ghosts = YES / after-life = NO

[Rinchen]

I think that the reason people believe in ghosts but not the afterlife is due to their upbringing. Usually, ghosts are taught as people who did not die a peaceful death. Thus, as long as the person does die a peaceful death, they are submitted into heaven (If they propitiate a certain deity) or hell (If they don't).

So, as long as they believe in a God, they do not fear an afterlife as they believe that their afterlife will be in heaven and have nothing to worry about..

This is actually the first time for me hearing that there are rumors saying that when people do not die from a peaceful death they would become ghosts.

I guess the main and true reason to why there are ghosts around us is because that when someone dies, if they hold a very strong attachment to something (e.g items, family members, place, area, etc.) they would reincarnate into ghosts because they would not be able to let go and move on. This is something that is very sad as they would have to constantly wonder without any aim. That is just my view if one becomes a ghost.

[diablo1974]

Most people believe in ghosts i guess. But for most of the younger crowds they might not think they exists as they are being brought up in a different environment and education emphasizing on scientific facts and 'to see' to prove it exists. But our human eye made up of flesh are so vulnerable and not gifted to see any entity not withing our dimension. But i do believe there is unseen entity afterlife.

[Rinchen]

I guess there definitely will be people that believe that there are ghosts and people  that do not believe. But I will still say there is ghosts and afterlife. Simply because that it is only when we are dead, then we will be ghosts. Hence, that would be the after life that most people talk about.

There will be many things around the world that will not be proven by science which are of existence. Just like how the existence of ghosts. Nowadays, there are many special children around us that have the psychic ability to see these beings, some of them are even able to communicate with them and play with them. As ironic it sounds, these beings that play with the children are capable of moving items just like us. Some of them can be seen by the normal people as well.

[Positive Change]

I think that we choose a path that is most convenient for us (or at least we think so).

Thus, even when people DO believe with conviction in ghosts and black magic, it is easy for them to deluded themselves about it by surrounding themselves with people that either choose not to care (recklessly-defiantly) or simply do not believe.

Then enters into motion a very basic human behavior: IF I AM NOT ALONE I'LL BE FINE.

Humans can engage in all sorts of TERRIBLE things that THEY KNOW are WRONG, but because they are in a "GROUP", they just go along with it as if a warning light got dis-engaged...
Examples: deporting Jews to death camps during World War 2, taking part of a gang-raping, abusing and killing animals for food even!

WE would be able to do anything and mold anything if we are surrounded by people that make us feel protected if we adopt the general thinking, if we make ourselves fit the mold.

We feel protected because:
1. we are not exposed,
2. we are not alone,
3. we don’t have to put on a thinking cap.

If the great majority around us believe that ghosts do not exist, that money is a solution, that having families and children is a solution, if getting drunk or high is a solution or even that sacrificing animals or even human beings is a solution, we would surely fit in unless we apply analytic logic and courage to drive our actions.
 
Everybody believes in ghosts, I have that conviction, simply because everyone has been a ghost and knows it to be true first-hand.

[brian]

Why do we even bother to explain to non-believers of ghosts and after-life? Everybody is entitle to their own opinion. Buddhists' view on ghosts and after-life is different from that of Christianity, does this mean that we are RIGHT and they are WRONG? It is all about different points of view.

Lets put it this way, even if we don't believe there is reincarnation itself would not mean that reincarnation doesn't exist. It is the same in the case of whether are there really ghost or god in this world, by not believing in their existence doesn't mean that they do not exist. It is just because we choose not to believe it. If ghost, gods and reincarnation doesn't exist, then Buddha is wrong. I don't think Buddha is wrong and i have seen 'things' and so do some of my friends. I didn't believe in existence of ghost before this but they still exist.

[metta girl]

I have many friends who claimed they have seen ghost before . It might be true  because i believe in the existence of ghost. ... when i told them about Buddha and his teachings and to do more dharma work to collect more merits to prepare ourselves for future lives ,they do not understand and said that they wont know who they are in future lifes and they are not worried. ...It's very important to have Dharma knowledge ,understanding that  Cause & Effect , Merits ,Benefitting all sentient beings & reincarnation do exist too.....