A Question About Ghosts...

[Temporal Renegade]

The other day, I happened to catch a glimpse of an episode of The Ghost Whisperer that my mother-in-law was watching on tape. All of a sudden, I was hit by a question:

Why do ghosts wear clothes?

Now, if a ghost is supposed to be a person's 'soul' or 'spiritual energy' that goes on walkabout after the unfortunate person dies, why do they have clothes on? Do clothes have a 'spiritual energy' that clings to the person after they die? Now, I know that on television, nudity isn't usually allowed on regular network TV; but, what about in a 'real world' application?

I know this sounds goofy, but I'd still like to hear some thoughts on this.

[joobz]

The other day, I happened to catch a glimpse of an episode of The Ghost Whisperer that my mother-in-law was watching on tape. All of a sudden, I was hit by a question:

Why do ghosts wear clothes?

Now, if a ghost is supposed to be a person's 'soul' or 'spiritual energy' that goes on walkabout after the unfortunate person dies, why do they have clothes on? Do clothes have a 'spiritual energy' that clings to the person after they die? Now, I know that on television, nudity isn't usually allowed on regular network TV; but, what about in a 'real world' application?

I know this sounds goofy, but I'd still like to hear some thoughts on this.
Because the FCC isn't ready for the real representation of ghosts, that of naked, sexy spirits with full working naughty bits.;)

[Starthinker]

Asking questions about things that don't exist is an exercise in futility.

[Pipirr]

The ghosts have to wear clothes in the Ghost Whisperer. If they were naked, it would detract from the sartorial train wreck that is JLH. Whenever I watch that show, I ask myself why, Jennifer, what were you thinking? Why do you let them dress you like that? And keep away from naked flames. I foresee a hideous polyester burning incident in your future.

[sat556]

It's a 'Matrix'y type thing where they can look however they want to.

Or...

Those orbs that get picked up in photographs are the naked ones.

Can I get a woo badge? :D

[kittynh]

well, and hairstyles.

I mean, are you doomed to wear the clothing you wore when you died? If so , an awful lot of ghost photos should show hospital gowns.

What you were buried in?

Ghost whisperers do NOT like these types of questions.

[sat556]

Actually... Don't 'they' get round this one by saying that some spooks are recordings (thus clothed), and some 'energy'?
So if spook whisper person sees the ghost, then it'll have clothes on, and if they just 'chat to the energy' the ghost will tell them what they have on, and could of course, lie about it. As we all know, so many ghosts are evil and mischief making that they probably do the latter, which is why so many psychic types get stuff wrong.

[Temporal Renegade]

I don't mean on television; that's just a given, with the regulations & all; what I should have asked was, why do you think people 'see' them wearing them?

[Minarvia]

I don't mean on television; that's just a given, with the regulations & all; what I should have asked was, why do you think people 'see' them wearing them?

Ooohhh! Good point you make! :D

[fuelair]

Because the FCC isn't ready for the real representation of ghosts, that of naked, sexy spirits with full working naughty bits.;)
Because they are ectoplasm and the ectoplasm takes the place of their appearance when last alive, as the spirit remembers it and forms the ectoplasm from that memory. And the FCC really dumb big fines.:D


I would watch more of these idiot things if they did follow the stated above policy though!!!:D :D :rolleyes:

[Temporal Renegade]

Ooohhh! Good point you make! :D

Thanks. :)
I have to admit, I've wondered about that for a while....

[CLD]

There is very little agreement among woo as to why ghosts wear clothing. Basically, any excuse you can make up, the wilder the better, is why ghosts wear clothing. Here's a sample:

1. Our clothing reflects our personality and in the case of a nightgown can depict a time of day. The clothes of "the day" can also tells you a time frame when the person lived. They are trying to provide you with clues to their identity. Showing you clothing also distracts from the lack of a physical body. Most of the time people report no face for instance.

2. They will try to represent themselves in the way you knew them. When people see loved ones who have crossed they report seeing them looking approx the same way that they remember them best minus any health issues.

3. Sylvia Browne says that everyone is 30 on the "other side. Although I do not agree with an exact number it does seem to be true that the person will project themselves looking at their best. So if they died of old age and you remember them when they were young they may appear young to you.

