Demonology, the Nature of Evil and Paranormal Investigating
Introduction
In this article I will define demonology and demons, the origins of belief in demons, and both ancient and contemporary forms of belief. Then I will discuss demons and evil in relation to paranormal investigating. This has been a very controversial subject for many. In this article I will stray into my own personal beliefs and away from what may be mainstream beliefs in paranormal research circles. If you disagree with me, that is fine. It's only my personal opinion on the subject.
Demonology
The word demonology is from Greek, daimōn, "divinity, divine power, god". Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. It deals both with benevolent beings that have no circle of worshipers and with malevolent beings of all kinds. The original sense of "demon", from the time of Homer onward, was a benevolent (well meaning and kindly) being, but in English the name now holds connotations of malevolence (a wish do to evil to others, malicious, hostile, evil-minded, malignant, vicious, vengeful).
A demon is a paranormal, often malevolent being prevalent in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, and folklore. In Eastern religions as well as in the Hebrew traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian, a demon is considered an unclean spirit, sometimes a fallen angel, the spirit of a deceased human, or a spirit of unknown type which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. In Western occultism and Renaissance magic, which grew out of an amalgamation of Greco-Roman magic, Jewish demonology and Christian tradition, a demon is a spiritual entity that may be conjured and controlled.
Demons, when regarded as spirits, may belong to either of the classes of spirits recognized by primitive animism; that is to say, they may be human, or non-human, separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body.
Greek philosophers who claimed influence from Plato, and the fathers of the Christian Church, held that the world was pervaded with spirits, the latter of whom advanced the belief that demons received the worship directed at pagan gods.
Many religions and cultures believe, or once believed, that what is now known as sleep paralysis, was a form of physical contact with demons.
In modern times, some demonological texts have been written by Christians, usually in a similar vein of Thomas Aquinas, explaining their effects in the world and how faith may lessen or eliminate damage by them. A few Christian authors, such as Jack Chick and John Todd, write with intentions similar to Kramer, proclaiming that demons and their human agents are active in the world. These claims can stray from mainstream ideology, and may include such beliefs as rock music as a means through which demons influence people.
Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. There is the view that the language of exorcism in the New Testament is an example of what was once employed to describe the healing of epilepsy, schizophrenia, Bi-Polar or other mental illnesses.
Demonolators and practitioners of Wicca are not identical to practitioners of Satanism. They worship other demons and elementals either alongside, or instead of Satan. Some demonolators say that their form of demonolatry is a tradition, often familial, that is not related to the modern religious and philosophical movements collectively referred to as Satanism. Not all of the occultists who worship demons use the word "demonolator" to describe themselves, nor do all belong to the specific group.
Paranormal Investigating and Demons
I made sure to read a lot about this subject before writing this article. Not because I am going to tell you a lot. I am not. Just the opposite. I found many, too many, websites devoted to this subject. I also found many groups who claim to be able to deal with demons and rid them from your home or your life. I found these to be profoundly disturbing, considering the truth of all of this.
Demons are entities who are entirely, profoundly evil in nature, motivation and behavior. Therefore, they are also extremely dangerous, deceitful and even deadly. Therefore, they are not to be fooled with.
If you think that you have encountered demonic activity in a location, leave. Immediately. Do not engage, talk to, provoke, or involve yourself in any way with a demon. If you suspect demonic activity in a house, immediately advise the residents to contact their priest, rabi or pastor and refer them to someone who is experienced in exorcisms. This is not for you and your group to fool with or try to eradicate. Don't try it
If you have a real psychic or medium on your team, they are especially vulnerable to demonic attack and possession. Get them out immediately. They are, by their nature, more suseptible, sensitive and open than others. Don't fool around. Protect yourself.
Should you investigate a house or location with known demonic ativity? No. Should you attempt to expel a demon from a location or person? Exorcise them? No. Should you do an EVP session to identify the evil spirit and engage in communication? No. No. No. No.
Ok. I have been honest about my opinion about what a group should do about demonic activity. Nothing. Leave. Run. Get out. Now, here is what I personally believe about this.
