What are ghosts

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The word “ghost” just means spirit. It also means the same thing as soul. Everyone has a soul that will live forever.

The way we usually think of the word is like a ghost in a “ghost story” in which spirits of the dead haunt people on earth. These stories are made up. When a person dies, they go to Purgatory, Heaven, or Hell, and do not hang around on earth scaring people. You don’t have to worry about ghosts haunting you, if that is what you are asking. We should pray for people after they die in case they may be in Purgatory (where the souls of the dead go who are not yet pure enough to enter Heaven, but have not died completely turned away from God.)
 
just curious, does confession stop demons or is it necessary to use exorcisms or both?
 
Confession heals people from their sins. Prayer and the sacraments certainly help protect us from the devil.

If someone thinks they or someone in their family is possessed (meaning a devil taking over their body) or obscessed (meaning a devil is tormenting them from outside their body) by a devil, they should talk to their priest about it to see where they need to go from there and if an exorcism is needed.
 
fakename said:
just curious, does confession stop demons or is it necessary to use exorcisms or both?
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first of all, the way to approach a “ghost” is to pretty much ignore it in the way of “communication” or “interaction”, and simply pray and take the necessary action recommended by the church, which depends on the circumstance, like if your house is haunted, then get it blessed,
we must never try to interact with a ghost, which is what we call a human spirit, but can very likely be a demon, and it should always be taken with extreme caution even if you think it’s someone you know, because the devil can take on many disguises, even that of Jesus or Mary,

in the case of possession though, since you asked about “exorcisms” the only thing you can do if you are possessed is find an exorcist priest, or if you can’t find one, go straight to your bishop, who is obligated to help you in matters of demonic possession under pain of mortal sin,
but no, confession does not stop possession, while by possession the devil has control over mind and body, but he does not have control of your will, and cannot force you to sin, so confession and possession are not connected with each other, but instead possession has more to do with some sin you are attached to, such as not being able to forgive, or looking at porn, or some other grave sin that invited him in,
and casting out demons is something only an exorcist priest or bishop can do, although by the popular medias portrayals of possession and exorcism, there is a very naive and false understanding of these things, but in that case the church recommends* “it is prudent, wise and highly recommended that church teaching and long-standing practice be the guide, along with the witness of Sacred Scripture and the lives of the saints”*

although there is also demonic “oppression” and demonic “harassment” which are different from possession, and which also need help from a priest or bishop…but that’s another subject.

so to answer your question, in the case of ghosts or possession, just go to your priest or bishop…if they don’t help(which is not uncommon nowadays) then find another until one will help you.
 
just curious, does confession stop demons or is it necessary to use exorcisms or both?
 
As mentioned souls of people go to one of three places, However there are ‘apparitions’ of various saints and angels that have appeared to various folks. I think God allows some souls to appear to the living (many times when some friend or relative is near death),

We know that Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection. And many saints have seen Mary or Christ thooughout history.

What some refer to as ghosts or hauntings are probably demonic in nature.
 
If there is a ghost, assume it is demonic. Pray to your Guardian Angel or to Michael to protect you from it. Do not communicate with it in any way and pray whenever you feel it is near. The sacred name of Jesus is your refuge.
 
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