How to explain why this would be sinful

[PerfectTiming]

Some family friends recently told us about a “ghost bus” tour they went on and are now planning to go again with my family. From what they told me, it’s in the haunted-house vein of things, going through London and all the supposedly “haunted” places. Now, to my understanding (I searched the AAA forum) this part would not be intrinsically sinful. However, when it was being described to me I remember they mentioned at some point you had to hold hands and it was like a “fake” seance, talking to a supposed deceased person. I fully believe and understand that if I were to take part in any such activity, it would be mortally sinful.

My problem comes in trying to explain this to my mother. She and my sister are not Catholic and when I expressed that if there was any kind of seance or necromancy I could not, as a Catholic, take part they seemed to think it was really silly. My mother keeps saying to me “but it’s just pretend” and thinks that I’m being irrational. Even though I know it is sinful, I’m struggling to explain to my mother why, despite the “pretend”-ness of it, there is still a sin.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Some family friends recently told us about a “ghost bus” tour they went on and are now planning to go again with my family. From what they told me, it’s in the haunted-house vein of things, going through London and all the supposedly “haunted” places. Now, to my understanding (I searched the AAA forum) this part would not be intrinsically sinful. However, when it was being described to me I remember they mentioned at some point you had to hold hands and it was like a “fake” seance, talking to a supposed deceased person. I fully believe and understand that if I were to take part in any such activity, it would be mortally sinful.

My problem comes in trying to explain this to my mother. She and my sister are not Catholic and when I expressed that if there was any kind of seance or necromancy I could not, as a Catholic, take part they seemed to think it was really silly. My mother keeps saying to me “but it’s just pretend” and thinks that I’m being irrational. Even though I know it is sinful, I’m struggling to explain to my mother why, despite the “pretend”-ness of it, there is still a sin.

Any help would be much appreciated.

I would not mind to go visit places where people say exist things that do not exist. I find it funny. Once, I travelled often by night in forests and jungles and you see ghosts everywhere. When the day clears, they all disappear and transform themselves in leaves, branches, trees, falling fruits, animals, and so on.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Some family friends recently told us about a “ghost bus” tour they went on and are now planning to go again with my family. From what they told me, it’s in the haunted-house vein of things, going through London and all the supposedly “haunted” places. Now, to my understanding (I searched the AAA forum) this part would not be intrinsically sinful. However, when it was being described to me I remember they mentioned at some point you had to hold hands and it was like a “fake” seance, talking to a supposed deceased person. I fully believe and understand that if I were to take part in any such activity, it would be mortally sinful.

My problem comes in trying to explain this to my mother. She and my sister are not Catholic and when I expressed that if there was any kind of seance or necromancy I could not, as a Catholic, take part they seemed to think it was really silly. My mother keeps saying to me “but it’s just pretend” and thinks that I’m being irrational. Even though I know it is sinful, I’m struggling to explain to my mother why, despite the “pretend”-ness of it, there is still a sin.

Any help would be much appreciated.

I personally believe in ghosts. And I also have gone on “ghost tours.” Yet I totally understand what you are talking about. I would still go, but refuse to participate in the “seance.” If asked, explain that it goes against your Catholic teaching. Mention particularly that you consider it a form of necromancy and that the Bible and the Catholic Church expressly forbid it. Also say that even though it may not be overtly necromantic (just “pretend”), it COULD lead to temptation to experiment with such things and as a Christian and Catholic you are commanded and obligated to resist such things that are not “of God.”. Also mention that there HAVE been cases of actual demonic and negative entities being summoned during “seances” like that, even if they are only intended to be “make believe.”

I don’t think that they are going to point a gun at you and FORCE you to go and chant for a spirit. So ultimately, if they look at you funny, that’s THEIR problem. You are paying them money (I assume) to show you and others around “haunted sites.” They have to ultimately honor and respect your beliefs. They are ultimately a business--------they have to in one way or another make their customers happy so that postitive publicity will make them people either keep coming back or come for the first time.

As to your mother and relatives, tell them that, while you personally will not say anything if they decide to do the “seance,” you cannot in good conscience (and according to your beliefs) do it. Outline for them some of the reasons stated above. If they also look at you funny and pooh-pooh your concerns, gently but firmly stick to your beliefs. Again, that is THEIR problem. It is not like they are going to disown you or not speak to you for weeks if you continue refusing. They’ll get over it----I guarantee you they will almost certainly forget it in the excitement of the tour. They have their ways of looking at the world, you have the TRUTH. Do not forget that.

Enjoy the tour, anyways!!!
Really.

And keep coming to CAF.

 

[Terraius]

It may seem harmless, just as going to see a psychic is usually seemed harmless, but its still occult and we should keep our distance from things like that…

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

I would not mind to go visit places where people say exist things that do not exist. I find it funny. Once, I travelled often by night in forests and jungles and you see ghosts everywhere. When the day clears, they all disappear and transform themselves in leaves, branches, trees, falling fruits, animals, and so on.