I am a Christian. I believe in the power and authority of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that I am protected, forgiven, and loved by God. Since I do believe in a personal God who forgives my sin and guides my life, I also believe in a devil who's job it is to tempt me to sin, to distrust God, and to turn my back on good. In the novel "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S.Lewis, the demonic realm is likened to a corporation, with a hierarchy of executive demons who move up the corporate ladder by devouring those below. It's a world of grays, filled with sarcasm, hate, and devious banality. They use abuse and eat each other. Demons in this realm are obsessed with hating goodness in all if its manifestations and will stop at nothing to cause each and every one of us to choose to do the wrong thing...even if it is what we would consider something small and harmless like the stealing of a pen from work, or an unkind thought regarding the guy who just cut us off in traffic. Each and every little fall from grace is a victory for them, and something in which to rejoice. Becuase they know that each little fall results in a downward stroll into pergatory and, hopefully, hell. In order to accomplish this sort of goal, one must be quiet, sneaky, innocuous, unseen, undiscovered. To be discovered is to lose the battle, even the war. Once the enemy is located and known, it's over. As long as it can remain hidden it has victory after victory. Sins are committed in secret. As soon as they are exposed to the light they are defeated.
That is why I have such a problem with all of this sudden focus and talk of demonic possession of houses and locations. There is, I just learned, a new show on SyFy called "Killer Contact". It's about paranormal teams who go into places to contact famous dead murderers and serial killers. Nice, huh?
Are we, perhaps, fascinated with evil a bit too much? Are we curious, do we want to get a peek into the abyss? Just once? Dabble? Talk with a serial killer? Maybe even a demon? Just to see what it's like? Have we all gone insane?
Yes.
This is over the top. This is where it has to stop. This is crazy, dangerous, insane, diabolical.
First, I do not believe the devil wastes his time growling, spewing evil stench, scratching people, or throwing pots and pans at people, in order to gain attention for himself. That is just exactly the opposite of what the devil wants to do. He wants to hide. If he comes out to play it's because you are about to die.
So...I do not believe that these things are demonic. I think they are mostly made up and a figment of someones overactive imagination and desire for attention, or a paranormal show, perhaps? If, by some odd chance, a house does have demonic activity, again, get out. Refer it to a priest. Allow the professionals to handle it. Do not mess with demons. Do not.
Have I ever had occasion to experience anything demonic in all my years of investigating? No. Not once. However, there have been clients who claimed to have demonic oppression or activity in thier home all the time. But whenever an investigator shows up all of the activity stops. Of course it does. They do not want to engage in conversation or be caught on video. They will hide. They will keep silent. Evil hides in the dark. It does not come out to play.
So, one last time. Do not get yourself involved. If you think you may have, seek help, prayer, your church pastor.
That's all I have to say. Except believe no group who tells you that they know what they are doing and can cleanse your home of a demon or do an exorcism. They are lying or deceived.
Blessings and Keep Safe.
P.J.
Source: Definitions and History from Wikipedia
In this article I will define demonology and demons, the origins of belief in demons, and both ancient and contemporary forms of belief. Then I will discuss demons and evil in relation to paranormal investigating. This has been a very controversial subject for many. In this article I will stray into my own personal beliefs and away from what may be mainstream beliefs in paranormal research circles. If you disagree with me, that is fine. It's only my personal opinion on the subject.
Demonology
The word demonology is from Greek, daimōn, "divinity, divine power, god". Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. It deals both with benevolent beings that have no circle of worshipers and with malevolent beings of all kinds. The original sense of "demon", from the time of Homer onward, was a benevolent (well meaning and kindly) being, but in English the name now holds connotations of malevolence (a wish do to evil to others, malicious, hostile, evil-minded, malignant, vicious, vengeful).
Demons, when regarded as spirits, may belong to either of the classes of spirits recognized by primitive animism; that is to say, they may be human, or non-human, separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body.
