GHOSTS

According to tradition is a spirit of a dead person that visits the living. Most people do not believe in ghosts, but some do. Reports of seeing or hearing ghosts have been common throughout history--more so in ancient and midevil times than today. There have been many stories, books, motion pictures and plays about ghosts. In most stories and reports about ghosts, the ghost resembles it's living form. Many ghosts are transparent or shadowdy.Some ghosts are pictured as white sheets shaped somewhat like a body.

Most malevolent ghosts haunt the place where, in thier real form they died or were buried. A ghosts that haunts a place by making strange noises, and caused doors, furniture and other objects to move by themselves is somestimes called a poltergeist. Friendly ghosts include Marley in "Charles Dickens" A Christmas Carol. Marley helps Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character become a better person.

Ghosts play an important role in some religions. Many Americian Indians and tribes people in Africa and the Pacific Islands believe in spirits that infulence the living world. They perform rites to please the spirits in order to assure sucuss. Many people fear the dead and observe special funeral customs to make sure that ghosts do not return.