Kingpin wrote:I'm not sure I follow, where was it stated that 'spiritual' energy is no longer spiritual?
It doesn't always have to be, something can be mystically powered and still act as some sort of anchor/attractor.
I really think you're trying too hard to give it a real-world explanation, what's wrong with it being supernatural energy and otherworldly-architecture and rituals?
Oh, to explain that I need to be a bit philosophical, but it's really quite simple.
The Paradigm of Ghostbusters is the transfer of the Spook-Plot from Fantasy to Science-Fiction. Fantasy is defined by a metaphysical base of understanding and reasoning, while Science-Fiction is defined by its materialist equivalent.
Therefore, as classical Spook-Stories describe ghosts as supernatural entities, Ghostbusters describes them as part of Nature and its laws. These laws, i.e. relations of cause and effect, can be researched by the science of parapsychology, leading to technologies (Protonpack, Trap, etc.) based on the knowledge and usage of these laws. - If ghosts were supernatural entities, i.e. would not be determined by certain physical laws, it was impossible to imprison or even to harm them. In other words: "Ghostbusting" would be impossible.
"Spiritual", "mystically" however are conceptions that implicate supernatural properties, which contradict the shown Ghostbusters-Paradigm of ghosts being natural entities, determined by physical laws.
Of course, it is possible that I'm wrong on the question of the building. But in this case it would be a contradiction of Aykroyd and Ramis with their own premises, which would be bad. (And as nobody asks, and I already talked quite a lot, I wont precise why that would be bad.)