Member Blog Post

The Grim Reaper:

Ok, for awhile now I’ve been seeing a few more interesting discussions on historical aspects of truly darker subjects.  This is good but what I would like to know is what your opinion may be on what society knows only as “The Grim Reaper.”  What is it?  Where does it come from?  How did it come to be this “thing”?  And is there only one?

Obviously “it” is the harp of doom, taking spirits to the other side almost like a gatekeeper.  But, was it really ever a person or angel (was it ever embodied)? Perhaps it was never an embodied entity (much like some angels or genii).  Is it working on some sort of order of things or higher spiritual command or is it just a separate entity in and of itself?  If there is only one, how can it be at a multitude of places at once?

Psychic Sylvia Browne says that ghosts cannot tell the future.  She must be mistaken because sometimes there are spottings of this Reaper well before death takes place. Sometimes there are warnings. It knows what is going to happen in some cases, thus appearing days before some unexpected fateful events (at times).  But if anyone has seen it, does it speak or have you heard it speak? What was your experience???

I find it interesting that many descriptions of the Ferry Man and Cemetery Watchers correlate the same description of this entity.  Again, is there only one Reaper or is this just a type / form of cemetery watcher; which could be a league of entities?  These religious / folklore descriptions (it’s my belief) are usually discussing the same phenomenon as “a” spirit collecting and guiding. Cemetery Watchers conversely though, sometimes trap or bind a spirit. Watchers don’t take spirits to the other side.

I don’t think it’s necessarily evil despite the black robe look.  But I’d like to know what you all think about this entity.  What are your theories on it?  Can it be talked to?  How was it assigned this task?  What the heck is it?

What’s weird is that there are plenty of ghosts that do not move on, or seemingly have not been guided by the Grim Reaper.  Realistically speaking especially with documented ghosts of murder victims (from TAPS), I don’t know why they were not allowed passage to the other side, or why they weren’t allowed to move on. I don’t think the trapped ghosts understand why entirely either. Some do not like it here.

 It’s not like some all knowing / all seeing entity would forget. I wonder what the deal is with that?  It doesn’t appear that there are prerequisite circumstances because some accident / homicides don’t ALWAYS result in a haunting, OTHERS DO. Some spirits are bound, others float and roam freely all with similar / violent fates. But that’s only scratching the surface of unnatural deaths. The ones unexpected, violent etc that do result in a spirit not always moving on. The big phrase is “not always.” Which doesn’t mean “not ever” being able to move on.

Conversely, even natural deaths can result in spirits being bound to a place, like purgatory, nothing happening at all or if you believe in Heaven and Hell I believe those are options as well.  Cut Heaven and Hell out of the equation and it seems that the Reaper plays a larger part in what happens in the afterlife but I can’t come to the educated conclusion that a Cemetery Watcher and The Grim Reaper are one in the same.  It just doesn’t feel like the correct answer.

They might look the same, but it seems like there are different duties being performed.  I don’t think Cemetery Watchers leave or roam freely like the Reaper.  Plus, I’m still hung-up on the concept that the Grim Reaper is “one entity” and not many if only because of traditional beliefs. But, I have no proof that this is the case, that and the fact that it is being seen at so many places at once, with still quite conscious / intelligible actions. That  doesn’t seem realistic to me, even for entities of the spiritual realm.

But can it speak?  What would happen if one tried to talk to it?  Does the Grim Reaper have a more traditional name (a very important question there)?????

I’ve heard of it communicating through stopping clocks, death knocks on the door, growlings at night / night terrors etc.  But never heard of one “Reaper” speaking.  Watchers do on occasion though (again with TAPS / Ghosthunters) but they don’t speak that often. There might only be like two documented reports of this communication, that even slightly match with the circumstances that a ghost is similar to a Watcher.

There are plenty of other free-roaming entities that match the same description too. Does this mean they are the same thing? Like the “boogeyman” for example.  Black robes, bringer of doom, scary voice, disappears and re-appears without much reason as to why.

It really makes me wonder if the black robe figures are one in the same.

Please share your theories on this, I’m very interested.