Not ALL of those things are just "leaves, branches, trees, " etc. But that’s my opinion, of course. You obviously see things differently.
That’s fine.

Have a nice day. And be strong in the Faith and the Lord.

 

[Dorothy]

Good friends and family members should respect our conscience whether they agree with it or not.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

It may seem harmless, just as going to see a psychic is usually seemed harmless, but its still occult and we should keep our distance from things like that…

Absolutely true----but if one goes in with the idea that one is NOT interested in the occult and are merely looking for fun, enterntainment, and to see places where “extraordinary” things happen, then one can safely go without succumbing to temptation.
If one distances themselves from curiosity about the supernatural and occult----and resists the temptation to become OBSESSED with such things, you can come out of this “unscathed.” One can even come out of this (if one believes in ghosts) with an appreciation of the strangeness and wonder of this God’s universe we live in.

But I agree ----people who are “sensistive,” “weak,” are NOT religious, are not secure in their faith in God and His commandments or lean towards "consisently “learning more and more” about it should steer Way clear of it.

Good point, though.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Good friends and family members should respect our conscience whether they agree with it or not.

Yep.

 

[Bookcat]

One should not engage in such…“fake” or not…

(one can even open oneself perhaps to the demonic…)

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Not ALL of those things are just "leaves, branches, trees, " etc. But that’s my opinion, of course. You obviously see things differently.
That’s fine.

Have a nice day. And be strong in the Faith and the Lord.

Of course, it is my idea. When someone speaks about hyper natural things, I envy them because nothing of it happened to me, and I wanted to see something and I am unlucky. A friend of mine, utterly no-nonsense person, coming from a concert, saw an object in the sky with flashing lights. They stopped and started jokingly to flash lights back. When they saw the object flashing back at the same rhythm (they were musicians), they were so afraid that they got into the car and ran away as fast as they could. I envy them. I wanted to be there !!!

I have a group of cousins who remained single and lovely relatives of mine. One of them has a strange characteristic. When someone touches an object which is hers, she talks about the object. Say, someone touched an skirt of her on the bottom of a pile. She would say: “I do not remember where I put the skirt such an such”.

But the most amazing one was a lovely priest friend of mine who could guess where any object was. Suppose you lost a purse. You would give him a picture of your purse and he would put a balance over a map and when it touched the place of where the purse was, an electric jolt would go through his body. I saw some of his skills with my own eyes. The most amazing one was to discover in Berlin the wife of a gentleman who lost her during a WWII bombardment. He discovered my money purse which was in an unbelievable place. He told me to go to a certain place in an office and there it was a rubbish bin. I got disappointed for it was a rubbish bin, but I do not know why I started just pulling things from the bin and in the bottom, there it was my purse.

My Old aunties had some stories.

For me, is remains only branches, dropping fruits and leaves.

But I would love to hear stories from you, if you have some to tell. Thanks.

God Bless You.

 

[puzzleannie]

. However, when it was being described to me I remember they mentioned at some point you had to hold hands and it was like a “fake” seance, talking to a supposed deceased person. I fully believe and understand that if I were to take part in any such activity, it would be.

the key word is fake
if everybody knows it is fake and all part of the fun, no harm, no foul, no sin

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Of course, it is my idea. When someone speaks about hyper natural things, I envy them because nothing of it happened to me, and I wanted to see something and I am unlucky. A friend of mine, utterly no-nonsense person, coming from a concert, saw an object in the sky with flashing lights. They stopped and started jokingly to flash lights back. When they saw the object flashing back at the same rhythm (they were musicians), they were so afraid that they got into the car and ran away as fast as they could. I envy them. I wanted to be there !!!

I have a group of cousins who remained single and lovely relatives of mine. One of them has a strange characteristic. When someone touches an object which is hers, she talks about the object. Say, someone touched an skirt of her on the bottom of a pile. She would say: “I do not remember where I put the skirt such an such”.

But the most amazing one was a lovely priest friend of mine who could guess where any object was. Suppose you lost a purse. You would give him a picture of your purse and he would put a balance over a map and when it touched the place of where the purse was, an electric jolt would go through his body. I saw some of his skills with my own eyes. The most amazing one was to discover in Berlin the wife of a gentleman who lost her during a WWII bombardment. He discovered my money purse which was in an unbelievable place. He told me to go to a certain place in an office and there it was a rubbish bin. I got disappointed for it was a rubbish bin, but I do not know why I started just pulling things from the bin and in the bottom, there it was my purse.

My Old aunties had some stories.

For me, is remains only branches, dropping fruits and leaves.

But I would love to hear stories from you, if you have some to tell. Thanks.

God Bless You.

I wish I had. Unfortunately, I do not.

Thanks for YOUR stories, though. :thumbsup:

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

the key word is fake
if everybody knows it is fake and all part of the fun, no harm, no foul, no sin

From personal stories I know about, though, even supposedly “fake” seances have the potential to attract all kinds of evil and/or demonic entities. The Dark One and his minions are constantly on the lookout for an “in.”

Just saying.