Yes.
No.
I really can't say.
On a more serious note, our brains are very easy to trick. What we do know is suggesting heavily that these phenomena really are just something that exists in our minds - our brains desperately trying to make sense of some information it received. I mean, just consider optical illusions, even though you are consciously aware that they are illusions your brain is still falling for them.
"In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." Paradox of tolerance
Im a very scientific person, and not religieous at all.
I do believe that I dont, and never will really know what happens to your soul. You can believe in the big bang, or that we wont return to this "plane of existance" but the question will always be "where were we before" or where does our conciousness come from.
I think that were just not capable of comprehending the multitude of extra dimensions or whats "really" out there. Whats comes after quarks, and the likes?
So i do believe in the possibility of there beeing more than nothing after death.
Where are the dinosaur ghosts!? And ghost cows, especially the ghost cows.
That's why I think of them as more along the lines of "memory fragments."
It would still be similar, because demon's characteristics are aimed to explain the unknown. When you attach malevolence to the unknown, you will attach similar characteristics across the globe, because we share needs for survival. The evil force would then reflect the needs of those individuals, not being met. It will look similar to a violent or strange animal from the region and be hostile towards food, weather and anything else that might cause strife.
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The concept of ghosts is rooted in self importance. We see our selfs as more valuable than other animals, thus we get something they don't. But, some religion or lore in areas does worship or have a place for animals. Usually tied to famine in early formation of the faith.
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
How can something you don't know what it is, exist. If I tell you brondstigur is real, why would you believe me, if I also say I don't know what it is? What would be different than slamming my face against a keyboard, then saying what ever the result, is an entity naming it self through me?
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
As someone that's always been fascinated by all things supernatural in fiction (mainly because I find reality too damn boring), no, I don't believe they exist.
I do believe that our energy is released back into the universe after death, but not in a conscious state or in an ethereal being that resembles our former self kind of way.
I've also always struggled with the concept of reincarnation; Sometimes there's comfort in believing that it may be possible and that our soul/spirit/what have you carries on in some way (without memories or experience from any past incarnations of course), other times I'd rather believe that everything ends the moment our brain's functions cease to work and whatever is left simply becomes one with the universe rather than having to relive the same cycle over and over eternally.
ITT: Science vs. things that are made up