They do not have bodies anymore but they are trying to get you to recognize them or at least not to be fearful. If their agenda is communication they really do not want you to run screaming. They will project their "best foot forward". They may show you injuries if that is an issue for them but in my experience they would rather just tell you about it. Since it is all energy they can project whatever works for them and for you.

[CBVan]

If it turns out I become a ghost after I die, I'm going around naked whether or not I get clothes to start with.
Thats forward planning! Lol.

[Apathia]

I guess no one wants to disappoint the OP by telling him ghosts aren't something out there that can be clothed or unclothed, but are merely imagined clothes and all. But that's too unbelievable, so, Temporal Renegade, we leave you with ectoplasm.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

The ghosts are naked. The perception of ghosts by living people incorporates clothing to reduce the shock value.

You're already seeing a dead person. Heaven forfend you should see a naked dead person.

~~ Paul

[Pup]

I always thought the traditional "white sheet" ghost was supposed to be wearing a shroud from the grave. Not coincidentally, that also made it easy to "see" ghosts, since all you needed was the illusion of a pale blob and you could imagine it as Aunt Mary in her winding sheet, or whoever. And psychologically, if she was wearing a shroud the last time you saw her and you imagined she "came back" from wherever she went, it makes sense to imagine her dressed the same way.

Nowadays in cultures where people are more apt to be buried in street clothes, the white sheet stereotype seems to be going out of fashion except as a cartoon stereotype, since there's no longer an emotional connection between death and a white sheet.

[Minarvia]

The ghosts are naked. The perception of ghosts by living people incorporates clothing to reduce the shock value.

You're already seeing a dead person. Heaven forfend you should see a naked dead person.

~~ Paul

But wouldn't that be to the ghost's advantage? I mean, if they don't want to scare you, maybe making you laugh would be a good thing, huh?
Sorry, that thought just makes me snicker. I wonder if anyone on TAPS ever saw a naked dead person?

[Soapy Sam]

...and why are they such slaves to fashion?

[Correa Neto]

...and why are they such slaves to fashion?
Ah, see, these souls still have strong links to material things and vanity. This attachment is keeping them imprisioned here at our material plane.

The nude ghosts are on the other side, beyond the tunnel of light.

Cand I make some money with this?

[Big Les]

If I had to make something up, I'd say that the "spirit" has no detectable physical or empirically visible form (are you liking this so far?) but is only manipulating the viewer's <insert scientific sounding name here> lobe, resulting in a Spirit Induced Hallicination (SIH) which is indistinguishable from a normal hallucination, dream, or drug trip.

How's that? Sounds pretty water tight to me. Where my mirrion dorrar?

[Cuddles]

If I had to make something up, I'd say that the "spirit" has no detectable physical or empirically visible form (are you liking this so far?) but is only manipulating the viewer's quantumvibrationalenergetic lobe, resulting in a Spirit Induced Hallicination (SIH) which is indistinguishable from a normal hallucination, dream, or drug trip.

How's that? Sounds pretty water tight to me. Where my mirrion dorrar?

Does that help?

[Minarvia]

If I had to make something up, I'd say that the "spirit" has no detectable physical or empirically visible form (are you liking this so far?) but is only manipulating the viewer's <insert scientific sounding name here> lobe, resulting in a Spirit Induced Hallicination (SIH) which is indistinguishable from a normal hallucination, dream, or drug trip.

How's that? Sounds pretty water tight to me. Where my mirrion dorrar?

Hey, Temporal, looks like we have our answer! :)

[Apathia]

Originally Posted by Big Les
If I had to make something up, I'd say that the "spirit" has no detectable physical or empirically visible form (are you liking this so far?) but is only manipulating the viewer's <insert scientific sounding name here> lobe, resulting in a Spirit Induced Hallicination (SIH) which is indistinguishable from a normal hallucination, dream, or drug trip.

How's that? Sounds pretty water tight to me. Where my mirrion dorrar?

Hey, Temporal, looks like we have our answer! :)

It's better than that slimy, sticky, ectoplasm!

[RSLancastr]

For precisely the same reason that they have skin.

[Big Les]

And goolies.

[billydkid]

The other day, I happened to catch a glimpse of an episode of The Ghost Whisperer that my mother-in-law was watching on tape. All of a sudden, I was hit by a question:

Why do ghosts wear clothes?

