Talking to the Dead: Survey Results

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%

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