Prevalence of demons
According to some societies, all the affairs of life are supposed to be under the control of spirits, each ruling a certain element (as in wind, fire, water, etc) or even object, and themselves in subjection to a greater spirit. For example, the Inuit are said to believe in spirits of the sea, earth and sky, the winds, the clouds and everything in nature. Every cove of the seashore, every point, every island and prominent rock has its guardian spirit. All are potentially of the malignant type, to be propitiated by an appeal to knowledge of the supernatural. Traditional Korean belief says that countless demons inhabit the natural world; they fill household objects and are present in all locations. By the thousands they accompany travelers, seeking them out from their places in the elements.Greek philosophers who claimed influence from Plato, and the fathers of the Christian Church, held that the world was pervaded with spirits, the latter of whom advanced the belief that demons received the worship directed at pagan gods.
Many religions and cultures believe, or once believed, that what is now known as sleep paralysis, was a form of physical contact with demons.
Types
Under the heading of demons are classified only such spirits as are believed to enter into relations with the human race; the term therefore includes:- Angels in the Judao-Christian tradition that fell from grace,
- Human souls regarded as genii or familiars,
- Such as receive a cult (e.g., ancient worship),
- Ghosts or other malevolent revenants (a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living)
Judaism
Some scholars suggest that the origins of early Jewish demonology can be traced to two distinctive and often competing mythologies of evil — Adam and Enoch, one of which was tied to the mishap of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and the other to the fall of angels. Thus, Adam's story traces the source of evil to Satan’s transgression and the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden. In contrast, the early Enochic tradition bases its understanding of the origin of demons on the story of the fallen Watchers led by Azazel. Satan is often depicted as the leader of the fallen angels while his conceptual rival Azazel is portrayed as a seducer of Adam and Eve.
Christianity
Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible. A number of authors throughout Christian history have written about demons for a variety of purposes. Theologians like Thomas Aquinas wrote concerning the behaviors Christians should be aware of, while witch hunters like Heinrich Kramer wrote about how to find and what to do with people they believed were involved with demons. Some texts are written with instructions on how to summon demons in the name of God and often were claimed to have been written by individuals respected within the Church. These latter texts were usually more detailed, giving names, ranks, and descriptions of demons individually and categorically. Most Christians commonly reject these texts as either diabolical or fictitious.In modern times, some demonological texts have been written by Christians, usually in a similar vein of Thomas Aquinas, explaining their effects in the world and how faith may lessen or eliminate damage by them. A few Christian authors, such as Jack Chick and John Todd, write with intentions similar to Kramer, proclaiming that demons and their human agents are active in the world. These claims can stray from mainstream ideology, and may include such beliefs as rock music as a means through which demons influence people.
Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. There is the view that the language of exorcism in the New Testament is an example of what was once employed to describe the healing of epilepsy, schizophrenia, Bi-Polar or other mental illnesses.
The Occult
Practitioners of ceremonial magic sometimes attempt to constrain and command demons to do their bidding. The demons are often those mentioned in Christian demonology. These practitioners do not necessarily worship demons, but seek to deploy them to obtain their goals. Other followers of the occult do worship demons, and some refer to their religion as "demonolatry." Others are from Wicca. They use forms of prayer, magic, and ritual which petition the demons, asking for their aid rather than commanding them.Demonolators and practitioners of Wicca are not identical to practitioners of Satanism. They worship other demons and elementals either alongside, or instead of Satan. Some demonolators say that their form of demonolatry is a tradition, often familial, that is not related to the modern religious and philosophical movements collectively referred to as Satanism. Not all of the occultists who worship demons use the word "demonolator" to describe themselves, nor do all belong to the specific group.
Satanism
Satanism is a name for a diverse group of religions which regard demons in general and Satan in particular as positive entities, either as real entities to be worshiped, or using Satan and other demons as symbols. Some of them borrow concepts of the nature of demons from established religions such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam while reversing these religions' negative value judgement in the matter, while others elaborate original concepts of their own about demons' character and abilities.Paranormal Investigating and Demons
I made sure to read a lot about this subject before writing this article. Not because I am going to tell you a lot. I am not. Just the opposite. I found many, too many, websites devoted to this subject. I also found many groups who claim to be able to deal with demons and rid them from your home or your life. I found these to be profoundly disturbing, considering the truth of all of this.