Now, if a ghost is supposed to be a person's 'soul' or 'spiritual energy' that goes on walkabout after the unfortunate person dies, why do they have clothes on? Do clothes have a 'spiritual energy' that clings to the person after they die? Now, I know that on television, nudity isn't usually allowed on regular network TV; but, what about in a 'real world' application?

I know this sounds goofy, but I'd still like to hear some thoughts on this.
Well, of course you are right, but, if you think about it at all, there are dozens and dozens of similar sorts questions that could be asked. It reveals the ridiculousness the entire notion of ghosts - just as asking questions in the same way about god reveals the ridiculousness of that notion.

[ChristineR]

Why wouldn't ghosts wear clothes? Seriously, for all we know it's cold and rainy in the afterlife. Or maybe they don't want the hot babe ghosts to see their pasty chests. And then there's the "I forged these chains in my life" ala Marley/Scrooge, where your clothes somehow reflect what you did when you were alive.

Ghosts are no different from living people. In fact, they usually turn out to be a living person after all. ;)

[Apathia]

If you read Japanese folklore, you discover Japanese Ghosts generally don't have legs and feet. What a bummer! That closet full of shoes, and you can't even have a shade of a single pair!

[Minarvia]

Why wouldn't ghosts wear clothes? Seriously, for all we know it's cold and rainy in the afterlife. Or maybe they don't want the hot babe ghosts to see their pasty chests. And then there's the "I forged these chains in my life" ala Marley/Scrooge, where your clothes somehow reflect what you did when you were alive.

Ghosts are no different from living people. In fact, they usually turn out to be a living person after all. ;)

Oh, but didn't you hear Sylvia Browne, numerous times, tell us that the weather is perfect on the Other Side and it is always 70 degrees F? Also, she tells us there are no insects. :p

[Dark Jaguar]

I'm pretty sure it's as simple as it simply taking a form that has meaning to it. Some ghosts appear completely different than they did in life in a lot of ghost stories ya know, like huge demons or whatever. There's plenty of silly stuff to come up with, but let's represent these odd views correctly at least. They say it's spirit energy formed into a ghost, not the entire body leaving an exact spirit replica. Might as well ask why they aren't just floating brain shapes. Think Star Trek. Their "default" shape is probably some white glowing orb that reshapes itself based on it's own psychology, or whatever.

But who cares? The REAL question is, can we suck them up into special "traps" and power a metropolitan area with them?

[Apathia]

Orbs! Yep!

[billydkid]

Oh, but didn't you hear Sylvia Browne, numerous times, tell us that the weather is perfect on the Other Side and it is always 70 degrees F? Also, she tells us there are no insects. :p
Could Sylvia Browne be anymore completely repulsive? I bet her breath wilts flowers too.

[Yahzi]

Why do ghosts wear clothes?
Hey! That's my question!

:D

[Minarvia]

Could Sylvia Browne be anymore completely repulsive? I bet her breath wilts flowers too.

And she picks her teeth with those HUGE nails, or she cleans her nails with her teeth...or something. Ewww! :faint:
If she really sees ghosts, I would kind of think that they would avoid her and seek out someone more, er, attractive? And I don't mean John Edward, either! :sour:

[Temporal Renegade]

Hey! That's my question!

:D

Nice to know I'm not the only one with too much time to think of these things! :D

[Temporal Renegade]

Hey, Temporal, looks like we have our answer! :)

:D

[Temporal Renegade]

Ah, see, these souls still have strong links to material things and vanity. This attachment is keeping them imprisioned here at our material plane.

The nude ghosts are on the other side, beyond the tunnel of light.

Cand I make some money with this?

Only if Golden Palace buys it from you on eBay.

[ChristineR]

Think about it this way: Would YOU want Sylvia Browne to see you naked?

[Tanstaafl]

OMG!

I just had the most terrible thought.

Naked ghosts, Sylvia Browne dying, ... Yikes!

[Redtail]

Ghost wear clothes for the same reason living people watch reality shows with spoiled rich kids.:eye-poppi

[case sensitive]

If a nudist saw a ghost would the ghost be naked? Heavy...

[Minarvia]

Think about it this way: Would YOU want Sylvia Browne to see you naked?

It would be better than seeing HER naked! :D