Talking to the Dead: Survey Results

We asked readers if they talk to the dead, use Oijia boards, or believe in ghosts. Here are the results of our online survey.

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To compare how people of different faiths answered the questions,

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In addition to the multiple choice questions, thousands of readers wrote in answers to the optional essay question: "Have you ever felt as if a dead person was trying to communicate with you? Describe your experience."

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to read a selection.



Results Overall
1. You believe that when people die, their souls/spirits:
Remain earthbound temporarily 8.9%
Move on to an eternal afterlife 50.4
Go to an in-between stage 12.1%
Are reincarnated 12%
No longer exist 2.2%
I don't know 14.4%



2. What best describes for you the relationship between the living and the dead?
The souls of the dead protect the living as angels or spirit guides 42.6%
The souls of the dead haunt us as ghosts 11.5%
Souls in heaven can hear our prayers/intercede for us with God 34.1%
The dead can communicate but have no power over our lives 30%
The dead cannot communicate with the living in any way 12.8%
I'm not sure 24%



3. Have you ever tried to contact the dead by:
Consulting a psychic or medium 21%
Using a Ouija board 28%
Performing a seance 14%
Praying or meditating 63%
Speaking, either out loud or in your head 69%
Using EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) 3%



4. You believe the ability to communicate with the dead is:
Something everyone has the potential for 35.9%
A spiritual gift that only some people have 25%
An evil power/dangerous occult activity 7.2%
I don't know if it's possible 23.7%
There is no such thing 8.1%



5. Have you ever:
Felt the presence of a dead person 68%
Felt the presence of a guardian angel or spirit guide 77%
Spoken with the spirit of someone who has died 25%
Seen a "sign" from one who has died 57%
Dreamed about someone who has died 92%
Experienced paranormal activity 56%



6. Your experiences with the dead have been mostly:
Positive 51.5%
Negative 2.4%
Neutral 24%
N/A 22.1%

Continued on page 2: »

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10,149 people took Beliefnet's online survey in early 2005. Respondents were self-selecting, and 84% were women. The religious breakdown of respondents was as follows: Christian: 64%, Jewish: 3.6%, Muslim: 1.6%, Hindu: .9%, Buddhist: 2.1%, Wiccan: 1.7%, Atheist/Agnostic: 1.3%, Spiritual But Not Religious: 18.4%, Other: 6.3%.

Related Topics:

Atheist, Arial, Christians Jews, Helvetica, Experienced Paranormal Activity, Holistic Living, Agnostic Spiritual, Color, Powerdangerous Occult Activity, Font Size, Dead Person

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