It depends on what is meant by the word ghost. In scientific terms If energy cannot be destroyed but only change forms then the energy that was part of a personal life force might hang around longer then the physical body it may take some time before it disperses or does whatever it does after an individual dies. Before it does disperse or whatever it might cause some effects that living humans are able to perceive. Then we just try to understand it as best I can.

I don't understand why the two should be mutually exclusive. Why does there need to be a God in order to have ghosts? Aren't ghosts energy?

That's how I feel, but one thing is sure, you can't believe in God and not believe in magic, but you can believe in magic without believing in God, so you can believe in Ghosts,or spirits and not believe in God. To me it is just another plain of existence somewhere between the consiousness final destination and life.

I don't understand why people want to scare themselves, with something that doesn't exist. Silly. Isn't it.

I highly doubt that any true atheist believes in ghosts. It's just incompatible to logic and reason. I mean, if you've come so far as to declare yourself an atheist, I just don't see how it's possible. Do you know any atheists who believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny? Then again, it takes all kinds to make the world go round, I guess.

I don't believe in ghosts.

Because atheism and believing in ghosts aren't mutually exclusive. Atheism simply means you lack belief in a deity. As long as it isn't a god, an atheist can technically believe in witches, fairies, ghosts, and all manner of supernatural entities.

I don't believe in ghosts, despite having "seen" one. Our complex minds can conjure up powerful imagined experiences. I thought I "saw" my own late mother, just days after she died suddenly. I wish it had been her, and it's comforting and cheering to think she was saying goodbye to me, but no. It was indeed wishful thinking. The powerful, overwhelming emotions I experienced certainly made me want to believe, because wouldn't that be nice. But no.

As the vote clearly shows, most atheists don't believe in ghosts. I used to believe in ghosts when I was a theist, as it only makes sense to believe in imaginary things when religious. The clarity of thought you can have when not under the influence of religion is so great and uplifting, I wish it on everyone.

I wish people would apply the same logic to ghost as they do do a belief in god. If you have experienced some phenomena or you just feel, stop and think. An eye witness account in a courtroom is bad evidence. Your brain will convince you that saw what you think you saw. That is what the brain does. You think you have felt something and you do not think that you are lying, but your brain is lying to you. If you do any research on the brain, you will see that this is factual. One example is that we wake up from a dream and find ourselves frightened or angry at someone. The emotions are real, but the situation never happened. It may even take a few minutes before you can let go of the situation. In fact, you may have those feelings for some time, thinking about your dream and how you feel, Your waking brain is in conflict with your sleeping brain. The same happens with seeing or feeling ghosts. Something is unexplained and your brain fills in, according to your culture of course.

When it comes to god I am an atheist, but when ti comes to ghosts, I am more agnostic.

I have never experienced anything related to ghosts, but I have met several people who were in dire fear of certain places because fo things they experienced. Also, ghosts (or spirits) seem to be culturally universal. To me, tht says there may be a possibility, but until I experience something myself, or they figure out a way to scientifically study phenomena that is reliably replicable, I'll side with their not existing.

I must admit that none of those that I know to be atheists believe in ghosts any more than I do. So the idea that atheist would even think of believing in ghosts is unthinkable for me.

That is an interesting question. I suspect the overwhelming majority of atheists are 'nonbelievers' in all supernatural things.

Since I became an atheist at eight, I never really believed in ghosts, but, they are fun to make stories up about they do seem to give people that thrill of fear. It seems they are related to that part of our psyche that the fear of death lies.

It seems to me that you're actually addressing two different issues here. One, do ghosts exists? Two, what are ghosts? On the first, I don't know. I realize there have been a lot of reports of ghosts, but I don't know of any incontrovertible evidence.

On the second, there could be at least two explanations: that ghosts derive from theistic origins, or that ghosts are a scientifically explainable phenomena. To expound on the second possiblity, they could be some kind of bleed-through from a hypothetical multiverse or temporal nexus, either intentional or unintentional. Either of these two would of course explain why ghosts have clothes, but it also means ghosts might be observed as being nude.

I think because we are open minded. I would also need some kind of evidence.

I like your clothing question, but I can't think of a time when I saw an atheist say they believed in ghosts.

Oh My Goodness!!! I'm so excited to see this thread -
I just got the total shaft from someone I had been texting with for months, when we finally had the believer exchange, my atheism was a complete deal-breaker for her. Which brought me here.
She identifies as a psychic medium and told me I was contradicting myself when I said I believed that love was energy and as long as we live, the love energy from those who've passed probably still resonates in us, the living. She thought I was telling her she was full of shit - but I guess my non-traditional instincts/philosopy scared her. She believes her ability to be a psychic medium comes directly from her god. <long sigh>....

They may identify as atheist because they do not believe in deities, but do believe in ghosts. The two seem linked as spirits/souls are the stock in trade of religion, but I suppose they can be regarded as separate depending upon your point of view.

For me the belief in ghosts skirts close to religious belief as they are both unfalsifiable and I believe in neither.

To me, it's just another silly belief with no evidence to suggest otherwise.

Most people are afraid of the dark or woods. ghost will jump out at them. BOO

I was about 35 when I saw my first ghost. I have seen a few since and have one who visited me for a while. Do not be afraid they are just lost souls. Not everyone is sensitive enough to see them. When you get in touch with your inner spirit you will also see spirits. Kind of nice.

There are many things I don't believe in - ghosts, ghouls, eggs with fish and the astronomically high cost of space travel are just a few...
(By the way, how can we be sure that the vote is strictly being used by atheists? Some God fearing folk may have voted 'Ghost' for fun?)

Start with first principals, reliance on the scientific method and evidence. This is the basis for not believing.

Only state that I do because I once saw an apparition that I think most people (including those that use scientific methods to study this), would call a ghost. I do believe there is more than likely a scientific explanation for what I saw. Just not so interested in this to research it myself. As far as the clothes, I can't say that I saw clothes. It was all one color and flowing. Then gone.