Specters of Deceit: Ghosts, Cryptids, Etc. Are Just Demons

In our modern world—paradoxically saturated with both technological progress and spiritual confusion—the allure of the supernatural/paranormal persists. Ghost stories haunt our folklore; videos of so-called cryptids, poltergeists, mimics, etc. pervade our social media feeds; and a booming industry of psychics, mediums, and ghost hunters seek contact with the dead. But what are these phenomena, really?

From the perspective of confessional Lutheran theology, rooted in sola Scripture—Scripture alone as our ultimate authority—these so-called manifestations of spirits, ghosts, and other supernatural beings are not the souls of the departed, nor are they misunderstood creatures of corrupted creation. Rather, they are lying spirits (demons) whose intent is to deceive, terrify, and draw people away from the truth of God’s Word.

This article explores how Scripture sheds light on these manifestations, and why Christians must be vigilant and discerning, viewing such phenomena not with curiosity, but with godly caution and theological clarity.

There Are No Ghosts: The State of the Dead According to Scripture

The first and most important point to establish is that Scripture gives no room for the dead to roam the Earth. The souls of the departed are not adrift in our world, haunting homes or wandering forests. At the moment of death, a person is either with the Lord or awaiting judgement:

• Hebrews 9:17, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this is the judgement.”
• Ecclesiastes 12:7, “Then the dust will return to the Earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”
• Luke 16:22-26 — In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus makes it clear that there is an impassable chasm between the righteous dead in Abraham’s bosom and the wicked in torment. The dead do not return to warn the living, even though the rich man begs for such a possibility.

Nowhere in Scripture do the spirits of the dead haunt the living. The Bible consistently teaches that after death comes judgement, not lingering like a spectral vagabond. Therefore, any supernatural being masquerading as a “ghost” is not a human soul but a demonic impersonation, seeking to confuse and deceive.

Familiar Spirits and Mediums: Forbidden by God

The practice of communing with spirits, consulting mediums, or engaging in necromancy (speaking with the dead) is explicitly condemned in the strongest possible terms in the Old Testament:

• Leviticus 19:31, “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”
• Deuteronomy 18:10-12, “There shall not be found among you anyone who… practices witchcraft [horoscopes, other occult], or a soothsayer [divination/fortune telling], or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead [necromancy]. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD…”

The Hebrew term translated “familiar spirit” here in the NKJV is yidoni (יִדְּעֹנִי), which refers to a person believed to have contact with supernatural entities that impersonate the dead. The root of the word is related to “knowledge” (yada [יְדָע]), implying a secret or hidden knowledge gained through demonic or occult means. In ancient Israel’s context, a yidoni would have been someone who acted as a medium, channeling messages from a “familiar spirit,” which Scripture makes clear were not the spirits of the dead but deceitful demonic forces. Such individuals were condemned under the Law and often punished by death, for their practices directly opposed God’s revelation and led the people into spiritual corruption and apostasy.

Perhaps the most vivid example is found in 1 Samuel 28, where Saul, having been abandoned by the Lord for his rebellion, consults the medium at Endor and asks her to summon the prophet Samuel. Something appears—but is it really Samuel? Many early Church Fathers and theologians (including Martin Luther) argue it was a demonic apparition, not the actual prophet, because God had already refused to speak to Saul (1 Samuel 28:6). So, why would God then allow Samuel to return through an explicitly forbidden practice? It’s not as though the medium could conjure Samuel’s spirit without God’s permission. More likely, Saul was deceived by a demonic entity mimicking the prophet—a horrifying consequence of his rebellion.

Satan Masquerades as an Angel of Light

In the New Testament, we are warned that Satan and his demons are masters of disguise. “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). If Satan can appear as an angel, he can certainly appear as a harmless “ghost,” a mysterious cryptid, or a voice from beyond. His goal is always the same: to draw attention away from Christ, to create spiritual confusion, and to lead people into idolatry, fear, or self-reliance.

The enemy often appears through subtle deception, not always overt possession. The increasing cultural acceptance of ghost hunting, Ouija boards, and spiritual mediums is not spiritual exploration, but demonic seduction.

The Deceptive Nature of “Cryptids” and Other Paranormal Beings

What, then, of creatures like Bigfoot, skinwalkers, mimics, and so on? While many may be urban legends or natural misidentifications, it would be naïve to discount the possibility of demonic involvement. Through Scripture, demons are associated with confusion, chaos, animalistic behavior, and fear:

• Luke 8:27-33 — The demoniac in the region of the Gadarenes was naked, lived among the tombs, and behaved like a wild animal. When Jesus casts the legion of demons out, they enter a herd of pigs, driving them into destructive chaos.
• Revelation 16:13-14, “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon… For they are the spirits of demons, performing signs…”

Even the unclean spirits of Revelation take on monstrous, hybrid forms—grotesque and fearful. Why would demonic forces not continue this pattern of taking terrifying or mysterious forms to deceive people today? When people encounter paranormal creatures that cannot be explained, they may be experiencing the manifestation of malevolent spirits, not unknown species.

In this sense, cryptids and mimics and so forth may be modern myths built upon ancient demonic activity—yet another attempt by Satan to draw people into mystery and away from the cross.

Spiritual Warfare and the Authority of Christ

The Lutheran understanding of spiritual warfare is not sensational, but sober and deeply Christocentric. Demons exist, but they flee from the name of Jesus:

• Mark 1:27, “Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!'”
• Luke 4:34, ” ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!'”
• Luke 8:31, “And [Legion] begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.”
• Colossians 2:15, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

We do not tremble before ghosts or so-called supernatural creatures, for they are under the authority of our risen Lord. Yet neither do we chase after them, for that is foolishness and we open ourselves up to spiritual danger. The only safe spiritual path is to remain grounded in the Word and Sacraments, where Christ’s grace and truth dwell.

Test the Spirits

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). This exhortation is clear. Not every supernatural experience is from God. In fact, many are not. Scripture gives us the tools to discern the truth:

• Does the experience glorify Christ?
• Does it lead you to the Word and Sacraments?
• Does it align with Scripture?

If not, we can be assured it is not of God.

Christ Alone is the Light in the Darkness

The world is obsessed with shadows—ghosts, skinwalkers, mimics, jinn—but these fascinations serve to distract from the only true Light: Jesus Christ, who alone has power over death, Hell, and the devil. Martin Luther, in the easy-to-memorize morning and evening prayers he’s given us, teaches us to pray: “Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me” (Small Catechism, Daily Prayers). Indeed, in the prayer the Lord Himself has given us to pray, “deliver us from evil,” or literally from the Greek, “deliver us from the evil one.”

Christians have no need for séances or spirit boards, for we already commune with the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament. We are surrounded not by the walking dead, but by the great cloud of witnesses who rest in Christ (Hebrews 12:1).

In the end, what many call ghosts or spirits are not our ancestors, but ancient enemies—demons cloaked in lies. We stand not in fear of them, but in the triumph of Christ, who crushed the serpent’s head and reigns over all creation.

“And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20).

Amen.