So here’s the question are ghosts real from a biblical perspective and if you’re not religious what is your views on the subject?
My perspective from a biblical standpoint are they’re real. Remember Jesus said he wasn’t a ghost when the disciples touched him instead of ever saying there was no such thing. In 1 Samuel 28 we see Saul say bring up the ghost of Samuel (verse 11) and when Samuel arises he says “Why are you bothering me by bringing me up like this?” (This is a rare occurrence and isn’t the norm).
The Bible never said there wasn’t such a thing as ghost. Personally I believe “ghosts” are just an echo of their former self. Demons on the other hand are the ones communicating and even causing physical harm to the living. There is exception about communicating such as when someone is close to death in nursing homes it is said by many that a passed relative or loved one (who is dead) was there to comfort them as they passed away.
Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
I read through all the responses on here and your question of ghosts (assuming you mean the spirit essence of a deceased human being) is a "tricky" question.
Technically yes, ghosts exist. Do we have access to them, or do they have access to us? The Scripturally recorded answer to that question (with the exception of one incident where Samual did appear to the witch of Endor) appears to be "no".
Now the reason for "no" is based in what understanding of Sheol / hell we can get from Scripture. Now according to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; dead humans can "technically" communicate with living humans IF given permission there of. (Thus the story of Samuel.) But according to that parable that is generally not the case. The rich man requests of Abraham to send Lazarus to warn the rich man's brothers of the real existence of retribution for sin committed. And Abraham's response is: They still won't believe even if one rose from the dead. Which is an interesting reference to the resurrection of Christ.
Now granted Jesus is not the only one who was raised from the daad in Scripture. But the reason other people were capable of being raised was because of the resurrection of Christ. Which for this reason; we get into looking at the atonement and how that "event" took place both within earthy time as well as out side of earthy time. Things that happen outside of earthy time have the ability to interject themselves within our earthy timeline regardless of where they happen in our earthy timeline. That's part of God's omniscience. Which is a whole other realm of ability of God beyond what would naturally happen in creation.
And in this thus, we get the story of Samuel and the witch of Endor. I studied that passage and as far as I could determine that really was the spirit of Samual that appeared to her. But if we look at that account carefully, it's rather interesting. First off, it's interesting because Samual is annoyed. He makes a comment of being called "back" from his state of (extrapolated) to mean "journey to the other side of eternity". The description given of the event involving Samual is similar to the Jacob's ladder vision. Although I tend to see that vision as having more specific application to angels than souls of deceased humans.
Now throw another caveat in here. Revelation 19:10. In this vision; John encounters this entity he interprets to be an "angel". This "angel" tells him not to worship him because he is one of John's brethren who bears the testimony of Christ. Which when taken for what it is; is an interesting statement because the entity John is talking to is a disembodied saint. We can deduce this because of what this entity says to John. An obedient angel would not tell John he is one of John's 'brethren" because angels are not atoneable for. "(Christ) did not take on the nature of angels...." (Hebrews 2:16). So though obedient angels are called "elect angels" (1 Timothy 5:21) Angels are not entities that are specifically atoned for.
Now, Old Testament:. In the Book of Daniel, in the Hebrew disembodied saints are called "the watchers". King Jimmy translates that term "saint" "One saint said to another...." (Daniel 8:13) These were apparently departed human souls who were in heaven prior to the completion of the atonement in earthy time. Now Daniel's vision; appears to be an "event" that encompasses the entirety of earthy history. When Daniel is told to "seal up the prophecy of the book" what is later revealed in Revelation is believed to be what Daniel was told to "seal up". Which this does make sense in the chronological timeline. Which again, the atonement being an event that takes place both outside of time as well as within time; would account for how saints appear in heaven prior to the crucifixion. "(Jesus) is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world..." (Revelation 13:8)
So, which this means any "ghost" allotted an "appearance" to any human is only capable of happening within the context of what God allows for reasons of prophetic fulfillment. Which only applies to the purpose of the writing of the canon of Scripture. Thus why the incident with Samual and the witch of Endor happened in the Old Testament.
Which brings us to the question of ghosts today. (Yes they do exist.) Can we see them today. The answer to that appears to be "no" and that is because of the resurrection of Christ. This is all connected to the revelation that's part of the whole of the canon of Scripture. Why God sent Samuel back to Saul? I don't know the answer to that. The warning Saul received was that he would die and the kingdom would be taken from him and given to the rightful king. Now historically, that played out as David became the king of Israel. David was a historical metaphoric representation of Christ. "Israel" is the elect of God from both Old and New Testament saints.
So now that the canon of Scripture is complete; living humans will no longer see "ghosts"; (or obedient angels) for that matter; or even in that case I'd say demons... though the presence of demons can still be "experienced". The deception often comes in that people think they are "ghosts"; of which I'd conclude that's likely the case. Demonic entities are posing themselves as human spirits. Which apparently was an issue in the Old Testament; and thus the injunction about not invoking the dead. You will not get the spirit of a human. You will get a demon posing as a human.
Now as to Jesus telling the disciples that he was not a ghost?
That makes contextual sense in their understanding of the possibility that they could see ghosts. (Their reference being the event with Samuel and the witch of Endor which was recorded in Scripture they would have been familiar with.) So to question, within their timeline of the unfolding of history, did make sense as to their questioning Jesus being a ghost.
And his answer (that specifically he is the one who's risen from the dead) ties all these other passages together. (Samuel's warning to Saul of retribution for sin to the story of the rich man and Lazarus.) They all fit into the context of the unfolding of the redemption plan and how that applies to the writing of the canon of Scripture.
Now, probably much more complicated of an answer than you expected to get; but there's my understanding of the subject / question of "ghosts".
