This is an area where very few Christians land on Biblical footing. Ask an average Christian what they believe ghosts and a surprising amount will say either that they do believe in the existence of the spirits of dead people continuing to manifest themselves (the traditional idea of ghosts); or that they do not believe in any form of ghost or spirit at all. It is surprising how many materialistic “Christians” you meet.
A more Biblical understanding of the issue would be to say that there are indeed spiritual beings on earth that manifest themselves to people in a variety of ways. These spirits are not, however, the spirits of dead people.
Perhaps the more interesting (or disturbing) fact of this study is the comparison that is made between self-proclaimed Christians and non-believers. Turns out, the same amount of American “Christians” believe in psychics, ghosts, and Eastern Religious elements as non-Christians. What are churches teaching these days? In fairness it is obviously not the Church’s fault. The study shows that the more a person attends Church the better their understanding of Biblical Worldview is. The problem in America is the buffet aspect spirituality has acquired.
The issue of ghosts is particularly interesting. This is an area where very few Christians land on Biblical footing. Ask an average Christian what they believe ghosts and a surprising amount will say either that they do believe in the existence of the spirits of dead people continuing to manifest themselves (the traditional idea of ghosts); or that they do not believe in any form of ghost or spirit at all. It is surprising how many materialistic “Christians” you meet.
A more Biblical understanding of the issue would be to say that there are indeed spiritual beings on earth that manifest themselves to people in a variety of ways. These spirits are not, however, the spirits of dead people.
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