Demons are entities who are entirely, profoundly evil in nature, motivation and behavior. Therefore, they are also extremely dangerous, deceitful and even deadly. Therefore, they are not to be fooled with.
If you think that you have encountered demonic activity in a location, leave. Immediately. Do not engage, talk to, provoke, or involve yourself in any way with a demon. If you suspect demonic activity in a house, immediately advise the residents to contact their priest, rabi or pastor and refer them to someone who is experienced in exorcisms. This is not for you and your group to fool with or try to eradicate. Don't try it
If you have a real psychic or medium on your team, they are especially vulnerable to demonic attack and possession. Get them out immediately. They are, by their nature, more suseptible, sensitive and open than others. Don't fool around. Protect yourself.
Should you investigate a house or location with known demonic ativity? No. Should you attempt to expel a demon from a location or person? Exorcise them? No. Should you do an EVP session to identify the evil spirit and engage in communication? No. No. No. No.
Ok. I have been honest about my opinion about what a group should do about demonic activity. Nothing. Leave. Run. Get out. Now, here is what I personally believe about this.
I am a Christian. I believe in the power and authority of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that I am protected, forgiven, and loved by God. Since I do believe in a personal God who forgives my sin and guides my life, I also believe in a devil who's job it is to tempt me to sin, to distrust God, and to turn my back on good. In the novel "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S.Lewis, the demonic realm is likened to a corporation, with a hierarchy of executive demons who move up the corporate ladder by devouring those below. It's a world of grays, filled with sarcasm, hate, and devious banality. They use abuse and eat each other. Demons in this realm are obsessed with hating goodness in all if its manifestations and will stop at nothing to cause each and every one of us to choose to do the wrong thing...even if it is what we would consider something small and harmless like the stealing of a pen from work, or an unkind thought regarding the guy who just cut us off in traffic. Each and every little fall from grace is a victory for them, and something in which to rejoice. Becuase they know that each little fall results in a downward stroll into pergatory and, hopefully, hell. In order to accomplish this sort of goal, one must be quiet, sneaky, innocuous, unseen, undiscovered. To be discovered is to lose the battle, even the war. Once the enemy is located and known, it's over. As long as it can remain hidden it has victory after victory. Sins are committed in secret. As soon as they are exposed to the light they are defeated.
That is why I have such a problem with all of this sudden focus and talk of demonic possession of houses and locations. There is, I just learned, a new show on SyFy called "Killer Contact". It's about paranormal teams who go into places to contact famous dead murderers and serial killers. Nice, huh?
Are we, perhaps, fascinated with evil a bit too much? Are we curious, do we want to get a peek into the abyss? Just once? Dabble? Talk with a serial killer? Maybe even a demon? Just to see what it's like? Have we all gone insane?
Yes.
This is over the top. This is where it has to stop. This is crazy, dangerous, insane, diabolical.
First, I do not believe the devil wastes his time growling, spewing evil stench, scratching people, or throwing pots and pans at people, in order to gain attention for himself. That is just exactly the opposite of what the devil wants to do. He wants to hide. If he comes out to play it's because you are about to die.
So...I do not believe that these things are demonic. I think they are mostly made up and a figment of someones overactive imagination and desire for attention, or a paranormal show, perhaps? If, by some odd chance, a house does have demonic activity, again, get out. Refer it to a priest. Allow the professionals to handle it. Do not mess with demons. Do not.
Have I ever had occasion to experience anything demonic in all my years of investigating? No. Not once. However, there have been clients who claimed to have demonic oppression or activity in thier home all the time. But whenever an investigator shows up all of the activity stops. Of course it does. They do not want to engage in conversation or be caught on video. They will hide. They will keep silent. Evil hides in the dark. It does not come out to play.
So, one last time. Do not get yourself involved. If you think you may have, seek help, prayer, your church pastor.
That's all I have to say. Except believe no group who tells you that they know what they are doing and can cleanse your home of a demon or do an exorcism. They are lying or deceived.
Blessings and Keep Safe.
P.J.
Source: Definitions and History from Wikipedia
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