Paranormal Prejudice: Religious Affiliation and Haunted Places

Some people believe my nature (a.k.a. “soul”) is in danger because I like traveling to places with ghosts. Also, they believe I’m more susceptible to evil energies because I don’t have a religious affiliation.

ALL GOOD HEATHENS GO TO HELL

It’s been about two years since I’ve had to confront this issue. The last time it happened one of my husband’s friends said I was on an express train to hell because I haunt jaunt and like Halloween.

It got very nasty and ended my relationship with him and his wife. It severed Wayne’s ties a little, but him and his friend have begun talking some again in the past year.

However, ever since then, when people ask me what I do, I always just say, “I’m a travel writer.” Or, “I run a little blog.”

I’ve been able to avoid any more confrontation. Until this week…

FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS GET INTO BAD RELIGIONS

One of the friend’s my husband runs with sort of lectured him on perhaps keeping a better eye on me. He worried I was getting into bad religions.

We’re actually pretty good friends with this guy and his wife. They’ve always seemed supportive and interested in my ghost journeying. This kind of questioning (accusation) caught both Wayne and I by surprise.

It also stumped me. What the heck did he mean by “bad religions”? They are Lutheran. I’ve never known them to be judgmental or condemning of others before.

I got mad and fired off at my husband (a case of shooting the messenger), “Why do people always assume I’m going to start worshipping the devil because I like ghosts? Do they know how offensive that is, and how ignorant it makes them look?”

After six years, they should know I’m a good person. I am not one who wills malicious harm on anyone, so what the hell?

Then a light bulb went off.

The witch Halloween costume I’ve answered the door to greet trick or treaters in the past two years flashed through my mind, as did the Halloween plaque I hung on the door.

“Do they think I’m a witch?” I asked Wayne.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “He didn’t say. He just felt there are evil forces in the world and you’re more susceptible to them because of what you do. Including being influenced to subscribe to false religions, especially since you don’t have one.”

I know even people with Christian-based religious affiliations sometimes have to defend they’re not straying from the path because they ghost hunt or are paranormal enthusiasts. I know a lot of Wiccans who have to defend they’re not into black magic because they do the same.

It made my heart sad my friends have so little faith in me.

DEMONS AND GHOSTS

No, I don’t have a religious affiliation. I do, however, have a strong, very strong, spiritual faith. I know who I am, I know what I stand for, and I know how to distinguish good from evil.

Although, on the issue of that last matter, I do have to admit Evil camouflages its nature for its own survival, and I have been deceived by a disguise Evil wore. I’m referring to the Wooded Rapist, someone I played volleyball with and whose dirty deeds became a Dateline episode.

That is just one of the examples of why I always say, “Ghosts don’t scare me, people do.”

Ghosts don’t kill people. They don’t start wars or show gang allegiance or murder for the many reasons people do. Ghosts are not greedy. They don’t steal or cause economic meltdowns. Ghosts don’t take innocence. When’s the last time you heard of a ghost abducting or molesting a child?

So, no, I don’t fear ghosts.

Now demons on the other hand…demons are terrifying. Why? Because demons are everywhere. Demons dwell within every one of us. I don’t care what religion you follow, you can never escape that, nor can you purge them.

Most of us are pretty good at knowing how to control them, but…not everyone is. Also, no matter who you are, all it takes is that one trigger to unlock your inner demon and unleash it on the world.

That’s a frightening and unavoidable truth –even for those with a religious affiliation.